132 THE CRUISE OF THE BETSEY j OR, 



two or three coatings, that form around the vesicles skull-like 

 shells of agate, and then shut - } a few remained open, and be- 

 came as entirely occupied with agate as many of the previous 

 ones had become filled with green earth. Then an ample in- 

 fusion of chalcedony pervaded the mass. Numerous doors 

 again opened ; some took in a portion of the chalcedony, and 

 then shut ; some remained open, and became filled with it ; 

 and many more that had been previously filled by the green 

 earth opened their doors again, and the chalcedony pervading 

 the green porous mass, converted it into heliotrope. Then 

 an infusion of lime took place. Doors opened, many of which 

 had been hitherto shut, save for a short time, when the green- 

 earth infusion obtained, and became filled with lime ; other 

 doors opened for a brief space, and received lime enough to 

 form a few crystals. Last of all, there was a pure quartzose 

 infusion, and doors opened, some for a longer time, some for 

 a shorter, just as on previous occasions. Now, by mechani- 

 cal means of this character, by such an arrangement of suc- 

 cessive infusions, and such a device of shutting and opening 

 of doors, the phenomena exhibited by the vesicles could be 

 produced. There is no difficulty in working the problem 

 mechanically, if we be allowed to assume in our data succes- 

 sive infusions, well-fitted doors, and watchful door-keepers ; 

 and if any one can work it chemically, certainly without 

 door-keepers, but with such doors and such infusions as he 

 can show to have existed, he shall have cleared up the mys- 

 tery of the Scuir More. I have given their various cargoes 

 to all its many vesicles by mechanical means, at 110 expense 

 of ingenuity whatever. Are there any of my readers prepared 

 to give it to them by means purely chemical 1 



There is a solitary house in the opening of the valley, over 

 which the Scuir More stands sentinel, a house so solitary, 

 that the entire breadth of the island intervenes between it and 

 the nearest human dwelling. It is inhabited by a shepherd 



