92 GEOLOGY OF ARRAN. 



where we stand, the grand cone of Ailsa rises abruptly from 

 the sea; beyond, the eye ranges far out south-east and south, 

 along the noble sweep of the Ayr and Wigton coasts. As 

 the day verges towards evening, a purple curtain slowly falls 

 over the scene to the south and east, while the light is still 

 strong on all the northern mountains. Towards the west 

 the islands stand grandly up in a sea of molten gold, which, 

 rising far out westwards, blends with masses of gorgeous 

 clouds "set on fire with redness" later still, 



The sun, descending, 

 Leaves upon the level water 

 One long track and trail of splendour. 



Of mere geological interest there is not much on the sum- 

 mit of Goatfell. Bits of greenstone lie about as if a vein 

 existed near. Veins of fine granite in the coarse variety, of 

 which the mountain consists, have been mistaken for veins 

 of claystone. These veins are clearly cotemporaneous, and 

 have no connection with the fine-grained granite of the 

 interior; it is too distant and too deep to have sent such 

 fine veins and threads to this height. Dr. MacCulloch 

 noticed a magnetic property in the granite, which he after- 

 wards confirmed by observations made on other mountains 

 in Scotland (West. Isles, ii. 351; Geol. Trans., 1st Series, vol. 

 ii. p. 430, and vol. iv. p. 124). The greatest deviation of the 

 needle which we noticed was on a block north of the cairn, 

 where it pointed to 75 west instead of 26 west, the present 

 variation ; a deviation of 49 from the true position. Such 

 being the irregularity, it may be well to stato that the tongue 

 of laud between Loch Fyne and the Kyles of Bute bears due 

 north from the summit of Goatfell. Ailsa Craig nearly one 

 point east of south. 



47. If the day is calm and clear, one is disposed to linger 

 on the summit and take in the full beauties of the scene. 

 The Cyclopean walls on the north front are a fine study, 

 shewing the structure of a granite mountain, and the style 



