EXCURSION X. 149 



beds; one on the south-east side of the island presents 

 remarkable alternations with the sandstone, and alters its 

 structure. The felspar rock itself is seen in one place on the 

 east side to intersect the whole body of strata, and to be 

 connected above with the overlying mass of the same rock. 

 Here, also, there is a very interesting vertical vein or dike, 

 intersecting an oblique trap vein, and shewing in the centre 

 fine black basalt, containing zeolites and glassy felspar; on. 

 each side of this there is a lamina of a black substance, inter- 

 mediate between basalt and pitchstone, and at the outer 

 surfaces a coating of vitreous pitchstone one-tenth of an inch 

 in thickness. These substances, indeed, are all of one origin, 

 the variations found here, as well as in other places, being 

 due merely to different rates of cooling in the once fused 

 mass (see Art. 52). The same oblique vein is intersected by 

 a vertical vein of concretionary trap. Dr. MacCulloch gives 

 a drawing representing the appearances (West. Isl., vol. iii. 

 pi. xxiv. fig. 2). 



The granite blocks on this island have been already noticed 

 (Art. 19). On the west side, near the landing, there is a 

 raised beach or shelly deposit thirty feet above the present 

 sea-level. Here also once stood a fortress, built in the 

 middle of the twelfth century by Somerled of the Isles, 

 of which no trace now remains. Adders abound upon the 

 island, but their number is said to be diminishing. 



70. The tourist must visit the hermitage of St. Molios. 

 It is situated a mile south of the landing-place, and is a 

 natural excavation in the old sea-cliff. The conjectural 

 account of St. Molios usually given is quite inaccurate. The 

 following is the correct legend, kindly made known to me by 

 the late John M'Kinlay, Esq. of Bonnington, near Edin- 

 burgh, formerly of Rothesay *: " The legend of St. Lasrian, 



*Mr. M'Kinlay 's extensive and accurate information in regard to 

 the history and antiquities of his native country are now in a great 

 measure embodied in Mr. Reid's detailed and excellent History of 

 the County of Bute. 



