16G GEOLOGY OF ARRAN. 



idea whence the sound came, or how it was produced ; and it 

 was a good many seconds before I caught sight of a large 

 adder, within less than a foot of my hand, in an attitude as 

 if to spring, with erect crest, open mouth, and tongue 

 alarmingly visible 



" Attollentem iras et coernla colla tumentem." 



On throwing in a small stone for I have never felt in- 

 clined to kill an adder, having already a preserved specimen 

 the creature retired into its hole. 



The Gaelic name of this glen is said to mean the Ferry- 

 point Glen. This name " Ferry-point," as indicating that 

 water may have filled the glen since man inhabited the 

 island, is remarkable, especially when taken in connection 

 with the anchor found in the glen. This was discovered, not 

 on the hill-side, where peat is now cut, as stated in Art. 25, 

 but on the level of the river above the parks, where peat was 

 formerly cut. Art. 25 was printed off before the error of 

 our informant was known to us ; but it is clear that on 

 evidence so slight as this, we cannot assign to a very great 

 antiquity the use of iron anchors, nor a modern origin to 

 the old sea-cliff which surrounds Arran > for it could only 

 have been when the sea stood at that old level that Glen Rosa 

 was occupied by the sea. That remarkable changes have 

 taken place in Brodick Bay in late times we know. The 

 Duchess Anne built of Arran oak, and in order to present it 

 to the government, a vessel of considerable size, to the west 

 of the group of ash trees near the present manse, and launched 

 it there. And later still, about 120 years ago, it was usual 

 to ship cattle, at high water, in the Cloy, from a natural pier 

 of stone a little way west of the present smithy garden, north 

 of the road.* But such changes as these of the recent period 

 are of quite a different character from the occupancy of Glen 



* I am indebted to the kindness of Miss Brown of Invercloy for this 

 and many other interesting facts regarding local traditions and 

 antiquities. 



