of the Toxvn of New-Havetu 93 



netv^ and thus confirming the correctness of oiu' conclu- 

 sions concerning its nature. Upon many of the miiSGes of 

 the Pine Mock, and particularly upon a large part of that 

 projecting brow, which forms what is called the Judge's 

 Cave, may be observed a white saline efflorescence which, 

 from its taste, appears to be sulphat of iron, more com- 

 monly known by the name of green vitriol, or copperas. 



Should this impression prove correct, it would not be 

 difficult to account for the formation of the substance 

 in question, since the sulphur which exists in these 

 rocks in the form of pyrites, might be acidified by the 

 oxigen of the atmosphere or of water, and the sulpha- 

 ric acid thus produced, attacking the iron, either of the 

 pyrites, or of the whin itself, would necessarily form 

 copperas ; the water would disolve and carry it over the 

 surface of the stones, and evaporation would at last 

 leave it in the dry powdery state in which we find it. 



The mountain called the West Rock, which occurs 

 next on our circuit, is a grand basaltic ridge, where the 

 columns are more lofty, the prismatic form is more dis- 

 tinct, and the mass of ruins at the foot of the perpendicu- 

 lar cliffs is more considerable than at the East Rock. 



There is however very little in its mineralogical histo- 

 ry which has not been already anticipated. It is said to 

 be incumbent upon a bed of sand stone ; this however 

 was not ascertained by actual examination.* That the 

 Pine Pock has such a basis, is evident to the eye, for 

 the strata are distinctly visible at one end of the emi- 

 nence, where they have been laid bare by the rains. It 

 will be well to remember that the whin rocks about Ed- 

 inburgh have the same basis, and we have already found 

 the same fact at the East Rock as well as here. 



If there be any diiference in the appearance of the 

 whin of the West and of the East Rock, it may perlraps 

 be said, that the former contains more hornblende, and 

 is more inclined to break into the rhomboidai prism. 

 The tendency of whin stone to assume these regular 

 forms contributes very much to the utility of this stone, 

 which thus presents fair faces for walls, and is easily 

 made to tally with contiguous stones. 



* A''ote. — I have since ascertained this to be the flict. 



