Geological Features. 643 



ance of having been indurated by proximity to the basaltic rock ; 5. A rock 

 which seems intermediate between sandstone and trap ; 6. A black basaltic 

 rock, the lower part intersected by vertical fissures. We collected speci- 

 mens of all the above from a bed, not more than a yard in thickness, situ- 

 ated on the shore at Largs. The first large mass of granite which we saw 

 was the CrifFel mountain, near Dalbeattie j and the first limestone was at 

 Closeburn, where it is most scientifically worked by Mr. Stuart Menteath. 

 (See Vol.11, p. 107. 402.) This rock again occurs at Straiton ; and, 

 from Girvan along the coast as far as Saltcoats, limestone and coal are in 

 the greatest abundance, and are extensively worked, both for home con- 

 sumption and for exportation. Both limestone and coal occur again in the 

 neighbourhood of Paisley, where they are also worked to a great extent. 



The Surface of this tract of country is every where of great natural 

 beauty, and is, beyond all the landscape we have seen since leaving London, 

 except that near the lakes of Cumberland and Westmoreland, adapted 

 for country' residences. In a general view it is mountainous and hilly ; 

 but, in passing through it, we meet with numerous streams or rivers with 

 the most varied banks; and occasionally, where the larger rivers run into 

 the sea, with fertile levels of alluvial or of sand}' soil. Leaving Annan in the 

 evening, and passing over the dull flat tract of country which intervenes 

 between that town and Dumfries, we arrived there in the dark. Next 

 morning we took a walk round the town, and were struck with astonish- 

 ment and delight at the beautifully varied country to the north and west. 

 Immediately round Dumfi-ies the surface is undulating, and richly clothed 

 with corn crops, bounded by neatly cut hedges, with good roads, numerous 

 strips of plantations, and various country seats of the villa kind. Beyond 

 this agricultural surface, the country gradually rises into hills and moun- 

 tains. The lower parts of the hills display country seats, surrounded by 

 pasture fields and gardens ; while the upper parts are mostly clothed with 

 wood, the summits of the mountains being bare. Taking it altogether, it 

 is decidedly the finest combination of agricultural richness and pictu- 

 resque beauty which we have seen on our present tour ; indeed, we da 

 not recollect any thing in Britain more in the Italian style of landscape. 

 The wavy surface, the corn, the pastures, and the trees are often to be met 

 with both in England and in Scotland ; but we do not know where to find, 

 south of the Tweed, those finely marked outlines of hills and mountains 

 which, in the neighbourhood of Dumfries, generally terminate the land- 

 scape. We arrived at this town with the impression still remaining on our 

 minds which we had received from the surrounding country twenty-six 

 years ago, when the hills were unclothed with wood, and the low grounds 

 in a great measure uncultivated and unenclosed, a great part of them being 

 black peat bog. Our surprise and delight at the change may be more easily 

 conceived than described. We can only repeat, that it recalled to our 

 imagination the scenery of the north of Italy, with the wooded Apennines, 

 backed by the pointed summits of the naked Alps. Taking the coast road 

 to Kirkcudbright, we found the scenery to improve as we advanced, and, 

 in our opinion, between Gatehouse and Newton Stewart, it far surpasses 

 the finest parts of the coast scenery between Terracina and Naples. We 

 say " far surpasses," because we leave out of consideration all those clas- 

 sical associations which give such a powerful charm to Italy, and speak 

 merely of agricultural richness and picturesque beauty. As far as these 

 go, there is little to be wished for in the west coast of Scotland, except 

 a superior architecture in the towns, villages, cottages, and country seats. 

 While passing through this tract, and indeed the whole of what we have 

 yet seen of Scotland, we could not help lamenting the want of knowledge 

 or of taste in those men of great wealth who build or plant in the flat, 

 tame, rich levels of England, and who, in struggling to produce effect, lay 

 out immense sums, a tithe of which, properly employed on situations of 



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