18&1.1882.] 105 



Time would not allow of more than a hurried glance at the 

 exposure of Lias cut into by a stream near the west of the bay, 

 and onward the party was led to the church. The beautiful 

 piece of coast-line between White Park Bay and Carrick-a-raide 

 is entirely lost to those who keep the road, or even the cliff 

 path. Few points would, however, equally repay the time spent 

 upon them. The basalts are here irregularly columnar, and 

 the strata of the Chalk are much broken by faults, so that in 

 some places it is found at higher elevations than the former. 

 Detached outliers of both occur, carved with natural arches and 

 caves, in a most remarkable manner. Passing through the 

 village of Ballintoy, the next halt was made at the extensive 

 basalt quarries of Mr. Dundee. The prevailing form in which 

 the denser varieties of this rock occurs along these shores is the 

 columnar, more or less regular in its character. Here, however, 

 it may be more correctly termed massive, and more strictly 

 defined as crystalline granular dolerite. For some time past 

 preparations had been made for an extensive blast, which Mr. 

 Dundee had kindly reserved for the visit of the Club. All being 

 now ready, and the members being safely located, the fuse was 

 lighted, which soon fired the charge, bringing down a large 

 face of the cliff with a deep, sullen roar. On close examination, 

 it was estimated that upwards of 500 tons had fallen ; but so 

 tenacious is the rock that many of the blocks, without any 

 apparent flaw, could not have weighed less than 30 tons. The 

 principal use to which the stone is put is making square setts 

 for street pavement, a purpose for which it is admirably adapted, 

 its exceeding hardness, and crystalline granular composition, 

 ensuring a permanent pavement, and what is equally desirable, 

 a firm foothold for the horses. All present were surprised at 

 the cleavage of this rock, and the readiness with which it can 

 be worked. Blocks can readily be split, showing several square 

 yards of fractured surface as level as if worked with the chisel. 

 These clean surfaces answer admirably, and save much labour 

 in sett cutting, or for curbing blocks. As time was hurrying 

 on a run was made to the swinging bridge at Carrick-a-raide 



