274 Dr. Mac Culloch's Supplement. i/y Observations 



highly elevated, are in some parts vertical, while in others they in- 

 cline, like the rocks by which they are accompanied, sometimes in 

 one direction and at others in the opposite one, from the perpendi- 

 cular, their bearing being north-easterly. Although the accompany- 

 ing strata extend from one shore of the island to the other, the 

 quartz rock in question does not attend them throughout, the total 

 length which its leading mass occupies being limited to about five 

 miles, as nearly as that can be ascertained. Its south-western end 

 will be found in the hills behind the castle of Dunscaich, and its 

 north-eastern approaches the shore of Loch Eishort, nearly opposite 

 to a small island which forms the innermost harbour of that branch 

 of the sea. The collective breadth of the strata where they are 

 widest, appears to be about a mile and a half, while at each end it 

 is much less, but the nature of the ground does not permit their 

 whole extent or geographic shape to be accurately ascertained. In 

 a general view they form two irregular ranges of parallel elevations, 

 with shallow intermediate vallies, and as these summits maintain 

 scarcely any vegetation, while they are composed of white compact 

 quartz, their effect is very striking, even at a great distance ; pre- 

 senting the appearance of a fall of recent and thin snow. 



Besides this leading mass, many detached portions of strata of the 

 same substance are to be seen in the neighbourhood, and they are 

 most accessible on the shore from Dunscaich to Ord. In these 

 places their alternation with the red sandstone and grey wacke schist 

 can be traced with great ease and satisfaction, while at the same 

 time their stratified disposition and their angles of inclination may 

 be examined in considerable detail. The small island of Dunscaich, 

 remarkable for the remains of a Danish strength, and a more pro- 

 bable residence of the traditional king of the Isle of Mist than the 

 neighbouring promontory, affords particular facilities for examining 



