66 PROFESSOR HEDDLE ON THE MINERALOGY OF SCOTLAND. 
At a point on the south-west shore of that ness, near the prominent Gardie 
Stack, there is a crevice called Sandy Geo. Stakes of wood are driven into the 
turf, from which the islanders suspend themselves by ropes while gathering 
sea-weed from the foot of the cliffs. By the exercise of extreme care, how- 
ever, ropes may for a certain part of the descent be dispensed with, and a bed 
of steatite which protrudes from the slippery bank be reached. This bed has 
—as has another such in Shetland—been applied by the Shetlanders to the 
singular purpose of serving as a record of pledged vows—the names of the 
engaging parties being carved, with date attached, into the steatite. Numerous 
single individuals have, however, by the exercise of their graphic powers, pro- 
faned this sanctuary. 
The locality is called the Klebber-names,—Klebber being the Norwegian 
name for steatite. 
The greater mass of the steatite here, if it be steatite, is of a purplish-red 
colour. Disposed throughout it, and perhaps chiefly in those portions which 
are somewhat green in colour, are numerous isolated rosette crystallisations, 
nearly spherical in form, and the centre of each sphere is occupied by an octo- 
hedral crystal of magnetite. 
As the crystals of the magnetite are of sharply and regularly developed 
form, of a fine blue colour and a high lustre, they contrast well with the 
ripidolite, the diverging plates of which are smooth, of high transparency, and 
a beautiful emerald green. There are thus formed specimens of so singular an 
appearance that the small size of their parts alone prevents their being regarded 
as among the most striking of Scottish minerals. 
The form of the individual crystals of the fan-shaped radiations cannot, 
from their small size, be determined. Their minuteness also alone prevented 
investigation of their optical properties, for they were perfectly transparent. 
1-275 grammes yielded— 
Silica, : ‘41 
From Alumina, . * 005 
“A15 = 32° 549 
Alumina, . : : me ley BGs 
Ferric Oxide, . ; ; ' 972 
Ferrous Oxide, . : - =) U2 
Manganous Oxide, . ? ceils) 
Lime, : ‘ : ; m9 
Magnesia, . ; : , 32-785 
Potash; : . ‘ ; : ‘48 
Soda, y : F , ‘062 
Water, . ; ; Be oars 
100 +192 
