l24 DESCRIPTION OF TINTO. 



ages, its lofty summit had been regarded as an 

 object of veneration by the surrounding inhabi- 

 tants, perhaps the scene of some particular super- 

 stition ; or it may have been employed in time of 

 ivar, as a signal or alarm-post for the neighbour- 

 ing country. However this may be, the cairn or 

 heap of loose stones, which forms the highest 

 point of the mountain, and by some is considered 

 as having originally been a Druidical temple, has 

 probably been the gradual accumulation of many 

 ages. 



As pasture-ground, the base and ascent of this 

 mountain on every side, must be extremely valu- 

 able to the proprietors. But that circumstance 

 lessens its interest, as a subject for either the 

 painter or the mineralogist. The general form 

 of its outline in a distant view, is beautiful and 

 striking ; but its minute features, compared with 

 those of alpine regions, are smooth and uninte- 

 resting. Tinto presents no rugged peaks, serrated 

 ridges, or bold precipitous fronts of rock ; it has 

 few traits of alpine rudeness, and is rather a 

 grand than a picturesque object. Hence its faci- 

 lities of mineralogical examination, are so imper- 

 fect, that on being conducted by the usual path 

 to the summit, for the first time, in the vv'hole of 

 an ascent, extending nearly to three miles, I wt'^ 

 unable to discover a single trace of rock m sim ; 

 so completely is the surface enveloped in soil and 

 debris. Subsequent investigation, however, prov- 

 ed more fortunate ; <ind although by no means 



