286 



ON THE HIGHLANDS. 



bably the remnant of a saddle-shaped strati- 

 fication, of which the portion to the south- 

 east has been worn away. 



The singularly rugged and picturesque approach 

 to Loch Katterin, in the course of which the 

 clay-slate which first presents itself, is found gra- 

 dually passing into mica- slate, has been consider- 

 ed as the effect of some extraordinary convulsion 

 of nature, by which the neighbouring rocks have 

 been broken in pieces, and their huge frag- 

 ments scattered or piled on each other, in a state 

 of terrific irregularity. In some places, blocks 

 which seem to have been struck off by lightning, 

 may be observed ; but in general, a little attention 

 satisfies the eye, that the appearances are nothing 

 else than the natural decay, and wearing down 

 in numberless forms, of the strata preserving their 

 original position. 



This romantic scene, by the wildness and gran- 

 deur which it exhibits, is not only delightful to 

 the eye of taste, but peculiarly instructive to the 

 curious geognost, and suggests many interesting 

 ideas with regard to the mode in which the phe- 

 nomena it presents to view, may be conceived to 

 have taken place. From the spot where the tra- 

 veller first reaches Loch- Katterin, the face of the 

 rock on the right-hand, in advancing along the 

 road which has been made to shew the beauties 

 of the scenery, may be considered as a sort of 

 geological lesson to the amateurs of mineralogy. 

 It presents in general^ an almost upright front 



