300 ON THE HIGHLANDS. 



cordingly, Ben-more confirms the observation for- 

 merlyrnade respecting the structure of the Highland 

 mountains. The mica-slate is nearly conformable 

 to the supposed gneiss, and every where intimate- 

 ly penetrated with veins of quartz, which exhibit 

 an endless variety of form and appearance. Its 

 specific peculiarities will be afterwards noticed as 

 we proceed. 



On the shoulder, to the south-east of the lesser 

 mountain, called by the natives, Binean, I had an op- 

 portunity of observing the different states of motion 

 and rest, which are known to co-exist, in different 

 strata or elevations of the atmosphere. About a 

 mile from the top, the wind was so strong, that 

 the guide assured me, it was impossible to go up, 

 or to withstand the still greater force of the tem- 

 pest, which he thought we should have to en- 

 counter at the summit. Suspecting, however, that 

 this violence was only local, I resolved to proceed 

 alone ; and in a few minutes I felt myself above 

 its reach. The ascent is along a narrow ridge, 

 which near the top becomes extremely steep on 

 both sides. At the summit, there was hardly a 

 breath of air, so that I could quietly collect speci- 

 mens. In descending again to the level of the 

 breeze, I observed that its strength was much in- 

 creased by its compression, in rushing through a 

 deep valley, which lies to the westward of the 

 mountain. The guide, I found, had taken shel- 

 ter under the lee of one of the rocks, where 

 he remained in great anxiety, till venturing 



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