BEN-MORE. 30I 



at length to leave his retreat, when I had gained 

 the summit, he stood, expecting every moment to 

 see me blown over the precipice. The surprise 

 he expressed, that no accident had happened, was 

 still greater, on hearing that the air at the top 

 had been perfectly calm. 



From the appearance of a ridge on the summit 

 of Binean, viewed at a distance, in particular po- 

 sitions, I expected to have found it caped with 

 greenstone or porphyry. Nothing, however, dis- 

 covered itself to the stroke of the hammer, but 

 shining or splendent mica-slate ; which, at the 

 top is fine slaty, and consists almost wholly of pure 

 silvery mica. At some distance beneath, by a 

 due mixture of quartz, it exhibits one of the most 

 perfect and beautiful species of this rock. 



The great Ben- More, which resembles a vast 

 irregular pyramid, standing obliquely on its base, 

 presents its most abrupt and precipitous front to 

 the south- west. On this side, its upper regions, 

 naked and bare, refuse accommodation to every 

 inhabitant, except the eagle ; and in ascending 

 from the mountain- valley which divides it from 

 Binean, the fatigue of clambering over its steep 

 and broken rocks, which exhibit no variety, was 

 relieved by little that could interest the mind, 

 but the solitary flight of the ptarmigan and his 

 mate, whose greyish hues at this season, (August) 

 finely harmonized with the colours of the decom- 

 posing stones. 



