310 ON THE HIGHLANDS. 



makes its appearance, as a part of the overlying 

 formation. Then advancing towards Glencoe, in 

 the course of a few miles, we pass along beds of 

 splintery hornstone, compact felspar, sienite, and 

 felspar-porphyry with crystals of hornblende. 

 The hornstone is slightly translucent, and has a 

 dark-greyish colour inclining to black, with a 

 dull lustre. Of these substances, variously dis- 

 posed, the neighbouring mountains, rugged and 

 precipitous, appear to be composed. And the 

 whole range of the flat country around King's 

 House, as well as the tract for many miles to the 

 east, and south-east, has an unusual aspect of 

 bleakness and sterility, even for the Highlands ; 

 affording pasture only for goats. This appear- 

 ance may be referred to the nature of the rocks, 

 from the decomposition of which it has been pro- 

 duced, and which are known to be more unfa- 

 vourable to vegetation, than the mica-slate over 

 which we have passed. 



The state, however, of the surface, every where 

 covered with debris, and coarse soil, and the inac- 

 cessible position of the rocks to be examined, ren- 

 der the geognosy of this district, extremely diffi- 

 cult to be ascertained. As far as could be judged 

 from such an examination as I was able to make, 

 the general disposition of the rock I have men- 

 tioned, corresponds with what might be expected 

 on geognostic principles. The beds of hornstone, 

 and felspar -porphyry, appear to be subordinate to 



