&22 ON THE HIGHLANDS. 



veins which he found traversing the mining field at 

 Strontian, (vide Queries, No, 38) is basalt, of a deep 

 greyish black, with a number of feebly glimmer- 

 ing minute particles, (probably of crystallized fel- 

 spar and hornblende), and its fracture approaching 

 to imperfect large conchoidal and fine splintery. 

 I now reached 



BEN-NEVIS, 



the great and ultimate object of my excursion. 

 In the view of applying the test of nature to the 

 doctrine of the Geognosy, it seemed to be a matter 

 of equal curiosity and importance, to investigate 

 the structure of the most stupenduous and lofty 

 mountain in the United Kingdom. The opera- 

 tion, however, of examining this huge mass of 

 alpine rock is so laborious, that nothing but the 

 most determined and un-yielding perseverance 

 can accomplish the task ; and it was not till after 

 many toilsome exertions, that I obtained the data 

 for ascertaining to what formation Ben-Nevis 

 ought to be referred. 



SHAPE OF 1" HE MOUNTAIN. 



Ben-Nevis, it is well known, belongs to the 

 class of what are called Table Mountains, having 

 its summit round-backed ; and viewed from the 

 west, appears to consist of two distinct elevations, 

 the smaller of which is piled above the greater, 

 like a cupola erected on a vast and lofty basis. It 



