B2.N-NEVIS. 333 



base exhibits the same characters with the black- 

 ish rock where it first appears. At the summit 

 itself, the porphyritic structure is less remarkable, 

 and the minute crystals have a pale colour, or dis- 

 appear entirely. 



From the bottom of the acclivity to the top of 

 Ben- Nevis, one uniform character of nakedness 

 and sterility, as already noticed, every where 

 reigns ; and it is but rarely that a cliff of the rock 

 is seen struggling to rear its head from the ocean 

 of fragments, with which the great body of the 

 mountain at this elevation, is overwhelmed on all 

 sides. Specimens therefore cannot often be pro- 

 cured from the mass in situ ; but the debris, more 

 particularly towards the summit, can hardly be 

 far from their original position. 



SUMMIT. 



The fatigue of ascending is now lessened by 

 the diminution of the steepness ; and our atten- 

 tion, on reaching the summit is soon attracted 

 from the broken rocks on which we are tread- 

 ing, to the boundless prospect which bursts upon 

 us, all around. Of this gublime and unrivalled 

 scene, elevation immensity and extent are the 

 leading characters that give the whole its interest. 

 The parts, indeed, appear on too vast a scale to 

 constitute beauty, and the individual objects 



