AND OBSERVATIONS. 



105 



Braemar and Cairngouram. At the opposite point 

 of the alpine range, towards the south-west, we find 

 it again in the vast mountain of Cruachan, which, 

 from its peculiar position, presents a remarkable 

 and interesting subject of examination to the mi- 

 neralogist. 



Cruachan, reckoned the loftiest mountain in Ar- 

 gyleshire, and evidently an object of great geognostic 

 curiosity, lies sixteen miles north of Inverary. It is 

 generally computed to be about 3500 feet in height; 

 and is bounded by Loch Etive on the north-west ; 

 by the river Awe on the south ; and by Loeh Awe 

 on the south-east. Towards the north and north- 

 east, its boundary is less precisely defined ; but its 

 circumference at the base, may be estimated at not 

 less than twenty miles. Facing the inn at Dal- 

 maly, the mountain presents, on the east-side, a 

 great hollow, surmounted by a bent and waving 

 ridge, of which the extremities lie in the direction 

 of north and south ; and the convexity is towards 

 the west. The highest point of this ridge, seen 

 from Dalmaly, is commonly considered as the top 

 of the mountain. This, however, is not the fact ; 

 as the real summit, which is several hundred feet 

 higher, stands westward, at least a mile and a half 

 behind the elevation now mentioned, and forms the 

 termination of another ridge, ascending rapidly 

 from the former, in a direction nearly at right an- 

 gles. To the north-west of the highest point, at 

 the distance of more than a mile, there is another 



