AND OBSERVATIONS. 



117 



rich store of the precious stones, so well known by 

 the name of the mountain, where they are found in 

 veins and drusy cavities, associated chiefly with 

 rock crystal, of which, indeed, for the most part, 

 they are only varieties of different colours, as yel- 

 lowish-white, ciove-brown, or brownish-black, &c. 

 Accordingly, in traversing this range for a consider- 

 able distance, I had an opportunity of verifying 

 Professor Jameson's conjecture, respecting the ori- 

 ginal repository of the Scotch topaz *. I was shewn 

 a number of places, where the crystals had been ex- 

 tracted from the rock, by means of blowing and the 

 pick-axe, &c. ; and could observe many openings in 

 the rocky fronts, where, if at all accessible, the ad- 

 venturous searcher would, it is likely, find his la- 

 bour and risk amply repaid, by valuable treasures of 

 the same kind. 



We can, therefore, now easily understand, how 

 the topaz of Aberdeenshire (for a particular descrip- 

 tion of which, I must refer to Mr Jameson's paper 

 already quoted,) has so often been found, as well as 

 amethyst, and precious beryl, in the alluvial soil. 

 The fact, however, I believe, is, that by far the 

 greater number of these gems, are gathered among the 

 debris of the granite rocks, in the beds or ravines of 

 the small streams which issue from the mountains 

 in this district. Those who employ themselves in 



* Wemerian Memoirs, vol. ii p. 452. 



