NEAR CASTLE-STUART. 



257 



occupied the day preceding, and that it had been 

 removed much nearer to the low- water mark, to the 

 position where it now remains. General surprise 

 and curiosity were now excited, which were no 

 doubt mingled with various superstitious fancies, 

 and the neighbours flocked out to see and examine 

 the subject of so extraordinary a prodigy. To their 

 astonishment, the hole in which it had been for so 

 many ages embedded, still remained to mark dis- 

 tinctly its yesterday's site, whilst its track across 

 the flat oozy sand was very perceptible, extending 

 in a line all the way from its old to its new si- 

 tuation. 



In addition to these particulars, gathered from 

 the miller of Petty, I have since understood from 

 my friend Mr Brodie of Brodie, that he visited the 

 stone either that day (the 20th) or the day after, 

 when he found all these traces remaining quite ap- 

 parent, and that an extensive cake of ice was still 

 adhering to the stone being attached to its surround- 

 ing ledge. 



It is evident, that this vast mass of stone must 

 have been so far rendered specifically lighter than 

 the water, by the great cake of ice within which 

 it was bound, and by which it was supported, as to 

 be in some degree buoyed up i and that, whilst in 

 this state, it was carried forward by the outgoing 

 tide, assisted by the impelling force of a tremen- 

 dous hurricane from the E. S. E. So very uncom- 

 mon was the violence of this storm, that the 20th 



VOL. III. R 



