of Edinburgh, Session 1881 - 82 . 
759 
The gravel of the road from Ardross to Diebidale is granitic. W e 
observed under banks, washed by streams, beds of till yellowish red. 
The felspar of the Diebidale granite is generally paler than that of 
the Strathvaich granite, but many blocks were found, in which 
the felspar bad same pale red appearance. The bill, Carn-Cuinneag, 
is entirely composed of granite. The saddle between the two peaks 
appears like a shingly beach ; rounded stones of about 10 lbs. weight 
are seen packed on edge here and there in crevices, with longer axis 
of stones lying all in same direction. The east peak has shot down 
its fractured masses on the JST.E. slope, whereas the west peak has 
sent its broken masses down on the R.W. side. Carn-an-Lochan 
(2000 feet) to JNT.E. of Carn-Cuinneag is also a bill of granite. Carn- 
Cuinneag being the highest hill in Easter Ross, commands a magnifi- 
cent panoramic view of hills and deep glens to the hf. and E., and 
hills rising on wide moors to S. and W. Many of these latter are 
rounded or dome-shaped and much denuded, hence the Gaelic name 
for such (“ Creachan ”), as may he seen by Ordnance Map, is frequent. 
It was suggested that Cam-Bhren, said to be granite, Carn-an- 
Lochan, Carn-Cuinneag, all nearly in line JST.E. to S.W., were but 
prominences in a belt of granite running S.W. to Strath vaich. To 
determine that point is to he our next work. 
The road up Strath Ruasdale, and on through Glac-an-t-Seilich 
(Gaelic Glen of Willows-^none, however, there now), passes through 
numbers of boulders chiefly on the north side of the road, and resting 
on slope of the valley. Many of them evidently were carried from 
Carn-Cuinneag without losing much of their angular form, others 
had their angles well rubbed off by the grinding action of some 
heavy agency passing over them. These rocks were probably 
rounded by their fellow boulders, for where accumulations of these 
boulders appear largest, granite gravel and sand are associated with 
them, indicating that these huge blocks struck against each other, 
and that the hammering and grinding produced the gravel and sand 
found in their neighbourhood. 
The prevailing rock passed over on way to Carn-Cuinneag is 
quartzite, of hard, compact, and flaggy structure, some of it is 
flecked by ferric oxide. Indeed, in Strath Ruasdale is found so 
large a quantity of good hematite, that a Birmingham firm offered 
Ardross L2000 a year for the mining of one huge rock. Another 
