STAFFA. 
and others, and by far the greater number, 
are perpendicular. Tlie island itself, oppo- 
site to Bo-scha-la, is composed of thick 
columns which extend into the sea as far as 
the eye is able to penetrate, but are not 
very high, and gradually decrease as they 
approach the water. Their relative con- 
nection is so admirably preserved, that a 
person may walk upon their ends as conve- 
niently as if ascending or descending the 
steps of a stair-case ; these lead to Fingal’s, 
or Finhn Mac Coul’s cave or grotto, which 
is excavated out of that mountain from 
north-east to east. 
The cave is formed by regular pillars, ex- 
tending to a great distance on each side, 
w’hich support an arch composed of the ob- 
tuse points of others, placed very close 
together ; unfortunately the floor of this 
wonderful place is covered by a body of 
clear fresh water, several feet in depth, 
through which may be seen an incredible 
number of fragments of pillars. The co- 
lour of the columns is grey, inclining to 
black, and the joints are distinguishable by 
the intervention of a yellow stalactic quarry 
rind, that exhales, and serves to make the 
separations more distinct, at the same time 
that it produces an agreeable etfect by 
many different gradations of colour. 
A sufficient degree of light enters the cave 
to illuminate it to the extremity, where the 
ranges of pillars are perfectly discernible, 
and the ebbing and flowing of the tide con- 
stantly conveying and discharging air from 
within it, is at all times fit for respiration, and 
by no means noxious. This circumstance 
may still further originate from the passage 
of the water through a fissure in the rocks, 
rather lower than the surface, which occa- 
sions a rushing sound upon each rise of the 
tide, that contributes to render the effect of 
the whole still more singular and impres- 
sive. A boat is certainly the most conve- 
nient for visiting Fingal’s cave, but if is pos- 
sible to walk into it upon the points of 
some of the pillars which are higher than 
the level of the water. 
The party already mentioned measured 
the dimensions of this beautiful grotto, and 
we acknowledge ourselves indebted to Dr. 
Von Troil for the following particulars : 
Ft. In. 
The length from the furthest of the 
basalt pillars, which from the 
shore formed a canal to the cave, 
121 ft. 6 in. ; from the commence- 
ment of the vault to the end of 
the cave, 250 ft 371 
Ft. It;. 
The breadth of i(s entrance 53 7 
Of the interior end 20 0 
The height of the vault at the en- 
trance of the cave 117 6 
Of ditto at the interior end 70 0 
The height of the outermost pillar 
in one corner 39 6 
The height of another in the north- 
west corner 54 0 
The depth of the water at entrance 18 0 
Of the inside end 9 0 
From the water to the foot of the 
pillars 36 8 
Height of the pillars 32 6 
Height of the arch, or vault, above 
the top of the pillars 31 4 
The stratum above 34 4 
The western corner of Fingal’s cave. 
From the water to the foot of the 
pillars 12 10 
Height of the pillars 37 3 
The stratum above them 66 9 
Further west — the stratum beneath 
the pillars ii o 
Height of the pillars .54 Q 
The stratum above 61 6 
Still more westward — stratum be- 
neath the pillars 17 1 
Height of the pillars ....' 50 0 
The stratum above them 51 0 
More west — stratum beneath the 
pillars 19 8 
Height of the pillars 55 1 
The stratum above 54 7 
The stratum beneath the pillars was con- 
sidered by the party to be no other than 
tufa, which being heated at the period 
when this phenomenon was produced, re- 
ceived into its depths fragments of basalt, 
that above them tinged with red, appears 
to be lava, containing other fragments scat- 
tered in various unequal directions, although 
it is evident that the most violent heat must 
have acted upon it, yet there are not the 
least traces in its exterior, the pillars hav- 
ing been removed by it, for the whole enor- 
mous mass rests upon them. 
On the north side of the island is another 
cave, called Corvoranti, where the stratum 
is raised, and the pillars consequently ap- 
pear shortened; those are tolerably dis- 
tinct, and continue so till the intervention 
of a bay, that extends some distance in- 
land, and there the pillars are discontinued. 
The mountains in this neighbourhood, are 
composed of dark brown stone, which may 
