162 
PHYSICAL GEOGRAPHY 
out in directions quite different from those taken by existing streams ; 
but it must always appear strange that waters should have flowed across 
what now are and must always have been natural valleys and ridges ; 
that they should have crossed in their course many of the mountains 
of Cumberland and Westmoreland, left their spoils on the limestone 
hills of Orton, in the red sandstone vale of Eden, and on the summit 
of Stainmoor. Into the general history of the evidence by which 
it is supposed to be proved that currents of this violent description, 
flowing from the west and north-west, brought the granite of Shap fell, 
the sienite of Carrock, and other Cumbrian rocks, to the foot of the 
Penine escarpment, and lifted them with the brockram of Kirby 
Stephen over that mighty and ancient boundary wall which stood 
up in the primeval ocean, it would here be unnecessary to enter. But 
it appears worthy of remark that it is only at Stainmoor, at the natural 
depression on the great Penine escarpment, that the blocks from the 
western hills have crossed that immense barrier. I formerly thought 
that Stainmoor was the lowest pass of the Penine chain from Bramp- 
ton to Ingleton, but accurate measures have shewn me that in fact 
the valley of the Eden offers a lower pass by 230 feet, for the sum- 
mit between Mallerstang and Wensleydale is only 1210 feet above 
the sea and that of Stainmoor is 1440 feet. Yet it is only at this 
pass, from Brampton to Kirby Lonsdale, that any one stone from 
the slate districts has passed into the eastern valleys : and the reason 
I conceive to be this, viz. that Stainmoor opens to the west and north- 
west, from which, apparently, a tumultuous rush of waters suddenly 
came and quickly passed. Once lifted over the summit, the east- 
ward descent to Teesdale, Gretadale, and the lower end of Swaledale, 
sufficiently accounts for the dispersion of the boulders of granite, Ac. 
in these directions. Near the summit of Stainmoor 1400 feet, and on the 
insulated rock of Goldsborough 1360 feet, great blocks of Shap granite 
lie, as well as abundantly in the lower ground along the vale of the 
Tees, and on the moderately high ground about Scotton. Many of 
them are of surprising dimensions, and weigh from a ton to ten tons. 
Airedale — The principal stream of the Aire has a very singular 
origin. On the limestone hills above Malham is a large piece of water, 
