5 68 
BASALTES. 
together, their ends coming out square so as to form 
a bank. The main island opposite to Boo-sha-la, 
and more to the north-west, is supported by ranges 
of pillars tolerably erect and of large diameters. At 
their feet is an irregular pavement, made by the 
upper sides of such as have been broken off, which 
extends as far under water as the eye can reach.- 
After proceeding along shore to the north-west, 
and passing Fingal’s Cave, which we shall presently 
describe, Sir Joseph met with the highest ranges of 
pillars, which, he tells us, are magnificent beyond all 
description : they are bare to their very bases, and 
the stratum below them is also visible, which has 
very much the appearance of a lava. Beyond this 
place, round the north end of the island, is situated 
the Corvorants Cave , where the pillars, though con- 
siderably less than the last-mentioned, are still of a 
large size. After these a few others occur, but of 
no consideration : at length, as you proceed, they 
totally cease, nor do you meet with any signs of re- 
gular basaltic formation again till you have nearly 
completed the tour of the island, and have once more 
arrived at the bending pillars. 
The greatest curiosity in StafFa, is, unques- 
tionably, the Cave of Fingal, which Sir Joseph 
Banks has described as follows : “ We proceeded 
along the shore, treading upon another Giant’s 
Causeway, every stone being formed into a certain 
number of sides and angles, till in a short time we 
arrived at the mouth of a cave, the most magnifi- 
cent, I suppose, that has ever been described by 
