548 
G I A 
See the highly-prized cameo of Jupiter’s vl6Jory over the 
Giants, in Plate III. of Gems, p. 30;, of this volume. 
But, according to fome of the poets, he buried them alive 
under Mount Etna. 
GI'ANTS-CAU'SEWAY, a lofty bafaltic promon¬ 
tory in the county of Antrim, on the north-eaft coaft of 
Ireland, which exhibits t.he mod magnificent arrange¬ 
ment of bafaltic columns in the known world. The 
principal caufeway confifis of an irregular arrangement 
of many hundred thoufands of columns, almofi: all of a 
pentagonal figure, but fo clofely and compaiftly fituated 
on their Tides, though perfeftly diftinft from top to bot¬ 
tom, that fcarcely any thing can be introduced between 
them. The columns are of an unequal height and breadth. 
How deep they defcend below the llrand, has not been 
afcertained. This grand arrangement extends nearly 
two hundred yards, entirely vifible at low water. The 
breadth of the principal or grand caufeway, which runs 
out in one continued range of columns, is, in general, 
from twenty to thirty feet; at one place or two it may 
be nearly forty. The tops of thefe innumerable columns 
being nearly of an equal height, they form a grand and 
fmgular parade, rather inclining to the water’s edge. 
But from high-water mark, as it is perpetually walhed 
by the beating of the waves on every return of the tide, 
the platform lowers confidcrably, and becomes danger¬ 
ous to be walked on without the greatefi care. At the 
difiance of 150 yards from the dill, it turns a little to 
the eafi, and then finks into the Tea. The figure of thefe 
columns is almofi unexceptionably pentagonal, or com- 
pofed of rive rides; yet what is very extraordinary, and 
particularly curious, there are not two columns in ten 
thoufand to be found, that either have their rides equal 
among themfelves, or whofe figures are alike. Nor is 
the compofition of thefe columns or pillars lefs delerv- 
ing the attention of the curious fpeCtator. They are not 
of one folid ftone in an upright pofition; but compofed 
of feveral fhort lengths, curioufly joined, not with flat 
furfaces, but articulated into each other like ball and 
focket, or like the joints in the vertebrae of fome of the 
larger kinds of fifli, the one end at the joint having a 
cavity, into wl-.ich the convex end of the oppofite is ex¬ 
actly fitted. This is not vifible, but by disjoining the 
two fiones. The depth of the concavity or convexity is 
generally about three or four inches. And what is fiill 
farther remarkable of the joint, the convexity, and the 
correfpoixdent concavity, is not conformed to the exter¬ 
nal angular figure of the column, but exadly round, and 
as large as the fize or diameter of the column will ad¬ 
mit j and confequently as the angles of thefe columns 
are in general extremely unequal, the circular edges of 
the joint are feldom coincident with more than two or 
three rides of the pentagonal, and from the edge of the 
circular part of the joint to the exterior rides and angles 
they are quite plain. It is fiill farther remarkable, that 
the articulations of thefe joints are frequently inverted j 
in fome the concavity is upwards, in others the reverfe. 
The length alfo of thefe particular fiones, from joint to 
joint, is various : in general, they are from eighteen to 
twenty-four inches long; and, for the riiofi part, longer 
toward-the bottom of the columns than nearer the top, 
and the articulation of the joints fomething deeper. 
The fize likewife of the columns is as dift'erent as their 
length and figure; in general, they are from fifteen to 
twenty inches in diameter. There are really no traces 
of uniformity or defign difeovered throughout the whole 
combination, except in the form of the joint, which is 
invariably by an articulation of the convex into the con¬ 
cave of the piece next above or below it; nor are there 
any traces of a finifhing in any part, either in height, 
length, or breadth, of this curious caufeway. If there 
is here and there a fmooth top to any of the columns 
above water, there are others juft by, of equal height, 
that are more or lefs convex or concave, wliich Ihow 
them to have been joined to pieces that have been w'alhed 
G I B 
away or broken off. Some of thefe columns are between 
thirty and forty feet high, from the top of the floping 
bank below them ; and, being longefi in the middle of 
the arrangement, ftiortening on either hand in view, they 
have obtained the appellation of organs, from a rude 
likenefs in this particular to the exterior tubes of that 
infirument; and as there are few broken pieces on the 
ftrand near it, it is probable that the outride range of 
columns that now appears is really the original exterior 
line, to the feaward, of this colleftion. But how far 
they extend internally into the bowels of the incumbent 
cliff, is unknown. Seethe article Basaltes, vol. ii. 
p. 768-772, and the-correfpondent engraving. 
GI'ANT’s HEAD, a cape on the eafi coaft of the 
iriand of St. Chrifiopher, a little to the eafi of Ragged 
Point. 
GI'ANTESS,/'. A woman of unnatural bulk and 
height.—I had rather be a giantefs, and lie under mount 
Pelion. Shakefpeare. 
GI'ANTLIKE, or Giaxtly, ai^'. Gigantic; vafi; 
bulky.—Single courage has often, without romance,, 
overcome giantly difficulties. Decay of Piety. 
GI'ANTSHIP, f. Quality or character of a giant: 
His gianifiip is gone foinewhat creft fallen. 
Stalking with lefs unconfcionable ftrides. 
And lower looks. Milton's Agonifes, 
GI'AR, a town of Perfia, in the province of Farfifian; 
feventy miles eafi of Schiras. 
GIAR'GA, a town of the iriand of Corfica : nine miles 
eafi of Calvi. 
GIAR'ITCHAS, a clufier of fmall iflands amongfi 
the Moluccas, in the Indian Sea, in lat. 0° 25'north. 
They are of a moderate height, in fonte parts covered 
with trees of the fpice or aromatic kind. 
GIAR'MAL, a town of Hungai-y : twenty miles eafl- 
fouth-eafi of Levens. 
GIARU'RA, a town of Aria, in the kingdom of 
Candahar : twenty-five miles fouth-weft of Candahar. 
GIASAN', a town of Perfia, in the province of Se- 
gefian : twenty'-five miles north-eaft of Kin. 
GI'A'l', a town of France, in the department of the 
Puy-de-D6me, and chief place of a canton, in the difiriff 
of Riom : nine leagues weft-fouth-weft of Riom, and 
nine weft of Clermont. 
GIAVEN'NA, a towm of Italy, in the principality of 
Piedmont, and marquifate of Sufa, fituated at the foot 
of the Cottian Alps, near the Sangon. The air is falu- 
brious, and the rituation agreeable • it is furrounded 
with an ancient wall, with four gates; the abbot of St. 
Michael de I’Eclufe is the fpiritual and temporal lord 
of this and the neighbouring towns, in which they num¬ 
ber about five thoufand inhabitants: ten miles fouth- 
eaft of Sufa, and fourteen and a half weft of Turin. 
GIA'V'I, a town of the ifiand of Sardinia : twenty-one 
miles eaft-fouth-eafi of Algeri. 
GIB'BAWAYS, an Indian tribe refiding in Upper 
Canada, on the eafi ride of Detroit river, oppofite to 
Fort Gibraltar. 
GIB'BE,y. Any worn-out aTiintal. Hanmrr, 
For who that’s but a queen, fair, fober, wife, 
Would from a paddock, from a but, gibb<, 
Such dear concernings hide ? Shakejpeart. 
GIB'BEN, a town of the duchy of Courland : thirty- 
two miles north-eaft of Piltyn. 
TbGIB'BER, v.n. [fromjaWrr.J To fpeak inarti¬ 
culately : 
The ftieeted dead 
Did fqueak ahd gibber in the Roman ftreets. Skakefpearc. 
GIB'BERISH, f. [derived by Skinner fromgaierr, Fr. 
to cheat; by others conjectured to be formed by corrup¬ 
tion irom jabber. But as it was anciently viYwten gebrijh, 
it is probably derived from the chemical jargon of Geber 
and his tribe.] Cant; the private language of rogues 
and 
