3? 6 O C II 
fnire, and, paiTrng through Clacknvannanfhire, along the 
north bank of the river Forth, ftretch for many miles into 
the county of Fife. Thefe hills rife, for the moll part, 
abruptly from the valley, on their fouthern fide, and in 
fome places their afcent is almoll perpendicular. The 
whole ridge may be charafieri fed as covered with green, 
to its higheft fummit. The more gentle dopes abound 
with villages, hamlets, and farm-houfes, fometimes ikirted 
by woods, and fometimes entirely enveloped in their um¬ 
brageous lhade. The higheft hill of the Ochils is Ben- 
cleugh, which, according to Mr. Stobie, is 2450 feet in 
height. From the fummit, the profpefl is extremely fine 
and extenfive, as no height intervenes even to the German 
Ocean, and the country it overlooks is in general fertile 
and well cultivated. From fome points the fpeflator has 
a molt remarkable view of the Carles of Stirling and Fal- 
Jcirk, with the river Forth meandering through them. 
On a peninfulated rock, in the centre of a deep glen, in 
this part of the ridge, provincially denominated the Alva- 
hills, Hand the venerable ruins of Caftle-Campbell, be¬ 
longing to the family of Argyle. From its folitary and 
darkfome fituation, this pile was called the Cajtle of 
Gloom; and all the names of the adjacent places were, 
and llil 1 are, fuitable, being feated in the parifh of Dolor, 
wafhed by the ftream of Sorrow, and enveloped by the 
glens of Care. It was deftroyed in 1645 by the marquis 
of Montrofe ; who carried fire and fword through the whole 
eftate with Inch inhuman cruelty, that he only left one 
houfe unconfumed, which he erroneoufly fuppofed to be¬ 
long to a neighbouring baron. The cattle was anciently 
fupplied with water by means of a fecret flair, cut dowm- 
Wards through the folid rock to one of the adjoining ri¬ 
vulets. This paffage is fix feet wide ; and, from its fitua¬ 
tion, overhung with impending rocks and trees, is fright¬ 
ful even to look into. It is called by the inhabitants 
Kemp's Score, or cut, from having been formed, as tradi¬ 
tion relates, by a perfon of that name, to whom the fortrefs 
is faid to have originally belonged. 
The Ochil-hills are compofed of red and grey granite, 
whin ft one, and various kinds of fchiftus ; and contain nu¬ 
merous veins of the more ufeful minerals. In the weftern 
divifion of thefe hills an attempt was made to work a filver- 
mine ; but, after four years’ continuance, the work was 
abandoned as unprofitable. This happened in 1761; but, 
previous to that period, a valuable ftratum of the fame 
metal was difcovered, in the glen that divides the Middle- 
hill from the Wood-hill, above the parifh of Alva. It was 
firlt perceived in frnall firings of filver ore, which, being 
followed, conducted the workmen to a rich mafs of what 
is commonly called virgin-filver. The produce of this 
vein was no lefs than twelve ounces of the pure metal from 
fourteen ounces of ore. The expenfe of the difcovery 
did not exceed 50I. and, during fourteen weeks, the quan¬ 
tity raifed weekly amounted to more than 40,000k fterling 
in value. When this mafs, however, was exhaufted, the 
filver difappeared, and lead, and other minerals, were found 
in its ftead,upon which the fearch was given up for many 
years. But, being renewed in 1759, a pit was funk below 
the fpot whence the rich collection of ore was extradled, 
when another mafs of metal was laid open, which was at 
firft fuppofed to be filver, though, on further examination, 
it proved to be the femi-metal called cobalt, which is ufed 
in forming the blue glazings of china-ware, and in giving 
a blue colour to glafs. The cobalt of Alva was tried at 
Prefton-Pans works, and found to be equal in quality to 
that with which Europe is, in general, fupplied from the 
mines of Saxony. Unhappily, however, the mafs of this 
mineral, like that of the filver, was foon exhaufted ; and, 
though frnall quantities of it have fince been difcovered 
in various parts of the Ochils, it has never again appeared 
in fuflicient abundance to render it an objeft of commerce. 
The other metals found on thefe hills, are copper, lead, 
and iron. About fifty years ago, a copper-mine was wrought 
in what is called the Mill-Glen, by an Englilh company : 
the thickeft ftratum or vein meal'ured about 18 inches.; 
O C H 
and four different ftrata were traced. Iron-ftone is very 
abundant in the Clackmannan diftridt; and, in confe- 
quence, an extenfive iron-work has been eftablifiied in the 
vicinity of that town, under the firm of the Devon Company. 
The vale at the foot of the Ochils, on the fouth fide, may 
be regarded as one vail field of coal, which forms the moll 
important article among the exports of this part of Scot¬ 
land. 
Mr. Charles Mackenzie Has communicated to the Wer¬ 
nerian Natural-Hiftory Society, a mineralogical defcrip- 
tion of thefe hills. The rocks of which they are com¬ 
pofed, arranged according to their fituation and relative 
antiquity, the lowell and oldeft being the firft mentioned, 
and the uppermoft or neweft being the laft, are, 1. Red 
fand-ftone; 2. Amygdaloid ; 3. Grey fand-ftone; 4. Lime- 
ftone; 5. Slate-clay; 6. Clay-ftone; 7. Tuff; 8. Bafaltic 
clink-ftone ; 9. Green-ftone ; 10. Clay-ftone porphyry; 
11. Compadl felfpar. The different veins that traverfe 
the ftrata of the diftridl of which this ingenious oblerver 
has given an account, are, calcareous fpar, fteatite, heavy 
fpar, iron, cobalt, filver, copper, and lead. The firft part 
of Mr. Mackenzie’s communication contains a geogra¬ 
phical delineation of this beautiful and interfiling range 
of hills. Beauties of Scotland, vol. iii. iv. Memoirs of the 
Wernerian Soc. vol.ii. 1814. 
OCH'IMY, f. [formed by corruption from alchymy."] 
A mixed bafe metal. 
OCHI'NUS (Bernardin), a celebrated Italian Capu¬ 
chin monk, who became a convert to the Proteftant faith, 
was born at Sienna in the year 14S7. While very young, 
he entered among the religious of the Francifcan order 
diftinguifhed by the name of Cordeliers; but, refuming 
the lay-habit, he applied himfelf to the ftudy of phyfic, 
and acquired, the eileem of cardinal Julio de Medici, who 
afterwards afcended the pontifical throne under the title 
of Clement VIII. He was now feized with compunCtion 
for having quitted the religious profeffion, and re-entered 
the order which he had abandoned, and to which he be¬ 
came, as well by his talents as his piety, a bright orna¬ 
ment. In 1 534 he entered the reformed order of Capu¬ 
chins, which had been lately confirmed ; and in this new 
connexion he diftinguifhed himfelf by his regularity, his 
aufterities, and fandlity of demeanour. He contributed 
fo much to extend and improve the order, that by fome 
writers he has been deemed its founder. In 1338 he was 
eledled vicar-general of the order, in a chapter which was 
held at Florence; and fo well did he condufl himfelf, that 
he was, in 1541, elected a fecond time to that dignity, in 
a chapter that was held at Naples. He became eminent 
in the higheft degree as a pulpit-orator, and was attended 
by crowds, not only of the common people, but of the 
moil illuftrious prelates, princes, and men of rank. So 
great was his fame as a preacher, that he was invited to 
difplay his talents in the moll celebrated cities of Italy ; 
and he was chofen chaplain and father-confeffor to pope 
Paul III. 
About the year 1541 he became acquainted with John 
Valdes, a Spanilh civilian, who had embraced theopinions 
of Luther; and by him Ochinus was converted to the 
fame faith, and became fatisfied that popery was a lyften 
of delulion and tyranny over the confidences of men, and 
that evangelical Chriftianity was to be found only among 
the profeft’ors of the reformed communion. This impor¬ 
tant change in his opinions was foon made knoum, and he 
was fummoned to the court of Rome to anfwer for him¬ 
felf. In his journey he met with Peter Martyr (fee 
vol. xiv. p. 453.) at Florence, who had likewife abandoned 
the popifh religion; and, having confulted together, they 
agreed to retire to fome country where they might be be¬ 
yond the reach of the papal power. Accordingly, Ochinus 
immediately fet out, and arrived at Geneva in the year 
1542 ; from Geneva he went to Auglburg, where he pub- 
liftied fome fermons. While in this place he married ; and 
in 1547, on the invitation of Cranmer archbilhop of Can¬ 
terbury, he accompanied Peter Martyr to England, for the 
4 purpofe 
