CAVE OF FINGAL. 223 surf, and should sickness or death happen to any of the family, their situation would be very distressing.. THERE is a small spring of water, or rather a bason, which retains the falling rain, and was not this climate so very wet, this necessary fluid would fail them; a very few warm days would dry their scanty supply. up OUR repast being finished, we scrambled down the rocks, and went along the great causeway, composed, as has been already noticed, of the lower parts of very large pillars, to take a nearer view of the magnificent cave of Fingal. The basaltic columns increase in magnitude as we approach the cave, where they are the largest both in diameter and altitude, that are to be found in the island. They are generally hexagonal, though many of them are found with five sides, and some few only with four. The side of one of the hexagonal pillars, forming the great causeway near the cave, measures, on an average, about two feet; but the dimensions of the side of the hexagon, in the greater number of pillars in the island, may be about fifteen inches: there were many, however, which did not measure above nine inches, and in the island Booshala, the hexagonal sides of the pillars did: not, on an average, exceed four inches. Is we were to take a honeycomb, and fill the cells with plaster of paris, tinged with plumbago, and if, after this had become solid, we should melt out the waxen partitions by exposing it to 224 CAVE OF FINGAL. heat, the pillars which remained would give a very good idea of this causeway. Between these pillars is often found a cement, generally of a beautiful white colour, interspersed with rhomboidal and prismatic crystals, which are sometimes tinged with green. This substance is, in general, calcareous spar (crystalized carbonat of lime). In some instances, however, the space is filled up with infiltrations of beautiful white zeolite. In the very midst of the basaltic pillars, when broken, are to be found pieces of radiated zeolite. THE cave viewed from this causeway is certainly one ofthe most magnificent objects the eye can behold. The sides are composed of ranges of basaltic pillars, diminishing to the eye in regular perspective, and supporting a massy roof, which consists of the tops of columns that have probably been washed away by the fury of the ocean. The fragments of pillars which compose this roof, are cemented by a calcareous matter similar to that above described, but of a light yellow colour, which when contrasted with the dark purple hexagons formed by the ends of the pillars, has a very fine effect, the whole resembling mosaic work. THE bottom of the cave is filled with the sea, and in very calm weather a small boat can go up to the farther extremity: but if this should be attempted when the waves are agitated, though only in a small degree, the boat would be in danger of being dashed to pieces against the sides of the cavern. The CAVE OF FINGAL 225 only way of entering it at such times, is by a causeway, not more than two feet broad, on the eastern side, formed of the bases of broken pillars, but which is very slippery, being constantly wet by the spray. It therefore requires great steadiness and caution to penetrate to the end of this celebrated cave, for the least slip or false step would precipitate the adventurer into the waves raging at his feet. The entrance of the cave being very wide, affords sufficient light to see every part of it distinctly. Upon one of the broken pillars, a corvorant had built her nest,, and expressed by her hissing the displeasure she felt at her solitary retirement being molested.* I SHALL give the dimensions of the cave from Sir Joseph Banks, who had it very accurately measured by some of his attendants. Length of the cave from the rock without, from the pitch of the arch, FEET. INCHES. 237 6 250 O *It is only the mouth or entrance of the cave that is represented in the view here given, but it is an excellent and very accurate resemblance. 70 18 9 |