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L 274 ]
yet every one who compares them
with Fingal’s Cave, formed by nature
in the ifle o f Staffa, muff readily acknowledge,
that this piece o f nature’s
architecture far furpaffes every thing
that invention, luxury, and tafte ever
produced among the Greeks.
The ifland o f ^ Staffa lies weft of
Mull, and three miles N.E. o f Jona or
Columb-Kill; it is about a mile in
length, and half a mile in breadth,
and belongs to Mr. Lauchlan Mac-
Qnarie. On the weft fide o f the ifland
is a fmall cave, where there is a very
convenient landing-place, but where
no regular bafalt figures are to be met
with. To thefouthof this cave are fome
narrow pillars, that, inftead o f ftanding
upright, are all inclined, and look like
fo many pieces o f an arch. Further on
6*/ Mr. Banks’s account o f this ifland, as communicated
by that intelligent gentleman to Mr. Pennant,
and inferted in his Tour in Scotland, and Voyage to
the Hebrides in 1772, is too curious to be omitted, as
it is not only very interefting in itfelf, but is an undeniable
proof of the accuracy and fidelity with which
our author, Dr. T roil, has treated o f the various fnb-
jefts contained in this publication:— the editor deems
it therefore unneceiTary to apologize for fubjoining an
extract o f it to this letter.
you
[ 275 ]
you leave a fmall grotto on your right
hand, which is not compofed o f pillars,
though they appear more diftiniftly
and larger above it, and in one place
reiemble the interior timber-work o f
a iliip. Diredlly oppofite to it, only
a few yards diftant, is the peninfula
o f Bofcha-la, that entirely confifts o f
regular though lefs pillars, and all of
a conical figure. Some of them lie
horizontally, others incline, as it were,
to the central point, as to the upper
lend ; but the greater number are per-
feiffly perpencUcular. The iiland itfelf,
oppoiite to Bofcpa-la, confifts of
thick eolqqans or pillars, not however
very high, as they gradually decreafe
in approaching to the water, and extend
into the fea as far as the eye can
reach. You may walk upon thefe with
great cafe, as from one ftep o f a ftair-
cafe to another, till you come to Fiii-
gal’s, or more properly fpeaking, to
Fiuhn Mac CouFs grotto or cave,
which enters into the mountain from
N. E. to E. . I *
This cave confifts o f ver|/ regular
pillars, which to a great ejitent on
S z both