G o r v o r a n t ’ s
C.a v e *
T h e f t r a tum a b o v e th e p i l la r s , w h ic h is h e re m en tion ed , is r l
fo rm ly th e fam e , c o n f i f t in g o f n um b e r le fs fm a l l p i l la r s , bending a l
in c l in in g in a l l d i r e c t io n s , fom e t im e s fo i r r e g u la r ly , th a t the f t o j
' c a n o n ly b e fa id to h a v e an in c lin a t io n to a f fum e a co lum n a r fo J
in o th e r s , m o r e r e g u la r ; b u t n e v e r b r e a k in g , in to , o r difturbing t j
f t r a tum o f la r g e p i l la r s , , w h o fe to p s e v e r y w h e r e k e e p an uniform
a n d ir r e g u la r lin e .
“ P r o c e e d in g n o w a lo n g f fio r e r o u n d th e N o r t h , end o f tlS
if la n d , y o u -a r r iv e a t Q u a na / c a r v e , o r th e C erv o ra n t’ s-C av e: h M
th e f t r a tum u n d e r th e p illa r s is l i f t e d u p v e r y h i g h ; the pillalj
a b o v e i t are c o n f id e r a b ly le fs th a n th o le a t the. N . W . end o f d f l
if la n d , b u t f t i l l v e r y , co .n fid e rab le , B e y o n d is a b a y , which o i *
d e e p in to th e i f la n d , r e n d e r in g i t in th a t , p la c e n o r more than®
q u a r te r o f a m ile o v e r . O n th e fides- o f th is b a y , , efpecially be-
y o n d a, l i t t l e v a l l e y , w h ic h a lm e f t c u ts - th e if la n d in to two, are. j
tw o fta g e s o f p i l la r s , b u t fm a l l ; h o w e v e r h a v in g a ftratum b f l
tw e e n th em e x a d t ty th e fam e - a s th a t ; a b o v e th em ,, fo rm e d of i i f l
n um e r a b le li t t le p i l la r s ; ih a k e n o u t .o f th e ir p la c e s , an d .leaning in aHii
d ir e c t io n s .” •
1 H a v in g p a f fe d t h i s io a y , th e p i lla r s t o t a l ly c e a le ; the rock i®
o f a d a r k .b row n fto n e , an d n o f ig n s o f - r e g u la r i t y o c c u r t i l l you have::
p a l le d r o u n d th e S . E . .e n d o f th e i f la n d . ( a . fp a c e .a lm o f t .a s large as:
th a t o c c u p ie d b y th e p i l la r s ) w h ic h y o u m e e t a g a in on th e Weft f id e l
b e g in n in g to fo rm th em fe lv e s .i r r e g u la r ly ; ., as i f th e ftra tum had an l
in c lin a t io n t o th a t f o rm , .and fo o n a r r iv e a t the. bendino- p illa rs where;
I b e g a n . - * " ' ,
T h e f to n e o f w h ic h th e p ilM r s -a re fo rm e d ; is a - c o a r fe : kind o B
B a fa k e s , v e r y m u c h r e f em b l in g th e G ia n t’s c a u few a y in Ireland»
■ though!
tliouvh none o f them are n e a r fo n e a t as th e fp e c im e n s o f th e la t t e r ,
which I h a v e fe en a t th e B r itijh M u feum -, o w in g c h ie f ly to th e c o lo r ,
¡which in o u r ’ s is a d i r t y b r o w n , in th e Iri/h a fin e b l a c k : in d e ed th e
»hole p ro d u c t io n fe em s v e r y m u c h to r e fem b le th e G ia n t’ s Caufèw ay ;
¡with w h ich I ih o u ld w i l l in g l y c om p a r e i t , h a d I a n y a c c o u n t o f th e
¡former b e fo r e m e
Proceed w i th a firie b r e e z e - ; fe e , b e y o n d S t a f f a , B a ca -b eg , an d
fa Dutchman’s - ca p ì fo rm e d l ik e a P h ry g ia n b o n n e t : n e x t fu c c e e d s
lluigii f , v a r y in g in to g r o t e fq u e lh a p e s as w e r e c e d e f r om i t : th e
¡lowflats o f E la d a n e x t fhe-w th em fe lv e s : an d la f t ly the ifle s o f C a irn -
Ly more an d beg ; th e . f ir f t n o te d f o r its a n t ie n t fo r t r e f s , th e o u t board
to th e Sudereys, o r S o u th e rn H eb rid es.
In the. y e a r 1 2 4 9 , J o h n B u n g a d i, a p p o in t e d b y A ch o o f N o rw a y ,
king o f th e N o r th e r n H eb rid es, w a s e n tm f t e d w i th th e d e fe n c e o f
phis caftle ; an d , in r e tu rn fo r th a t c o n f id e n c e , d e c l in e d to fu r r e n d e r
it to Alexander I I I . o f S cotla n d , w h o -m ed ita ted th e c o n q u e f t o f th e fe
fluids . I t w a s in i th o fe d a y s c a lle d K ia rn a b u rg h , o r B ia rn a b u rg h £ .
The Maclednes p o lfe f fe d it in ■ 1 7 1 5 , an d d u r in g .the r e b e l lio n o f th a t pr, was ta k e n an d r e t a k e n b y e a c h p a r t y .
* As this account is copied from Mr. Banks’ s journal, I take the liberty of
flying (what by this time that gentleman is well acquainted with) that Staffa is a
Mrine mafs. of Bafalies,- or Giant’s Cauffenuay-, but in moft refp.e&s fuperior to the
in grandeur. I muii-add that the name is Ncr-vsegian ; and moli properly
Mowed on account of its lingular ftruéture : Staffa being derived from Staff, a
feff, prop, or, .figuratively, a column,
t'(¡¡¡At the bottom of the print of the rocks of Cannay, is a very lingular
"ew of.Lunga, and the Dutchman $ cap, as they appeared-about eight or nine
milesdiftant, the firft S. S. by W. thelaft-.S. W. b y S . .
IXotffut, .164.,
I n