There are many ancient forts and monuments of a Druidical character in this island, various cairns and stones. At Struan, on the top of a rock, are the re mains of a circular fort, 42 feet in diameter. The romantic castle of Dunvegan, the seat of Macleod, situated on a high rock at the bottom of Loch Fallart bay, forms two sides of a small square, and on the third side there is a Danish tower. The walls are, in two places, about seventeen feet thick. Between Dunvegan and Talisker are the remains of a massy wall, and the vestiges of a ditch encircling a preci pitous rock, accessible only on one side; and on the summit of another adjacent rock is a Danish inclosure of a circular form, consisting of strong masonry with out cement. The diameter of the inside is forty-two feet, and within it are vestiges of five small circular apartments. The entrance, which is covered with flags, is six feet high, and the walls of the inclosure are considerably higher. There are two large cairns about two miles to the north of this.
Duntuilm castle, or the castle of the large grassy eminence, was originally a scat of the AIacdonalds. It stands on a lofty precipice near the north end of the island. Though in ruins, it is still in tolerable pre servation. The remains of the castle of Dunscaieb, the poetical residence of Cucullin, is boldly situated on an insulated rock, which a drawbridge connects with the shore. The ruins of the castle of Knock stand on the opposite side. The huge cairn of Ben callfach is said to have been erected over the grave of a Norwegian princess.
The geology of this island is exceedingly interest ing, but even the briefest notice of it would exceed the limits of an article like this. In our article SCOT LAND, we have already given a general view of it in relation to the rest of the kingdom.* Many fine groups of basaltic columns occur on the island. In
the parish of Snizort there is a perpendicular obelisk about 360 feet round at its base, and about 300 feet high, and on the same side of the parish there is a fine cataract about 90 feet high,with an arched hollow path in the middle across the rock, through which five or six persons can walk abreast. The Spar Cave, one of the greatest geological curiosities in the island, has been already fully described in our article GROTTO.
Many beautiful and even rare minerals are found in Sky, viz. perfect crystals of analcime at Talisker, cha basic in the rocks of the Starr; stilbite, mesotype, madelstein, laumonite, apophyllite, hyperstene, acty nolite, and steatite.t Sky is particularly distinguished, not only in Scot land, but perhaps in the world, for its grand and ro mantic scenery. Every part of its coast and finely indented shores abounds with scenes of unrivalled beauty and grandeur. Among these the most singular is Loch Scavaig and Loch Coruisk. The former is a narrow lake, encircled by rocky mountains clipping into the sea, and variegated with numerous isles of rock. From this we pass on a sudden into the se questered lake of Coruisk, which occupies a glen about four miles long and half a mile wide, walled in with tremendous rocks of bleak and desolate gran deur. The lake, with its verdant isles, is about three miles long. All is here dreary silence and gloomy sublimity.
Sky is the country of caves: one of those in Strath aird sheltered prince Charles. Another in Loch Braccadale, disappointed Dr. Johnson. For farther information respecting this interesting island, sec Johnson's Tour to the Hebrides, 1775. Martin's De scription of the Western Islands. Dr. Anderson's .1e count of the Hebrides. 1\lacdonald's Survey of the Hnbrides. Macculloch's Description of the Western Islands. Macculloch's Letters on the highlands, 1824.