STAFFA, a small island in the Hebrides, on the west coast of Scotland, celebrated for its grand cav erns and basaltic columns. It is situated in the parish of Killniniau and county of Argyle, about five leagues to the west of Mull, and three leagues from Icolm kill. It is of an irregular oval form, consisting of an elevated table land, terminating on all sides in preci pices of various altitudes. It is about one mile long and half a mile broad. The loftiest cliffs, which are on the south-west of the island, are 144 feet high; and on the north it declines to a flat rocky shore, only a few feet raised above the sea, and where the landing place is situated.
The objects of interest in this island are Fingal's cave, cave, and the Boot cave.
The cave of Fingal, which looks to the south-west, was first pointed out as an object of interest by Mr. Leach, an lri3h gentleman, who visited the island in 1772. It was afterwards visited by Sir Joseph Banks, Dr. Von Troll, bishop of Linkoping, and M. St. Fond; and it is now frequented by crowds of visiters, who are carried thither by steam boats, which leave Glasgow in the summer season once every fortnight for the express purpose.
The opening or the cave into which the sea flows is perpendicular at the sides, and terminates above in something like a Gothic arch. The following are its dimensions, given chiefly by Sir Joseph Banks: The sides of the cave consist, like the mouth of it, of basaltic columns, similar to those which we have already described in our articles GIANT'S CAUSEWAY, and Fmanzan. They are, generally speaking, per pendicular; but they have not that regularity which is given to them in the ordinary engravings of the cave. The roof of the cave varies in different places. A deep channel forms the ridge of the roof. On'each side of this fissure towards the mouth of the cave, the roof is formed of minutely fractured rock, similar to the stratum incumbent on the columns; about the middle of the cave the roof is composed of the broken ends of columns, and at the inner end of the cave, a portion of each kind of rock enters into the forma tion of the roof. Calcareoui spar formed by incrus tation between the ends of the columns in the roof, render them more distinctly visible.
The cave is never entirely free of the sea; but the broken range of columns, which forms the extensive causeway, is continued on each side within it. This causeway is most perfect on the eastern side, and allows the visiter to pass over it to the farthest extre mity, provided the state of the tide permits it; but on the western side, the columns terminate at a consid erable distance from the end of the cave. "When we behold," says Dr. Von Trail, "the Cave of Fin gal, we are forced to acknowledge that this piece of architecture, formed by nature, far surpasses that of the Louvre, that of St. Peter at Rome, all that re mains of Palmyra and Peestum, and all that the ge nius, the taste, and the luxury of the Greeks were capable of inventing." Alackinnon's Cave, also called the Cormorant's Cave, is situated on the north side of the island, in the midst of a magnificent colonnade. When the sea is a quarter ebb, the height of the cave is 50 feet, and its breadth 48. Its length is 224 feet, and it has nearly the same height and breadth throughout, ex cepting at the end where the roof and walls approxi mate, and a pebbly beach is formed. The general effect of the cave is very fine, though, in point of symmetry and elegance, it is inferior to the Cave of Fingal.
The Boot Cave is situated farther to the east, and from its mouth being beset with rocks, it can only be entered in calm weather, and at high water. It is from 14. to I 6 feet high above high water. Its breadth is 12 feet, and its length 150. The roof and sides are smooth, and resemble the gallery of a mine. But though small in size, its effect is very picturesque, from the great symmetry of the columnar range in that part of the face, beneath which it is situated.
A family used to reside on the island both summer and winter, but we believe they now quit it at the end of summer. For farther information respecting this island,see Pennant's Tour in Scotland 1790, con taining Sir Joseph Banks' description of Staffa, which has been lately reprinted in Thomson's Pleasure Tours in Scotland, Dr. Von Troil's Letters on Iceland, St. Fond's Tour in Scotland, and Macculloch's De scription of the Western Islands.