an autobiography-第78章
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it。 There we were treated to a short lecture by Professor Owen on the Solan Goose； which was illustrated by the clouds of geese flying over us。 They freely exhibited their habits on land as well as in mid…air； and skimmed the dizzy crags with graceful and apparently effortless motions。 The vast variety of seafowl screamed their utmost； and gave a wonderfully illustrative chorus to the lecture。 It was a most impressive scene。 We were high above the deep blue sea of the German Ocean； the waves of which leapt up as if they would sweep us away into the depths below。
Another of our delightful excursions was made under the guidance of my old and dear friend Robert Chambers。* ＇footnote。。。 I cannot pass over the mention of Robert Chambers's name without adding that I was on terms of the most friendly intimacy with him from a very early period of his life to its termination in 1871。 I remember when he made his first venture in business in Leith Walk。 By virtue of his industry； ability； and energy； he became a prosperous man。 I had the happiness of enjoying his delightful and instructive society on many occasions。 We had rare cracks on all subjects； but especially respecting old places and old characters whom we had known at Edinburgh。 His natural aptitude to catch up the salient and most humorous points of character； with the quaint manner in which he could describe them； gave a vast charm to his company and conversation。 Added to which； the wide range and accuracy of his information； acquired by his own industry and quick…witted penetration； caused the hours spent in his society to remain among the brightest points in my memory。 。。。＇
The object of this excursion was to visit the remarkable series of grooved and scratched rocks which had been discovered* ＇footnote。。。 They had been first seen； some twenty years before； by Sir James Hall； one of the geologic lights of Edinburgh。 。。。＇ on the western edge of the cliff…like boundary of Corstorphine Hill。 The glacial origin of these groovings on the rocks was then occupying the attention of geologists。 It was a subject that Robert Chambers had carefully studied； in the Lowlands； in the Highlands； in Rhine…land； in Switzerland； and in Norway。 He had also published his Ancient Sea Margins and his Tracings of the North of Europe in illustration of his views。 He was now enabled to show us these groovings and scratchings on the rocks near Edinburgh。 In order to render the records more accessible； he had the heather and mossy turf carefully removed especially from some of the most distinct evidences of glacial rock…grooving。 Thus no time was lost； and we immediately saw the unquestionable markings。 Such visits as these are a thousand times more instructive and interesting than long papers read at scientific meetings。 They afford the best opportunity for interchange of ideas； and directly produce an emphatic result； for one cannot cavil about what he has seen with his eyes and felt with his hands。
We returned to the city in time to be present at a most interesting lecture by Hugh Miller on the Boulder Clay。 He illustrated it by some scratched boulders which he had collected in the neighbourhood of Edinburgh。 He brought the subject before his audience in his own clear and admirable viva voce style。 The Duke of Argyll was in the chair； and a very animated discussion took place on this novel and difficult subject。 It was humorously brought to a conclusion by the Rev。 Dr。 Fleming； a shrewd and learned geologist。 Like many others； he had encountered great difficulties in arriving at definite conclusions on this mysterious subject。 He concluded his remarks upon it by describing the influence it had in preventing his sleeping at night。 He was so restless on one occasion that his wife became seriously alarmed。 〃What's the matter wi' ye； John？ are ye ill？〃 〃On no；〃 replied the doctor； 〃it's only that confounded Bounder Clay！〃 This domestic anecdote brought down the house； and the meeting terminated in a loud and hearty laugh。
I； too； contributed my little quota of information to the members of the British Association。 I had brought with me from Lancashire a considerable number of my large graphic illustrations of the details of the Moon's surface。 I gave a viva voce account of my lunar researches at a crowded meeting of the Physical Section A。 The novel and interesting subject appeared to give so much satisfaction to the audience that the Council of the Association requested me to repeat the account at one of the special evenings； when the members of all the various sections were generally present。 It was quite a new thing for me to appear as a public lecturer； but I consented。 The large hall of the Assembly Rooms in George Street was crowded with an attentive audience。 The Duke of Argyll was in the chair。 It is a difficult thing to give a public lecture especially to a scientific audience。 To see a large number of faces turned up； waiting for the words of the lecturer； is a somewhat appalling sight。 But the novelty of the subject and the graphic illustrations helped me very much。 I was quite full of the Moon。 The words came almost unsought； and I believe the lecture went off very well； and terminated with 〃great applause。〃 And thus the meeting of the British Association at Edinburgh came to an end。
This； however； was not the end of our visit to Scotland。 I was strongly urged by the Duke of Argyll to pay him a visit at his castle at Inverary。 I had frequently before had the happiness of meeting the Duke and Duchess at the Earl of Ellesmere's mansion at Worsley Hall He had made us promise that if we ever came to Scotland we were not to fail to pay him a visit。 It was accordingly arranged at Edinburgh that we should carry out our promise； and spend some days with him at Inverary before our return home。 We were most cordially welcomed at the castle； and enjoyed our visit exceedingly。 We had the pleasure of seeing the splendid scenery of the Western Highlands the mountains round the head of Loch Fyne； Loch Awe； and the magnificent hoary…headed Ben Cruachan； requiring a base of more than twenty miles to support him；besides the beautiful and majestic scenery of the neighbourhood。
But my chief interest was in the specimens of high geological interest which the Duke showed me。 He had discovered them in the Island of Mull； in a bed of clay shale； under a volcanic basaltic cliff over eighty feet high； facing the Atlantic Ocean。 He found in this bed many beautifully perfect impressions of forest tree leaves； chiefly of the plane…tree class。 They appeared to have been enveloped in the muddy bottom of a lake； which had been sealed up by the belching forth from the bowels of the earth of molten volcanic basaltic lava； and which indeed formed the chief material of the Island of Mull。 This basaltic cliff now fronts the Atlantic； and resists its waves like a rock of iron。 To see all the delicate veins and stalklets； and exact forms of what had once been the green fresh foliage of a remotely primeval forest； thus brought to light again； as preserved in their clay envelope； after they had lain for ages and ages under what must have been the molten outburst of some tremendous volcanic discharge； and which now formed the rock…bound coast of Mull； filled one's mind with an idea of the inconceivable length of time that must have passed since the production of these Wonderful geological phenomena。
I felt all the more special interest in these specimens； as I had many years before； on my return visit from Londonderry； availed myself of the nearness of the Giant's Causeway to make a careful examination of the marvellous volcanic columns in that neighbourhood。 Having scrambled up to a great height； I found a thick band of hematitic clay underneath the upper bed of basalt； which was about sixty feet thick。 In this clay I detected a rich deposit of completely charred branches of what had once been a forest tree。 The bed had been burst through by the outburst of molten basalt； and converted the branches into charcoal。 I dug out some of the specimens； and afterwards distributed them amongst my geological friends。 The Duke was interested by my account； which so clearly confirmed his o
