IV.

CHAP. joints or fissures which characterize the pillars of Staffa in the Hebrides, and those of the Giants' Causeway in Ireland. Neither had the same pillar an equal diameter throughout its shaft: it rather resembled one of the pillars of the Lake of Bolsenna in Italy, where a series of imperfect vertical shafts, some of four sides, and some of five sides, rest upon others one-third of their diameter. We removed several specimens: all of them exhibited a tendency to exfoliation, as if the parts had been artificially cemented together; the stone being always discoloured where the separation had taken place, owing to the oxidation of the iron. The trap of Halleberg may, therefore, be considered as an abutment of a stratum of basalt; although, as a variety of this substance, it differs, in some external characters, from common basalt; and its prismatic form is entirely due to the spontaneous decomposition of the stone, in consequence of the attacks of air and moisture. Like all basalt, this decomposition only becomes conspicuous in those parts of the stratum which have been long exposed to the atmosphere. Where a part of the cliff has recently fallen down, and has thereby disclosed a fresh surface, hardly any such appearance is discernible.

Swedish
Trap.

Hunneberg

We afterwards visited Hunneberg, upon the south side of the defile. It is principally com

IV.

Basaltic

posed of the same materials; being, in fact, a СНАР. part of the same stratum. The basaltic character is less visible here; because the mountain is so Rocks. thickly covered with fir-trees, that, comparatively, there are few places where the rock is visible'. There is nothing, either in the appearance of these mountains, or in the neighbouring country, to warrant a conclusion that the basaltic configuration here is due to any igneous operation. Not a vestige of any extinct volcano can be discerned.

Among the woods of Hunneberg, and beneath the shade of fir-trees, the author found, in flower, that beautiful plant, the Pyrola uniflora, rearing Pyrola its pale, pendent, and solitary blossoms, near to uniflora. the base of the mountain. As it was the first time any of us had seen this plant, and as it afforded the first rare specimens for our botanical collection, the sight of it was a gratification to all of us. The flowers were snow-white, and they had the fragrance of the Lily of the Valley. Although this species of Pyrola has been found in the South of France, and in the North of Italy, it is so truly an inhabitant of Alpine regions, that it was never seen in

(1) The specimens which we brought from Halleberg and Hunneberg are now in the Woodwardian Collection at Cambridge; and there is little perceptible difference between them.

IV.

CHAP. Britain until the year 1783; when it was observed for the first time in Moray, and in the remotest western isles of the Hebrides. Before it expands its cups, the blossoms are of a globular form, and it always hangs its head like a snowdrop.

Celtic Antiquities.

The antiquities of Halleberg next claimed our attention it was once the Holy Mountain of Westro-Gothland; its remarkable features having

given rise to many superstitious notions concerning it; and a Celtic coemetery, close to its base, within the defile between the two mountains, being still considered as the burial-place of giants. A fearful precipice rises perpendicularly behind a thick grove of trees, which

appear to have been self-planted among the broken
rocks at its base. There is also a circular range
of large upright stones, near to this
grove; like
what we should call, in England, a Druidical
Circle; and upon the left-hand, facing the pre-
cipice, a small circular pool of water. The tradi-
tion of the inhabitants concerning this place.
maintains, that the giants of old, who inhabited
this country, when they wished to hasten their
departure for Valhall, (that future state of hap-
piness where all the Northern nations expected
to carouse full goblets of ale with the Gods',)
or, when any of them were seized with a tædium
vitæ, used to repair, in complete armour, to the
brink of the precipice, whence, leaping down,
they were dashed to pieces, and immediately
made partakers of Elysium. The same tradition
also adds, that the bodies of the giants were
washed, after their fall, within the circular pool
of water, previously to the ceremony of their
funeral, which was conducted with great public
solemnity; the body being burned, and the ashes

(1) Ale and mead were the only nectar of the Northern nations. See Mallet's Northern Antiquities, vol. II. p. 326; Edinb. 1809. Also p. 315, Note.

(2) The Northern warriors believed that no persons were entitled to Elysium, but such as died in battle, or underwent a violent death. Ibid. p. 314, Note..

IV.

CHAP. placed in an urn and buried. At a small distance from the bottom of the precipice, and beyond the pool, is the circular range of monumental stones, consisting of seven upright pillars, that still preserve their natural forms, and were, originally, fragments detached from the mass of basalt above. Some of the stones are now

to the Celtic

by a King

of Sweden.

wanted, to complete the entire circle; and a most preposterous addition was made to those Visit paid which remain, by Adolphus Frederic and his Antiquities Queen, during a visit they made to the spot, acand Queen companied by the Lord-lieutenant of the province. It consists in a single upright stone, placed in the centre of the circular range; as if the date of its erection had been coeval with the rest; but bearing an inscription in the Swedish language, containing names of the King and Queen, and stating the time of their visit to the place. When the late Pope converted the villa of Mecenas into a cannon-foundry, his Holiness did not betray more barbarism than the Swedish Monarch who thus violated a Celtic cœmetery.

Professor Malthus and Mr.

Otter set out for Norway.

Here, upon this spot, just as we had concluded our survey of the curiosities of the place, a melancholy separation took place amongst the members of our party. Professor Malthus, and Mr. Otter, who had accompanied us to visit Halleberg and Hunneberg, returned to Wenersburg,