Orcadian papers : being selections from the Proceedings of the Orkney Natural History Society, from 1887 to 1904 / edited by M.M. Charleson, F.S.A. Scot.

  • Orkney Natural History Society.
Date:
1905
Catalogue details

Licence: In copyright

Credit: Orcadian papers : being selections from the Proceedings of the Orkney Natural History Society, from 1887 to 1904 / edited by M.M. Charleson, F.S.A. Scot. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    Holm, I found it readily, rising out of the sand and running into the Holm at the cave in which, in olden times, smuggled goods, I have been told, were often hidden away until they could be conveniently disposed of. This cave no longer exists. 'Fhe roof of it has been removed, and a few steps built into the bank now land you on the top of the ancient trap on the shore. The cave, doubtless, owed its origin to the trap. Proceeding to the west side of the Holm, I found the dyke there also, standing about two feet in height and stretching down into the harbour. It occupied the line of the old slip, in fact was utilised for that purpose, having been formed into a slip by stones built over and behind it. No trace of it now remains, as the new slip, which is broader and higher than the old, has been built right over it, a fact which may prove rather tantalising to future enquirers, and which forms a very good illustration of the difficulties that sometimes attend investigations of this kind. But a more interesting question now arose as to the opposite side of the harbour—Will the trap be found traversing the granite, or, will the granite have obliterated the trap ? I had observed that the dyke ran towards the south end of the harbour, where the shore is not so fully built over. I proceeded thither, and just beyond the last house on the seaward side of the street, I found a very singular arrangement of the granite. There is here a deep depression in the rock, and as seen from the street there are two very distinct rents in the granite running along the bottom of the depression. Raised granite is often rent and cracked, but not commonly in this fashion. The two rents are very marked; they run in straight lines, parallel to each