many accounts it might be said that soap-rock is to serpentine what kaolin is to granite.[1]
Kinance Cove, situated a mile and a half N.N.W. of the Lizard Point, is a kind of small valley (combe) in the serpentine formation, opening towards the sea, and exhibiting pillars or detached rocks of very rude forms and appearance, which recalled to my mind those of the high Alps. One of these obelisks projects into the sea; others have been so much excavated by the action of the sea, that fissures, or complete arches have been formed, under which you may walk at low water. When the sea, at the flowing of the tide, begins to rush through these excavations, the whiteness of the foam, contrasted with the brown colour of the rocks upon which it breaks, produces a very striking effect.
From the soap-rocks to Mullyan Church-town, where we re-enter the grauwacke slate, on the west side of the promontory, we walk over a common covered with turf, which prevents us from knowing what the nature of the rock is in that district, it was besides, almost dark when I passed over it.
Remarks on the serpentine, and on some rocks which usually accompany it.
Before I proceed to inquire to what formation the serpentine of the Lizard belongs, 1 shall briefly notice the geological position of
- ↑ Are we to refer to species of kaolin or soap-rock, the white and unctuous clay which the ancients culled terra cimolia, and which wall employed by the inhabitants of the island of Argentiers, formerly Cimolis, instead of soap, for the purpose of cleansing cloth. Lettres sur la Gréce pour servir de suite à celles sur l'Egypte, par M. Savary, p. 370.
