Smyrna times., 1872-12-25
Rocking Stones.

In many parts of the world are found huge |
stones or rocks, so poised on narrow base
that they rock to and fro under slight moving
force. Sometimes the rocking or logging Is
caused by the wind only, without direct human
contact; but generally muscular or mechanical
force has to be applied.
One Of the most familiar examples is the
Logan or Logging Rock in Cornwall, near the
promontOry of Castle Treryn. This stone,
which attracts numerous visitors, Is between
sixty and seventy tons weight, and so nicely
poised that person can easily set it in motion.
Dr. Borlase, the Cornish antiquary, fully de-
scrlbed the rock, adding that it was " morally
impossible that any lever-or, indeed, force
however applied in mechanical way, could
remove it. This statement was put to the
test by young officer of the navy-Lieutenant
Goldsmith, said to be grand nephew OF Oliver
Goldsmith. He was in command of a cutter in
the neighborhood, and with ten or twelve OF his
men threw the rock off its balance, and sent it
rolling toward the sea, where it would have
been lost but that chasm intercepted it. The
exploit justly gave great offence to the neigh
! borhood and, the mischievOuS prank being
reported to the Admiralty, the young off e.
was compelled to replace the rock. This was
not done without much labor and exertion, and
the aid of machinery from the dOckyard at Ply
mouth. Sir Davis Gilbert and others subscribed
for the fund necessary to restore the rock to 1t:
site and the lieutenant to the good books a
headquarters For some time afterward chain
and other projections were used; but these hav
been long since removed. The stone, how
ever, does not ''log" so well as it did previou
to its overthrow.
There are several other rocking stones equal
remarkable, though less familiarly known, i
Cornwall The rugged rock south of Cairn lie
Boe is BosstOw island, on which numerOu
: gulls, cOrmOrants, and other sca-birdS, bullG
Gaining the summit of the ACTIVITY, We pas
4 along the edge of BOsStow cliff and enter PEI
y dover (''the head of the water cove. Th
e green turf slopes down pleasantly toward tn
sea, and standing on the highest part is vel
t excellent Logan rock 1t was discovered
c possess the quality Of logging accidentally
c by man who was employed in watching tn
h coast for the lord of the manor. A vessel ha
IT been wrecked in the cove Immediately belOv
y and while engaged in his duty he leaned again
e a mass of rock, which, to his atOnishment,
o found in motion-the oscillation having be,
IN produced by the force of the wind. This stO
,e is in form of an irregular parallelOpiped
A. somewhat more than half its length, and til
TO it slopes away in wedge-like shape to
in northeast angle. The length of the longt
side is about fifteen feet, and the thickest e
at about twenty feet in circumference At
he rough calculation, allowing for the irregula
OF ties of the surface, it may be computed to &C
is tain about three hundred cubic feet, and
ne weigh about twenty tons. 1t is very easily
n, in motion. | have seen it logged" by t
or wind. Rocking stones frequently occur amo
ed the tabular and cubiform masses of granite
nd this district, but they only attract attenti
T. when OF considerable magnitude.