Dallas herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1849-1873, 1873-02-08
ROCKING STONES.

In many parts Of tho world arc
found hugo stones or rocks, 80 pois'
cd on a narrow base that they
rock 10 and fro under slight NOV
ing forco. Sometimes tho rocking
or "logging" Is caused by tho wind
only, without direct human con-
tact but generally muscular or
mechanical force has to DO applied
Ono of tho most familiar exam
pies is tho Logan Logging Rock in
Cornwall, near the promintory
of Castle Treryn. This stone,
which attracts numerous visitors,
is between sixty and seventy tons
weight, and so nicely poised that a
person can easily set it in motion.
DR.. Borlase, the Cornish antigua.
ry, fully described tho rock, ad-
ding that it was "morally impossi-
bio that any lever-or, indeed,
force-however applied in me.
chanical way, could remove it,"
This statement was put to the test
by young officer of the navy
Lieutenant Goldsmith, said to be q
grand nephew of Oliver Goldsmith.
He was in command of cuttor in
the neighborhood, and with ten or
twelve of his men threw the rock
off it's balance. and sont it rolling
toward tho sea, where it would
have been lost but that chasm in
tercepted it. The exploit justly
gave great offence to the ncighbor.
hood and, the mischievous prank
being reported to the Admiralty,
the young office was compelled to
replace the rock. This was not
done without much labor and OK
ertion, and the aid Of machinery
from tho dockyaId at Plymouth.
Sir Davis colbert and others sub
scribed for the fund necessary to
restore the rock to it's sito.and the
lieutenant to tho good books at
headquarters. For some time Of
forward chains and other protec.
tions wero used (; but these have
been long since removed. The
stone, however, does not clog" 80
we'll as it did previous to Its over
throw.
There are several other rocking
stones equally remarkable, though
less Familiarity known in Cornwall.
The rugged rock south Of Cairn les
Boel is Bosistow island, on which
numerous gulls, cormorants and
other sea-birds, build. Gaining the
summit of the activity, we pass
along the edge of Bosistow cliff and
enter Pendower ("tho head Of the
water" cove. Tho green turf
slopes down pleasantly toward the
sea, and standing on the highest
part is very excellent Logan rock.
1t was discovered to possess tho
quality, of "logging" accidentally,
by a man who was employed in
watching the coast for the lord of
tho manor. A vessel had been
wrecked in tho cove Immediately
below, and while engaged in his
duty he learned against q mass OF
rock, which, to his establishment,
he found in motion-the oscilla-
ton having been prodnced by the
force of the wind. This stone is in
the form of an irregular parallel
dipped for somewhat moro than
half it's length, and then it slopes
away in a wedge-like shape to it's
nearest angle. The lcngth of the
longest side is abont fifteen feet,
and the thickest end about twenty
feet in circumference. At rough
calculation, allowing for the irreg.
ularitics of the surface, it may be
computed to contain about three
hundred cubic feet, and to weigh
about twenty tons. 1t is very east.
ly set in motion. l have seen it
logged" by the wind. Rocking
stones frequently occur among the
tabular and cubiform masses Of
granite in this district, but they
only attract attention when OF con-
siderable magnitude.