70 LETTERS FROM HIGH LATITUDES. [VII. 



the sources of both were far away within the heart of the 

 unapproachable desert, and even the extent of the lava flow 

 can only be measured from the spot where it entered the 

 inhabited districts. The stream which flowed down Skapta 

 is calculated to be about fifty miles in length by twelve or 

 fifteen at its greatest breadth ; that which rolled down the 

 Hverfisfliot, at forty miles in length by seven in breadth. 

 Where it was imprisoned, between the high banks of Skapta, 

 the lava is five or six hundred feet thick ; but as soon as it 

 spread out into the plain its depth never exceeded one hun- 

 dred feet. The eruption of sand, ashes, pumice, and lava, 

 continued till the end of August, when the Plutonic drama 

 concluded with a violent earthquake. 



For a whole year a canopy of cinder-laden cloud hung 

 over the island. Sand and ashes irretrievably overwhelmed 

 thousands of acres of fertile pasturage. The Faroe islands, 

 the Shetlands, and the Orkneys were deluged with volcanic 

 dust, which perceptibly contaminated even the pure skies of 

 England and Holland. Mephitic vapours tainted the at- 

 mosphere of the entire island ; — even the grass, which no 

 cinder rain had stifled, completely withered up • — the fish 

 perished in the poisoned sea. A murrain broke out among 

 the cattle, and a disease resembling scurvy attacked the 

 inhabitants themselves. Stephenson has calculated that 

 9,000 men, 28,000 horses, 11,000 cattle, 190,000 sheep, 

 died from the effects of this one eruption. The most mode- 

 rate calculation puts the number of human deaths at up- 

 wards of 1,300 ; and of cattle, etc. at about 156,000. 



The whole of this century had proved most fatal to the 

 unfortunate people of Iceland. At its commencement small- 

 pox destroyed more than 16,000 persons; nearly 10,000 

 more perished by a famine consequent on a succession of 

 inclement seasons ; while from time to time the southern 

 coasts were considerably depopulated by the incursions of 

 English and even Algerine pirates. 



The rest of our day's journey lay through a country less 

 interesting than the district we had traversed before luncheon. 



