74 LETTERS FROM HIGH LATITUDES. [VII. 



ing and sputtering, until at last nature is exhausted, when, 

 sobbing and sighing to itself, it sinks back into the bottom 

 of its den. 



Put into the highest spirits by the success of this perform- 

 ance, we turned away to examine the remaining springs. I 

 do not know, however, that any of the rest are worthy of 

 particular mention. They all resemble in character the two 

 I have described, the only difference being that they are 

 infinitely smaller, and of much less power and importance. 

 One other remarkable formation in the neighbourhood must 

 not be passed unnoticed. Imagine a large irregular opening 

 in the surface of the soft white clay, filled to the very brim 

 with scalding water, perfectly still, and of as bright a blue 

 as that of the Grotto Azzuro at Capri, through whose trans- 

 parent depths you can see down into the mouth of a vast 

 subaqueous cavern, which runs, Heaven knows how far, in 

 a horizontal direction beneath your feet. Its walls and 

 varied cavities really looked as if they were built of the 

 purest lupis lazuli — and so thin seemed the crust that roofed 

 it in, we almost fancied it might break through, and tumble 

 us all into the fearful beautiful bath. 



Having by this time taken a pretty good look at the prin- 

 cipal features of our new domain, I wrapped myself up in a 

 cloak and went to sleep ; leaving orders that 1 should not 

 be called until after the tent had arrived, and our beds were 

 ready. Sigurdr followed my example, but the Doctor went 

 out shooting. 



As our principal object in coming so far was to see an 

 eruption of the Great Geysir, it was of course necessary we 

 should wait his pleasure ; in fact, our movements entirely 

 depended upon his. For the next two or three days, there- 

 fore, like pilgrims round some ancient shrine, we patiently 

 kept watch ; but he scarcely deigned to vouchsafe us the 

 slightest manifestation of his latent energies. Two or three 

 times the cannonading we had heard immediately after our 

 arrival recommenced, — and once an eruption to the height 

 of about ten feet occurred ; but so brief was its duration, 



