96 Krug von Nidda on the Mineral Springs of Iceland. 



had fallen to a considerable depth in the pipe, and that it began 

 to rise again, but slowly. 



As, according to the testimony of the Icelanders, which was 

 ascertained to be correct, such great eruptions are repeated only 

 at intervals of twenty-four or thirty hours, I had no hope of 

 witnessing again this magnificent spectacle before my departure 

 on the following morning ; but shortly afterwards a sight pre- 

 sented itself which is, in some respects, equal to the Geyser in 

 beauty and grandeur, for the Strokr, to my extreme surprise, 

 commenced its wonderful display. 



This spring is situated at about 150 paces south-west from 

 the great geyser. It possesses no cauldron-shaped basin like 

 the geyser, but its pipe, which has an average diameter of five 

 feet, and is coated by siliceous incrustations, commences di- 

 rectly from the surface. There is only a small hill four or five 

 feet in height, and consisting of heaped up siliceous sinter, which 

 forms a rim round the opening. The water remains generally 

 at a depth of ten or fourteen feet under the mouth of the pipe, 

 and is always in a state of agitation. The temperature of this 

 spring is constantly at the boiling point. 



It was seven o'clock in the evening when the eruption began. 

 A thick column of smoke ascended suddenly to the clouds. The 

 water was projected from the opening with frightful violence, 

 and was converted in the column itself into a fine fog, which 

 rose to an extraordinary height in the atmosphere. From time 

 to time I observed some perpendicular or inclined jets of water 

 forming paths for themselves through the smoke ; some attained 

 a height of 100 feet. Large stones which we had previously 

 thrown into the spring were projected to heights that could 

 hardly be reached by the eye ; many were so perfectly vertical 

 in their direction, that they fell back again into the pipe and an- 

 swered the purpose of balls for the sport of the gigantic spring. 

 At the commencement all the water was projected from the 

 mouth, and afterwards the column over the opening consisted 

 only of steam, which left the mouth with a whistling and hissing 

 noise, and rose with incredible velocity towards the clouds. The 

 activity of the spring continued in this manner uninterrupted 

 for three-quarters of an hour, when tranquillity was restored, 

 with the exception of the usual violent boiling of the water. 



