1822.] Volcanic Eruption in Iceland, 403 



noes, dated the 1st of February, 1822, gives the foUowmg ad- 

 ditions : — " We still see the column of fire of the volcano 

 shining with the same clearness as in the beginning, without, 

 however, tlirowing lava into the inhabited part of the island. 

 The ashes are greyish-white, have a sulphurous taste, and it is 

 reported that they burn with flame when thrown into the fire. 

 The ice of the Jokkul was twice broken, and an eye-witness has i 

 assured me that some of the pieces were three times as high as 

 himself, and of many fathoms in circumference. Among the 

 numerous half-melted stones, one has been found thrown to the .- 

 distance of about five miles from the crater. We have had no • 

 accounts of the bad effects of this eruption either on men or 

 animals. The thick mass of ashes spread over the land of 

 Vester Eyafield and Oster Landoe, which began to occasion 

 diseases among the sheep, has been blown away by a heavy 

 storm, and since that time the wind has carried the ashes from 

 the volcano into the uninhabited mountains ; the diseases among 

 the sheep soon disappeared. '^ 



The third account is from M, Steingrim Johnson, Provost at 

 Rangarvalla and Vestmamoesyssel, and written from Odde, 

 about 30 to 35 miles to the W. of the volcano, dated Dec. 19, 

 1821. 



" On Wednesday, Dec. 19, at twihght, and later in the even- 

 ing, a reddish light appeared on the E. which was the more 

 surprising, as it was clear. 



Dec. 20. — Atone o'clock in the afternoon, a number of rather 

 shining clouds was seen collected about the top of the mountain 

 above Eyafj eld- Jokkul, ESE from Odde ; the clouds soon changed 

 into a high column of smoke increasing in thickness and dark- 

 ness. Though the weather was clear and calm, the smoke was 

 carried to the south ; at sunset, the eruption seemed to cease, 

 but the smoke soon rose again, and even more violently than 

 before. When it was dark, we clearly saw the moving and 

 and sparkling flame ; from which we concluded that the eruption . 

 must be violent. Afterwards we heard that it was on the east or 

 south side of the Vesterjokkul, near Hudnasten, and opposite to 

 the farmhouse ofSkaale, in the parish of Holt. 



Dec. 21. — There was a violent storm, and the fire was observed 

 varying in intensity ; clouds of smoke rose with great violence. 

 They remained on the mountain, and to the west of the Jokkul, 

 whose white brilliant colour was now destroyed by the shower 

 of ashes. 



Dec. 22. — The same phenomena ; the clouds increased, and 

 spread all over the sky, principally towards the south. 



Dec. 23, — The same smolie. In Hvols-Reppen, and in this 

 parish, the people believed that they saw the falling of ashes 

 which came from the north-east. Afterwards we were told that a 

 great quantity of them had fallen that night, and before, in the 

 villages that were nearest to the volcano. 



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