182 4 



I have divided my treatise into three parts. The first contains a description 

 of the springs we examined, while the second part treats of the methods employed 

 in the investigation, and the third enumerates and discusses the results of the 

 experiments. 



In the third part, besides viewing the nature of the springs from a new stand- 

 point, - which these experiments seem to justify, - I have included several well- 

 known theories, in so far as the latter are borne out by the present investigations; 

 and thereby have endeavoured to make the subject under consideration more conse- 

 quent and complete. 



I. 



Description of the Springs. 



Mj'vatn. 



The hot springs at Myvatn have, in the course of time, often been described 

 by scientific visitors to the spot. Johnstrup', who visited these springs in 1871, 

 has given a very detailed description of them, and has constructed a map of the 

 surroundings of the springs. I will therefore content myself with a very short, 

 summary description, and I must refer those who require more detailed information 

 regarding these districts, to Johnstrup's excellent treatise. Nevertheless, in order 

 to make the positions clearer, I have included one of Johnstrup's maps of the 

 springs, (Fig. 2). We stayed at Myvatn from the 19th. June to the 1st. July 1906. 

 During the first few days we pitched our tent a little to the north of the springs, 

 to the east of Ndmafjall (Namafjeld on the map). But at that place a proper 

 supply of water was not to be had, so that we were obliged to gather snow from 

 the crevices of the surrounding lava, and use the water obtained by melting it, 

 both in our experiments and for drinking purposes. This had of course great 

 disadvantages, and as we could not keep our horses from straying from this place, 

 we eventually moved nearer to^ the farm of Reykjahh'(\ Thence we paid several 

 visits to the springs. 



The hot springs at Myvatn are found chiefly at two places, viz. at Krafta 

 and at Ndmafjall. The hot springs at Krafla are for the most part solfataras of 

 little or no significance, which are situated here and there in a large ravine which 

 reaches from north to south to the immediate west of Krafla. 



On the eastern slope of the ravine nearest to the south, is Lilla Viti, an 



energetic and extremely noisy fumarole, which reminds one, on account of the 



whistling sound emitted, of Öskurholshver (the roaring hill) at HveravelUr. As Litla 



Viti is externally very different to the small solfataras which lie a little to the 



' Den naturhistoriske Forenings Festslirift. Kobenliavn, 1890. 



