17 195 



Grafarbakkahverir. 



We stayed here from the 4th. to the 7lh. August 1906. [>. Thoroddsen, who 

 visited Ihese springs in the summer of 1888, has described them in "Geografisk 

 Tidsskrift" '. The elevation of the springs is 60 m. above sea-level. The most 

 important springs are situated on a little narrow eminence on Litla Laxd's right 

 (northern) bank, (Plate VII, fc). Farthest to the north there are two fountain-springs or 

 geysers; the one towards the south spouts highest, about 1.7 m., while the northern 

 one throws a column of water only 0.7 ni. high, (Plate VIII, a). In 1888 the reverse 

 was the case; according to p. Thoroddsens statement the northern spring then 

 spouted higher (4 ft. ; the other 2 ft.). In both of these springs the temperature of 

 the water between the eruptions was 95 (p. Th. 97°). But during the eruptions 

 the temperature was 99.3 in the northern spring, and 98.4° in the southern. 



With regard to the frequency of the eruptions I refer the reader to Part III, 

 Table II — III. About midway between the eruptions a large quantity of boiling 

 water is emitted from a fissure 0.4 m. long. 



From this spring, which we named Kloß, we took the sample gas Grafar- 

 bakki No. 1. 



Bàsahuerir is the name of two deep hot-water basins, surrounded by sod. 

 There is very little gas emitted from these springs ; the depth of the water was 

 about 3 m. The surface temperature was, in the northern basin 95°, and in the 

 southern, 91.5°; but at the bottom, the temperature was 96,7° and 93.8° respectively. 

 To the extreme south-west, close to the right bank of Litla Laxd, is Vaflnuilahver, 

 with a regular-shaped basin in which the water is in a state of continual agitation. 

 The surface temperature was 98.4° (f . Th. 96°); at the bottom, 99.4°. 



The same series of springs is continued on the opposite bank of Litla Lax:i ; 

 close to the river there are two springs, of which the larger, like Klofi, rises out 

 of the rocky ground, through a fissure 0.4 m. long. We obtained the sample 

 Grafarbakki No. 2 from this spring. A little farther on in the same direction, and 

 higher up on the hill on which the farm Grafarbakki is situated, is a large boiling 

 spring. The water from this spring is used by the inhabitants of Grafarbakki for 

 drinking purposes. 



Smaller groups of springs can be seen still farther away in a south-westerly 

 direction towards the farm Graf. We only visited the nearest of these groups, 

 which lies on the left side of Litla Laxa, to the west of the above mentioned hill. 

 The springs here are for the most part insignificant pools with gaseous exhala- 

 tions. The gas sample Grafarbakki No. 3 comes from the most northerly spring 

 in this group. 



In all the springs examined here, the water is alkaline and contains chlorides. 

 In the two Bdsahuerir, there are also traces of sulphates in the spring water. The 

 gases in each case, showed positive reaction on being tested for sulphuretted hydro- 



' Geogr. Tidsslir. 10, 18, 1889—90. 



D. K. D. VIdensk. Selsk.Skr.,7. Række, nuturvlüensk. ng jiuilhem. Afd. Vllf. 4. 26 



