286 ANNUAL REPORT SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION, 1941 



top of Hekla, with a neighboring farm as a starting point, takes 10 

 to 12 hours. The view from the top is magnificent and well worth 

 the somewhat strenuous trip, which is accomplished partly by the 

 aid of ponies. 



In Iceland there are many glaciers under which are volcanic craters 

 in various places, as for instance, in the western area of VatnajokuU, 

 which, in recent years, has commanded attention on account of vol- 

 canic eruptions. A number of Icelandic and foreign scientists have 

 climbed the glacier in order to investigate this peculiar phenomenon 

 of ice and fire. It is fantastic to visualize these two opposing forces 

 in conflict, fire breaking its way through hundreds of feet of solid ice. 



Hot springs and geysers are to be found all over the country, even 

 in the rivers, on the sea bed, and under the glaciers. The most 

 famous of all the hot springs is the Great Geysir about 80 miles 

 from Reykjavik; from it spouting springs all over the world have 

 derived their name. After having witnessed an eruption of the 

 Great Geysir which lasted for 20 minutes, a Scottish captain re- 

 marked : "This power would have sailed half a dozen Queen Mary's 

 right across the Atlantic." This unbroken column of scalding water 

 and steam that rises from 160 to 180 feet up into the air is impres- 

 sive and affords a spectacle never to be forgotten. The internal heat 

 of the earth is a tremendous source of power. During recent years 

 the Icelanders have been busy harnessing this heat and power. This 

 is done chiefly by heating houses, buildings, swimming basins, and 

 greenhouses. Not only are a great number of individual farms 

 heated by the thermal springs, but certain public buildings as well, 

 such as the larger country schools. It is of special interest for the 

 traveler to note that many of these country schools are used as hotels 

 during the summer season. In these places one can have outdoor 

 and indoor swimming in warm water. The houses, in a considerable 

 part of Reykjavik, are already heated by the thermal springs near 

 the city, and we have reason to hope that a heating system of this 

 kind will cover the entire city within a few months. After that no 

 chimneys will be built in Reykjavik. The greenhouses, supplied with 

 natural heat, are already busy procuring flowers as well as tropical 

 fruit. 



There are numerous rivers in Iceland and some of them have great 

 volumes of water. Most of the larger ones have their origin under 

 the glaciers and are of an opaque grayish color, on account of the 

 glacial clay. Others rising from springs are crystal clear. Most of 

 the rivers are now spanned with bridges, but one can still imagine 

 what it meant to ford them on ponies. 



These huge rivers, rapid and powerful, sometimes run peacefully, 

 although with a hidden strength, over fertile plains; sometimes 



