Account of a Fiery Eruption in Iceland. 117 



myrarfliot, befides eight fmaller ones, were found entirely 

 dried up. 



On the 1 6th of Auguft the fiery lake began to ecafe 

 fpreading farther. Wherever it proceeded it had burnt and 

 deftroyed houfes, churches, villages, fields, meadows and 

 fore-fts. Among the places deftroyed were many abound- 

 ing with excellent herbs, fuch as the elymus arenarius, and 

 medicinal plants ; the want of which was a great and irre- 

 parable lofs to the ifland. 



This fiery eruption, however, did not yet ceafe, but con- 

 tinued to rage with fury till Oclober in the middle parts of 

 the ifland, where vapour, flames, thunder and concuffions 

 of the earth were in fucceilion obferved among the cold and 

 extenfive mountains. In the firft half of November little 

 change had taken place ; but the flames began gradually to 

 burn up with more brightnefs, which was confidered as a 

 fign that the inflammable matter was now nearly exhaufted, 

 and that the flame would be extinguifhed ; efpecially as it 

 had before affumed a variety of colours, fuch as green, blue 

 and the like, according to the difference of the fubftanees 

 by which it had been nour; fried. 



When the eruption firft took ph.ee, the whole atmofphere 

 of the ifland was fo rilled with imoke, vapour and duft, that 

 the fun had entirely a red appearance. In the neighbour- 

 hood of the mountains it was perfe&ly dark at noon; and 

 the cold in the night time, conhdering the warmth of the 

 feafon, was very fcnfible. Where the atmofphere was dry, 

 the fire made the air highly oppreffive; but where moi ft, 

 fuch fevere winter cold was produced in it, that the grafs, 

 plants, and cattle were almoft deftroyed. The cows gave 

 fcarcely an eighth part ol the ufual quantity of milk; and a 

 four-year-old wether, which before would have had ten 

 pounds of fat, had now only two, and was fo weak as to be 

 fcarcely able to hand. 



The aflies, fulphur and rain which fell from the heavens, 

 were fo pcftilcnliul that they feemed to penetrate the very 



I 3 bodies 



