Account of a Volcanic Eruption in Iceland. 431 
“On Wednesday, December 19, at twilight, and later in the 
evening, a reddish ‘light-appeared on the E., which was the more 
Surprising, as it was clear. 
- Bec. 20.—At one o’clock in the afternoon, a number of rather 
shining clouds*was seen collected about the top of the mountain 
above Eyafjeld-Jokkul, E.S.E. from Odde ; the clouds scon 
changed into a high column of smoke increasing in thickness and 
darkness. 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 aeniny and even more violently 
than before. When it was dark, we clearly saw the moying and 
the 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. farm-house of Skaale, in the parish of Holt. 
Dec. 21.—There was a violent storm, and the fire was ob- 
served varying in intensity; clouds of smoke rose with great vio- 
lence. 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 smoke. 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. 
‘Dec. 24, 25.—The clouds of smoke remained on the same 
place, and in the same direction, as before; now and then the 
fire was observed on the place of the first eruption. 
Dec. 26, 27.—Heavy storm from north-east; the clouds of 
smoke on the same place. 
Dec, 28.—The weather began to get more calm; it seemed 
as if the column of clouds was divided into two, whieh took dif- 
ferent directions by different currents of wind. 
Dec. 29.—Weather calm and pleasant. The.clouds of smoke 
moved towards the north and east over the ice mountains. Late 
in the evening a mild rain. 
During this whole time, the cold was moderate, not exceeding 
25° Fahrenheit, and sometimes it was 4° above the freezing 
point. It is reported that the water of the river which falls into the 
, and in the other rivers that come from the Jokkul 
and the surrounding mountains, had increased considerably du- 
ring the first days of the eruption, In the vicinity of the vol- 
cano a constant rumbling noise was heard, now and then accom- 
panied 
