514 History of Animal Plagues. 



took place, was in a most promising state, was after this time 

 totally prevented. Plants of all kinds withered, and became so 

 brittle, that the mere treading upon them reduced them to 

 powder. The first that felt the baneful influence were the But- 

 tercup {Ranunculus acris), in Danish called Smorurt, and the 

 Fisilen [Leontodon Taraxacum). The Elting {Equisetum fluvia- 

 t'lle) was the last to suffer. The same poisonous dust also 

 attacked the cabbages and other vegetables in the gardens, totally 

 checking their growth ; and having thus extended itself over the 

 whole country, caused a general failure of the crops of grass. 

 Not, however, equally in all places ; for the want was particularly 

 experienced in the northern district, where, according to report, 

 the united produce of several farms at Langanaes was not more 

 than sufficient to feed a sinde cow. It is true that the number 



O 



of horned cattle and sheep was already greatly decreased, previ- 

 ously to the eruption ; a circumstance which was partly occasioned 

 by a succession of bad years, and partly hy the infection that had 

 recently prevailed among the sheep, and had induced a necessity of 

 destroying great numhers. But still the loss was most severely 

 felt; for, in the autumn of 1783, the natives were obliged to 

 kill more than a third, nay, in some parts, even the half, of their 

 remaining stock of cattle, for want of fodder. What is further 

 remarkable is, that in the summer of 1783, the pastures in many 

 places swarmed with little winged insects, of a species hitherto 

 unknown in Iceland. These were of blue, red, yellow, and 

 brown colours, and appeared nearly to resemble the earth-fly. 

 They were particularly troublesome to those employed in secur- 

 ing the hay, who were soon covered with their unwelcome 

 guests. Many people have assured me that they even found 

 numbers of them still living among the hay, in the depth of the 

 ensuing severe winter; and, what is yet more extraordinary, that 

 they left their quarters after a day or two of thaw or mild wea- 

 ther In consequence of the deficiency in the pastures, 



and particularly of the poisoned state of the herbage, a great 

 mortality naturally ensued among the cattle. In the district of 

 West Skaptefield, where the fields were entirely covered with the 

 infectious sand, ashes, and sulphur, mixed into a pasty consist- 

 ency by the heavy rains; where the showers of red-hot stones 



