xLVI 
Hivers, OR BOIL~ 
ING JETS D’EAUX. 
YD CAE NOL eA SN DE 
diftance of four miles. The heights of the mountains have not been taken; but 
that of the Hecla-fiall is not far fhort of feventeen hundred yards. Of this {pecies of 
mountain, Hecla has been moft celebrated : the records of Iceland enumerate ten 
of its eruptions fince the arrival of the Norwegians. It was the hell of the nor- 
thern nations; but they feem divided in their opinions, whether the pains of the 
damned arofe from fire, or, what was more tremendous to the natives of thefe 
countries, from the cold *. 
To bathe in fiery floods, or to refide 
In thrilling regions of thick-ribbed ice. 
Hecla has been known to have had only ten eruptions between the years 1104 and 
1693; from the laft to 1766, when it burft out in flames and Java. It emitted flames 
in 1771 and 1772; but did not overflow with Stenna, or a {tone flood. But other 
vulcanoes have, in the prefent century, proved the fpiracles to the internal fires of 
Iceland. The vallies between the mountains are in general fandy and fterile. Fiery 
eruptions are not confined to the mountains. Laft year they burft out of the fulphure- 
ous foil of the low parts of Skaftafield Syfél or province ; and the lava has overlown 
the country for the fpace of thirty miles, and has at laft reached the fea, deftroying 
every thing in its progrefs. It dries up the rivers, and fills their beds with lava. 
Moors in fome places ftop its courfe; but it totally changes their nature. It has 
taken to the deferts of the fame province, and begins to fpread to the eaft, or 
Mulé Syfel, the moft populous and fruitful part of the ifland; nor were there any 
figns of its ceafing at the time when this account was fent to me +. 
Tue Founratins of many of the vallies are of a moft extraordinary nature ; 
are called Aluers, and form at times jets d’eaux of fcalding water, ninety-four ene 
high, and thirty in diameter, creating the moft magnificent gerbes in nature! 
efpecially when backed by the fetting fun. They arife out of cylindrical-tubes 
of unknown depths: near the furface they expand into apertures of a funnel 
fhape, and the mouths fpread into large extent of ftalactitical matter, formed of fuc- 
ceflive fcaly concentric undulations. The playing of thefe ftupendous fpouts 
is foretold by noifes roaring like the cataract of Niagara. The cylinder be- 
gins to fill: it rifes gradually to the furface, and gradually encreafes its height, 
fmoking amazingly, and flinging up great ftones. After attaining its greateft 4 
height, it gradually finks, till it totally difappears. Boiling jets d’eaux, and 
boiling fprings, are frequent in moft parts of the ifland. In many parts they 
are applied to the culinary ufes of the natives. The moft capital is that which is 
* Bartholinus de Contemptu Mortis, 359+ + Letter from Mr. Brunnich, dated O&ober 31, 1783. 
5 called 
