xo E R U P T ION IN 



rated from one another, and detached; and between them run little rivulets or 

 brooks : fo that, befides filling up the whole of the valley in- which the river 

 Skapta rani, the fiery llream fpread itfelf for a confiderable diftance on each fide,, 

 getting vent between the above-mentioned hills, and laying all the neighboring 

 country under fire. The fiery lake, getting frefh and greater fupplies from the 

 fpouts, now ran up the courfe of the river, and overflowed all the lower grounds 

 above; and, as it proceeded upwards, itdried the river, until theftream was flop- 

 ped againft the fide of the hill from whence the river takes its rife. The lava- 

 310W rofe to a prodigious height, and the fiery lake overflowed all the village o£ 

 Buland; the church, houfes, and every thing in its way being confumed : thofe 

 who knew the fituation of this village, upon what high ground it ftands, would 

 be aftoniflied to think that it could have been overflowed. Two other farm houfes 

 in the fame parifh of Buland, at about a mile and an half from the village, north- 

 ward, were likewife deftroyed, and. three lives loft in both of them. The whole 

 of this parifli, which was Jiighly cultivated land, is now totally demolifhed. 

 The fiery lake ftill increafmg, and fpreading itfelf out in length and breadth, 

 overflowed all the country for fix miles in width. When all this trail of land 

 was converted into a fea of fire, the lava ftretched itfelf towards the fouth ; and 

 getting vent through the channel of the river Skapta, down which it ruflied with 

 great impetuofity (being confined within the narrow compafs between the high.' 

 banks before defcribed,. for about a mile) it came into a more open place, where it 

 poured itfelf forth in prodigious torrents with, amazing velocity and force ; fpread- 

 ing itfelf now towards the fouth, tearing up the earth, and carrying along with it 

 on its furface flaming woods, and whatfoever it met with : in its courfe it laid 

 wafte another large diftridt of land. The ground wherever it came was broke 

 and cracked, and emitted large quantities of fmoak and fteam long before the fire 

 reached it ; fo great was the heat : and every thing near the edge of the fiery 

 lake was either burnt up, or reduced to a fluid ftate. In this fituation matters re- 

 mained from the i2th of ^aw till the 13th oi Juguji. The fiery lake now na^ 

 longer fpread itfelf, but remained burning neverthelefs ; and when any part of the 

 furface by cooling was crufted over, the fire from below broke the cruft, which 

 tumbling amongft the melted fubftance, was rolled and tofled about with a prodi- 

 gious noife and crackling ; and in many parts of its furface fmall fpouts, or at 

 left ebullitions, were formed, which continued for fome length of time. 



The river Skapta, that we have talked fo much about, is fituated on the nortk 

 and north-weft fides of the province of Sidu ; it takes its rife in the north-caft, and 

 running firft weftward, it turns to the fouth, and falls into the fea in a fouth-ea(t 

 dire£tion. The confined part of its channel, that we have before made mention 

 ofjis an uninterrupted ftietch of abgut four miles in length j being in fome places 



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