u 



ERUPTION IN 



We'haveairo fome very indubitable accounts, partly by the relation of fallors, 

 and partly by letters from Trondheim in Norway^ that before the fire broke out 

 in Iceland, there was a very remarkable eruption in the uninhabited parts of 

 Greenland ; and that in the northern parts of Norway, oppofite to Greenland, the 

 fire was vifible a vafl while. Thefe accounts were ftrengthened by a letter 

 from Iceland, bearing date the 2ift of &ptember ; which fays, that when 

 the wind was north there fell a great quantity of afhes, pumice, and brim- 

 itone, upon the north and weft coafts of Iceland; and that this continued 

 for the whole fummer, whenever the wind was in that quarter ; and that 

 the air was always very ftrongly impregnated with a brimftone fmell, and 

 thick fmoak. 



But to return to Iceland, Ever fince the firft 'breaking out of the eruption, the 

 whole atmofphere has been loaded with fmoak, fteam, and fuiphureous vapours. 

 The fun became at times wholly invifible, and, when it could be feen, was of a 

 Teddifli or bloody colour. The fifheries are moft of them deftroyed ; for the banks 

 where the fifti ufed to be, are fo fhifted and changed, as not to be known again by 

 the fi{hermen ; and the fmoak fo thick, as to prevent them from going far out to 

 fea, for there is no feeing any ohje£t at above the didance of fifty fathom. The 

 water of the rain falling through this fmoak and fteam, is fo impregnated with fait 

 and brimftone, as to deftroy the hair, and even the (kin, of the cattle ; and all the 

 grafs in the whole ifland is fo covered with the footy and pitchy matter before 

 -cefcribed, that the moft of it is deftroyed, and what is left is fure poifon for any 

 cattle that eat of it ; fo that thofe which have efcaped the fire are now dying for 

 want of food, or poifoned by the unwholefome remains of the vegetables. Nor 

 are the inhabitants, in many relpeds, more free from dangers than the cattle. 

 Many have loft their lives by the poifonous quality of the fmoak and fteam of 

 which the whole atmofphere confifted ; particularly old people, and fuch as had any 

 weaknefs or complaint of the breaft and lungs. 



During the fall of the fharp rain which we have before made mention of, 

 there was obferved at Trondheim, and at other .places in Nvrway, and alfo at 

 Faroe, an uncommon fall of fharp and fait rain, which was fo penetrating that 

 it totally deftroyed the leaves of the trees, and every vegetable it fell upon, by 

 -fcorching them up, and caufing them to wither. At Faroe there fell a confider- 

 able quantity, of afhes, fand, pumice, and brimftone, which covered the whole 

 furface of the ground whenever the wind blew from Iceland; and the diftance 

 between thefe two places is at leaft eighty miles. Ships that were failing be- 

 tween Copenhagen and Norway were frequently covered with afhes and brim- 

 ilorie, which ftuck to the fails, mafts, and decks, befmearin^ them all over 

 ^ with 



