ICELAND. 



of the world *. In the ifland in queflion, that vaft lake Myvatn may have been one ; 

 its bottom is entirely formed of lava, divided by deep cracks, which give fhelter 

 -during winter to the abundance of trouts this lake is ftocked with. It is only 

 five fathoms deep, but originally was of a vaft depth. In 1728 it was nearly filled 

 by an eruption of the great mountain Krajle : the fiery ftream took its courfe to- 

 ward Myvatn, ran into it v/ith a horrible crackling and hiffing ; and this phseno- 

 menon continued till 1730, when it ceafed, being by that time exhaufted. 



The mountains of Iceland are of two kinds, primitive and pofterior ; the firft 

 confift of ftrata, ufually regularly, but fometimes confufed, laid on each other. 

 They are formed of different forts of ftone, without the left fymptom of fire. 

 Some are compofed of diiFerent forts oi faxum arenarlum, or fand, or free ftone ; 

 petrofilex, or chert, flaty or fiffile flone, and various kinds of earths, and boles, 

 znd Jleatita ; different forts oi breccies, or conglutinated ftones ; jafpers of dif- 

 • ferent kinds ; refra£l:ing fpathum, or what is ufually called Iceland cryftal ; the 

 common rhomboid _/^tff/;«77z ; chalcedonies ftratified, and botryoid ; zeolites of the 

 moft elegant kinds ; chryftals, and various other fubftances that have no relation 

 to vulcanoes. Thefe primitive mountains are the jokkuls or ice mountains, and 

 are of fuperior height to the others. 



The higheft is reckoned rather more than a thoufand fathoms high. This is 

 Mfian, or Rios, which confifts of great and irregular rocks of a dark grey color, 

 piled on each other. 



The centrical height of the Enneherg is five hundred fathoms ; of the Sttcejiald 

 yokkiil, is about two thoufand two hundred and eighty-feven yards ; of the 

 Snesfialdi nes, or promontory of Snafald, is from three to four hundred, fathoms. 

 TInngfman-helde, and Thorfkefiorde-heide, are rocks very unequal in height ; thofe 

 which have been meafured are from two to three hundred fathoms, and others 

 are full five hundred fathoms high ; and the two Eijherges are to the eye much 

 higher. 



Hornjlrand, or the coaft by the north cape nord, is very high ; from three 

 to four hundred fathoms. The fine rocks oi Drango are moft piilurefque flacks, 

 feven in number, of a pyramidal fhape, rifing out of the fea at a fmall diftance 

 from the cliffs ; four are of a vaft height, and form a moft magnificent fcenery. 



The Smsfialdh a mountain of great height; its outfkirts confift of enormous 

 rocks piled upon others. Eaftward begins .the Eijberge, foaring to a vaft and lofty 

 point. Many parts of this mountain have felt the effeds of fire : in fome of 

 the melted rocks are large cavities. Buda-kktttir, a rock at one end of this 

 mountain, is alfo vulcanic, and has in it a great cavern hung with Jlalaifita. 



* WiltehurJI on the Earth, fecond edit. 71, 71- 



D - SfJvahamar 



If 



