PEALE.] THERMAL SPRINGS AND GEYSERS OF ICELAND. 305 



Krabla and the Lake Myvatn, including also an area about the volcano 

 Askja in the eastern part of the island. 



2d, tlie western area, including several localities near Breidafiord. 



3d, and most important, the southern or southwestern area, in which 

 are located the Haukadal geysers, which are world-rt^nowned. This 

 area is about 100 miles long by 50 miles wide if we consider Hveravel- 

 lir the most northern locality, and Krisivuk the most southern, and 

 the geysers of Haukadal the eastern, and the springs Eeykiadal, near 

 Keykhollt, the western limit. Within these boundaries there are about 

 eight or nine different spring localities. 



This third area is in the southwestern part of the island, and con- 

 tains three or four large lakes and several large rivers. The three 

 principal of its eight localities are Hveravellir, Eeikum, or Eeykium, 

 and Haukadal. 



HVERAVELLIR. 



Hveravellir, or "plains of the hot springs," is about 50 miles north of 

 the Haukadal geysers. There are about a dozen principal springs and 

 geysers, some of which spout to a height of 18 or 20 feet. One cone, 4 

 feet high, is called " Auschrolinn," or the "Eoaring Mount," from which 

 a great volume of steam escapes with great violence and a tremendous 

 noise. One geyser, called the " Grand Jetter," has an eruption of steam 

 that lasts more than three hours, after which it fills with water and has 

 regular water eruptions. There are large surfaces covered with the re- 

 mains of ancient springs, one mound of an extinct geyser being twice 

 the size of the Great Geyser at Haukadal. 



Olafsen and Povelsen, in 1772, and Henderson, in 1815, described 

 these springs as being most wonderful and of great activity, but Baring- 

 Gould, in 1863, speaks of them as having greatly diminished both in 

 numbers and activity. 



REIKIIM OR REYKIUM. 



The springs at Eeikum, sometimes called the "Little Geysers," are 

 next in importance to those of Haukadal, from which they are distant 

 about 50 miles in a southwesterly direction. There are about one hun- 

 dred springs in all, scattered over an area of about 50 acres. The fol- 

 lowing are the principal geysers : 



Geyser. — This namesake of the great fountain at Haukadal has two 

 apertures, the southern one of which is a constant spouter throwing 

 the water from three to twelve feet. The second aperture is about 10 

 feet from the first and has eruptions about fifteen times in the twenty - 

 four hours. Vast clouds of steam escape with the water, which reaches 

 a height of 30 to 40 feet, the action lasting three or four minutes and 

 sometimes nearly fifteen minutes. 



Baclstofer. — This fountain is near the river and has an irregular aper- 

 ture. The eruptions take jdace about every five minutes, and begin 

 with a concussion, after which tlie water is ejected, some of the jets 

 being perpendicular, reaching a height of 12 feet, and others oblique, 

 attaining a height of 20 feet. The action lasts about ten minutes, when 

 the water sinks and alternately rises and falls until the next erui)tion 

 takes place. 



Besides these geysers there are numerous boiling springs, steam 

 vents, and mud si)riugs. 



HAUKADAL. 



The Haukadal geysers and springs are al)out midway between Hve- 

 ravellir and Eeykium, about 50 miles northwest of Mount Hecla, at the 

 20 n, PT II 



