PEALE.] 



THERMAL SPRINGS AND GEYSERS OF ICELAND. 



311 



The Eoarer, which previous to 1789 was called Strokhr, once rivaled 

 the Great Geyser in the magnificence of its displays, but after the earth- 

 quake of that year gradually diminished, and finally ceased to spout. 



Mud Springs. — Besides the geysers and simple thermal springs, Ice- 

 land has the same kind of mud springs that are seen in the Yellowstone 

 National Park and in New Zealand. S. Baring Gould, in his " Iceland," 

 gives a graphic description as follows: 



Picttire to yourself a plain of mud, the ■w^ash from the hills, bounded by a lava 

 field ; the mountains steaming to their very tops, and depositing sulphur, the jjrim- 

 rose hue of which gives extraordinary brightness to the landscape. From the plain 

 vast clouds of steam rise into the air, and roll in heavy whorls before the wind, whilst 

 a low drumming sound proceeding from them tells of the fearful agencies at work. 

 * * * It is not pleasant walking over the mud ; you feel that only a thin crust 

 separates you from the scalding matter below, which is relieving itself at the steam- 

 ing vents. These vents are in great numbers, but there are especially twelve large 

 caldrons in which the slime is boiling. In some the mud is thick as treacle ; in others, 

 it is simply ink-black water. The thundering and throbbing of these boilers, the 

 thud-thud of the hot waves chafing their barriers ; the hissing and spluttering of the 

 smaller fumaroles, the plop-plop of the little mud pools, and above all the scream of 

 a steam whistle at the edge of a blue slime pool, prodiice an effect truly horrible. In 

 some of the caldrons the mud is boiling furiously, sending sundry squirts into the air; 

 in others bells of black filth rise and explode into scalding snrinklings ; in one a foam- 

 ing curd forms on the fluid, and the whole mass palpitates gently for a moment, then 

 throbs violently, surges up the well, and bursts into a frenzied, roaring pool of slush, 

 squirting, reeling, whirling in paroxysms against the crumbling sides, which melt like 

 butter before its fury. One or two of the springs have heaped themselves up mounds 

 around their orifices ; others, however, gape in the surface without warning ; and the 

 steam is so dense, and the sulphurous fumes so suffocating, that one becomes bewil- 

 dered and can hardly pick one's way among them. 



I have quoted this description somewhat at length, for the phenomena 

 described are so exactly similar to those of the Yellowstone region, that 

 one could almost imagine the writer to be speaking of them, rather than 

 of the Iceland springs. 



Before closing this chapter I give a catalogue (as perfect as I can 

 make it with the data at hand) of the thermes of Iceland. 



Table of hot springs and geysers of Iceland. 



[For authorities used in the preparation of this table or catalogue the reader is referred to Biblio- 

 graphical Appendix B.] 



Locality. 



SiO 



a 

 •r; 



o 



s 

 g 



a 



o 

 H 



Names of principal 

 springs. 



Bemarks. 



SOUTHEEX AREA. 



12 



100 

 3 



3 



180-209 



104 

 114 

 124 

 212 



Auscrholinn (Ko.aring 

 Mount). 



Great Geyser, Strokhr, 

 Little Geyser, Roar- 

 er, Blesi. 



} 5 



There are, besides the twelve princi- 

 pal springs, numerous steam vents, 

 solfatenais and salses, and ancient 

 deposits. 



Tbis is the geyser region of Iceland 

 par escclleuco. For description see 

 preceding pages. 



These are small springs, with no in- 



Hankadal 



Eeykjalanji, 6 miles 



Haukad.'il. 

 Laufiarvulla (southeast 

 from Haukadal). 



North of Lanparvalla, 



5 I 



lleykia-hver, Laugar. . 



cnistations nor peculiar taato. 



There are namorous spouting springs 

 and caldrons scattered over consid- 

 erable area. Reykia-hver is 7 miles 

 to the northeast of the lake, near 

 ■wliich most of the .springs are situ- 

 ated. 



Tlic lirat is smnll; the other spouts to 

 tbe heiglit of 12 foot, lasting 20 sec- 

 onds; tlio third is a small boiling 

 spring. 



Yfri Kei kium, Sydri 

 Keykium. 







