HOT SPRINGS in ICELAND. , 35 



on account of their direaion. A quantity of fteam iffued from 

 thefe.recefTes, which prevented us from examining them very 

 clofely. We were dunned while (landing near this cavern, and 

 in fome meafure alarmed, by an amazing loud and continued 

 noife which came from the bottom. It was as loud as the blaft 

 of air forced into the furnace from the four great cylinders at 

 the Carron iron-works. 



We could difcover no water in any of the cavities ; but we 

 found near the place many beautiful petrifactions of leaves and 

 mones. They were formed with extreme delicacy, but were 

 brittle and would not bear much handling ; their fubftance 

 teemed chiefly argillaceous. 



We perceived fmoke iffuing from the ground in many places 

 in the higher parts of the valley, much further than we extend- 

 ed our walks. I am forry to fay we left many things in this 

 wonderful country unexamined ; but we were checked in our 

 journey by many circumftances, which allowed us neither the 

 Ieifure nor the opportunity for exploring every part of it as we 

 could have wifhed. The fubftances depofited near the different 

 fpnngs feemed to me, in general, a mixture of calcareous and 

 argillaceous earths ; but near one fpring, not far from our 

 tents there feemed to be a flight depofition of filiceous matter. 

 To the eye it refembled calcedony ; but with its tranfparency, 

 it had not the fame hardnefs, and, if prefTed, would break to 

 pieces. The water you have analyfed came from this fpring 

 and we were obliged to take fome care in filling the bottles • for 

 though gradually heated, they would break when the water was 

 poured into them, if it had not been previoufly expofed to the 

 air tor lome minutes in an open vefTel. 



The water of this fpring boiled, as in moft of the others in 

 a cauldron four or five feet broad. I do not recoiled to have 

 feen any of it ever thrown up above a foot, and fome meat we 

 drefled in it tafted very flrongly of fulphur. 



Mr 



