An ACCOUNT of HOT SPRINGS, &c. 139 



is over a flat country, which, although marfhy in feveral 

 places, is not unpleafant to the eye, and abounds in excellent 

 paflurage. 



The fleam afcending from the principal fprings during their 

 eruptions, may be feen from a confiderable diftance. When 

 the air is ftill, it rifes perpendicularly like a column to a great 

 height ; then fpreads itfelf into clouds, which roll in fucceflive 

 mafTes over each other, until they are loft in the atmofphere. 

 We perceived one of thefe columns, when diftant fixteen miles 

 at lead, in a direct line from Haukadal. 



The fprings moftly rife in a plain, between a river that 

 winds through it, and the bafe of a range of low hills. Many 

 however break out from the fides of the hills, and fome very 

 near their fummits. They are all contained, to the number of 

 one hundred or more, within a circle of two miles. 



The moft remarkable fpring rifes nearly in the midft of the 

 other fprings, clofe to the hills. It is called Geyzer * ; the 

 name probably in the old Scandinavian language for a foun- 

 tain, from the verb gey/a, fignifying to gujh, or to rujh forth. 

 The next moft remarkable fpring rifes at a diftance of one hun- 

 dred and forty yards from it, on the fame line, at the foot of 

 the hills. We called it the New Geyzer, on account of its ha- 

 ving but lately played fo violently as at prefent. 



There are others of confequence in the place, but none that 

 approach to thefe in magnificence, or that, when compared 

 with them, deferve much defcription. The generality of the 

 fprings are in every refpect fimilar to thofe near Rykum ; boil- 



S 2 ing 



fion of Iceland have always refided there ; but in future their refidence will be at Ry- 

 kiavick, a town now building on the fouth-weft coaft of the ifland. The prefent Bifhop, 

 however, the worthy and learned Mr Finsen, has obtained the permiffion of continuing 

 his refidence at Skalholt during the remainder of his life. 



* Three or four only of the principal fprings in Iceland are diftinguiflied by the 

 name of Geyzer, and of all the fprings near Haukadal the greateft is alone called Gey- 

 zer or Great Geyzer. 



