HOT SPRINGS in ICELAND. 149 



Of thefe jets we counted twenty in an hour and an half, 

 during which the waters had filled the pipe and in part the 

 bafon. It then feemed oftentimes agitated, and boiled with 

 great violence. The jets were more beautiful, and continued 

 monger, as the quantity of water 14 the bafon increafed. The 

 refiftance being greater, their force was in fome degree broken, 

 and their form, more divided, produced a greater difplay of 

 foam and vapour. 



While the pipe was filling, we threw into it feveral ftones 

 of confiderable weight, which, whenever the water burft forth 

 with any violence, were projected much higher than itfelf. 

 Thefe ftones in falling were met by other columns of water, 

 and amidft thefe they rofe and fell repeatedly. They were ea- 

 fily diftinguifhed in the white foam, and contributed much to 

 the novelty and beauty of this extraordinary phenomenon. 



When the bafon was nearly full, thefe occafional eruptions 

 were generally announced by mocks of the ground, fimilar to 

 thofe preceding the great eruptions. Immediately after the 

 fhocks, the whole body of water in the bafon heaved exceed- 

 ingly ', a violent ebullition then took place, and large waves 

 fpread themfelves in circles from the centre, through which the. 

 column forced its way. 



When the water had been quiet in the bafon for fome time,, 

 the thermometer placed in it flood at 180 only, but imme- 

 diately after an eruption it rofe to 2oo°. We boiled a piece of 

 falmon in it, which was exceedingly well tafted. Our cookery 

 at Rykum had not been quite fo fuccefsful. 



The water thrown out from the Geyzer is joined at the 

 bottom of the mound by that which flows from the fpring 

 called the roaring Geyzer, formerly defcribed. The ftream pro- 

 duced by their united waters flows three or four hundred paces 

 before it falls into the river, where its temperature is reduced. 

 to 72 °. Even at this place it depolited much of the fubftances 

 it contained ; but during the whole of its courfe, the plants 



growing: 



