TRAVELS IN ICELAND, 



SOUTHERN QUARTER. 



DISTRICT OF KIOSAR. 



In the month of July, 1800, Messrs. Olafsen and Povelsen set 

 off from Copenhagen and arrived at Laugernes, in the district of 

 Goldbringue : they thence passed into that of Kiosar, but being 

 desirous of entering the northern quarter before the approach of 

 winter, by crossing the mountain of Kioei, they at first went 

 through a very small portion of this southern district. They 

 how T ever returned thither in the following year, and concluded 

 their vast undertaking by completing their observations on the 

 southern part of Iceland. 



OF THE DISTRICT OF KIOSAR, ITS MOUNTAINS, &C 



This district forms a tongue of land which passes into the great 

 Farafiordour, between the glacier of Reykenes and that at the 

 western extremity, which from its situation is called Waster 

 Jceckel. This tongue of land extends as far as the sea, and at its 

 southern extremity are the isles of Thernoe and Loundoe, the 

 latter of which only is inhabited. The principal and highest 

 mountain in this country, is that of Esian, to the north of 

 which appears that of Rheinevalle-Halsen, with a file of others 

 detached and of a smaller size. 



ERUPTIONS OF MOUNTAINS AND GLACIERS. 



From the situation of this country, it is often threatened and 

 damaged by disruptions of the mountains, which generally 

 happen after heavy rains in summer ; but principally when these- 

 occur in spring and autumn, they undermine and detach from the 

 mountains enormous masses of rock, which only adhere to them 

 by a small portion of cemented gravel or mould. The inha- 

 bitants are also much exposed in winter by the rapid fall of vast 

 conglomerations of snow, which are formed on the glaciers. 

 When these heaps accumulate on the summits of the mountayis, 

 they appear like arches above the vallies_, into which they are at 

 length precipitated by their own weight. From the ancient and 



