TRAVELS 1M ICELAND. 



121 



The largest lake in all Iceland is that called Myvatn, and it 

 contains the greatst abundance of trout. 



From time immemorial, the Icelanders in the vicinity of this 

 lake have had no other means of obtaining a living than by fishing 

 here for trout. Each peasant has his boat with ten or a dozen 

 lines, that are from ten to thirty fathoms in length : these lin*s 

 are made by the women, who spin hemp into very tine threads. 



HOT AND ROILING SPRINGS. 



In the district of Hunavatn there are two hot springs. We 

 visited the first, which is called Reykehver ; and on immersing 

 Fahrenheit's thermometer in it, we found that in three minutes the 

 spirit of wine had attained the 204th degree. Our people hav- 

 ing brought from a neighbouring river a lump of fresh salmon, 

 we suspended it in the water by means of a stick placed across 

 the orifice of the spring; and in eight minutes "we found it per- 

 fectly dressed and excellent for eating : it w as even more tender 

 than if it had been boiled over a fire. The two brass hydrometers, 

 which the Royal Society had sent us, sunk in an instant to the bot- 

 tom. The other spring forms a bath which the inhabitants con- 

 stantly use; and they assert, that when the heat of the water 

 increases in this bath, it is a certain sign that the weather, though 

 clear and serene, is about a change, and that rain will speedily fall. 

 This observation is applicable to all the boiling springs in Iceland. 



OF THE HVEREVALLE, OR BELLOWING HILL. 



This hill, so famous throughout Iceland, rises from the top of 

 the mountain of Kioltield, and to the westward of the road. We 

 had often heard the most wonderful though very unsatisfactory 

 accounts of it ; since none but the shepherds and herbalists had apr 

 proached near it, on account of the quantity of lava and nume- 

 rous marshes, which rendered all access to it difficult and danger- 

 ous. We were informed that the most dreadful roarings pro- 

 ceeded from the hill and could be heard at a great distance; which, 

 together with many other particulars not less surprising, induced 

 us to visit it. On the 18th of September, as we passed in view 

 of it, we discovered at a distance a thick smoke that pro- 

 ceeded from it, and rose to a great height in the air. When we 

 came within the distance of a quarter of a league, we saw 

 distinctly that the smoke was exhaled from three different places; 

 and heard from afar a noise resembling the roaring of a lion, but 

 accompanied with a whistling that sounded in a manner the most 

 piercing to our ears. Our horses were scared, erected their ears, 

 and it was with considerable difficulty we could make them ad- 

 vance. At last we were even obliged to dismount and leave them 

 at some distance, and perform the rest of our journey o» foot . 



QLAFSEN.J 9 



