126 



OLAFSEN AND POVELSEN*S 



knobs resembling the pupil of the eye, with eyelids of a golden 

 colour. Independently of the seven tails, another appeared above 

 them, which extended to the length of four or five fathoms. The 

 history relates that this monster had neither bones nor cartilage, 

 and to the sight and touch appeared only like the front part of a 

 woman's stays: no head was distinguishable, unless one or two 

 projections might be called so w hich were near the seven tails. 

 It is said that many persons of respectability examined this 

 prodigy, and that one of the tails was sent for investigation to the 

 ancient abbey of Thingoe. The above is the description of 

 this fish as accurately as we could procure it. 



It at first appeared to us that the examiner was deceived, and 

 had taken the posterior for the anterior part of the animal; while, 

 the carbuncled appendages might be not tails, but tentacles or 

 arms; and as mention is made only of seven, it was probable that 

 the eighth hadbeen torn off. Now, however, we think it evident 

 that it was nothing more than a very large cuttle-fish ( Sepia ); but 

 of what species we cannot determine) since no description has 

 been given either of the form of its stomach or the structure 

 of its mouth, which were probably disfigured and damaged. 

 The description of the carbuncles and the cotyledons is curi- 

 ous ; and appears to be very accurate, from the precision 

 with which the colours, &e. are described. An animal of 

 the same species, which was found on the coast of Holland 

 in l66l, excited such a sensation in the country that it was 

 taken for a prodigy. Aldrovandus, Johnston, and others, speak 

 of a fish of the same kind which was found in the Mediter- 

 ranean, and which grew to four feet : it had ten tentacles like 

 that of Iceland. We saw- a drawing of this fish ; which, though 

 badly made, enabled us to ascertain its structure. 



VAPOUR-BATH. 



On arriving near some mines of sulphur, our guides pointed 

 out to us what they called a dry bath, which is a natural grotto 

 that has been rendered more convenient by being fitted up w ith 

 lava-stones found in its vicinity. Two apertures in the floor of 

 this grotto exhale a very hot and moist vapour, which however 

 is neither unhealthy nor of a disagreeable smell. The inhabitants 

 make use of this bath by sitting on the ground, which is covered 

 with sand. There are many opportunities for constructing simi- 

 lar baths in this neighbourhood. 



VOLCANOES, AND MODERN ERUPTIONS. 



Near Myvatn there are two or three burning mountains. 

 That called Krabla is celebrated by its terrible eruptions beiween 

 the years 1724 and 1730. It is formed rather of clay than of vock} 



