OEAFSEN AND POV£LSEN% 



occurred in the year 1004; and another chronicle asserts that the 

 one of 1029 was the third. But in general the histories of the 

 country do not agree on this point: for from certain annals which 

 speak only of great eruptions", mount Hecla appears to have un- 

 dergone no more than twelve; while others contend that sixteen 

 have taken place. We, however, after attentive reading and care- 

 ful research, ascertained that it has experienced twenty-two erup- 

 tions, without reckoning those the periods of which are uncertain* 

 though many take them into the account ; because the same erup- 

 tion has sometimes lasted upwards of a year, or one has commenced 

 in winter and continued till the succeeding spring. Most of the 

 annals of Iceland agree m stating that the first known eruption 

 from mount Hecla took place between the years 1D04 and 1 106: 

 while the last overflow of its crater was in the year 1693. A 

 fire broke out among the surrounding lava in the year 1728. 



In 15.54 there were remarked several violent eruptions from 

 the mountains contiguous to Hecla on the northern side, and 

 the fire appeared for the last time in 1754 in the lava to the west 

 of this volcano: the fire in question lasted three days* 



The intervals between the eruptions of Hecla are very tm*- 

 equal : for from two to five and ten years sometimes scarcely pass 

 in tranquillity, while at others from fifty to sixty years occur be- 

 tween two eruptions; and in 1765 upwards of seventy years 

 had elapsed since the last fermentation, on which account the 

 inhabitants were daily expecting an eruption more violent thau 

 ever. 



In 1766 their fears were realised : for on the 5th of April 

 an approaching eruption was announced by earthquakes, and 

 it began by an exhalation of smoke and flame; while pebbles 

 and large stones were propelled to a prodigious distance. The 

 fermentation re-commenced in 1767 j and in 1768 flames still 

 continued to rise at night from the crater. 



M. Biarne Povelsen visited mount Hecla in 1762, to collect 

 volcanic or volcanised substances ; but a fog which came om. 

 prevented him from ascending. He only met with a variation of 

 the common melted stone marked with ligneous fibres: it resem- 

 bled jasper, was of a red colour, and on breaking exhibited yel- 

 lowish veins; the filaments were black. This specimen was 

 evidently ferruginous. We have spoken of the fossil-wood called 

 Surturbrand, which has been petrified after being turned into 

 charcoal. In 1750, M. E. Olafsen found a specimen of it in 

 the mountain of Draapehlid ; and these two species of stones 

 exhibit a singular proof of the metamorphoses that are affected 

 by volcanoes,. 



OF THE GEYSER. 



Tfie Geyser k a boiling spring ia the southern district, which. 



