TRAVELS IN ICELAND. 



143 



mal concretions which we found at the bottom of the crater, 

 were covered with the stalks- of plants and small branches of birch, 

 completely transformed into a hard stone of a pale colour. We 

 found in the rock itself the stalks of petrified plants ; besides 

 different kinds of wood, sheep-bones, and even horse- dung, pe- 

 trified. Among the rest was a stone bearing the impression of 

 small birch-leaves, in which we could distinctly perceive the 

 filaments: the leaves were white, and composed of a kind of 

 thermal turf; but the stone itself was evidently transformed into 

 Scoriae of earth. We no where met with a similar metamorphosis. 



There are several other hot springs near the Geyser. What 

 lias been said in the Danish Mercury relative to the. ocular 

 demonstration of various persons, who have often seen flames 

 issuing with the water of the Geyser, is by no means contrary to 

 experience. The edges of the craters of several of the hot- 

 springs are covered with a crust of this white matter; which re- 

 sembles porcelain, and is no where to be found except at 

 Hverevalle. 



In these -parts are several pits of boiling clay ; and other fine 

 fat earths of- various colours, similar to what is found contiguous 

 to the sulphur-pits. Of the boiling springs lately mentioned, 

 one in the canton of Hreppar called Grafarhver is worthy of 

 notice, because the people assert that birds are often seen to 

 swim in the boiling water : which, if true, is a secret of nature 

 that cannot be accounted for; but the inhabitants do not agree 

 in their account of the size of these birds. Some say that they 

 are as big as ravens, and others that they resemble ducks or 

 plovers: they are seldom seen more than two together; and a 

 difference of opinion prevails about their colour, though it is 

 agreed that they are dark. 



In the canton of Oives there are also a number of hot-springs, 

 one of which likewise bears the name of Geyser, which word 

 implies violent: it is inferior to the Geyser already described, 

 but its process is much the same. — Near the last-mentioned 

 Geyser is a dry spring called Seyder. Its tunnel does not con- 

 tain any water, but a thick smoke issues from it; the heat of 

 which is so great, that the inhabitants can easily cook in it their 

 milk, fish, and meat. They assured us that their victuals are 

 dressed by it as quickly as in the water of the boiling springs; 

 and that they receive no peculiar taste or smell from the smoke, 

 which itself has so sulphuric odour, though some vapour issues 

 with the smoke : it is the latter probably which penetrates the 

 vessels, and causes ebullition. 



We ascertained that the degree of heat in all the hot springs 

 is nearly the same, as is the weight of the water. Fahrenheit's 

 thermometer g*enerally rose in it to 182° ; and out of the water, 



