52 
Proceedings of the Royal Society 
descriptions recorded by Mackenzie and Henderson, and they show 
that the spirit of enterprise has not wholly died out of Iceland. 
It must, however, be borne in mind that both features are mere 
crevasses opened by the tension of gases, and that due allowance 
must be made for “hills and hillocks,” for “cliffs and preci- 
pices.” 
The “ Isafold,” a new paper published twice or thrice a month by 
Hra Bjorn Jonsson, and printed by Einar Thorftarson of Reykjavik, 
gives (No. 2, of March 27) a letter from My-vatn, which well de- 
scribes the outbreak nearest the lake. It owes its chief interest to 
the fact that it is the only one which corroborates the testimony of 
Mr Watts, in mentioning torrents of hot water that cannot be 
melted snow. At 11 a.m., on February 16, an expedition 
ascended and crossed in half-an-hour the eastern flank of the 
volcano, which in that direction sends out a long spit. After 
mounting a low hill with a steep cliff to the south, the explorers 
reached a narrow crevasse lying on a parallel of latitude, and form- 
ing a “ vinkil,” apex, or angle to the south. Here they found a 
deep flat recess about half a (Danish) mile in diameter, surrounded 
by heights with perpendicular scaurs to the east and south ; west 
and north-west the land was lower and flatter. Snow covered the 
whole country. Hard by to the south-east and on plain ground 
rose the crater which vomited the densest smoke, but there was no 
new lava except upon the lips. The stone-rain, and hot ground burn- 
ing their shoes, prevented them approaching it nearer than 70 
fathoms, but they computed the diameter at 40 to 50 fathoms, and 
the cone sides were bo steep that the breadth above and below was 
about the same. The crater jetted in paroxysms. The thick 
smoke made the ejected matter appear like torn fragments of coat 
lining — evidently melted stone or burnt mud, most of which fell 
back into, or on the edges of the bowl. The smaller rapilli were 
thrown to a minimum height of 100 fathoms. No fire appeared in 
the crater. Some 80 to 90 fathoms to the west was a cliff probably 
formed by the eruption ; it measured a tenfold area (8000 to 9000 
square fathoms)* The rocky edge, except to the north-west where 
it was lowest, stood some 6 fathoms high. Below and south of the 
cliff rose a second and a somewhat smaller crater. It jetted 
steadily, but not so high as the other : discharging a lava-rain 
