54 Proceedings of the Royal Society 
came a slight earthquake. In April 9th, Jakob Hdlfd&narson, the 
farmer of G-rimstaSir on the My-vatn, reports his visit to the My- 
vatnsfjoll, where, on March 10th, the eruption lasted all night ; 
and next day the smoke, hanging for a full eiktarlengd (three 
hours) upon the horizon, was dispersed by. a storm. He walked 
northwards over the lava hill (Hraunmalarkamb), and saw the 
molten stone in the crevasses as if a fire had been built with wood 
and charcoal. East of the Kamb (coombe), he inspected two big 
crevasses erupting large stones, which fell back into them. The 
lava had flowed for two days, and small fragments lay 300 fathoms 
distant from the fire stream : 160 fathoms to the west smaller bits 
were found ; but the greatest quantity was heaped up within ten 
fathoms of the vent (eldsupptok). An anonymous account of the 
same eruption, supposed to be by old Peter Jonsson of ReykjahltfS, 
father-in-law to Jakob H&lfd&narson, is given in the “ Nor'Sanfari” 
of April 17, 1875. He reports that sundry Lax&rdalers rode some 
six hours from Reykjahli'S to explore the new volcano, via Hvann- 
fell, where they heard loud thunderings. A storm raging at the 
time in the north-west made them mistake the cause : these 
rumblings became fiercer as they approached the focus. The earth- 
fire springing out of three places in a meridianal line, formed high 
lava hills npon the level ground. The greatest altitudes were to 
the north : 50 to 80 fathoms west of the northernmost, upon a 
tract which had sunk more than three mannahmftir (stature of 
man), lay a great “ gil ” or crevasse. About the three foci, which 
owned from 20 to 30 parasites, the lava had run mostly to the 
south-east, but now he saw it flowing from the southernmost to 
the S.S.W. The northern was an elongated rise, and from 
its crater, about 300 fathoms in length, hot lava jetted 200 to 
300 feet aloft, and fell in small cold drops upon a scanty area 
No fire appeared during the day, only white mist (gufa), growing 
whiter as it rose in the air ; it was so thick that it towered many 
fathoms high, and the direction was perpendicular, although a strong 
wind was blowing. In the darkness of the night conflagrations 
became visible. No ashes fell at My-vatn, though they were thickly 
spread by a strong north wind, and were strewed together with 
pumice over the eastern regions, especially at Jokulsdal, Fljotsdal, 
and Sey<5isfjor5. In the first-mentioned place candles were lit for 
