THE GEYSERS. 
147 
above an hour, and ceased spouting more abruptly 
than the former one; in every other respect the 
appearance was the same, and a second sight of 
this phenomenon did not at all detract from its 
impressive splendor. During my stay among the 
hot springs, besides collecting a number of fine 
and beautiful specimens of the siliceous incrus¬ 
tation and other mineralogical productions, I filled 
from the Geyser and the new Geyser half a dozen 
bottles with water, none of which afterwards ef¬ 
fervesced, or was subject to any change, but con¬ 
tinued altogether quiet*, after having been corked, 
and tied round the mouth with fresh sheepskin. 
* Unlike the water taken from the largest well of the 
springs near Reykum, in the parish of Huusevig, of which 
Horrebow relates, page 22, that, “ if it is poured into bot- 
“ ties it will still continue to boil up twice or thrice, and at 
“ the same time with the water in the well. Thus long will 
“ the effervescence continue after the water is taken out of 
“ the well; but, this being over, it soon quite subsides and 
ff grows cold. If the bottles are corked up the moment they 
“ are filled, so soon as the water rises in the well they burst 
“ in pieces: this experiment has been proved on many score 
“ bottles, to try the effects of the water.”—-I fear there can 
be but little more credit attached to this story, than to the 
one which the same author mentions in a page or two follow¬ 
ing of his work, but which he has endeavored very candidly 
and justly to disprove. I allude to the account of a particu¬ 
lar species of bird, which is affirmed, say Povelsen and Olaf- 
sen, by persons worthy of faith, to be found in the hot 
springs, and not only to swim upon the surface of, but also 
