148 
THE GEYSERS. 
Having now completed a number of sketches of 
the most interesting features of this remarkable 
spot, particularly of the two Geysers, and having 
concluded such notes and observations as I was 
able to make during my stay there, I found myself 
obliged to proceed on my journey. As I had 
learned that it was impossible to reach Hecla 
without first going to Skalholt, at nine this morn¬ 
ing our horses were loaded, and we started for 
to dive into, the boiling water. This ornithological rarity 
is reported to be of the form and size of a duck, of a deep 
brown color all over the body, except that there is a very 
conspicuous white ring round the eye. At the approach of 
a human being it dives and remains under water a long time, 
and sometimes, continue our Icelandic historians, it never 
comes up again! Much more curious matter, relative to 
this creature, may be found in the ft Voyage en Islande ,” 
tom. v. p. 88—89, whence I will extract a few lines,.in the 
words of the author, or rather, of the French editor, for the 
amusement of such as may not possess the work. Nous 
“ n’osons pas dementir tant d’assertions et des attestations 
<r de personnes dignes de foi ; mais regarder ces oiseaux 
comme naturels, a combien de contradictions ne nous 
(< mettons nous pas en bute ? Leur plumage, leur bee et 
leurs jambes defendus par une peau calleuse, pourraient, 
si Ton veut, supporter 1’eau bouillante en nageant, mais 
en plongeant, que deviendraient leurs yeux ?” After 
starting other probable objections to the power of diving in 
the hot waters, possessed by these birds, they conclude their 
remarks by saying, nous croyons done que si ces oiseaux 
■ :tt existent, ce doit etre des amphibiesj en ce cas, ce serait 
ef une grande et interessante nouveante pour les naturalistes.” 
