ALMANNEGiAA. 
173 
culty, to reach the summit, where I had an 
opportunity of seeing the stream which supplies 
the waterfall, as it rolled rapidly, a deep and 
wide mountain-torrent, over a nearly level bed of 
unproductive rock. The upper surface of the 
cliff, as far as I could see, both on this and the 
opposite side*, may clearly be perceived to have 
been in a melted and flowing state from its curled 
appearance, and in the face of the precipices the 
different currents of lava are very visible, of va¬ 
rious thicknesses, divided here and there by per¬ 
pendicular fissures. A heavy rain now put a stop 
to my botanizing, which was, indeed, become 
an useless occupation, as all the specimens that I 
* From the summit of the eastern cliff there is, as I have 
before remarked, a sudden declivity into the great plain in 
which Thingevalle-vatn is situated, and not only the surface 
of this is curled, and bears the most striking marks of vol¬ 
canic origin, but, as Sir Joseph Banks was informed, the 
bottom of the lake, also, exhibits the same appearance.—-The 
following remarks and sketch, from Sir Joseph Banks’ jour¬ 
nal, will assist in rendering more intelligible my description 
of Almannegiaa. “ The highest cliff was ascertained by mea- 
“ surement to be one hundred and seven feet six inches, the 
“ opposite one thirty-six feet five inches, and the width of 
“ the chasm one hundred and five feet. The face of the pre- 
“ cipice presented to our view, currents of lava, varying in 
“ thickness from ten inches to as many feet, each of them 
“ being distinguished from the other by its curled and po- 
“ rous surface. Some of them form arches, having run in 
