VOLCANOES. 
407 
during the whole of the first day; at night the 
neighboring districts were illuminated by flames, 
and balls of fire were cast to a great height in 
the air, so that heaven and earth seemed to be 
equally in a state of conflagration. On the 19th the 
column of smoke appeared black in the day, but 
filled with balls and sparks of fire, which in the 
night cast a strong light over the whole of Myrdal- 
syssel, whilst the country situated to the eastward 
of that district was in darkness both day and 
night. All the syssels in that direction were 
covered with black sand and cinders, and loud 
subterraneous noises were heard even as far as 
Guldbringue and Kiosar syssels (eighty or ninety 
miles distant) and ashes fell like rain in the Ferroe 
Islands, a distance of three hundred miles! 
But the most dreadful volcanic eruption, which 
the annals of Iceland have yet recorded, took 
place so late as the year 1783. Magnus Stephen- 
sen (the present Tatsroed of Iceland) was, as he 
informed me, at the time of its commencement 
at Copenhagen ; when, upon the intelligence 
being received, he was ordered by the King of 
Denmark to return to Iceland with all possible 
dispatch, and prepare an account of this calami¬ 
tous event. The result of his expedition was 
soon after published in a small Danish pamphlet, 
