letters from high latitudes-第16章
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etrating； one vast space alone of about four hundred square miles has defied his investigation。 Over the area occupied by the Skapta Jokul； amid its mountain…cradled fields of snow and icy ridges； no human foot has ever wandered。 Yet it is from the bosom of this desert district that has descended the most frightful visitation ever known to have desolated the island。
This event occurred in the year 1783。 The preceding winter and spring had been unusually mild。 Toward the end of May； a light bluish fog began to float along the confines of the untrodden tracts of Skapta； accompanied in the beginning of June by a great trembling of the earth。 On the 8th of that month； immense pillars of smoke collected over the hill country towards the north； and coming down against the wind in a southerly direction； enveloped the whole district of Sida in darkness。 A whirlwind of ashes then swept over the face of the country； and on the 10th； innumerable fire spouts were seen leaping and flaring amid the icy hollows of the mountain； while the river Skapta； one of the largest in the island； having first rolled down to the plain a vast volume of fetid waters mixed with sand； suddenly disappeared。
Two days afterwards a stream of lava； issuing from sources to which no one has ever been able to penetrate； came sliding down the bed of the dried…up river； and in a little time；though the channel was six hundred feet deep and two hundred broad；the glowing deluge overflowed its banks； crossed the low country of Medalland； ripping the turf up before it like a table…cloth； and poured into a great lake whose affrighted waters flew hissing and screaming into the air at the approach of the fiery intruder。 Within a few more days the basin of the lake itself was completely filled； and having separated into two streams； the unexhausted torrent again recommenced its march； in one direction overflowing soiree ancient lava fields；in the other； re…entering the channel of the Skapta； and leaping down the lofty cataract of Stapafoss。 But this was not all； while one lava flood had chosen the Skapta for its bed； another； descending in a different direction； was working like ruin within and on either side the banks of the Hverfisfliot； rushing into the plain； by all accounts； with even greater fury and velocity。 Whether the two issued from the same crater it is impossible to say； as the sources of both were far away within the heart of the unapproachable desert； and even the extent of the lava flow can only be measured from the spot where it entered the inhabited districts。 The stream which flowed down Skapta is calculated to be about fifty miles in length by twelve or fifteen at its greatest breadth； that which rolled down the Hverfisfliot； at forty miles in length by seven in breadth。 Where it was imprisoned； between the high banks of Skapta； the lava is five or six hundred feet thick； but as soon as it spread out into the plain its depth never exceeded one hundred feet。 The eruption of sand； ashes； pumice； and lava； continued till the end of August； when the Plutonic drama concluded with a violent earthquake。
For a whole year a canopy of cinder…laden cloud hung over the island。 Sand and ashes irretrievably overwhelmed thousands of acres of fertile pasturage。 The Faroe islands； the Shetlands； and the Orkneys were deluged with volcanic dust； which perceptibly contaminated even the pure skies of England and Holland。 Mephitic vapours tainted the atmosphere of the entire island；even the grass； which no cinder rain had stifled； completely withered up； the fish perished in the poisoned sea。 A murrain broke out among the cattle； and a disease resembling scurvy attacked the inhabitants themselves。 Stephenson has calculated that 9；000 men； 28；000 horses； 11；000 cattle； 190；000 sheep； died from the effects of this one eruption。 The most moderate calculation puts the number of human deaths at upwards of 1；300； and of cattle； etc。 at about 156；000。
The whole of this century had proved most fatal to the unfortunate people of Iceland。 At its commencement smallpox destroyed more than 16；000 persons； nearly 20；000 more perished by a famine consequent on a succession of inclement seasons； while from time to time the southern coasts were considerably depopulated by the incursions of English and even Algerine pirates。
The rest of our day's journey lay through a country less interesting than the district we had traversed before luncheon。 For the most part we kept on along the foot of the hills； stopping now and then for a drink of milk at the occasional farms perched upon their slopes。 Sometimes turning up a green and even bushy glen； （there are no trees in Iceland； the nearest approach to anything of the kind being a low dwarf birch； hardly worthy of being called a shrub；） we would cut across the shoulder of some projecting spur； and obtain a wider prospect of the level land upon our right； or else keeping more down in the flat； we had to flounder for half an hour up to the horses' shoulders in an Irish bog。 After about five hours of this work we reached the banks of a broad and rather singular river； called the Bruara。 Halfway across it was perfectly fordable； but exactly in the middle was a deep cleft； into which the waters from either side spilt themselves； and then in a collected volume roared over a precipice a little lower down。 Across this cleft some wooden planks were thrown； giving the traveller an opportunity of boasting that he had crossed a river on a bridge which itself was under water。 By this time we had all begun to be very tired； and very hungry；it was 11 o'clock P。M。 We had been twelve or thirteen hours on horseback； not to mention occasional half…hours of pretty severe walking after the ptarmigan and plover。 Many were the questions we addressed to Sigurdr on the distance yet remaining； and many the conjectures we hazarded as to whether the cook would have arrived in time to get dinner ready for us。 At last； after another two hours' weary jogging； we descried； straight in front； a low steep brown rugged hill； standing entirely detached from the range at the foot of which we had been riding； and in a few minutes more； wheeling round its outer end； we found ourselves in the presence of the steaming Geysirs。
I do not know that I can give you a better notion of the appearance of the place than by saying that it looked as iffor about a quarter of a milethe ground had been honey…combed by disease into numerous sores and orifices； not a blade of grass grew on its hot； inflamed surface； which consisted of unwholesome…looking red livid clay； or crumpled shreds and shards of slough…like incrustations。 Naturally enough； our first impulse on dismounting was to scamper off at once to the Great Geysir。 As it lay at the furthest end of the congeries of hot springs； in order to reach it we had to run the gauntlet of all the pools of boiling water and scalding quagmires of soft clay that intervened； and consequently arrived on the spot with our ankles nicely poulticed。 But the occasion justified our eagerness。 A smooth silicious basin； seventy…two feet in diameter and four feet deep； with a hole at the bottom as in a washing…basin on board a steamer； stood before us brimful of water just upon the simmer； while up into the air above our heads rose a great column of vapour； looking as if it was going to turn into the Fisherman's Genie。 The ground about the brim was composed of layers of incrusted silica； like the outside of an oyster； sloping gently down on all sides from the edge of the basin。
＇Figure： fig…p067。gif with caption A Basin。 B Funnel。＇
Having satisfied our curiosity with this cursory inspection of what we had come so far to see； hunger compelled us to look about with great anxiety for the cook； and you may fancy our delight at seeing that functionary in the very act of dishing up dinner on a neighbouring hillock。 Sent forward at an early hour； under the chaperonage of a guide； he had arrived about two hours before us； and seizing with a general's eye the key of the position； at once turned an idle babbling little Geysir into a camp…kettle； dug a bake…house in the hot soft clay； and improvising a kitchen…range at a neighbouring vent； had made hims
