that part of it that had not been exposed to
the air,) was of a very shining quality. Although
the whole of this mountain appeared
to be composed of sand-stone rock, yet it was
not all equally soft: some lay in. interrupted’,
but horizontal^ strata of several feet in thickness,
and of a very firm and compact nature,
not being so easily washed down by the torrents
of snow water, as the rest of the mountain,
but remaining firm,, and projecting from
its sides in various places, and of a browner
color. Continuing our journey, we crossed
a nigged moor of considerable extent, and
at length entered upon an immense plain,
a great part of which was either a morass, or
eovered with a Lake, called Apn-Vatn,
From the water near the margin we saw at a
distance, at a place known by the name of
Laugardalr *, a great quantity of steam rising
in- three or four columns* On approach*
ingj we found it caused by some boiling-
springs, one of which, was of considerable
size, and proceeded from an opening in the
rock in a very shallow part of the lake,
throwing up a very beautiful jet about four
* £«w<r<rr is at term applied to the warm batfes, in Ieelaad
teet in height, and of nearly the same width.
At the margin of the water, nearest the hot-
spring, was a border of sulphur, which covered
the stones with a thin yellow incrustation.
Three or four other boiling-springs,
also, were elose by, some a little way in the
lake, and others rising from the dry ground,
but all of a small size. The rest of our road
to Middalr, where we proposed passing the
night, was along the m^'gin of the lake, and
we reached the place about eight a clock in
the evening; having travelled the whole day
without resting the horses. Our tents were
placed near the church and the house of the
priest, who soon came down to welcome
us, and offer any thing that his parsonage
would afford. As the most necessary, I first
requested that we might have some fire prepared
to cook our victuals by; during which
operation I was witness to a scene that afforded
me no small degree of amusement.
After Jacob had been gone into the house
some, considerable time with the fish that
was to be dressed for our dinners, I began to
be. rather impatient, and begged to be shewn
into the kitchen, that I might see if any
thing had happened. I was conducted thi