thousands of fantastic shapes. The
black ground of the lava was to be seen
between the lighter columns of smoke,
which were, at a considerable height in
the atmosphere, collected together into one
thick bank of clouds, of a white or yellowish
tinge, intermixed with shades of a
deeper cast. To the south-west of this
place was just discernible the upper part of
the insulated and steep mountain of Ska-
larstapi, rearing its summit above all the
surrounding lava, though at the same time
almost enveloped in the dreadful smoke
that was ascending on every part of it.
The streams that issued from the rock
poured down its sides, and added to the in-,
describable beauties of this enchantingO
scene, the effect of which was still farther
increased by the view of the burnt farmhouse
of Hollt. At Dalbae, in Landbrotet,
which is likewise consumed, we remarked
that one of the numerous eminences, shaped
like a ball (which are so common in this
neighborhood out of the reach of the fire,
and which shew evident marks of having
been in a state of conflagration at former
periods), first began to smoke during the
time of our residence in the eastern district.
No smoke had ever before been seen to originate
from these hillocks, nor was there
any at the period of my first arrival; but
it considerably increased while we remained
in Siden.
§ XXVI.
Wh eth e r th e fire From what has jnst been
Was still burning. g a id r e s p e c t in g th e n um e roUS
columns of smoke, it may perhaps be
by many inferred that the fire was not yet
extinguished ; especially as the beds of lava,
both in and beyond the valley, were, so
late as the month of July, 1784, in a state
of extreme heat. Nevertheless, when I
travelled around the lava, I could not perceive
any marks of fire, not even in the
vicinity of the crater itself. Nor does it
appear to me, that the dreadful heat
still remaining in the lava, and the numerous
columns of smoke arising from it,
prove the contrary; for, with regard to the
lava, nothing is more natural than that so
vast a body, when once heated, should retain
its heat long after it had ceased to be
actually on fire, particularly when it has
v o l . 11. o