of the grass, and the miserable consequences
that have ensued from the failure of the
latter, cannot be described in few words.
It is easy to conceive that the progress of
vegetation, in the district of Skaptefield,
where the fields were immediately covered
by the poisonous black substances, must
unavoidably be stopped. But the misery
was far from being confined to this place
alone; for, even out of the district, where
the volcanic sand and sulphureous ashes did
not fall in any considerable quantities, the
growth of the grass, which, until the eruption
took place, was in a most promising
state, was after this time totally prevented.
Plants of all kinds withered, and became so
brittle that the mere treading upon them
reduced them to powder. The first that
felt the baneful influence were the Buttercup
(Ranunculus acris), in Danish called
Smorurt, and the Fisilen (Leontodon Taraxacum).
The Elting (Equisetum Jluviatile)
was the last to suffer. The same poisonous
dust also attacked the cabbages and other
vegetables in the gardens, totally checking
their growth; and, having thus extended
itself over the whole country, caused a general
failure of the crops of grass. Not,
however, equally in all places; for the want
was particularly experienced in the northern
district, where, according to report, the
united produce of several farms at Langanaes
was not more than sufficient to feed a single
cow. It is true that the number of horned
cattle and sheep was already greatly decreased,
previously to the eruption, a circumstance
which was partly occasioned by a
succession of bad years, and partly by the
infection that had recently prevailed among
the sheep, and had induced a necessity of
destroying great numbers. But still the loss
was most severely felt; for, in the autumn
of 1783, the natives were obliged to kill
more than a third, nay, in some parts, even
the half, of their remaining stock of cattle,
for want of fodder. What is farther remarkable
is, that in the summer of 1783, the
insects among pastures in many places swarmed
the grass. with little winged insects, of a
species hitherto unknown in Iceland. These
were of blue, red, yellow, and brown colors,
and appeared nearly to resemble the earth-
fly. They were particularly troublesome to
those employed in securing the hay, who