as nearly as can be ascertained by bearings
taken from the sea, five and three-quarters
Danish miles s. w. by w. by the true compass
from the point of Reikanes, and consequently
in 63° 44' 40' latitude and in
the longitude of 25° 35' 40v.
Lieutenant Grove has, near this place,
had an observation in the latitude of 63Q
44' 20" and on my homeward voyage, in
sailing past it, I likewise had an observation
of latitude and longitude, which answered
very correctly to it. It is true that
by my observation it lay a couple of minutes
more to the southward in latitude, and the
difference in longitude was likewise a couple
of minutes, as it appeared to have been
laid down too far to the eastward ; but I
have nevertheless left it unaltered with
regard to the distance it is found to be
f^pm Reikanes, which must otherwise be
corrected accordingly. It cannot be expected
that observations taken at sea should
correspond to so great a nicety, especially
as the weather was not very favorable; but
nevertheless I would not omit making this
remark.
During the time that I remained at
Hohnens-Havn, Lieutenant Grove went out
with a vessel under his command, for the
purpose of navigating about that spot where
the volcano island had made its appearance,
in the year 1783, in order to discover
if it still existed, or if any vestiges of
it remained : but he found nothing but
that which is called the Blinde Fugle-
Skiaer.
According to several very probable and
well-founded suppositions, we have concluded
that this is precisely the same rock
which, in the year before mentioned, threw
out fire, and cast up so much pumice-stone,
that the' navigators who passed the place
found the sea covered with it. So long as
it continued burning, it appeared above the
water like a small island, which, as we
learn from the statements given by mariners,
who saw it that year, frequently altered
its appearance; a circumstance undoubtedly
occasioned by the lava and pumice
stone issuing from i t ; though it is
probable that these substances have not
been able to fix themselves firmly, but