Hecla to induce them to prolong their stay,
they descended on the west side by a deep
ravine, which, commencing at the summit of
the mountain and continuing to its very base,
appears evidently to have been the bed of a;
current of lava, and was most probably
formed at the time of the eruption of 1300;
since the annals of the country relate that at •/
that period Hecla was rent from the top to
the bottom. This cavity has now only the
appearance of a deep valley, but it is nevertheless
certain, they say, that it was orignally
open to the very centre of the volcano, but
was choked up by the falling in of stones
and rocks, which forced their way downwards
on the cessation of the eruption, when
the subterraneous fires ceased to lend the
earth unnatural strength. Many large masses
of rock thrown from the volcano still hang
upon the edges of the ravine, where they
were cast by the eruption; but far greater
heaps of melted and burnt substances are
met with at the bottom of this singular and
immense chasm.—Thus much for the general
and exterior conformation of Hecla. The
effects of its subterraneous fires, mischievous
as they have been, are'small compared to
those of other mountains; for which reason
I shall proceed to a short description of two
or three that have been the most remarkable
in this respect.
Krabla, in the north-eastern part of the
island, vomited forth - great rivers^ of burning
and melted matter between the years 1/24
and 1730, one of which was four miles and
a half,in width and nine in length; it flowed
into the adjoining lake, Myvatn, where it
continued to burn like oil for many days,
filling the lake, drying up its waters, and
destroying the whole of the fish. Another
torrent overflowed the presbytery of Reyk-
elid, which it so completely buried as not to
have left a vestige of the place. These floods
of fire are called by the natives Stenaa (stone-
flood), and afforded, during the day, a blue
flame, resembling that of sulphur; but the
smoke, which arose from all parts, in a
great measure hindered it from being seen.
During the night the whole extent of the
horizon was illuminated, and the higher
regions of the atmosphere became red.
Balls of fire were hurled from the stenaa as
well as from the burning mountain, and