a p p e n d i x , c .
mg of these bodies, when the velocity is so
much accelerated by the vast height to which
they are generally thrown. During these
days the fire increased so much in redness,
and spread itself in so great a degree over
Sidumanna Afrett*, towards the south, on
account of a northerly wind then blowing,
that several farmers residing on the heaths
actually fled with all their cattle and moveables,
frightened at the immense conflagration,
which, though at a considerable
distance from them, appeared to be quite
in the vicinity.
§ VIII.
New eruption the 18th of June, a most
dreadful eruption of lava again
broke out among the mountains. In those
places where the Skaptaa had not been quite
filled up, the lava was now observed to rise
to a height, far exceeding that of the steep*
Afretur, in Icelandic,, signifies a wild and uninhabited
tract of mountains, covered with grass,
where sheep and cattle are sent to fatten in the summer.
The tract here alluded to belonged to the
Sidumen, or Men of Sida, that is, people who resided
on Sida, and therefore it is called Sidumanna afrettur.
VOLCANOES. 137
est mountains that enclosed the river, and
to rush forward over such tracts as had previously
been destroyed, and even so far as the
utmost extremities of the current which had
cooled and become stationary.
In the middle of the lava were to be seen
red-hot rocks, which the stream had torn
from their beds. A thick, white, and suffocating
steam issued from the two rivers
that had been intercepted by the fire, and
were constantly boiling ; and the vast quantity
of hot water, which overflowed the meadows
and pasture-lands, did no inconsiderable
damage, especially near the farms Svinadal
and Hvaam, in Skaptunge, as well as in
the eastern quarter, where a tract of woodlands
belonging to Skaptardal was totally
destroyed.
§ IX.
Progress o f the ° n the 19th of June the fire
fire-stream. extended much farther, dividing
itself into two branches; the one rushing
on, with the same rapidity as it did the preceding
day, in a southern direction along
the river Melquiol and over Medalland; the