to make their appearance. The same fate
had attended Sidumanna-afrett formerly so
fertile in grass. In this place ashes and
sand lay still deeper, and not a single trace
of herbage was to be seen; so that it cannot
be expected that vegetation will recover itself
in a less space of time than four or five
years; although there is reason to hope that
m two years, provided no new eruption
ensues, the other lands may again become
in a measure fertile.
After crossing a number of dangerous
moors, I arrived at a very large and well-
known mountain, called Kallbakur, near the
eastern stream of lava. From the northeastern
extremity of this eminence I could
at one view survey a vast tract of lava which
had proceeded a considerable way towards
the west, passing the north side of Kallbakur,
between that mountain and another
north-west from hence, called Miklafell.
Between Kallbakur and EriksfeJI, a mountain
on the eastern side, the lava became
very narrow, nor does it spread itself much
on either side of the former channel of the
Hverfisfliotet, where the smoke was yet
rising to an alarming degree. No accumulation
of clouds in the air can be imagined
to form a more dense body than the smoke
that now issued from this place, which
rolled itself over twice or thrice before it
could be driven farther on by the wind.
Hence I followed the lava-stream, which
spread itself a long way towards the west,
between Kallbakur and Miklafell, in the
north, at length approaching so near to the
eastern side <©f the latter mountain, that it
was with great difficulty we could pass
between it and the hill ; especially as the
smoke was here very strong. On the western
side indeed there is a road, but it is nearly
impassable; so that nothing was to be done
but to proceed over the middle of Miklafell.
Here I alighted, and, having given the horses
a little rest, went with iny companion over
the lava, as far as the heat would permit us.
I examined with all possible diligence the
different sorts of lava, and whatever else was
remarkable, of which an account will be
given in its proper place, as well as of the
result of the experiments with the boring
instruments.