the north side at Skal was swallowed up by
the lava: but this was no more than what
proceeded from some small brooks, running
down from the mountains; whilst on the
other hand the Hollsta creek, which was
stopped by the fire, formed itself into a
large lake, which, being joined by the impeded
streams of the brooks Fiadra and Laxa,
forced a passage near the sides of the farms
Heidi and Hunkurbackar. Hence it passed
close to the houses, and at the last-mentioned
place threatened the still remaining part of
the adjacent field, as well as the houses,
with total destruction.
Turning hence to the western side, we find
an arm of the Skaptaa has made its way
along the side of the lava-stream and surrounded
Svartanup, a cottage belonging to
the farm of Buland ; after which, accompanied
by the lava itself, it has inundated Litt-
lanes, a cottage also belonging to the same
estate. The farm-houses of Hvamm and
Svinadal, very near which it ran, were
much damaged by it, and between these it
was in sundry places dammed up on the
western side; thus giving birth in its course
to various large lakes. Hence it ran forward
with a moderately strong current, passing
at no great distance the parsonage
house at Eystri-Asar, the farm-house of
Ytri-Asar, and the flying lands (as* they
are called from their being composed of
drift sand) of Flaga and Hrijunes, where
these waters, together with the Tungufliote,
are stopped up, and,* in the form of an exceedingly
large inland lake, have inundated
the neighboring country, doing infinite
damage to the two last-mentioned farms,
particularly Flaga, the meadows of which it
has totally overflowed and destroyed. One
arm or branch of this large lake ran, together
with the Holmsa, into the Kuda-stream.
In the Medallandet many dams were formed
and many brooks dried u p ; among which
may be mentioned Landa, Melqvisl, Fed-
gaqvisl, Lingaqvisl, and Steinsmyrarfliot.
A quantity of impeded water, draining out
from under the lava, has spread itself over
the morasses belonging to the farm of Hnau-
sar, and thus not only rendered these places
more boggy than before, but likewise entirely
surrounded the farm-house, so that
for the present, at least, all access to it is