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of the basin on the leeAvard side, while we were
standing on the opposite margin not twenty yards
distant. I could not learn from our guides that
any sacred character was attached to this bird, but
as already stated, it is considered as a bird of ill
omen. Their remarkable confidence in man may
probably be taken as a proof that they are not
molested by him. As a further proof of this, one of
our party sent a ball through one of a large group
assembled on the beach of Reikiavik, which had
shoAvn great confidence, but after this circumstance
they avoided us in such a way that it was quite
impossible to come near them. The farmers
watch their movements, but seem to be afraid to
take measures for destroying them, and yet they are
among their greatest enemies : they are always on the
watch during the lambing season to pounce upon
and carry off the young lambs; in the winter
especially they hover over the farm-houses, seizing
everything they can lay their claws upon, and will
not be driven away—indeed, they sometimes
hovered over us in such a manner, as if they were
only waiting an opportunity to pounce upon us.
The Icelandic raven is a very powerful bird, much
larger and stronger than those in the more southern
parts of Europe.
Sir John Stanley has observed that, when he was
on this remarkable spot, the eruptions of the Great
Geyser took place every two hours. When the one
I have spoken of ceased, it was four hours before
Ave had the satisfaction of witnessing a second, and
that only rose to the height of some ten or twelve
feet, and continued only about a minute, Avhen the
Avater subsided almost immediately. An hour after
this Ave had a third, Avhich ascended probably to
the height of thirty feet, and this may have continued
to act for about ten minutes; two hours after
this, that is to say about elcA'en o’clock, the usual
rising of the Avater in the basin, and the boiling
up of that in the shaft, Avere observed, and a fourth
eruption speedily folloAved, the water being forced
up to the same height or thereabouts as the
last.
While contemplating this grand exhibition of
nature, my mind, as if by an involuntary impulse,
seemed to carry me back to the period, now
more than sixty years ago, when the late Sir
Joseph Banks Avas standing perhaps on the
very spot on which I now stood, in wonder and
admiration of this grand phenomenon; and from
him, by a natural transition, I had in full recollection
the splendid print and drawings which Sir
John Stanley had the kindness to show me in
London previous to my departure. I aa'us exceedingly
desirous of transferring to paper something
that might bear a resemblance of this eruption
of the Great Geyser, but failed to succeed to
my satisfaction : indeed, I considered it impossible
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