ti- i f 7
The Icelandic Chronicles mention
many inftances o f fiery eruptions obferved
in different places during the
fpace of 800 years * ; it is therefore
difficult to conceive bow Horrebow,
who has been in the country himfelf,
could affirm, that fire emitted only
from them very rarely, and in few
places.
To be fenfible of the dreadful effeds
of fire, the country itfelf need only be
confidered. The mountains are almoft
entirely compofed o f lava and tuffa,
and the plains are crufted over with
hraun, or trads o f lava, which arc,
however, in many places covered with
earth or turf. The accounts we have
of certain eruptions o f fire, alfo inform
us, that they have always laid
wafte large trads of land, either more
or lefs.
I will not in this place mention the
damages done to the inhabitants by
the allies thrown from the volcanos,
* T h e Chronicles give a lift o f fixty-threc eruptions
at Heckla and other places, from the year lOoo t o iy ó i ;
o f which twenty-three were eruptions o f Mount Heckla
only.
which
which frequently covered the fields for
a fpace o f twenty or thirty miles in
length, and half a yard in depth, by
which the cattle fuffered very much;
as it caufed them to lofe their teeth,
arid frequently to drop down dead for
want o f food ; and when they have
beeri killed; pumice has fometimes
been found in their liver and bowels.
I will only name fome o f the places
iituate neáreft to the volcanos, that
have been utterly deftroyed by their
effeds.; This has been partly done by
violent earthquakes, that generally
preceded the eruption ; and partly by
inundations of water from the ice
melted by the fire ; and laftly, by the
quantity o f glowing affies and ftones
thrown from the mouths o fthe volcanos,
and the ftreams of burning matter
which flowed down on all fides.
In I 31 1 eleven farms were confumed
near Roidekamb, and as many more
near Tolledyngr; and in i 366 feventy
at Lillehered. Heckla deftroyed two
1111374; feven in 1390; and eighteen
in one day in 143Ó. In the fame manner
five farms were laid wafte near
P 2 Myrdals
IB;
'ri