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Myrdals Jokul in 1660, and flill more
in 1693 near Heckla. In 1727, at leail
600 ilieep and 1 50 horfes were killed
near Myrdals Jokul, by the flood and
the pieces of ice that milled down with
it. In 1728 many farms were cle-
Ilroyed near Krafle, and a large lake
called Myvatn, was entirely dried up,
into which the ilreams o f fire that
rolled from the mountains flowed
during fome years, and formed a trad
o f lava of four miles in length, and
one and a half in breadth. In 1755
Kattlegiaa laid wafte fix pariiiies; and
in the fame year the laft eruption of
Heckla ravaged a trad many miles to
the north-eaft.
It is not therefore to be doubted, but
that the fire rages here with as much,
and perhaps more violence than Vefu-
vius, ftltna, and other volcanos ; notwithftanding
which, I fee no foundation
for the opinion o f fome people, who
affirm that there is a communication
between the volcanos o f Iceland and
Italy ; it might be maintained with as
much foundation that Kattlegiaa and
TeiierifT,
TenerifF, or Krafle and Lima, have
communication together.
But before I quit this fubjed I will
mention a circurnftance that is related
both by Eggert Olafsen and Jacobfen.
The laft time that Kattlegiaa vomited
fire, aflaili o f lightning, as it were, burfl
from the flame, and pierced through
the cjiifs tliat intercepted its way. The
fame lightning in one place killed
eleven horfes, three o f which were in a
ftable ; a farmer was alfo killed by it
near the door o f his room ; his upper
cloaths, which were woollen, remained
entirely untouched, but his iiiirt and
waiftcoat, both o f linen, were burnt;
and when his cloaths were pulled off,
it was found that the fleih and ildn on
the rightfide were confumed to the very
bones. The rnaid-fervant, who wanted
to affiil him in faving the cattle, was
likewife ftruck by the lightning, but
did not die till feveral days after, during
which time ilie fuffered inexpref-
fibje torture. It is likewife faid, that
when ihe put on her cloaths, they were
finged by the glutinous fires that
cleaved to her body. At firft I hefi-
P 3 tated
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Aft; II?
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