DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.70303#0102
$4 THE SOILING WATER-SPOUTS OF ICELAND.
her, had something in it uncommon ; for holding his nos©
close to the skirt of his coat, and growling all the while, he
would not move from the spot, which exciting the admi-
ration of all present, led to the immediate discovery of the
offender.
THE BOILING WATER-SPOUTS OF ICELAND j
Commonly called the Geysers.
The principal of these is found in the neighbourhood of
Scalholt, me capital of the place; and it was very lately
visited by Mr. Olafeen, a native of that country, and Mem-
ber of the Academy of Sciences at Copenhagen. Taking
a friend with him, he says,—“ the moment we arrived at
Geyser, tire water filled the bason, and overflowed on alf
sides. Soon after a subterraneous noise was heard, the
usual signal for the gushing of the water. It then began to
spout in an instant; but did not rise above 60 feet in
height. This spouting ceased suddenly, but was frequently
renewed after a few minutes interval; its violence diminish-
ing also, till the bason was quite empty. In this state it
continued for a moment, but as the water is hot, its vapouf
and heat prevented us from seeing the bottom. By means
of a plummet, we however contrived to measure the depth
of the bason, and found it 72 feet; its diameter at the
orifice, or opening, 57 ; and at or near the bottom only
18, &o that it seemed to terminate like a funnel. Again
throwing our plummet, in hopes of sounding some of the
holes that afforded a passage to the water, the lead had no
sooner reached the bottom, than a body of boiling water
spouted up from the rock ; but happily did us no harm.—-
This encouraged us to throw it in again, but another spout
of water obliged us to retreat in haste ; while our guide was
terribly alarmed, because it is the opinion of the. Iceland-
ers, that any man visiting these mysterious places, will
incur the displeasure of the powerful spirits that reside in
them.
her, had something in it uncommon ; for holding his nos©
close to the skirt of his coat, and growling all the while, he
would not move from the spot, which exciting the admi-
ration of all present, led to the immediate discovery of the
offender.
THE BOILING WATER-SPOUTS OF ICELAND j
Commonly called the Geysers.
The principal of these is found in the neighbourhood of
Scalholt, me capital of the place; and it was very lately
visited by Mr. Olafeen, a native of that country, and Mem-
ber of the Academy of Sciences at Copenhagen. Taking
a friend with him, he says,—“ the moment we arrived at
Geyser, tire water filled the bason, and overflowed on alf
sides. Soon after a subterraneous noise was heard, the
usual signal for the gushing of the water. It then began to
spout in an instant; but did not rise above 60 feet in
height. This spouting ceased suddenly, but was frequently
renewed after a few minutes interval; its violence diminish-
ing also, till the bason was quite empty. In this state it
continued for a moment, but as the water is hot, its vapouf
and heat prevented us from seeing the bottom. By means
of a plummet, we however contrived to measure the depth
of the bason, and found it 72 feet; its diameter at the
orifice, or opening, 57 ; and at or near the bottom only
18, &o that it seemed to terminate like a funnel. Again
throwing our plummet, in hopes of sounding some of the
holes that afforded a passage to the water, the lead had no
sooner reached the bottom, than a body of boiling water
spouted up from the rock ; but happily did us no harm.—-
This encouraged us to throw it in again, but another spout
of water obliged us to retreat in haste ; while our guide was
terribly alarmed, because it is the opinion of the. Iceland-
ers, that any man visiting these mysterious places, will
incur the displeasure of the powerful spirits that reside in
them.