other moving towards the east and along Sida, where it burned the country about Skalarstapa, and forced itself with incredible fury up to Skalarfiall; but, as this mountain checked the more rapid progress of the fire towards the north, the lava rose considerably in height, and, in ascending the sides of the mountain, rolled up its covering of moss in the same manner as a large piece of cloth might be done by human means. In the evening the stream was not above an hundred and twenty yards distant from the church of Skal, when the inhabitants quitted it. They had been in hopes that the fire would have spared this place, as it had passed by, four days preceding, without doing any injury; but just at this moment, contrary to the expectation of every one, the fire broke out afresh, and carried away every thing that had before been left by the lava. This eruption was accompanied by a strong and constant trembling of the earth, which had much abated since the 12th day of June, the first of the eruption. On the ensuing day, the fire-stream proceeded to the farm Holt, overflowing the tract between that place and Skal, by which means the lava

that had lately reached that spot, rose considerably in height. The other branch, previously mentioned as having bent its course towards the south, along the river Melquiol, extended itself widely on both sides of it.

Destructive

§ X.

Notwithstanding that the farm consequences. of Skal was placed in an elevated situation, at the farthest extremity of the great valley, or Skaal, whence it takes it name (Skaal in Icelandic signifying a bowl), yet the lava had prevented all access to it; and when, on the ensuing day, the 21st of June, great torrents of rain had swollen the brooks, proceeding from the mountains on both sides of the farm of Skal, this place was, together with the church and adjacent houses, entirely overflowed with water, which the next morning was boiling excessively. At the same time that the flood destroyed Skal, the western branch of the fire-stream spread itself with great rapidity farther to the eastward, over the river Steinsmyrarfliot, and all the way to the parsonage, Holmasel, which, as well as the

church, houses, and the whole neighboring country, were, on the following night, entirely covered with lava. The farm of Holmar, likewise, shared the same fate.

Farther account

sustained.

§ XI.

On the day ensuing, the 22nd of the damage of June, the fire continued in its progress along the river Steinsmyrarfliot, and close to the farm Efristeinsmyry, where the lands were much damaged; but here it changed its course, proceeding towards the south from this place, passing the farm Sydri-Steinsmyri, which consists of five separate buildings, and stopping about eighteen hundred feet from the most northern of these, where, however, no considerable injury was sustained.

The fire-stream spread itself greatly towards the west, over the river Fedgaqvisl, and overflowed the farms Sydri and Efrifliota, together with the houses and lands. Although the farm Hnausa has not been destroyed by the fire, yet the rivers Steinsmyrarfliot and Fedgaqvisl, in consequence of their being dammed up, had caused it to be almost buried under water, which

finally proceeded along the channel of a small brook, that used to run close by the house, and is now quite impassable.

The lava farther continued to overflow the farm Botnar, and much pasture-land, as well as the country between the river Landa (which had been filled up with lava), and the farm Hnausa.

New eruptions.

§ XII.

From the 22nd of June to the 13th of July fresh streams were observed to proceed along the Skaptaa, and extend over the lowlands. Between Skalarstapi and Skaptartunga the lava had risen into a lofty hill, from the continual eruptions, and had become, towards its extremity, firm and solid, which prevented the new streams, that were pouring down the mountains, from having a free passage, causing them to divide into various branches; of these, two flowed along the western and two along the eastern side. One of the former of these passed over Neshraun and the farm Hnaus, of which place nothing is now to be seen, except a small sheep-cote. The other western branch, which proceeded

along the river Landaa, overflowed the farm Nes, together with the houses, fields, woods, and meadows belonging to the parsonage Asar, as well as most of the lands belonging to the farm Ytri-asar. The priest saved the greater part of his effects that could be removed, and afterwards set off for the western part of the Syssel.

From these farms the fire-stream over-ran the southern district beneath, advancing towards the west, along the broad channel of the Kudafliöt, one of the largest and most remarkable rivers in the country. It stopped, however, a little to the north northwest of the farm Leidvöll. To the north of this place a great bight is observed running into the lava-tracts, of which, indeed, only one point has reached the Kudafliöt: the rest having passed the most eastern extremity of this farm, bending more and more in that direction to the north of Stadarholt; thence again, in the same course, immediately to the north of Hnausar.

In the mean while, one of the eastern branches before mentioned proceeded over