easily supposed, that the inclemency of the weather greatly contributed to the destruction, although the fire itself was the principal and original cause of it.

The extent of the injury which Iceland has suffered by the loss of her cattle it is impossible at present accurately to ascertain; as no correct statement has hitherto been made of what have died, or of what are still remaining. I annex, however, the following table, which is extracted from official information, and from lists that have been transmitted to the Royal Treasury, by the proper officers, merely for the purpose of specifying, though in a general way, a part of the destruction. This table, notwithstanding its imperfections, inasmuch as it does not extend to the whole country, and is besides too vague, and not sufficiently explicit in particulars for some of the districts, nevertheless, proves that, as Rangervalle, Skagefiord, and Borgefiord, had, in proportion to their size and population, the greatest quantity of cattle and sheep, of all the districts therein specified, so they have also sustained the greatest loss, and thence

(a.) This statement merely belongs to two parishes in the district, Biarnanes and Hofells; no accounts having been as yet received from the other parishes. (b.) What cattle have died, or what still remain, in the district of Western Skaptefield, we have not yet been able to ascertain: it is only at present known that the farm-houses burnt, damaged, or deserted, at Siden, as also at Fliotshverfet, Skaptartungen, and part of the Medalland, had, previous to the eruption, a stock of about the number stated, of which a very few are now remaining. (c.) No information has yet been received from the parishes of Helgefields and Biarnerhavns, in this district, concerning the number dead or remaining. (d.) Among the number of sheep stated to have died in Dale, the lambs are not reckoned. Of the number still remaining in this district, we can only speak to those in the two parishes, Staderhols and Hvams, which amounted to 93 horses, 151 cows, and 450 sheep. (e.) From five parishes in the district of Barderstrand, Muhle, Flatoe, Ottardals, Sandlaugsdals, and Saurboes, no information has yet been received concerning what have died, or what are still remaining.

:

a similar inference may be drawn as to the parts unnoticed. According to the information that we have obtained, the northern districts have not suffered less than the rest, and their present deplorable condition may be put on a parallel with that of Western Skaptefield.

Effects upon the

$ XXXIII.

That the eruption had likehuman frame. wise a powerful effect on the human frame is certain, and is the less to be wondered at, as the unwholesome and pestilential air operating together with the noxious water and food, and with the want and distress occasioned by the destruction of the cattle, must naturally be productive of sickness and distempers. Diseases of the most inveterate kinds, in the form of scurvy, broke out in sundry places, and those even far distant from the fire: as, for instance, in the districts of Guldbringue, Borgefiord, and Myhre, especially in the first. The district of West Skaptefield was, however, the chief seat of this distemper; and in only six parishes there, no less than one hundred and fifty persons were carried off

between the commencement of the new year and the month of June following; but some of these perished by famine. The same symptoms shewed themselves, in this disorder, in the human race, as among the cattle. The feet, thighs, hips, arms, throat, and head, were most dreadfully swelled, especially about the ankles, the knees, and the various joints, which last, as well as the ribs, were contracted. The sinews, too, were drawn up, with painful cramps, so that the wretched sufferers became crooked, and had an appearance the most pitiable. In addition to this, they were oppressed with pains across the breast and loins; their teeth became loose, and were covered with the swollen gums, which at length mortified, and fell off in large pieces of a black or sometimes dark blue color. Disgusting sores were formed in the palate and throat, and not uncommonly at the extremity of the disease, the tongue rotted entirely out of the mouth. This, dreadful, though, apparently, not very infectious, distemper, prevailed in almost every farm in the vicinity of the fire during the winter and spring; but, happily,