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632 VON TROIL’s LETTERS ON ICELAND.
On the day that we were there, the water fpouted at ten different times, from fix in
the morning till eleven A. M. each time, tothe height of between five and ten fathoms 5
till then the water had not rifen above the margin of the pipe, but now it began by de-
grees to fill the upper bafon, and at laft ran over. The people who were with us told
us, that the water would foon fpout up much higher than it had till then done, and this
appeared very credible to us. To determine its height, therefore, with the utmoft accu-
racy, Dr. Lind, who had accompanied us on this voyage in the capacity of an aftrono-
mer, fet up his quadrant.
Soon after four o’clock we obferved that the earth began to tremble in three different
places, as likewife the top of a mountain, which was about three hundred fathoms diftant
from the mouth of the fpring. We alfo frequently heard a fubterraneous noife like the
difcharge of a cannon ; and immediately after a column of water fpouted from the open-
‘ing, which at a great height divided itfelf into feveral rays, and according to the obfer-
vations made with the quadrant, was ninety-two feet high. Our great furprife at this
uncommon force of the air and fire was yet increafed, when many ftones, which we had
thrown into the aperture, were thrown up with the fpouting water. You can eafily
conceive, Sir, with how much pleafure we fpent the day here; and indeed I am not
much furprifed, that a people fo much inclined to fuperftition as the Icelanders are,-
imagine this to be the entrance of hell; for this reafon they feldom pafs one of thefe
openings without {pitting into it; and, as they fay, wti fundens mun, into the devil’s
mouth.
But I think it is time to finifh my long letter, and I will only try your patience with one
thing more, which likewile deferves to be better known. Natural hiftorians have always
obferved thofe large remarkable pillars, which the hand of nature has prepared in Ice-
land, and in fome other places, with the greateft attention. The Giant’s Caufeway has,’
till now, been confidered as the largeft and moft regular affemblage of thefe columns ;
but we have difcovered one on our expedition through the weftern iflands of Scotland,-
which infinitely furpafles it. ‘The whole ifland of Staffa* confifts almoft entirely of thefe
pillars, which are as regular as can be imagined ; they feem to be of the fame fubftance’
as the Irifh ones, and have from three to feven fides; each pillar is furrounded by
others, that join fo clofely to it, as to have a very fmall{pace between them, which is .
frequently filled up with a chryftallized incruftration. In moft places the pillars are
perpendicular; in others they area little inclined, and yet in others they have the con-
figuration of the timber-work in the infide of a fhip. The higheft pillar was fifty-five
feet one inch long, and each joint from one to two feet. There is a cavern here which”
confifts entirely of thefe pillars ; it is 367 feet long, 53,7 broad, and 117,6 high. ‘There
are three fathoms of water in it, fo that it is eafy to enter into it with a boat. ou
It is difficult to determine the queftion, how thefe pillars have been formed ; but it is
more than probable, nay almoft certain, that they are the remains of an ancient volcano,
many indifputable tracts of which are found in many parts of Scotland. You muft not
in this place apply to me the ftory Helvetius tells of a clergyman and a fine lady, who
together obferved the fpots in the moon, which the former took for church fteeples, and
the latter for a pair of happy lovers. I know that we frequently imagine to have really
found what we moft think of, or moft with for; but I fincerely affure you, that J do
* See the account of Staffa, by Jofeph Banks, Efq. inferted in Pennant’s Tour in Scotland, and Voyage
to the Hebrides, 1772, page 299, 309, and the fine reprefentations of thefe bafalts, executed after the
accurate drawings executed by Mr. John Frederick Miller, employed by Mr. Banks, and communicated
by the lalt-mentioned gentleman, for the adorning of Mr. Pennant’s Scots Tour.
“ 10 not
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