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VON TROIL’S LETTERS ON ICELAND. 687
to fee this fubje& treated upon more at large, when you have time and opportunity
to compare the effects of fire in Iceland, with fimilar ones in other parts of the world.
I will not venture to determine how far the opinion of fome men of learning is
founded on truth, that all mountains have taken their rife either from fire or water.
How probable foever this opinion may appear, of which we can find no traces in the
moft remote times, and the moft ancient authors; yet it would be very difficult, nay
almoft impoflible, to eftablifh it by experience : but be this as it may, I will venture to
pronounce, that Iceland has been formed by eruptions of fire.
It is no uncommon event for iflands to be produced in this manner ; we have many
examples of it; but the fize and extent of Iceland, in comparifon to other iflands,
which owe their origin to the fame caufe, may raife fome doubts again{ft the reception
of this hypothefis. Nor can it be denied, that this, as well as feveral forts of itone
which are to be found there, and which do not bear any diftin& marks of the effects
of fire, are likewife calculated to confirm thefe doubts. Again, I fee nothing to hinder
me from confidering Iceland as produced by fire, when I reflect that the ground in all
parts of the ifland, and particularly near the fea-fhore, confilts of Java or tuffa, which
is frequently covered with other forts of ftones, as at Lundé, and even with a hard kind
of moor-{tone (/axwm), or with feveral ftrata of different kinds of earth and ftones, as
at Laugarnoes, where the lava is fourteen feet in depth; when I find befides, that
thofe rocks which have no traces of fire are compounded of fand mixed with fmall
pieces of fpar, which may eafily be produced, in two or three thoufand years, fince
the lava has laid the foundation ; I am ftill more inclined to fupport this opinion.
I am not however fo credulous as to believe, that the whole ifland was produced at
once by fire; but I rather conjecture that it has been the work of fome centuries, by
feveral cliffs and rocks having been produced at different times, whofe points have been
connected by new eruptions, and which have formed the bafis of the whole ifland.
It is very difficult to determine, whether this fuppotition has any real foundation or
not ; however I think myfelf authorized to believe it, as well from the arched figure
into which the ftreams of lava have generally formed themfelves, as from the pro-
bable conneétions of the fea and the volcanos there: I likewife believe, that from
hence it may beft be explained, why feveral iflands have been fwallowed up in great:
earthquakes, as a building may fooneft be deftroyed by tearing away the pillars on:
which it refts.
Thus I go further back with regard to the eruptions of fire in Iceland, than the
common tradition among the vulgar people there, who believe that the firft inhabitants
of the country, whom they fuppofe to have been Chriftians and [rifhmen, were fo much .
opprefled by the Norwegian colonifts, that they were forced to leave the country,
which they firft fet fire to, to revenge themfelves. We cannot however determine,
till after the arrival of the Norwegians, how often the eruptions of fire have hap–
pened. But this nation has preferved with great care whatever concerned their
place of refidence or habitation.
The firft eruption of fire, mentioned by the antient records, is the I/dborgar braun,
immediately after the arrival of the Norwegians on the welt fide of the ifland, in the
ninth century.. But it is not remarked as any thing extraordinary, only that the fire
broke out near a farm belonging to Thore; and a f{tretch of lava, ora braun, of three ©
miles in length, and two and a half in breadth, remains to this day as a monument of -
it. After this there are no eruptions mentioned till the year 1000, when the Chriftian
religion was introduced there. At atime when the chiefs of the country were aflem-
bled, to confult about the reception of the Chriftian religion, information was brough«
tha
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