Full resolution (JPEG) - On this page / på denna sida - Pages ...
<< prev. page << föreg. sida << >> nästa sida >> next page >>
Below is the raw OCR text
from the above scanned image.
Do you see an error? Proofread the page now!
Här nedan syns maskintolkade texten från faksimilbilden ovan.
Ser du något fel? Korrekturläs sidan nu!
This page has never been proofread. / Denna sida har aldrig korrekturlästs.
698 VON TROIL’s LETTERS ON ICELAND.
The opening through which this water iffued was not fo wide as the other: we imae
gined it poflible to {top up the hole entirely by throwing large ftones into it, and even
flattered ourfelves that our attempt had fucceeded ; but to our great aftonifhment the
water gufhed forth in a very violent manner, which fhews how little the weak efforts
of man avail, when they endeavour to prefcribe bounds to the works of nature. We
haftened to the pipe, and found all the ftones thrown afide, and the water playing freely
through its former channel.
In thefe large {fprings the waters were hot in the higheft degree, and tafted a little of
fulphur, but in other refpects were pure and clear. In the fmaller fprings in the neigh-
bourhood the water was tainted; in fome it was as muddy as that of a clay-pit, in others
as white as milk; and yet there are a few {prings where the water forces itfelf through
a fire underneath. as red as blood.
I have already obferved, that near moft of thefe fprings and /vers there are baths,
which are frequently vifited by the natives: there are alfo in many places dry and
{weating-baths. Eggert Olafsen mentions one of thefe baths at Huufevik, in North
Iceland ; and I had the curiofity of feeing one of them at Thibfaarholt, not far from
Skallholt, which confifted of a hut raifed of earth, into which hot fteams arofe from
many holes. Fahrenheit’s thermometer, which was at 57 degrees in the open air, rofe
to 93 in the hut whilft it was open, and when it was placed in one of the litle openings
the {team arofe to 125.
LETTER XXII.—tTo proressor BERGMAN.
Of the Pillars of Bafalt.
Stockholm, June 6, 1773.
Amonce the effeéts of fire, fome of which are extremely dreadful, and all of them
very extraordinary and remarkable, none have in latter times attracted more attention
than thofe large regular pillars known by the name of Bafalts. ‘There had formerly
been hardly any places obferved in Europe where this kind of ftone was found, the
Giant’s Caufeway excepted; and the greater part of our mineralogiils have, if 1 am not
miftaken, confidered them as a kind of cryftalization. Mr. Defmarets was the firlt who
maintained, in a diflertation prefented to the ’rench academy of {ciences, that they were
produced by fire, wherein he defcribed fome bafalts found near St. Sandour, in Au-
vergue.
‘Chis opinion at firft appeared almoft abfurd to our natural hiftorians, as it was not
believed that volcanoes had ever been in thefe places where bafalt pillars were found.
This new difcovery however occafioned a more exact enquiry concerning other
places where thefe pillars are met with. All thefe enquiries only ferved to confirm
Mr. Defmaret’s opinion, by proving that thefe bafalt pillars muft have been produced
by fubterraneous fires.
“There is no one furely will entertain the leaft doubt of a fubterraneous fire haying’
formerly exiited where thefe pillars now ftand, as at Stolpenftein in Meiifen ; near Lau-
ban in Lufatia; in Bohemia; near Leignitz in Silefia; near Brandau in Heffia; in
Sicily ; near Bolfenna, Montebell9, and St. Forio in Italy ; near St. Lucas in the dif-
trict of St. Vicenza; near Monte Roffo in the Paduan diftrict, and Monte Diavolo in,
the mountains of Verona; in Lower Languedoc; in Iceland, and in the weftern iflands
of Scotland ; which you, Sir, have all mentioned in your Cofmography. Alfio in St.
Giovanni, Monte Cajtello, Monte Nuovo, Monte Oliveto, near Cadair Idris in Wales,
in in
<< prev. page << föreg. sida << >> nästa sida >> next page >>
