The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1875-10-06

Wonders Of the valley Of ShiaiIs nda dict 81
Columns az Smckc from Twenty Crttcr-
Fountains Of Fro Lshtiua UD the NIGHT.

From ne Cn,tgAaH toDherridL
Mr.. w. l.. Watts sends from brith, Scot
land, the following graphic account ~ a grand
etupti0n witnessed by him IA lcclatub last Au-
gust;
Of Leblanc, I stopped ON SUNDAY. Any. 10, at
Stotavclls, In tho valley Of SNJLfndailjot,
whore received the Intelligence that ashes haa
fallen that moruin, rt IN adj cent RIM.
During the previous night man had arrived
from GrImstatnta. tirm upon the eastern aud
Upposi'e side oi The Myvatns Orwtl. Hcrcuortcd
that between 10 lnd II on SUNDAY inprning. Aug.
u, smart shock ~ earthquake was fclt at
Grimstathls. travelling from northeast tO south
smoke were secn upon the piain of Myvatns
OrUt, ard forthwith an eruption commenced
from the sare placa-as last > ring. up0n Aug;
II. accompanied nv n farmer from Granavftn.
set out for the eruption. Upon entering valley
through the mountains Of AiyNntn, nv which We
intended To gain access TO che Nyvatns OrUtl. a
few columns of smoke In the distance warned
rs that the eruption lay before ~. Upon
emerging from the glen. "a line OF some twenty
columns ~ smoke burst upon our view, at
the north, IN end Of whirh lay two clus-
icrs Of black mounds In close proximity.
columns OF dense BLACK smoke, which strug
gled to ascend. hut were beaten back 10
earth again nv the wind In "A FOUL hoavy mist,
winch spread itself out for miles over the lava
streams, both old and new. watch lay To the
eastward, chneing to the ltirher crwa IN dark
ua.ii,lls masses, and osscurng large patches OF
the more level plain. From iis height or to the
north. high column ~ stones, ashes and dust
proclaimed the principal volcano vent. sud
denly with n roar, every particle seemed on
n-c. explosion after explosion casting the larger
fragments TO a height beyond our View m The
dense canopy of vapOr which hung over US,
making the ground uDon which we stood anu
the rocks round US trpmble. Lava then pour
ed over Its more nurtherly side. the large
column OF Ere sank, and stones aud cindcrs
were alcne elected. Ihis column uf debris CON
sometimes clustering like large swarm 81
bees in the smoke. apparently scarcely one
hundred feet above the crater ahJ other times
ltshut up IN large column WIN Explosive vio-
lence, the masses OF scorm shrlclNnR In their
passage through the air, Then came calm,
aud with a rending sound new crater opened
IN the north side ot the mound, from which
stream OF white hot lava tumbled IN dde
OF fiery froth upon the old lava stream ~ last
sgrinr where dense smoke and the sound Of
splitting rocks marked It's progress, tll " oozed
In bright red viscid masses through the inter
stices Of the older lava. forming pools which
glowcd for moment, aud turned black beyond
the limit Of the elder str am.
- IL was now a dim twilight. though only ST.
NJ We stopped amid n patch of wild oats, which
grow profusely upon many parts OF these sands,
leaving our horses To iced wnile We took our
evening meal upon a sand hank commanding a
full view Of the eruption. now httle more than
a mite away Our horses did not appear particu-
larlN frightened at the eruption. but fOr half an
hour stood quietly looking NJ II. and then took
quietly To grazing. UpOn approaching the voi-
cano as closely a. the heated lava would chow
| found II 10 consist Of cluster of hack
mounds, which together described an irregular
coUe. In tho centre Of which, probably toward
the termination OF the eruption OF last spring "a
large crater had been formed a little more than
half amile In circumference. the north wall ~
Mnlcn mai neen broktu uoNIls FFoNl lllf centre
OF this rose the comic i walls NJ the crater TINT
was now 'erupting In the north side OF this
was likewise breach. through winch, from
time to time. the lava poured Prom this
cone n dense column OF whIte-hot atoms aud
fiery fragments was beins elected 10 the
height OF perhaps 30 or ~ feet. Very
little smoke WAS mitei from the cone,
nd tue many cracks IA Its sides enabled
the glow from the intense ilro within to chine
through with such brillnncy that " gave tue
cone the appearance Of being wrapped IN flames.
Two smaller Cratcrs were now viIblc-One In
the north base uf the mound. aud one a short
distance IN the lava itself still further north
They were burning with brilliant white hight
emitting a rcndin.. crushing sound, but ~ tins
period they were 'erupung with little violence
From these two cratcfs the PRINCIPAL lava
streams were flowing. which now advanced
with considerable rapidity, encirclin- from time
To time patches OF the ancient lava and sand
which form the plain. and finally overwhelming
them In It, fiery embrace. Night had now
closed In, and ~ heated lava and the noxious
gases from II prevented me getting any nearer
than a few hundred Yards from the principal
crater 1T my pine at the nearest lava, ana re-
turned To- camp. There, sitting BY my tent uuon
the high bank u volcanic sand. Tor a long time
sat gazing at the grand glorious spectacle Of the
vast fountains OF fire that IN a continuous steam
assHil.d the sky.
% No damage had boon done Nv this eruption
when | lrt a. Al Iceland