The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1875-07-22
From The Rer Dean Sigura Gunnarsson's Report.
DeSOlatiOn in Iceland.
HALIORMSTAD. April "a

On Easter Monday, early in the morn
ing, loud rumbling noises were heard to
the westward, and apparently travelled
toward the northeast, in the direction of
the mountain ranges bounding the valley
Of FGotsdalsherad to the north. Pres
emily the sounds turned backward along
the southern mountains as we'll. The
air was heavy and jet black toward the
north and northeast. About 8 o'clock
whitish gray scoriaceous sand began to
fall from the sky, the particles averaging
the size OF a grain, but in shape longer.
The dark column moved on nearer and
nearer, and the darkness rapidly increas-
ed, while the scoriaceous hail thickened
at the same rate. A full hour before
noon candles had to be lighted in the
houses, and at noon the darkness was as
dense as that of windowless house
even abroad the fingers OF the hand could
not be distinguished at the distance of a
few inches from the eye. The pitch
darkness lasted for about an hour. Du-
ring the dark all glass windows appeared
like mirrors to those inside, rejecting
the objects on which the light fell as if
they had been covered outside with a
coat Of quicksilver. For four consecu-
tive hours it was necessary to have light
ed candles in the houses. During all
that time the ashes and the sand were
falling thick and fast. Lightning and
claps of thunder were at the same time
seen and heard in rapid succession, and
the earth and everything seemed to trem-
BILE again. The air was charged with
electricity to such an extent that pima
cles and stad:pikes of iron, when turned
into the air, and even ones hands when
held up seemed all ablaze. But the
thunder differed from ordinary claps in
this, that it travelled in rapidly repeated
echoes across the skies. When the dark
ness wore off, the fall of the ashes aba
ted.
The dark column now moved inland
toward the upper valleys; but, being
met by counter-current of air, it re-
mained at first stationary for while, and
afterward moved slowly down country
again along the valleys, so that once more
the daylight was changed into dusk,
which was accompanied by the fall Of
fine ashes. After the fall the earth was
covered with layer of ashes and scora
from one and a half inches to eight
inches deep; coarsest where it lay thick
est, in many cases exhibiting pumice
boulders twice as large as the first. In
these places the ashes fell hot as embers
on the ground At first the fall of the
ashes was accompanied by a foul sulphur
GUS smell, which, however, very soon
vanished. When the ashes had any per-
ceptible taste it was that of salt and iron.
For three days after the fall still weather
prevailed, and the ashes lay undisturbed
on the earth. Before the fall of the
ashes the land was snowless and pasture
plentiful but after it not creature
could be let out of doors, and the sheep,
if they were let out would run as if mad
in all directions. On the fourth day a
pretty stiff southwest gale blew the ashes
away from the hillocks and mounds, ex-
ccpt the finest part, which remained on
the sward, presenting the appearance of
compact scurf. But what little good
this gale might have done was undone
the next day by wind blowing from the
northwest.
This fearful visitation has brought with
it an immense destruction Of pasturage
and fodder for cattle about these districts.
But it is great mercy that our Heavenly
Father has, as yet, spared some of the
northern and southern districts of Mu-
lasysla. Into these districts, therefore,
people have fled with the greater part of
their herds, and shortly the flight will
have to be performed with every remain
ing beast, COWS included, which may es-
capped the slaughterer's knife, when the
country not affected by the scora shall
have developed sufficient verdure. The
dwellers in the unaffected districts have
everywhere shown the greatest readiness
to assist us, who dwell in this ash-covered
country, with all help in their power.
\ most praiseworthy zeal in this respect
has been shown by the inhabitants of
Vopnafjord, Hid, Tunga, Hjaltastadar'
thingha, Brcidda|, and elsewhere. Into
these districts enormous multitudes of
sheep have been driven from the ash
covered lands, and are watched there by
numbers of herdsmen. The more south
erly country sides have also vindicated
their honor when their charity has been
called in requisition.
From this fearful visitation all husban-
dry in this cast country must come to
utter ruin, and famine and distress are
imminent. All the country sides here
which used to be considered among the
most prosperous in the country are now
the worst off; and the neighboring dis
tricts, which are free from the ashes
cannot possibly bear up against the heavy
strain which this distress must bring to
bear upon them