The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1875-07-22
ICELAND.
Details of the Volcanic EruptiOn-Wide-
spread Desolation

l L IGCOuU
volcanic eruption III Iceland is furnished
in report by the Rev. Dean Sigurd
Gunnarsson, dated Hallormsstad, in
Mulasysla, April "a:
On Easter Monday, early in the morn
ing, loud rumbling noises were heard to
the westward, and apparently travelling
toward the northeast, in the direction of
the mountain ranges bounding the valley
of Flotsdalsherad to the north. Pres
emily the sounds turned backward along
the southern mountains as well. The air
was heavy and Jet black toward the north
and northeast About 9 o'clock whitish
gray scoriaceous sand began to fall from
the sky, the particles averaging the size
| of grain, but In shape longer. The
dark column moved nearer and nearer,
and the darkness rapidly increased, while
the scoriaceous hail thickened at the
same rate. An 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 dis
lance of few inches from the eye. This
pitch darkness lasted for about an hour.
During the dark all glass windows APP
peared like mirrors to those inside, re-
tiecting the objects on which the light
| fell as If they had been covered outside
with a. coat of quicksilver. For four
consecutive hours it was necessary to
have lighted candles in the houses. Dur
ing 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
tremble again. The air was charged
with electricity to such an extent that
pinnacles, and staff-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 darkness wore off the fall of the
ashes abated. The dark column now
moved inland toward the upper valleys;
but, being there met by counter-cur-
rent of air, it remained at first stationary
for a while, and afterward moved
slowly down tho country along the valleys,
SO that once more the daylight was
changed into dusk, which was accom-
plished by the fall of fine ashes. After
the fall the earth was covered with a
layer of ashes and scori@ from II inches
to inches deep; coarsest where it lay
thickest, in many cases exhibiting pumice
boulders twice as large as the fist. In
these places the ashes fell hot as embers
on the ground. At first the fall of the
ashes was accompanied by foul sulphur
GUS stink, 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 un-
disturbed on. the earth. Before the fall
of the ashes the land was snowless and
pasture plentiful; but after it not crea--
trre 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 pretty stiff southwest gale blew
the ashes away from the hillocks and
mounds, except the finest part, which
remained on the esward, presenting the
appearance of a 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 pas
turage and fodder for cattle about these
! districts. But it is a great mercy that
our Heavenly Father has, as yet, spared
some of the northern and southern dis
tricts, therefore people have fled with
the greater part of their herds, and
| shortly the fight will have to be per-
formed with every remaining beast, COWS
| included, which may escape the slaugh-
| terer's knife, when the country not af-
fected with the scorie shall have devel-
oped sufficient verdure. The dwellers
in the unaffected districts have every
where shown the greatest readiness to as
| sist us, who dwell in this ash-covered
country, with all help in their power. A
most praiseworthy zeal III this respect
has been shown by the inhabitants of
| Vopnafjord, Hid, Tunga, Hjaltastadar-
.thingha, Breiddal, and elsewhere. Into
these districts enormous multitudes of
sheep have been driven from the ash
| cevered lands, and are watched there by
numbers of herdsmen. The more south
erly country sides have also indicated
! their honor when their charity has been
called in requisition.
/ From this fearful visitation all huss
bandry III this east 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. go
! In Cape Colony about 800 miles of
| railway are about to be constructed at a
cost of four or five millions sterling, and
| in New Zealand there are $50 miles of
railway in construction, and $40 more
authorized. India has already 5,872
miles of railway open, while 1,G27 miles
remain to be completed.