The broad ax., 1897-03-27
Icelandic Features.

The Ledger: Iceland offers such
exceptional advantages and opportuni-
ties to the sportsman, the tourist, the
naturalist, the mountaineer, and the
seeker Of health that, In no distant flu
ture, 1t Is destined to become the tour
list field Of Europe. The glaciers of
Switzerland, the tjords, the salmon riv-
err, and the midnight sun Of Norway
are all there, and, moreover, the vol
canoes, grottoes, and solfataras OF
Italy, on a grander scale; the pure and
clear atmosphere Of Italy, the mineral
springs Of Germany. and the geysers,
or hot springs, Of the Yellowstone
Park are all there. Nowhere has Ma
ture been 50 spendthrift in assembling
wonderful phenomena in one spot
The summer lasts from June till the
first week in October. A feature no
ticed by all travellers is the clearness
and purity Of the atmosphere, rivaling
that Of Italy; mountains are distinct AZ
a distance of 100 miles.
There Is no country in the known
world where volcanic eruptions have
been so numerous as in Iceland, or
have been spread over so large sur
face. No part of the isle is wholly free
from the marks of volcanic agency; and
1t may be truly called the abode Of sub
terranean heat. Vesuvius Is dwarfed in
to insignificance by the twenty volca-
noes of Iceland, all Of them larger.
The lava flood at the eruption In Ice
land In 1875 has been computed to
contain $1,000 millions of cubic feet,
while the largest eruption OF Vesu-
yius on record, that Of 1874, threw out
only 730, 00O, 900 Of cubic feet Of lava.
Some of the Icelandic lakes are studded
with volcanic isles, miniature quiescent
Strombolis, whose craters rise from
bases green with a prolific growth Of
angelica and grasses. Even In the bos-
ON Of the sea, on the coast, there are
hidden volcanoes. About the end Of
January. 1873, flames were observed ris-
ing from the sea some thirty miles on
Cape Reykjanes; they lasted several
months, until q terrible eruption COM
menced 200 miles away, in the interior,
when they disappeared A few years
aso rocks and islets emerged from the
sea In this place. Another volcanic
feature ia the solfatara valleys, plains
studded with a number Of low, cone
shaued hiIlocks. from whose tops jets
Of steam ascend. In other places boil
ing mud issues from the ground six
to eight feet In the air, as IN New Yea
land: Standing on the feeble crust
vhere literally fire<ard birthstone are
4, ineessant action, having before your
ewes terrible proofs Of what II going on
beneath you, enveloped In vspors, your
ears stunned with noises, is a strange
sensation.
A 20 the hot springs. those In Rsyk-
iadal. though noa the most magnificent.
sra nerhaps the most curious among
ths numerous phenomena Of this sort
An IcaIaud. On entering the valley
Won ace columns Of yapor ascending
49,. different parts Of It There Is q
.rr,har Of spertures In sort Of plat
form Of rock. The water is ~ degrees
FAHRENHEIT, and it rises two or three
s..+ into the air. A river hows through
tss v.Iley. In the midst Of which jet
- selling water issues with violence
80 8 rock raised but few feet
So, the Icy cold water Of the river
49, -, a. from this place IL the grotto
- ave a. surt, which Is 80 large that
!. - has penetrated to its inner end
- fc-nfux thess scenes Nature seems
:. s.ve deserted all her ordinary oper-
$780, ana 70 have worked only n com
$3.50 - noat tsrri1e sxtrome1