It seems there are generally about five or six eruptions of each of the two great Geysers, within twenty-four hours. But while we were on the spot, many of the smaller springs spouted up much oftener, and one bustling little thing darted out its waters in all directions, three or four times in an hour.
We did not see any jet from the great Geyser above one hundred feet high; but some travellers have asserted that they are at times two or three hundred feet in height. It would appear that the force of the Geysers varies considerably, and in some instances is affected by the earthquakes which often happen here; some of which seem to cripple, and others to strengthen them.
Some of the water of the great Geyser falls over the edge of the basin into a deep hole in the rock below, which makes a capital warm bath, for by the time the water reaches it, it is of the desirable coolness. I can assure you, we enjoyed a bathe in it very much indeed.
There are several other springs in Iceland of nearly the same character, and the most remarkable are the Hot Springs of Reykium. The largest of these has two openings, from one of which the water is incessantly flowing to the height of six or eight feet; the other opening is about ten feet distant, and is surrounded by an incrusted brim, like that of the great Geyser. The eruptions take place from this about fifteen times in twenty-four hours, to the height of about thirty feet, accompanied with a great deal of steam.
There is also a most wonderful spring in Reykium, called the Badstofa. It flows into a great cave, from the bottom of which the water keeps on retreating and flowing like the waves of the sea, with a deep rumbling sound for some time before the eruption, when the water rushes up to the height of nearly twenty feet.
About half a mile from this place, there are some Hot Springs that rise in the bed of a river, and force themselves quite through the cold water which covers them.
THE SULPHUR MOUNTAINS AND SULPHUR SPRINGS.
There is a wonderful place in Iceland, which I am sure you would like to hear about. It is in the south-west part of the island nearer the sea than the Geysers. Nearly the whole region consists of sulphur, and hot clay, and hot dirty water, and it contains some mountains, called the Sulphur Mountains, from which great quantities of sulphur are collected by the peasants, and sent to the continent of Europe for sale.
The vapour that is always rising from this wretched-looking country, makes a sort of crust over the hot clay; and you will sometimes come to a spot that appears solid, and as you go over it, your horse's hoofs will make holes which will send out steam like little cauldrons. A gentleman who would go over one of these on foot, got terribly scalded by the crust breaking away under him.