ld, whether we
regard the number of volcanoes concentrated in so small a space, or the
extraordinary violence of their eruptions. Of volcanic mountains there
are no less than twenty which have been active during historical times.
Skaptar in the north, and Hecla in the south, being much the best known.
In all, twenty-three eruptions are on record.

Iceland's volcanoes rival Mount Aetna in height and magnitude, their
action has been more continuous and intense, and the range of volcanic
products is far greater than in Sicily. The latter island, indeed, is
not one-tenth of volcanic origin, while the whole of Iceland is due
to the work of subterranean forces. It is entirely made up of volcanic
rocks, and has seemingly been built up during the ages from the depths
of the seas. It is reported, indeed, that a new island, the work
of volcanic forces, appeared opposite Mount Hecla in 1563; but this
statement is open to doubt.

VOLCANOES IN ICELAND

The eruptions of the volcanoes in Iceland have been amongst the most
terrible of those carefully recorded. The cold climate of the island
and the height of the mountains produce vast quantities of snow and ice,
which cover the volcanoes and fill up the cracks and valleys in their
sides. When, therefore, an eruption commences, the intense heat of the
boiling lava, and of the steam which rushes forth from the crater, makes
the whole mountain hot, and vast masses of ice, great fields of snow,
and deluges of water roll down the hill-sides into the plains. The lava
pours from the top and from cracks in the side of the mountain, or is
ejected hundreds of feet, to fall amongst the ice and snow; and the
great masses of red-hot stone cast forth, accompanied by cinders and
fine ashes, splash into the roaring torrent, which tears up rocks in its
course and devastates the surrounding country for miles.

DREADFUL FLOODS

An eruption of Kotlugja, in 1860, was accompanied by dreadful floods. It
began with a number of earthquakes, which shook the surrounding country.
Then a dark columnar cloud of vapor was seen to rise by day from the
mountain, and by night balls of fire (volcanic bombs) and red-hot
cinders to the height of 24,000 feet (nearly five miles), which were
seen at a distance of 180 miles. Deluges of water rushed from the
heights, bearing along whole fields of ice and rocky fragments of every
size, some vomited from the volcano, but in great part torn from the
flanks of the mo