The Principal Navigations, Voyages, Traffiques and Discoveries of the English Nation
Chapter 20 : So great, &c. One Wilstenius schoolemaster of Oldenburg, in the yere 1591, sent vnto mi

So great, &c. One Wilstenius schoolemaster of Oldenburg, in the yere 1591, sent vnto mine Vncle in West Island, a short treatise which he had gathered out of the fragments of sundrie writers, concerning Island. Where we found thus written: Island is twise as great as Sicilie, &c. But Sicilie, according to Munster, hath 150. Germaine miles in compa.s.se. [Sidenote: 144.

Germaine miles in compa.s.se.] As for the circuit of our Iland, although it be not exactly knowen vnto vs, yet the ancient, constant, and receiued opinion of the inhabitants accounteth it l44 leagues; namely by the 12 promontories of Iland, which are commonly knowen, being distant one from another 12 leagues or thereabout, which two numbers being mulitplied, produce the whole summe. [Footnote: The exact area is 39,737 square miles.]

Many people, &c. One Gysserus about the yere of our Lord 1090, being bishop of Schalholten in Island, caused all the husbandmen, or countreymen of the Iland, who, in regard of their possessions were bound to pay tribute to the king, to be numbred (omitting the poorer sort with women, and the meaner sort of the communally) and he found in the East part of Island 700, in the South part 1000, in the West part 1100, in the North part 1200, to the number of 4000. inhabitants paying tribute. Now if any man will trie, he shall finde that more then halfe the Iland was at that time vnpeopled.

[Footnote: In 1875 the population was 69,800.]

SECTIO QUINTA.

[Sidenote: Munst. Frisius, Ziegler] Insula multa sui parte montosa est & inculta. Qua parte autem plana est praestat plurimum pabulo, tam laeto, vt pecus depellatur a pascuis, ne ab aruina suffocetur.

Id suffocationis periculum nullo testimomo, nec nostra nec patrum nostrorum, vel quam longe retro numeraris, memoria confirmari potest.

The same in English.

THE FIFTH SECTION.

[Sidenote: Munster. Frisius. Zieglerus.] The Iland, most part thereof, is mountainous and vntilled But that part which is plaine doth greatly abound with fodder, which is so ranke, that they are faine to driue their cattell from the pasture, least they surfet or be choaked.

That danger of surfetting or choaking was neuer heard tell of, in our fathers, grandfathers, great grandfathers or any of our predecessours dayes, be they neuer so ancient. [Footnote: In the tenth and eleventh centuries, corn and other crops seem to have been raised in considerable quant.i.ties, but at present only small crops of potatoes, turnips, and cabbages are grown. The pastures are good, and many horses, cattle, and sheep are reared.]

SECTIO s.e.xTA.

[Sidenote: Munst. Frisius.] Sunt in hac Insula montes elati in coelum, quorum vertices perpetua niue candent, radices sempiterno igne aestuant.

Primus Occidentem versus est, qui vocatur Hecla, alter crucis, tertius Helga. Item Zieglerus. Rupes siue promontorium Hecla aestuans perpetuis ignibus. Item Saxo. In hac itidem Insula mons est, qui rupem sideream perpetuae flagrationis aestibus imitatus, incendia sempiterna iugi flammarum eructatione continuat.

Miracula Islandiae Munsterus & Frisius narraturi mox in vestibulo, magno suo c.u.m incommodo impingunt. Nam quod hic de monte Hecla a.s.serunt, etsi aliquam habet veritatis speciem, tamen quod idem de duobus alijs montibus perpetuo igne aestuantibus dic.u.n.t, manifeste erroneum est. Illi enim in Islandia non extant, nec quicquam, quod huic tanto scriptorum errori occasionem dederit, imaginari possumus. Facta tamen est, sed nunc demum Anno 1581. ex monte quodam australis Islandiae, maritimo, perpetuis niuibus & glacie obducto memorabilis fumi ac flammae eruptio, magna saxorum ac cineris copia eiecta.

Caeterum ille mons longe est ab his tribus, quos auth.o.r.es commemorant, diuersissimus. Porro etsi haec de montibus ignitis maxime vera narrarent, annon naturaliter ista contingerent? An ad extruendam illam, quae mox in Munstero, Zieglero & Frisio sequitur, de orco Islandico opinionem aliquid faciunt? Ego sane nefas esse duco, his vel similibus naturae miraculis ab absurda a.s.serenda abuti, vel haec tanquam impossibilia c.u.m quadam impietate mirari. Quasi ver non concurrant in huiusmodi incendijs causae ad hanc rem satis validae. Est in horum montium radicibus materia vri aptissima, nempe sulphurea & bituminosa. Accedit aer per poros ac cauernas in terrae viscera ingressus, ac illum maximi incendij fomitem exsufflans vna c.u.m nitro, qua exsufflatione tanquam follibus quibusdam, ardentissima excitatur flamma.

Habet siquidem ignis, his ita conacnientibus, quae tria ad vrendum sunt necessaria, materiam scilicet, motum, & tandem penetrandi facultatem: Materiam quidem pinguem & humidam ideoque flammas diuturnas alentem: Motum praestat per terrae cauernas admissus aer: Penetrandi facultatem facit ignis vis inuicta, sine respiraculo esse nescientis, & incredibili conatu violenter erumpentis, atque ita (non secus ac in cuniculis machinisue seu tormentis bellicis, globi e ferro maximi, magno c.u.m fragore ac strepitu, a sulphure & nitro, e quibus pyrius puluis conficitur, excitato, eijciuntur) lapides & Saxa in ista voragine ignita, ceu quodam camino, collique facta c.u.m immodica arenae & cinerum copia, exspuentis & eiaculantis, idque vt plurimum, non sine terraemotu: qui si secundum profunditatem terrae fiat, succussio a Possidoneo appellatur vel hiatus erit, vel pulsus. Hiatu terra dehiscit: pulsu eleuatur intumescens, & nonunquam, vt inquit Plinius [Sidenote: Lib. 2. cap. 20.], motes magnas egerit: Cuiusmodi terraemotus iam mentionem fecimus, maritima Islandiae Australis Anno 1581 infestantis quique a Pontano his verbis scitissime describitur.

Ergo incerta ferens raptim vestigia, anhelus Spiritus incursat, nunc huc, nunc percitus illuc, Exploratque abitum insistens, & singula tentat, Si qua forte queat victis erumpere claustris.

Interea tremit ingentem factura ruinam Terra, suis quatiens latas c.u.m moenibus vrbes: Dissiliunt auulsa iugis immania saxa, &c.

Haec addere libuit, non qud cuiquam haec ignota esse existimemus; sed ne nos alij ignorare credant, atque ideo ad suas fabulas, quas hinc extruunt, confugere velle.

Caeterum video quid etiamnum admirationem non exiguam scriptoribus moueat, in his, quos ignoranter fingunt, tribus Islandiae montibus, videlicet c.u.m eorum basin semper ardere dicant, summitates tamen nunquam niue careant.

Porr id admirari, est praeter authoritatem tantorum virorum, quibus aetnae incendium optime notum erat, quae, c.u.m secundum Plinium hybernis temporibus niualis sit, noctibus tamen, eodem teste, semper ardet. Quare etiam secundum illos, ille mons, c.u.m adhac niuium copia obducitur, & tamen ardeat sordidarum animarum quoque erit receptaculum: id quod Heclae propter niues in summo vertice & basin aestuantem, adscribere non dubitarunt. [Sidenote: Carda.n.u.s.] Vix autem mirum esse potest, qud ignis montis radicibus latens, & nunquam, nisi rarissime erumpens, excelsa montis cac.u.mina, quae niuibus obduc.u.n.tur, non collique faciat. Nam & in Caira, altissima montis cac.u.mina niuibus semper candentia esse perhibentur: & in Beragua quidem similiter, sed 5000 pa.s.suum in coelum elata, quae niuibus nunquam liberentur, c.u.m tamen partibus tantum decem ab aequatore distent. Vtramque hanc prouinciam iuxta Pariam esse sitam accepimus. Quid? quod illa Teneriffae (quae vna, est ex insulis Canarijs, quae & fortunatae) pyramis, secundum Munsterum, 8 aut 9 milliarium Germanicorum alt.i.tudine in aera a.s.surgens, atque instar aetnae iugiter conflagrans, niues, quibus media cingitur, teste Benzone Italo, Indiae occidentalis Historico, non resoluit. Quod ipsum in nostra Hecla quid est, quod magis miremur? Atque haec ita breuiter de incendijs montanis.

Nunc illud quoque castigandum arbitramur, quod hos montes in coelum vsque attolli scribant. Habent enim nullam prae caeteris Islandiae montibus notabilem alt.i.tudinem. Precipue tertius ille Helga a Munstero appellatus, n.o.bis Helgafel. i. Sacer mons, apud monasterium eiusdem nominis, nulla sui parts tempore aestiuo nimbus obductus, nec montis excelsi, sed potius collis humilis nomen meretur, nunquam, vt initio huius sectionis dixi, de incendio suspectus. Nec ver perpetuae niues Heclae, vel paucis alijs adscribi debebant: Permultos enim habet eiusmodi montes niuosos Islandia, quos omnes vel toto anno, non facile collegerit aut connumerarit, horum praedicator & admirator Cosmographus. Quin etiam id non negligendum, quod mons Hecla non occidentem versus, vt a Munstero & Zieglero annotatum est, sed inter meridiem & orientem positus sit. Nec promontorium est: sed mons fere mediterraneus.

[Sidenote: Annales Islandiae.] Incendia perpetua ragi, &c. Quicunque perpetuam flammarum cructationem Heclae adscripserunt, toto coelo errarunt, ade, vt quoties flammas eructarit, nostrates in annales retulerint, viz.

anno Christi 1104. 1157. 1222. 1300. 1341. 1362. & 1389. Neque enim ab illo de montis incendio audire licuit, vsque ad annum 1558. quae vltima fuit in illo monte eruptio. Interea non nego, fieri posse, quin mons inferne latentes intus flammas & incendia alat, quae videlicet statis interuallis, vt hactenus annotatum est, eruperint, aut etiam forte posthac erumpant.

The same in English.

THE SIXTH SECTION

[Sidenote: Monsterus. Frisius.] There be in this Iland mountaines lift vp to the skies, whose tops being white with perpetuall snowe, their roots boile with euerlasting fire. The first is towards the West, called Hecla: the other the mountaine of the crosse: and the third Helga. Item Zieglerus. The rocke or promontone of Hecla boileth with continuall fire.

Item: Saxo. There is in this Iland also a mountaine, which resembling the starrie firmament, with perpetuall flas.h.i.+ngs of fire, continueth alwayes burning, by vncessant belching out of flames.

Munster and Frisius being about to report the woonders of Island doe presently stumble, as it were, vpon the thresholde, to the great inconuenience of them both. For that which they heere affirme of mount Hecla, although it hath some shew of trueth: notwithstanding concerning the other two mountaines, that they should burne with perpetuall fire, it is a manifest errour. For there are no such mountaines to be found in Island, nor yet any thing els (so farre foorth as wee can imagine) which might minister occasion of so great an errour vnto writers. Howbeit there was seene (yet very lately) in the yeere 1581 out of a certaine mountaine of South Island lying neere the Sea, and couered ouer with continuall snow and frost, a marueilous eruption of smoke and fire, casting vp abundance of stones and ashes. But this mountaine is farre from the other three, which the sayd authours doe mention. Howbeit, suppose that these things be true which they report of firie mountaines: is it possible therefore that they should seeme strange, or monstrous, whenas they proceed from naturall causes? What? Doe they any whit preuaile to establish that opinion concerning the h.e.l.l of Island, which followeth next after in Munster, Ziegler, and Frisius? For my part, I thinke it no way tollerable, that men should abuse these, and the like miracles of nature, to auouch absurdities, or, that they should with a kinde of impietie woonder at them, as at matters impossible. As though in these kindes of inflammations, there did not concurre causes of sufficient force for the same purpose. There is in the rootes of these mountaines a matter most apt to be set on fire, comming so neere as it doeth to the nature of brimstone and pitch. There is ayer also which insinuating it selfe by pa.s.sages, and holes, into the very bowels of the earth, doeth puffe vp the nourishment of so huge a fire, together with Salt-peter, by which puffing (as it were with certeine bellowes) a most ardent flame is kindled. [Sidenote: Three naturall causes of firie mountaines.] For, all these thus concurring fire hath those three things, which necessarily make it burne, that is to say, matter, motion, and force of making pa.s.sage: matter which is fattie and moyst, and therefore nourisheth lasting flames: motion which the ayer doeth performe, being admitted into the caues of the earth: force of making pa.s.sage, and that the inuincible might of fire it selfe (which can not be without inspiration of ayre, and can not but breake foorth with an incredible strength) doeth bring to pa.s.se: and so (euen as in vndermining trenches and engines or great warrelike ordinance, huge yron bullets are cast foorth with monstrous roaring, and cracking, by the force of kindled Brimstone, and Salt-peeter, whereof Gunne-powder is compounded) chingle and great stones being skorched in that fiery gulfe, as it were in a furnace, together with abundance of sande and ashes, are vomitted vp and discharged, and that for the most part not without an earthquake which, if it commeth from the depth of the earth, (being called by Possidonius, Succussio) it must either be either an opening or a quaking. Opening causeth the earth in some places to gape, and fall a sunder. By quaking the earth is heaued vp and swelleth, and sometimes (as Plinie saith) [Sidenote: Lib. 20. cap. 20.]

casteth out huge heaps: such an earth-quake was the same which I euen now mentioned, which in the yere 1581 did so sore trouble the South sh.o.r.e of Island. And this kinde of earth-quake is most clearkely described by Ponta.n.u.s in these verses:

The stirrng breath runnes on with stealing steppes, vrged now vp, and now enforced downe: For freedome eke tries all, it skips, it leaps, to ridde it selfe from vncouth dungeon.

Then quakes the earth as it would burst anon, The earth yquakes, and walled cities quiuer.

Strong quarries cracke, and stones from hilles doe s.h.i.+uer.

I thought good to adde these things, not that I suppose any man to be ignorant thereof: but least other men should thinke that we are ignorant, and therefore that we will runne after their fables, which they do from hence establish. But yet there is somewhat more in these three famed mountaines of Island, which causeth the sayd writers not a little to woonder, namely whereas they say that their foundations are alwayes burning, and yet for all that, their toppes be neuer dest.i.tute of snowe.

Howbeit, it beseemeth not the authority and learning of such great clearks to marueile at this, who can not but well know the flames of mount Aetna, which (according to Plinie) being full of snowe all Winter, notwithstanding (as the same man witnesseth) it doth alwayes burne. Wherefore, if we will giue credit vnto them, euen this mountaine also, sithens it is couered with snowe, and yet burneth, must be a prison of vncleane soules: which thing they haue not doubted to ascribe vnto Hecla, in regard of the frozen top, and the fine bottome. And it is no marueile that fire lurking so deepe in the roots of a mountaine, and neuer breaking forth except it be very seldome, should not be able continually to melt the snowe couering the toppe of the sayd mountaine. [Sidenote: Carda.n.u.s] For in Caira (or Capira) also, the highest toppes of the mountaine are sayd continually to be white with snowe: and those in Veragua likewise, which are fiue miles high, and neuer without snowe, being distant notwithstanding but onely 10 degrees from the equinoctiall. We haue heard that either of the forsayd Prouinces standeth neere vnto Paria. What, if in Teneriffa (which is one of the Canarie or fortunate Islands) the Pike [Footnote: The Peak.] so called, arising into the ayre, according to Munster, eight or nine Germaine miles in height, and continually flaming like Aetna: yet (as Benzo an Italian, and Historiographer of the West Indies witnesseth) is it not able to melt the girdle of snowe embracing the middest thereof. Which thing, what reason haue we more to admire in the mountaine of Hecla? And thus much briefly concerning firie mountaines.

Now that also is to be amended, whereas they write that these mountaines are lifted vp euen vnto the skies. For they haue no extraordinarie height beyond the other mountaines of Island, but especially that third mountaine, called by Munster Helga, and by vs Helgafel, that is the holy mount, standing iust by a monastery of the same name, being couered with snowe, vpon no part thereof in Summer time, neither deserueth it the name of an high mountaine, but rather of an humble hillocke, neuer yet as I sayd in the beginning of this section, so much as once suspected of burning.

Neither yet ought perpetuall snowe to be ascribed to Hecla onely, or to a few others; for Island hath very many such snowy mountaines, all which the Cosmographer (who hath so extolled and admired these three) should not easily find out, and reckon vp in a whole yere. And that also is not to be omitted, that mount Hecla standeth not towards the West, as Munster and Ziegler haue noted, but betweene the South and the East: neither is it an headland, but rather a mid-land hill.

[Sidenote: The chronicles of Island.] Continueth alwayes burning &c.

whosoeuer they be that haue ascribed vnto Hecla perpetuall belching out of flames, they are farre besides the marke: insomuch that as often as it hath bene enflamed, our countreymen haue recorded it in their yerely Chronicles for a rare accident: namely in the yeeres of Christ 1104, 1157, 1222, 1300, 1341, 1362, and 1389: For from that yeere we neuer heard of the burning of this mountaine vntill the yeere 1558, which was the last breaking foorth of fire in that mountaine. In the meane time I say not that is impossible, but that the bottome of the hill may inwardly breed and nourish flames, which at certaine seasons (as hath bene heretofore obserued) haue burst out, and perhaps may do the like hereafter. [Footnote: The surface of the country is very mountainous, but there are no definite ranges, the isolated volcanic ma.s.ses being separated by elevated plateaux of greater or less size. The whole centre is, in fact, an almost continuous desert fringed by a belt of pasture land, lying along the coast and running up the valleys of several of the greater riuers. This desert is occupied partly by snow mountains and glaciers, partly by enormous lava streams, partly by undulating plains of black volcanic sand, s.h.i.+ngle, and loose stones. This region is of course without verdure, and entirely uninhabited. The rocks are all of igneous origin, but of very different ages, traps, basalts, amygdaloids, tufas, ochres, and porous lavas. The number of active volcanoes is, at present, not great, but hot springs and mud volcanoes testify to the existence of volcanic action along a line running from the extreme south west at Cape Reykjanes to the north coast near Husavik. The only recent well ascertained eruptions have been from Hecla, Aotlugja, Skaptar Vokul, and (in 1874-5) from the mountains to the south-east of Myratu Lake. The eruption of Skaptar in 1783 is the greatest anywhere on record in respect of the quant.i.ty of lava and ashes ejected. Earthquakes are not unfrequent. The greatest mountain group is the Vatna or Klofa Yokul, on the south coast, a ma.s.s of snow and ice covering many hundred square miles, and sending down prodigious glaciers which almost reach the sea. From one of these a torrent issues, little more than a hundred yards long, and a mile and a half broad.

The line of perpetual snow ranges from 2,000 to 3,000 feet. The loftiest summits of this great mountain ma.s.s have never been ascended, but the highest point is believed to be the Orefa Yolcal, 6,405 feet. The other considerable peaks in different parts of the island are Herdubreidr (an extinct volcano), 5,290 feet, Eyjafjalla Yokul, 5,579 feet, Snaefels Yokul, 5,965 feet, and Hecla, 5,095 feet.]

SECTIO SEPTIMA.

[Sidenote: Frisius. Munst.] Montis Heclae flamma nec stuppam lucernarum luminibus aptissimam adurit, neque aqua extinguitur: Eoque impetu, quo apud nos machinis bellicis, globi eijciuntur, illinc lapides magni in aera emittuntur, ex frigoris & ignis & sulphuris commixtione. Is locus a quibusdam putatur carcer sordidarum animarum. Item Zieglerus. Is locos est carcer sordidarum animarum.

Nec stuppam adurit.) Vnde habeant Scriptores, non satis conijcitur. Haec enim nostris hominibus prorsus ignota, nec hic vnquam, nisi prodidissent illi, audita fuissent. Nemo enim est apud nos tam temerariae curiositatis, vt huius rei periculum, ardente monte, facere ansit, vel quod scire licuit, vnquam ausis fuerit. Quod tamen Munsterus a.s.serit. Qui, inquit, naturam tanti incendij contemplari cupiunt, & ob id ad montem propius accedunt, eos vna aliqua vorago viuos absorbet &c. Quae res, vt dixi, nostrae genti est ignota prorsus. Exstat tamen liber veteri Noruagorum lingua scriptus, in quo terrarum, aquarum, ignis, aeris, &c. miracula aliquot confusa reperias, pauca vera, plurima vana & falsa. Vnde facile apparet, a Sophis quibusdam, si dijs placet, in Papatu olim esse conscriptum: [Sidenote: Speculum Regale.] Speculum Regale nomen dederunt, propter vanissima mendacia, quibus totus, sed plaerumque sub religionis & pietatis praetextu (quo difficilius est fuc.u.m agnoscere) scatet speculum minime regale, sed Anile & Irregulare.

In hoc speculo figmenta quaedam de Heclae incendio, his quae nunc tractamus non multum dissimilia, habentur, nullo experimento magis quam haec stabilita, ideoque explodenda.

Caeterum ne audaculus videar, qui speculum illud Regale mendacij accusem; nullum ver ex his quae minus credibilia affert, recenseam; Accipe horum pauca Lector, quae fidem minime mereri existimarim.

1. De quadam Insula Hyberniae; quae templum & Parochiam habet: Cuius incolae decedentes non inhumantur: sed ad aggerem seu parietem coemeterij, viuorum instar erecti, consistunt perpetu: Nec vlli corruptioni, nec ruinae.

obnoxij: vt posterum quiuis suos maiores ibi quaerere & conspicere possit.

2. De altera Hyberniae Insula, vbi homines emori nequeant.

3. De omni terra & omnibus arboribus Hyberniae, quae omnibus omnin venenis resistant, serpentes & alia venenata, vbiuis terrarum, sola virtute & praesentia, etiam sine contactu, enecent.

4. De tertia Hyberniae Insula: Qud haec dimidia Diabolorum colonia facta sit. In dimidiam vero propter templum ibidem exstructum, iuris habeant nihil, licet & pastore (vt tota Insula incolis) & sacris perpetu careat: idque per naturam ita esse.

5. De quarta Hyberniae Insula, quae in lacu qudam satis vasto fluitet: cuius gramina, quibusuis morbis praessentissimum remedium existant: Insula ver ripam lacus statis temporibus accedat, idque vt plurimum, diebus Dominicis, vt tum quiuis facile eam veluti nauim quandam, ingrediatur: id quod tamen pluribus simul, per fatum licere negat. Hanc vero Insulam septimo quoque anno ripae adnasci tradit, vt a continente non discernas: In eius autem loc.u.m mox succedere alteram, priori, naturam, magnitudine & virtute consimilem: quae vnde veniat, nesciri: idque c.u.m qudam quasi tonitru contingere.

6. De venatoribus Noruegiae, qui lignum domare (sic enim loquitur, quantumuis improprie: c.u.m ligno vt non vita, ita nec domitura competat) adeo docti sint, vt a.s.seres 8. vlnas longi, plantis pedum eorundem alligati, tanta eos celeritate, vel in excelsis montibus, promoueant, vt non mod canum venaticorum, aut caprearum cursu, sed etiam auium volatu superari nequeant: atque vnico cursu, vnico etiam hastae ictu, nouem vel plures capreas feriant. [Sidenote: Gronlandia.] Haec & similia, de Hybernia, Noruegia, Islandia, Gronlandia, de aquae & aeris etiam miraculis, centonum ille magister, in suum speculum collegit: Quibus, licet suis admirationem, vulgo stuporem, n.o.bis tamen risum concitauit.

Sed Frisium audiamus. Flamma, inquit, Montis Heclae nec stuppam, lucernarum luminibus aptissimam, adurit, nec aqua extinguitur. Atqui inquam, ex Schola vestra Philosophica pet.i.tis rationibus hoc Paradoxon confirmari poterit.

Docent enim Physici, commune esse validioribus flammis omnibus vt siccis extinguantur, alantur ver humidis: Vnde etiam fabri, aqua inspersa, ignem excitare solent. c.u.m enim, aiunt, ardentior fuerit ignis, a frigido incitatur, & ab humido alitur, quorum vtrumque aquae inest. Item: Aqua solet vehementes accendere ignes: Quoniam humidum ipsum quod exhalat, pinguius redditur, nec a circ.u.mfuso fumo absumitur, sed totum ignis ipse depascitur, qu purior inde factus, ac simul collectus, a frigido alacrior inde redditur. Vnde etiam ignes artificiosi aqua minime extinguibiles. Item: Sunt sulphure & bitumine loca abundantia, quae sponte ardent, quorum flamma aqua minime extinguitur. Prodidit etiam Philosophus, Aqua ali ignem. Arist.