letters from high latitudes-第13章

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　immediately　after　our　arrival　recommenced；and　once　an　eruption　to　the　height　of　about　ten　feet　occurred；　but　so　brief　was　its　duration；　that　by　the　time　we　were　on　the　spot；　although　the　tent　was　not　eighty　yards　distant；　all　was　over。　As　after　every　effort　of　the　fountain　the　water　in　the　basin　mysteriously　ebbs　back　into　the　funnel；　this　performance；　though　unsatisfactory　in　itself；　gave　us　an　opportunity　of　approaching　the　mouth　of　the　pipe；　and　looking　down　into　its　scalded　gullet。　　In　an　hour　afterwards；　the　basin　was　brimful　as　ever。

Tethered　down　by　our　curiosity　to　a　particular　spot　for　an　indefinite　period；　we　had　to　while　away　the　hours　as　best　we　could。　We　played　chess；　collected　specimens；　photographed　the　encampment；　the　guides；　the　ponies；　and　one　or　two　astonished　natives。　Every　now　and　then　we　went　out　shooting　over　the　neighbouring　flats；　and　once　I　ventured　on　a　longer　expedition　among　the　mountains　to　our　left。　　The　views　I　got　were　beautiful；ridge　rising　beyond　ridge　in　eternal　silence；　like　gigantic　ocean　waves；　whose　tumult　has　been　suddenly　frozen　into　stone；but　the　dread　of　the　Geysir　going　off　during　my　absence　made　me　almost　too　fidgety　to　enjoy　them。　The　weather　luckily　remained　beautiful；　with　the　exception　of　one　little　spell　of　rain；　which　came　to　make　us　all　the　more　grateful　for　the　sunshine；and　we　fed　like　princes。　Independently　of　the　game；　duck；　plover；　ptarmigan；　and　bittern；　with　which　our　own　guns　supplied　us；　a　young　lamb　was　always　in　the　larder；not　to　mention　reindeer　tongues；　skier；a　kind　of　sour　curds；　excellent　when　well　made；milk；　cheese　whose　taste　and　nature　baffles　description；　biscuit　and　bread；　sent　us　as　a　free　gift　by　the　lady　of　a　neighbouring　farm。　In　fact；　so　noble　is　Icelandic　hospitality；　that　I　really　believe　there　was　nothing　within　fifty　miles　round　we　might　not　have　obtained　for　the　asking；　had　we　desired　it。　As　for　Fitz；　he　became　quite　the　enfant　gate　of　a　neighbouring　family。

Having　unluckily　caught　cold；　instead　of　sleeping　in　the　tent；　he　determined　to　seek　shelter　under　a　solid　roof…tree；　and；　conducted　by　our　guide　Olaf；　set　off　on　his　pony　at　bed…time　in　search　of　a　habitation。　The　next　morning　he　reappeared　so　unusually　radiant　that　I　could　not　help　inquiring　what　good　fortune　had　in　the　meantime　befallen　him：　upon　which　he　gave　me　such　an　account　of　his　last　night's　reception　at　the　farm；　that　I　was　almost　tempted　to　bundle　tent　and　beds　down　the　throat　of　our　irritable　friend　Strokr；　and　throw　myself　for　the　future　upon　the　hospitality　of　the　inhabitants。　It　is　true；　I　had　read　in　Van　Troil　of　something　of　the　kind；　but　until　now　I　never　fully　believed　it。　The　Doctor　shall　tell　his　own　history。

〃No　sooner；〃　said　he；　〃had　I　presented　myself　at　the　door；　and　made　known　my　errand；　than　I　was　immediately　welcomed　by　the　whole　family；　and　triumphantly　inducted　into　the　guest　quarters：　everything　the　house　could　produce　was　set　before　me；　and　the　whole　society　stood　by　to　see　that　I　enjoyed　myself。　As　I　had　but　just　dined　an　additional　repast　was　no　longer　essential　to　my　happiness；　but　all　explanation　was　useless；　and　I　did　my　best　to　give　them　satisfaction。　Immediately　on　rising　from　the　table；　the　young　lady　of　the　house（old　Van　Troil　says　it　is　either　the　mother　or　the　daughter　of　the　house；　if　she　be　grown　up；　who　performs　this　office）proposed　by　signs　to　conduct　me　to　my　apartment；　taking　in　one　hand　a　large　plate　of　skier；　and　in　the　other　a　bottle　of　brandy；　she　led　the　way　through　a　passage　built　of　turf　and　stones　to　the　place　where　I　was　to　sleep。　Having　watched　her　depositnot　without　misgivings；　for　I　knew　it　was　expected　both　should　be　disposed　of　before　morningthe　skier　by　my　bedside；　and　the　brandy…bottle　under　the　pillow；　I　was　preparing　to　make　her　a　polite　bow；　and　to　wish　her　a　very　good　night；　when　she　advanced　towards　me；　and　with　a　winning　grace　difcult　to　resist；　insisted　upon　helping　me　off　with　my　coat；　and　then；proceeding　to　extremities；with　my　shoes　and　stockings。　At　this　most　critical　part　of　the　proceedings；　I　naturally　imagined　her　share　of　the　performance　would　conclude；　and　that　I　should　at　last　be　restored　to　that　privacy　which　at　such　seasons　is　generally　considered　appropriate。　　Not　a　bit　of　it。　Before　I　knew　where　I　was；　I　found　myself　sitting　in　a　chair；　in　my　shirt；　trouserless；　while　my　fair　tire…woman　was　engaged　in　neatly　folding　up　the　ravished　garments　on　a　neighbouring　chair。　She　then　in　the　most　simple　manner　in　the　world；　helped　me　into　bed；　tucked　me　up；　and　having　said　a　quantity　of　pretty　things　in　Icelandic；　gave　me　a　hearty　kiss　and　departed。　If；〃　he　added；　〃you　see　anything　remarkable　in　my　appearance；　it　is　probably　because

　　　'This　very　morn　I've　felt　the　sweet　surprise　　　　　Of　unexpected　lips　on　sealed　eyes；'〃

by　which　he　poetically　intimated　the　pleasing　ceremony　which　had　awaked　him　to　the　duties　of　the　day。　I　think　it　needless　to　subjoin　that　the　Doctor's　cold　did　not　get　better　as　long　as　we　remained　in　the　neighbourhood；　and　that；　had　it　not　been　for　the　daily　increasing　fire　of　his　looks；　I　should　have　begun　to　be　alarmed　at　so　protracted　an　indisposition。

We　had　now　been　keeping　watch　for　three　days　over　the　Geysir；　in　languid　expectation　of　the　eruption　which　was　to　set　us　free。　All　the　morning　of　the　fourth　day　I　had　been　playing　chess　with　Sigurdr；　Fitzgerald　was　photographing；　Wilson　was　in　the　act　of　announcing　luncheon；　when　a　cry　from　the　guides　made　us　start　to　our　feet；　and　with　one　common　impulse　rush　towards　the　basin。　The　usual　subterranean　thunders　had　already　commenced。　A　violent　agitation　was　disturbing　the　centre　of　the　pool。　Suddenly　a　dome　of　water　lifted　itself　up　to　the　height　of　eight　or　ten　feet；then　burst；　and　fell；　immediately　after　which　a　shining　liquid　column；　or　rather　a　sheaf　of　columns　wreathed　in　robes　of　vapour；　sprung　into　the　air；　and　in　a　succession　of　jerking　leaps；　each　higher　than　the　last；　flung　their　silver　crests　against　the　sky。　For　a　few　minutes　the　fountain　held　its　own；　then　all　at　once　appeared　to　lose　its　ascending　energy。　　The　unstable　waters　faltered；　drooped；　fell；　〃like　a　broken　purpose；〃　back　upon　themselves；　and　were　immediately　sucked　down　into　the　recesses　of　their　pipe。

The　spectacle　was　certainly　magnificent；　but　no　description　can　give　any　idea　of　its　most　striking　features。　The　enormous　wealth　of　water；　its　vitality；　its　hidden　power；the　illimitable　breadth　of　sunlit　vapour；　rolling　out　in　exhaustless　profusion；all　combined　to　make　one　feel　the　stupendous　energy　of　nature's　slightest　movements。

And　yet　I　do　not　believe　the　exhibition　was　so　fine　as　some　that　have　been　seen：　from　the　first　burst　upwards　to　the　moment　the　last　jet　retreated　into　the　pipe；　was　no　more　than　a　space　of　seven　or　eight　minutes；　and　at　no　moment　did　the　crown　of　the　column　reach　higher　than　sixty　or　seventy　feet　above　the　surface　of　the　basin。　Now；　early　travellers　talk　of　three　hundred　feet；　which　must；　of　course；　be　fabulous；　but　many　trustworthy　persons　have　judged　the　eruptions　at　two　hundred　feet；　while　well…authenticated　accountswhen　the　elevation　of　the　jet　has　been　actually　measuredmake　it　to　have　attained　a　height　of　upwards　of　one　hundred　feet。

With　regard　to　the　internal　machinery　by　which　these　waterworks　are　set　in　motion；　I　will　only　say　that　the　most　received　theory　seems　to　be　that　which　supposes　the　existence　of　a　chamber　in　the　heated　earth；　almost；　but　not　quite；　filled　with　water；　and　communicating　with　the　upper　air　by　means　of　a　pipe；　whose　lower　orifice；　instead　of　being　in　the　roof；　is　at　the　side　of　the　cavern；　and　BELOW　the　surface　of　the　subterranean　pond。　The　water　kept　by　the　surrounding　furnaces　at　boiling　point；　generates　of　course　a　continuous　supply　of　steam；　for　which　some　vent　must　be　obtained；　as　it　cannot　escape　by　the　funnel；　the　lower　mouth　of　which　is　under　water；　it　squeezes　itself　up　within　the　arching　roof；　until　at　last；　compressed　beyond　all　endurance；　it　strains　against　the　rock；　and　pushing　down　the　intervening　waters　with　its　broad；　strong　back；　forces　them　below　the　level　of　the　funnel；　and　dispersing　part；　and　driving　part　before　it；　rushes　forth　in　triumph　to　the　upper　air。　The　fountains；　therefore；　that　we　see　mounting　to　the　sky　during　an　eruption；　are　nothing　but　the　superincumbent　mass　of　waters　in　the　pipe　driven　up　in　confusion　before　the　steam　at　the　moment　it　obtains　its　liberation。　＇Footnote：　Professor　Bunsen　has　lately　announced　a　chemical　theory；　which　I　believe　has　been　received　with　favour　by　the　scientific　world。　He　points　to　the　fact　that　water；　after　being　long　subjected　to　heat；　loses　much　of　the　air　contained　in　it；　has　the　cohesion　of　its　molecules　much　increased；　and　requires　a　higher　temperature　to　bring　it　to　boil；　at　which　moment　the　production　of　vapour　becomes　so　great；　and　so　instantaneous；　as　to　cause　explosion。　The　bursting　of　furnace　boilers　is　often　attributable　to　this　cause。　Now；　the　water　at　the　bottom　of　the　well　of　the　Great　Geysir　is　found　to　be　of　constantly　increasing　temperature　up　to　the　moment　of　an　eruption；　when　on　one　occasion　it　was　as　high　as　261　degrees。　　Fahrenheit。　Professor　Bunsen's　idea　is；　that　on　reaching　some　unknown　point　above　that　temperature；　ebullition　takes　place；　vapour　is　suddenly　generated　in　enormous　quantity；　and　an　eruption　of　the　superior　column　of　water　is　the　consequence。＇

The　accompanying　sketch　may　perhaps　help　you　to　understand　my　meaning。

＇Figure：　fig…p074。gif＇

The　last　gulp　of　water　had　disappeared　down　the　funnel。　We　were　standing　at　the　bottom　of　the　now　empty　basin；　gazing　into　each　other's　faces　with　joyous　astonishment；　when　suddenly　we　perceived　a　horseman　come　frantically　galloping　round　the　base　of　the　neighbouring　hill　towards　us。　　The　state　of　the　case　was　only　too　evident。　He　had　seen　the　masses　of　vapour　rising　round　the　fountain；　and　guessing　〃what　was　UP〃；　had　strained　every　nerve　to　arrive　in　time。　　As　there　was　no　mutual　friend　present　to　introduce　us　to　each　other；of　course　under　ordinary　circumstances　I　should　have　wrapped　myself　in　that　reserve　which　is　the　birthright　of　every　Briton；　and　pretended　never　even　to　have　noticed　his　arrival；　but　the　sight　we　had　just　seen　had　quite　upset　my　nerves；and　I　confess；　with　shame；　that　I　so　far　compromised　myself；　as　to　inaugurate　a　conversation　with　the　stranger。　In　extenuation　of　my　conduct；　I　must　be　allowed　to　add；　that　the　newcomer　was　not　a　fellow…countryman；　but　of　the　French　tongue；　and　of　the　naval　profession。

Occupying　then　the　door　of　my　tentby　way　of　vantage　ground；　as　soon　as　the　stranger　was　come　within　earshot；　I　lifted　up　my　voice；　and　cried　in　a　style　of　Arabian　familiarity；　〃O　thou　that　ridest　so　furiously；weary　and　disappointed　one；turn　in；　I　pray　thee；　into　the　tent　of　thy　servant；　and　eat　bread；　and　drink　wine；　that　thy　soul　may　becomforted。〃　To　which　he　answered　and　said；　〃Man；dweller　in　sulphureous　places；I　will　not　eat　bread；　nor　drink　wine；　neither　will　I　enter　into　thy　tent；　until　I　have　measured　out　a　resting…place　for　my　Lord　the　Prince。〃

At　this　interesting　moment　our　acquaintance　was　interrupted　by　the　appearance　of　two　other　horsementhe　one　a　painter；　the　other　a　geologistattached　to　the　expedition　of　Prince　Napoleon。　They　informed　us