登陆注册
15425500000027

第27章 LETTER VII(9)

I do not know that I can give you a better notion of the appearance of the place than by saying that it looked as if--for about a quarter of a mile--the ground had been honey-combed by disease into numerous sores and orifices;not a blade of grass grew on its hot,inflamed surface,which consisted of unwholesome-looking red livid clay,or crumpled shreds and shards of slough-like incrustations.

Naturally enough,our first impulse on dismounting was to scamper off at once to the Great Geysir.As it lay at the furthest end of the congeries of hot springs,in order to reach it we had to run the gauntlet of all the pools of boiling water and scalding quagmires of soft clay that intervened,and consequently arrived on the spot with our ankles nicely poulticed.But the occasion justified our eagerness.A smooth silicious basin,seventy-two feet in diameter and four feet deep,with a hole at the bottom as in a washing-basin on board a steamer,stood before us brimful of water just upon the simmer;while up into the air above our heads rose a great column of vapour,looking as if it was going to turn into the Fisherman's Genie.The ground about the brim was composed of layers of incrusted silica,like the outside of an oyster,sloping gently down on all sides from the edge of the basin.

[Figure:fig-p067.gif with caption A Basin.

B Funnel.]

Having satisfied our curiosity with this cursory inspection of what we had come so far to see,hunger compelled us to look about with great anxiety for the cook;and you may fancy our delight at seeing that functionary in the very act of dishing up dinner on a neighbouring hillock.

Sent forward at an early hour,under the chaperonage of a guide,he had arrived about two hours before us,and seizing with a general's eye the key of the position,at once turned an idle babbling little Geysir into a camp-kettle,dug a bake-house in the hot soft clay,and improvising a kitchen-range at a neighbouring vent,had made himself completely master of the situation.It was about one o'clock in the morning when we sat down to dinner,and as light as day.

As the baggage-train with our tents and beds had not yet arrived,we fully appreciated our luck in being treated to so dry a night;and having eaten everything we could lay hands on,were sat quietly down to chess,and coffee brewed in Geysir water;when suddenly it seemed as if beneath our very feet a quantity of subterraneous cannon were going off;the whole earth shook,and Sigurdr,starting to his feet,upset the chess-board (I was just beginning to get the best of the game),and flung off full speed towards the great basin.By the time we reached its brim,however,the noise had ceased,and all we could see was a slight movement in the centre,as if an angel had passed by and troubled the water.Irritated at this false alarm,we determined to revenge ourselves by going and tormenting the Strokr.Strokr--or the churn--you must know,is an unfortunate Geysir,with so little command over his temper and his stomach,that you can get a rise out of him whenever you like.All that is necessary is to collect a quantity of sods,and throw them down his funnel.As he has no basin to protect him from these liberties,you can approach to the very edge of the pipe,about five feet in diameter,and look down at the boiling water which is perpetually seething at the bottom.In a few minutes the dose of turf you have just administered begins to disagree with him;he works himself up into an awful passion--tormented by the qualms of incipient sickness,he groans and hisses,and boils up,and spits at you with malicious vehemence,until at last,with a roar of mingled pain and rage,he throws up into the air a column of water forty feet high,which carries with it all the sods that have been chucked in,and scatters them scalded and half-digested at your feet.

So irritated has the poor thing's stomach become by the discipline it has undergone,that even long after all the foreign matter has been thrown off,it goes on retching and sputtering,until at last nature is exhausted,when,sobbing and sighing to itself,it sinks back into the bottom of its den.

Put into the highest spirits by the success of this performance,we turned away to examine the remaining springs.I do not know,however,that any of the rest are worthy of particular mention.They all resemble in character the two I have described,the only difference being that they are infinitely smaller,and of much less power and importance.One other remarkable formation in the neighbourhood must not be passed unnoticed.Imagine a large irregular opening in the surface of the soft white clay,filled to the very brim with scalding water,perfectly still,and of as bright a blue as that of the Grotto Azzuro at Capri,through whose transparent depths you can see down into the mouth of a vast subaqueous cavern,which runs,Heaven knows how far,in a horizontal direction beneath your feet.Its walls and varied cavities really looked as if they were built of the purest lupis lazuli--and so thin seemed the crust that roofed it in,we almost fancied it might break through,and tumble us all into the fearful beautiful bath.

Having by this time taken a pretty good look at the principal features of our new domain,I wrapped myself up in a cloak and went to sleep;leaving orders that Ishould not be called until after the tent had arrived,and our beds were ready.Sigurdr followed my example,but the Doctor went out shooting.

同类推荐
  • 梵摩渝经

    梵摩渝经

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。
  • 禅林备用清规

    禅林备用清规

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。
  • 孤忠后录

    孤忠后录

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。
  • 阿难四事经

    阿难四事经

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。
  • 戒庵老人漫笔

    戒庵老人漫笔

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。
热门推荐
  • 狂帝夺妻:肚子里的娃娃是我的

    狂帝夺妻:肚子里的娃娃是我的

    一次无奈的穿越,让她成为狂帝的女人,“杀!”微笑着开口,顿时鲜血四溢,她狂,因为她是狂帝的女人,她拽,因为当代皇子都要让她三分,她炫,因为高级灵兽都可以当她的宠物;“我想睡了你”“即是她想要,将你的命双手奉上又有何妨?”一次次宠溺竟然她彻底沦陷,生了他的孩子必有大患又如何?他定会保她一辈安乐。“孩子生下来你养,我不管你怎么养,待我回来时孩子如果受了委屈,我立刻回娘家。”“爱妃,不要~”
  • 网游之倩女盛世

    网游之倩女盛世

    随着电视剧《微微一笑很倾城》的强势播出,新倩女幽魂这款游戏走向巅峰。主人公蔡阳是一位大四的学生,他因为中了电视剧的毒投入到了倩女的世界里。在经历各种游戏起伏与生活压力后,蔡阳打出了一身极品装备,练就一手炫酷操作。从此拥得美人、名震江湖。
  • 福妻驾到

    福妻驾到

    现代饭店彪悍老板娘魂穿古代。不分是非的极品婆婆?三年未归生死不明的丈夫?心狠手辣的阴毒亲戚?贪婪而好色的地主老财?吃上顿没下顿的贫困宭境?不怕不怕,神仙相助,一技在手,天下我有!且看现代张悦娘,如何身带福气玩转古代,开面馆、收小弟、左纳财富,右傍美男,共绘幸福生活大好蓝图!!!!快本新书《天媒地聘》已经上架开始销售,只要3.99元即可将整本书抱回家,你还等什么哪,赶紧点击下面的直通车,享受乐乐精心为您准备的美食盛宴吧!)
  • 寒门孤儿的商业帝国

    寒门孤儿的商业帝国

    他出身寒门,却又生于传说中的风水宝地,童稚少年,确真表现出高奇才气,从小就被家族寄予厚重的寄托与希望,历经一次次奇遇,受到一次次培育,所有的历练都是极大人生财富,长大后势道却一次比一次衰落,成功、失败,再成功、再失败,起起伏伏,朋友的背叛、亲人的离散、敌人的打压,一次又一次的算计,一个又一个圈套,令人目不暇接,防不胜防!但是………
  • 仙魔之争:幻族奇遇

    仙魔之争:幻族奇遇

    一个女孩,两个男孩,一个过去,一个现在,双生纠葛,冷热交杂,幻影三千,孰真孰假?一个男人,一个女人,一个魔尊,一个护法。三生三世,身世迷离,相见不相识,空留一世悲哀。拔剑相向,逐日追月,可昭星辰,一世有缘,两世无分,同是男儿,能奈我何?只恨你我同为男子,愿来世我为女子,君为夫……一切的一切,穿越时间与空间,他们的选择,他们,是否可以相守,不负心?
  • 山海问剑

    山海问剑

    落魄载酒江湖行山海飘零叹忘情此去昆仑空离恨遥看九霄太微星
  • 欢喜情侣:我们都会好好爱

    欢喜情侣:我们都会好好爱

    她等了四年,等来他的一句:我们分手吧!他一个电话,终是负了她!爸爸一句:你26岁前不结婚,就只能到32岁才能遇到合适的。她吃定了这颗:定心丸。遇见了,不管距离多远,你捏造不出缘分,我编造不出情感,一切发生的自然而然……“老婆……”大清早,她第一次被这样叫,心里暖暖的,那种暖,让她说不出口的沦陷。“现在,你是我的,你的一切都是我的。”他说的霸道,笑的嘻皮笑脸,眼神里总流露着逗她的味道!“你变了,真的跟结婚前不一样了,呜呜……”
  • 福妻驾到

    福妻驾到

    现代饭店彪悍老板娘魂穿古代。不分是非的极品婆婆?三年未归生死不明的丈夫?心狠手辣的阴毒亲戚?贪婪而好色的地主老财?吃上顿没下顿的贫困宭境?不怕不怕,神仙相助,一技在手,天下我有!且看现代张悦娘,如何身带福气玩转古代,开面馆、收小弟、左纳财富,右傍美男,共绘幸福生活大好蓝图!!!!快本新书《天媒地聘》已经上架开始销售,只要3.99元即可将整本书抱回家,你还等什么哪,赶紧点击下面的直通车,享受乐乐精心为您准备的美食盛宴吧!)
  • 桃花别处起长歌

    桃花别处起长歌

    少年青梅伴竹马,金屋藏娇铸佳话。燕尔新婚尚在,夫君却已同那红楼楚馆的雅妓许了终生。本欲隐忍不发,守着浪子回头。不料刚劫中险求生,又陷阴谋。郎君既无情负弃,莫怪他日妾身见面不相识!
  • 探索改革(中国近代历史大事详解)

    探索改革(中国近代历史大事详解)

    中国历史渊源流长,博大精深,是国人精神底蕴之所在,是民族长盛不衰之根本。认识历史,了解历史,是每一位中国人所必须面对的人生课题。本套丛书浓缩了华夏五千年的风雨历程,以一个全新角度纵览中华民族的辉煌历史。全书以全新史料,记述了上溯古代,下至公元1912年的中国历史进程。内容涵盖政治、经济、军事、科技、文化、艺术、外交、法律、宗教、民俗等方方面面。内容详实,存真去伪。并由历史国学权威学者、专家最终审定。