Note 76 — SECTION II. PHYSICAL GEOGRAPHY OF ICELAND.

This eruption is reported to have discharged a mass of lava greater in bulk than Mount Etna. According to Henderson (i. 274-289, who borrows from the account of Chief-Justice Stephensen), it destroyed 9336 human beings, 28,000 horses, 11,461 head of cattle, and 190,488 sheep. This mortality resulted either directly from the ejection of molten lava and stone showers, débâcles and aqueous lavas; or from pestilence, the effect of sulphureous and other noxious vapours; or from famine, the fish leaving the coast, and the pasturage being destroyed by erupted sand and ashes.