An Accompt of D. Paulus Biornonius, Residing in Iceland, Given to Some Philosophical Inquiries Concerning That Country, Formerly Recommended to Him from Hence: The Narrative being in Latine, 'tis Thus English'd by the Publisher

An Account of the Observations of the same Eclipse as they were made at Paris; communicated by the Learned Bullialdus, in his Letter to the Publisher, dated Febr. 6. 1675. ft. n. | In Observator. | Tabb. Philolaiæ exhibent. | |----------------|--------------------------| | Reg. observarunt. | h. | | Par l'horologue à Pendule, | h. | | g. | 52. 26. | 5. 32. 20. | 5. 32. 50. | 5. 44. 27. | | h. | 62. 8. | 6. 33. 3. | 6. 35. 46. | 6. 46. 24. | | 43. 46. | 8. 9. 30. | 8. 8. 0. | 8. 24. 24. | | 20. 47. | 9. 10. 0. | 9. 9. 40. | 9. 26. 21. | Cælum anticipat Tabulas; in aliis locis Tabulae anticipant Cælum. [This we may publish more particularly by our next, when we shall have received the Parisian Accompt in Print.] An Accompt of D. Paulus Biornonius, residing in Iceland, given to some Philosophical Inquiries concerning that Country, formerly recommended to him from hence: The Narrative being in Latine, 'tis thus English'd by the Publisher. The Captain of the English Ship being ready to set Sail, I cannot now answer your Queries so fully as I intended; but purpose to do it hereafter, when I shall write the Natural History of this Island. Mean time be pleased to accept of the short Notes following. Our Air is very healthy all the Year long. The Diseases, which the Inhabitants are most subject to, are the Cholick and Leprosy. We have no Physicians; only two or three Chirurgeons, that furnish us with some Plaisters for the dressing of Wounds. In our Air, Iron rusts very soon. The Changes of the Weather are uncertain, nor do they fall out according to the four Seasons of the Year. Sometimes it snows as well as hails in the midst of Summer; and the Winds blow now and then most furiously at the same Season. As to the Frost, it penetrates at most four Foot into the Earth. Spirit of Wine and Oyl is free from being frozen, much more Quick-silver. We preserve our Fish from Putrefaction by burying them in the Snow. Bodies frozen do swell, and are changed in Taste and Colour. The Figure of the Snow is various, and so is its Size. Hail is roundish; the greatest is only of the Bigness of Hail-shot that we kill Fowl with. Of Meteors, I have observed the Ignis lambens, the Draco velans, and frequently two Mock-Suns, with three Rainbows passing through them and the true Sun. We have no stated Winds. The Depth of our Sea varieth, the greatest about our Coast is four-score Fathoms. How much Salt our Sea-Water yields, I know not. The generality of our People use no Salt; those that do, make use of what is imported. Our Sea-water in clear Nights, being struck with Oars, shineth like Fire bursting out of a Furnace. The Tydes observe the Motion of the Moon. The Sea swells about the Moon's Riting and Setting; and it falls when she is Southerly and Northerly. The ordinary highest Tydes are not above sixteen Foot, except in Autumn, when 'tis very tempestuous, and then they rise sometimes to twenty Foot. About the Full and New Moon are the highest Spring-tides, and the lowest Neap-tides. As for Lakes and Springs; of the former we have very many, and most of them on high Mountains, which are stored with Salmons. Of the latter we have innumerable, gushing out of Rocks. We abound also with Hot Springs, of which some are so hot, that in a Quarter of an Hour they will sufficiently boil great Pieces of Beef; which is thus order'd: They hang Kettles with cold Water over them, in which they put the Meat to be boiled; for fear of either burning or throwing up the Meat by the fervent and vehement Ebullition of the hot Waters. These Waters do harden and petrify about the Brims of the Thermae. Our highest Hills are not above a Quarter of a German Mile high; which how I have measur'd, I shall give an Account of hereafter. There is a whole Ridge of Mountains through all the Island. Our People live only in the Vallies, and towards the Sea-shore. There are other ignivomous Mountains besides Hecla; yet all cover'd with Snow. The Declination of the Load-stone is here to the North-west; (but how much, he notes not.) Our Soil is Clayie for the most part; in some Placcs Sandy; nowhere Chalky. No Tillage at all. We are serv'd by imported Commodities, of which the chief are, Barley, Wheat, Linnen, Iron. Touching Animals, we have great Number of divers Birds in Summer. In Winter, Ravens, Eagles, Wild-Ducks, Swans. Whither the Summer Birds fly, we know not. We are pretty well stored with Horses, Oxen, Cows, Sheep, Dogs, and in some Places with Hens. Foxes there are in the Mountains; and when the Groenland Ice comes upon us, that brings with them those terrible Guests, that do us so much Mischief, I mean, a great many Bears. Our Oxen and Cows live in Winter upon Hay; but our Horse and Sheep make a Shift to live upon the Grafs under the Snow, and the Corallin-moss, call'd Muscus Marinus. We have no Minerals, that we know; only Store of Brimstone, of which we send out every Year two Ships Lading. I had almost forgot to acquaint you with a very remarkable Observation made in the Year 1642, on the thirteenth of May, which is, that then all the Sea, which beats upon our Promontories, was for two Days so pellucid and shining, that Shells and the least Stones could be seen at the Bottom, where the Sea was forty Fathoms deep; insomuch that the said Objects seem'd to be no further than three Foot distant from the Sides of our Fishermen's Boats, who, when they saw it, were so frighted at it, that they presently came in, and notified this all over the Country. It began in the Morning about nine of the Clock; and the whole witnessed by divers very honest and credible Men. Divers Rural and Oeconomical Inquiries, recommended to Observation and Tryal. 1. Whether such Trees as are inoculated in February, are free from all Worms; both themselves and their Fruit: as is believed by many? 2. Whether it be true, that Cions taken off from young Trees, which never yet blossom'd, be not good to engraft, and do never come to bear? 3. Whether Cions of Fruit-Trees grafted upon Forrest-Trees will prosper and bear? Some curious Persons having affirmed, that they have tried Cions of Apple-Trees upon Elms, without Success; yet others assuring, that Quinces have been grafted upon Willows, and Pears upon White-Thorns, with very good Success. Where we take the Liberty to suggest, that it would, perhaps, not be amiss, to observe some Affinity in this kind of grafting, as to graft Chestnut-Cions on Oaks: Some would have Cions of Apples try'd on Oaks, and of Wallnuts on Ash-Trees, &c. 4. Whether any Trees will live, of which a Part is unbarked round about? Some affirming, that the Alder will thrive, notwithstanding its being thus unbarked. 5. Whether the often transplanting of Wild-Trees does really turn them into Garden-Trees. 6. Whether it agrees with Experience what Laurembergius affirms, that Gilly-flowers transplanted twice a Year, Spring and Harvest, become the fuller and the more beauteous? 7. Whether Trees and Shrubs are to be transplanted from the Full to the New Moon, about Michaelmas; but Herbs and Flowers in the increasing Moon; and all, about Evening. 8. Whether a Tree may be made to bear the first Year, by drawing a Branch thorough a Pot, the Branch being first pricked with a Knife