15
⟨After⟩ this, it gradually sunk into the pipe, as it ⟨had⟩ done the year before, and I did not expect ⟨to⟩ see another eruption till the following ⟨morning⟩. However, about five o’clock in the ⟨afternoon⟩, after a great quantity of the largest stones ⟨that⟩ could be found about the place had been ⟨thrown⟩ into the spring, I observed it begin to ⟨roar⟩ with more violence than usual; and, ⟨approaching⟩ the brink of the crater, I had scarcely ⟨time⟩ to look down to the surface of the water, ⟨which⟩ was greatly agitated, when the eruption ⟨commenced⟩, and the boiling water rushed up in ⟨a⟩ moment, within an inch or two of my face, and ⟨continued⟩ its course with inconsiderable velocity ⟨into⟩ the atmosphere. Having made a speedy ⟨retreat⟩, I now took my station on the windward ⟨side⟩, and was astonished to observe the ⟨elevation⟩ of the jets, some of them rising higher ⟨than⟩ two hundred feet; many of the fragments ⟨were⟩ thrown much higher, and some of ⟨considerable⟩ size were raised to an invisible height. For ⟨some⟩ time, every succeeding jet seemed to ⟨surpass⟩ the preceding, till, the quantity of water in ⟨the⟩ subterraneous caverns being spent, they gave ⟨place⟩ to the column of steam, which continued ⟨to⟩ rush up with a deafening roar for nearly ⟨an⟩ hour.
The periodical evacuation of Strockr, having ⟨been⟩ deranged by this violent experiment, no ⟨symptoms⟩ whatever of a fresh eruption appeared ⟨the⟩ following morning. As I wished, however, ⟨to⟩ see it play once more before I bid an ⟨everlasting⟩ farewell to these wonders of nature, and,