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diff --git a/.gitattributes b/.gitattributes new file mode 100644 index 0000000..d7b82bc --- /dev/null +++ b/.gitattributes @@ -0,0 +1,4 @@ +*.txt text eol=lf +*.htm text eol=lf +*.html text eol=lf +*.md text eol=lf diff --git a/LICENSE.txt b/LICENSE.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..6312041 --- /dev/null +++ b/LICENSE.txt @@ -0,0 +1,11 @@ +This eBook, including all associated images, markup, improvements, +metadata, and any other content or labor, has been confirmed to be +in the PUBLIC DOMAIN IN THE UNITED STATES. + +Procedures for determining public domain status are described in +the "Copyright How-To" at https://www.gutenberg.org. + +No investigation has been made concerning possible copyrights in +jurisdictions other than the United States. Anyone seeking to utilize +this eBook outside of the United States should confirm copyright +status under the laws that apply to them. diff --git a/README.md b/README.md new file mode 100644 index 0000000..ff727a0 --- /dev/null +++ b/README.md @@ -0,0 +1,2 @@ +Project Gutenberg (https://www.gutenberg.org) public repository for +eBook #62282 (https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/62282) diff --git a/old/62282-0.txt b/old/62282-0.txt deleted file mode 100644 index d0f3505..0000000 --- a/old/62282-0.txt +++ /dev/null @@ -1,5152 +0,0 @@ -The Project Gutenberg EBook of Across the Vatna Jökull; or Scenes in -Iceland, by William Lord Watts - -This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere in the United States and -most other parts of the world at no cost and with almost no restrictions -whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or re-use it under the terms -of the Project Gutenberg License included with this eBook or online at -www.gutenberg.org. If you are not located in the United States, you'll -have to check the laws of the country where you are located before using -this ebook. - - - -Title: Across the Vatna Jökull; or Scenes in Iceland - Being a Description of Hitherto Unkown Regions - -Author: William Lord Watts - -Release Date: May 30, 2020 [EBook #62282] - -Language: English - -Character set encoding: UTF-8 - -*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK SCENES IN ICELAND *** - - - - -Produced by MFR, John Campbell, Gísli Valgeirsson and the -Online Distributed Proofreading Team at https://www.pgdp.net -(This file was produced from images generously made -available by The Internet Archive) - - - - - - - - - - TRANSCRIBER’S NOTE - - Italic text is denoted by _underscores_. - - Footnote anchors are denoted by [number], and the two footnotes have - been placed at the end of the book. - - A superscript is denoted by ^x, for example Edw^d or C^o. - - Basic fractions are displayed as ½ and ¼; there are no other fractions - in this book. - - Icelandic names frequently have accented characters, and often have - the ‘eth’ character which displays as ð. - - All changes noted in the ERRATA in the frontmatter have been applied - to the etext. - - Some minor changes to the text are noted at the end of the book. - - - - - [Illustration: MOUNT PAUL. - - _Frontispiece._] - - - - - ACROSS THE VATNA JÖKULL; - - OR, - - Scenes in Iceland; - - BEING A DESCRIPTION OF HITHERTO UNKNOWN - REGIONS. - - BY - - WILLIAM LORD WATTS. - - London: - LONGMANS AND CO., PATERNOSTER ROW. - 1876. - - - - - LONDON: - PRINTED BY GILBERT AND RIVINGTON, - ST. JOHN’S SQUARE AND WHITEFRIARS STREET. - - - - - THIS WORK - - IS - - DEDICATED TO HIS ICELANDIC FRIENDS - - BY - - W. L. WATTS. - - - - - PREFACE. - - -Having traversed several parts of Iceland concerning which nothing -has hitherto been known, I have ventured to publish the few -following pages, giving an account of my journey across the Vatna -Jökull, and my visit to the volcanoes in the North of Iceland. - - W. L. W. - - - - -ILLUSTRATIONS AND MAPS. - - - PAGE - No. 1. Mount Paul--_Frontispiece_. - - No. 2. The Öskjugjá 88 - - - Map of Iceland _To face page_ 1 - - Map of the Author’s Routes from - Núpstað to Reikjahlíð ” 45 - - - - -ERRATA. - - - Page 11, line 16, _for_ A.M., _read_ P.M. - ” 26, lines 1 and 5, _for_ zoolites, _read_ zeolites. - ” 27, line 2, _omit_ comma _after_ Paul. - ” 29, ” 26, _for_ 12 A.M., _read_ midday. - ” 30, ” 14, _for_ laid, _read_ lay. - ” 35, ” 12, _after_ Fahrenheit, _omit_ of frost. - ” 58, ” 18, _for_ laid, _read_ lay. - ” 100, ” 22, _for_ meat, _read_ feet. - - -[Illustration: - - _London, Longmans & C^o._ - _Edw^d. Weller, Litho. Red Lion Square._ - - ICELAND] - - - - - ACROSS THE VATNA JÖKULL. - - -Iceland again! Reykjavík again! Here I am upon the same errand as -in 1871 and 1874--foolhardiness and folly as it is denounced by -some at home. I fancy I can see some of my worthy countrymen at -ten o’clock in the morning, clad in dressing-gown and slippers, -breakfast half finished, and a copy of some journal that has -condescended to take notice of my little expedition in his hand. -Umph! he says, 5,000 square miles of uninhabited country, a howling -wilderness, nothing but volcanoes, ice, and snow--a man must be -a fool to want to go there; no one ever has crossed this cold, -desolate region, why, in the name of everything that is worth -pounds, shillings, and pence, should any one be mad enough to want -to do so now? It would be in vain to refer him to that element in -the Anglo-Saxon, which especially longs to associate itself with -the unknown; he scouts the idea of possible scientific results; -no pulse would quicken in his frame because he stood where no -mortal had planted his foot before. He sees it costs money, time, -and labour. He thinks of the hard cash going out that might -be advantageously invested (and rightly so, too, if he enjoys -the felicity of being a paterfamilias); he magnifies the risk a -thousandfold, and stamps the whole concern as “utter folly.” Well! -well! let our worthy friend stop at home; it is his element. Only -it would be as well if he did not go out of his way to anathematise -an expedition which costs him not a farthing, which occupies not -one moment of his time, and risks not a hair of his head. Everyone, -it is said, is mad upon some point or another. Our worthy friend’s -mania may be, that he thinks he is specially called upon to spend -his energies in breeding a superior race of poultry; mine may be -to wander amongst unknown or unfrequented corners of the earth; -but so long as I leave his chicken-house unmolested, I think he -should leave off sneering at my wild peregrinations. But a truce to -critical stay-at-homes, for we are again upon our travels. - -We have endured the unstable liveliness of the old steam-ship -“Diana,” and have reached the little capital of Iceland again, to -find most of our friends alive and well, and Paul Paulsen (whom the -readers of “Snioland” will recognise as my head man upon the Vatna -Jökull last year), who greets us with the cheering intelligence -that our horses have been all provided, that our complement of men -has been already hired, and that as soon as I have paid a few -complimentary visits to my friends in Reykjavík, he is ready to -raise the shout of, “Forward to the snows of Vatna Jökull!” - -Twelve hours are sufficient to effect my friendly purposes, and the -evening after that upon which we landed a small boat full of boxes, -saddles, and the necessary equipments for our long journey was -lying alongside one of the little wooden landing-stages in front -of the town. It was 8 P.M. before we made our appearance, escorted -by a numerous party of Icelandic friends. As many as could do so, -without inconvenience to the rowers, squeezed themselves into the -little boat, and we departed amid the cheers of our friends and, -I believe, the good wishes of all the inhabitants. Clear of the -shore, we hoisted our sail and glided along at no inconsiderable -pace towards the little farm of Laugarnes, at the east end of the -bay, where our horses were awaiting us, while we enlivened our -brief voyage by a Norse song or two, accompanied by an intermittent -fantasia by friend Oddr Gíslasson upon the French horn. We found -our horses in as fair a condition as was possible for the time of -year; but it saves an immense deal of trouble and some money if one -knows of any person to be relied on, who can be entrusted with a -commission to purchase horses previous to one’s arrival, for we -thus avoid not merely the harassing delay incidental to procuring -these important necessaries for Icelandic travel, but the payment -of a long price for the sorry animals which generally fall to the -lot of the tourist, who must purchase a stud as soon as he has -landed in the island. My horses had been procured from the south -of Iceland; they cost from fifty to ninety dollars each, and were, -upon the whole, I think, the finest set of horses I had ever seen -in the country. - -As I intended to travel as fast as I could to the seat of our -summer’s work, I had a change of horses for riding and for the -pack-boxes. This is absolutely necessary where anything like hard -riding is contemplated, but it is by no means essential where -time is not an object. After some delay incidental to reducing -the baggage to a portable shape and proportion, which is always -a matter of some difficulty at the commencement of either an -equestrian or pedestrian journey, we took leave of the remainder -of our friends, and accompanied by Paul and another Icelander, -we pursued our way eastward, over the roughest path imaginable, -towards Eyrarbakki, amid the gathering gloom of what turned out -to be a wet and miserable day. It is always necessary to take an -extra man to help during the first day’s journey, for the horses -are always more unruly and obstinate the first day or two. This -is especially the case where the route is a rough one, like that -towards Eyrarbakki. The first part of our course lay over a series -of ancient lava streams, upon which the scant herbage was being -cropped by a few miserable sheep which had escaped the hand of the -shearer; their dirty, ragged coats had been partly torn from their -backs by the crags among which they had scrambled, giving them a -deplorable appearance quite in keeping with the forbidding aspect -of the country and the miserable day. About midday we reached -the wretched little farm of Lœkjarbotn. It boasted nothing but -squalor, stock-fish, and dirty children. I do not know why it is, -but most of the farms in the immediate neighbourhood of Reykjavík -are of the poorest and most wretched description. It is true their -pastures in most cases are poorer than those of other parts of -the country, but there is a great difference in the people also. -No one can help noticing a settled look of contented despair in -their countenance, scarcely to be wondered at considering their -surroundings, which, in this particular instance, seemed as much -like hopeless wretchedness as anything I had ever seen. Ah, well! -our horses are rested, we have waded through the slush pools and -the mire which front that heterogeneous mound of lava blocks, turf, -and timber, which we can scarcely conceive anyone, by any stretch -of sentimental imagination, calling _home_. Our horses struggled -down the steep mound of slippery mud which by no means assists -travellers either to arrive at or depart from Lœkjarbotn. Leaving -this little patch of stagnant misery behind us, we come upon the -desolate lava, the dank mists from the adjacent mountains wrapping -themselves around us, a driving rain beating into our faces, and a -nipping wind exaggerating our discomfort, and assisting the rain to -find out the weak places in our mackintosh armour. - -We next ascended the hills of Hengilsfjall. This volcano (Hengill) -and its neighbours have given vent to numerous pre-historic -eruptions, from which vast streams of lava have issued in various -directions, not only having poured from the craters of the -mountains themselves, but having welled up at various places -in huge mamelonic forms. Near the summit of the mountains is a -boiling spring, the medicinal properties of which are thought very -highly of by the well-known Dr. Hjaltalín, of Reykjavík. In fine -weather this part of the country must be very interesting, and -even Lœkjarbotn itself might not have looked so extra melancholy. -In journeying through these centres of volcanic activity we cannot -but be struck with the general lowness of the volcanoes in Iceland. -This is doubtless owing to the number of vents which exist in -close proximity to one another, so that the volcanic force, -having piled up a certain amount of superincumbent matter, finds -readier exit by bursting through the superficial overlying rocks -in adjacent localities, which offered less resistance than the -accumulated volcanic products which they themselves had previously -erupted, or by availing themselves of some pre-existing point of -disturbance which afforded them a readier escape. The evening found -us at the small farm of Hraun, which impressed me more favourably -than Lœkjarbotn, although it was kept by a poor widow whose means -were excessively limited. - -Not having burdened myself with more provisions than I required -for the Vatna Jökull alone, we were here again dependent upon the -resources of the country, and although this is the worst time -of year to travel without provisions in Iceland, still we fared -not amiss, obtaining a sufficiency of rye cake, milk, and smoked -mutton, which, without being very palatable, answered all the -purpose of affording us a meal. Although we had employed a lad to -watch our horses during the night, some of them were found astray -in the morning. When travelling in this country, especially in -the earlier part of the journey, it is by far the best to hire -some one to watch the horses, rather than to hobble them while -grazing, for, in the first place, even when hobbled, horses will -stray a long way, and, very often, the only effect of hobbling is -to prevent their picking out the best of the pasture, and one finds -in the morning they have decamped just the same as if they had been -turned out loose. - -Having again got under weigh, we were soon upon the sandy shores -of the Ölfusá. This river is formed by the confluent waters of the -Hvítá and the Sog, which unite, some twenty English miles from the -point where they flow into the sea, forming a very large body of -water. Here several seals were basking in the sun, and lying like -pieces of rock within a hundred yards of our track, but upon our -nearer approach they scrambled into the water with considerable -agility. Eyrarbakki really means sandy bank; it is situated upon -the east side of the Ölfusá, at the point where that river empties -itself into the sea. Upon both sides of the Ölfusá, and on the west -side in particular, are great stretches of black sand, while upon -the west side these are grown over with wild oats, and the more one -looks on the vast accumulation on the west of the river, the more -one is struck with its magnitude. Its cause, however, is apparent. - -At this point, huge lava streams, flowing down from the volcanoes -upon the west side of the river, have obstructed the mud and sand -brought down by the waters of that stream; where an immense -bed of sand was formed, which diverted the course of the river, -causing it to empty itself further to the east, leaving these huge -accumulations of sand high and dry on the western side. - -Having crossed the stream by means of a ferry, we found that the -irons of all our pack-boxes required alteration, and we could not -halt at a better place than Eyrarbakki to have them attended to. -These irons, which attach the pack-box to the pack-saddle, are -the nightmare of Icelandic travel; and travellers cannot be too -particular in having them of the most careful construction, also of -the best material possible; again, if anything be amiss with them, -they should be always attended to at the earliest opportunity, or -a breakdown is sure to occur in some inconvenient or outlandish -place; and, but for the Icelanders’ remarkable faculty for -improvising ways and means, such occasions would cause a serious -delay in a day’s march. Eyrarbakki is one of the principal trading -stations in the south of Iceland. It is situated upon a dreary -sandbank, the view from which is most monotonous and depressing, -while the wailing roar of the formidable breakers, which here -extend a long distance out to sea, is melancholy in the extreme. - -All along this portion of the shore, ancient lava streams have run -out into the sea; but upon the land they are indiscernible, owing -to the alluvium with which they are covered. The whole of the south -coast, from Eyrarbakki to Papós, is rendered inaccessible to ships -by shoals, sand-banks, and sunken rocks, and there is not an inlet -during all that distance of some 200 miles which a ship could enter. - -Having ridden within a few miles of the River Thjórsá, although -it was the middle of the night, we stopped at a farm to purchase -another horse, and, having roused the inmates from their beds, -we completed our purchase, took “schnapps,” and rode away to the -Thjórsá. It was past 1 A.M., and the ferryman had gone to bed on -the opposite side of the river; it was raining, sleeting, and -blowing hard; again and again we shouted, but the storm and the -roaring of the water proved too much even for our united lungs, -which were none of the weakest. Fortunately, Paul remembered there -was a farmer who owned a boat a mile or so further up the side -of the river we were on, he therefore roused him while I looked -after the horses. This was scarcely an easy task, for, in spite of -the driving storm, they strayed away to graze in every direction. -Bye-and-bye the farmer and his wife made their appearance. They -seemed quite happy at being disturbed from their warm beds in the -middle of a cold, stormy night, to earn a dollar-and-a-half by -paddling about in the icy cold water of the Thjórsá and ferrying -over their nocturnal visitors with their goods and chattels. In -fact, our worthy Charon seemed to look upon it as a piece of good -fortune. _At this time of the year, it is light all night._ - -The weather cleared about 8 A.M. and we had a good view of Mount -Hekla as we forded the West Rángá. We stopped between the rivers -East and West Rángá, where we had to pay for one of the horses we -were riding, for Paul had only brought it with him to Reykjavík -on sale or return. Here we took coffee, and next proceeded to -Breiða-bólstaðr, where, as usual, we were received with great -kindness and hospitality. After taking two hours’ sleep, we pushed -on to Holt, which we reached about 1 P.M. The day was half spent -before we were again on our way; so we rode briskly to Skógarfoss, -one of the largest and most beautiful waterfalls in Iceland, where -there is a very good farm, and the people are extremely thrifty. I -suppose they had never been able to procure any of the legendary -gold beneath the falls of Skógarfoss, but they evidently manage to -screw a tolerable amount out of travellers who come to admire its -beauties. - -On, on; past the ice cliffs of Eyjafjalla Jökull to Heiði, where we -were so kindly entertained last year. It was 10 P.M. when eight -horses, which showed as though they wanted to graze, and two men, -who looked as if they wanted to go to bed, drew up in front of this -hospitable dwelling. - -The farm is a poor one, though the good folks make the best of -it. Their lives, like that of all the poorer Icelanders, must be -one continuous struggle against poverty, inclement weather, and -a fruitless soil. Yet they have a few sheep and cows upon the -hillside; plenty of fish in the lake; and withal are contented. But -their contentment is evidently of a very different kind to that -which we noticed at Lœkjarbotn; it manifestly results from a hope -that their circumstances may be improved by domestic thrift, and -good fortune with their flocks. Hopeful contentment differs from -the contentment of despair in this respect, the one is cheerful -and open to improvement, the other is sullen and so sunken in the -slough of despondency as to have given up all hope of a change for -the better, and thus to be incapable of availing itself of any -propitious opportunity, if such should occur. One day’s rest at -Heiði, and we mount again, directing our course eastward; riding -swiftly over the arid waste of Myrdals Sandr, we reached the banks -of the river Kuða-fljót. We find that this river, which we forded -with considerable difficulty last year, could now only be crossed -in boats. This shows how the unstable beds of Icelandic rivers -shift and change about, transforming shallows into deep water, and -creating sand-banks amid the deepest river channels. - -We purchased of our ferryman some birds (skümur) which were -considered very good to eat. We stopped for the night at the farm -of Króki. The farmer, who had been previously hired to form one -of my expedition across the Vatna Jökull, regaled us with swan’s -flesh, which much resembled tough beef; and, although eating it -was rather hard work, it was certainly nutritious and palatable. -The farmer, Olgi by name, had taken up shooting as his special -hobby, and, in spite of his inefficient tools, a very profitable -use he appeared to make of it, if we might judge from the numerous -swan-skins which were drying outside his house, and the amount -of swan’s flesh that was being salted. The swans of Iceland are -valuable on account of their down; the outer feathers are seldom -of any good, for they are never pure white; the value of a swan -skin is about one rix dollar, Danish. After a ramble amongst the -lava which had flowed from the Skaptar Jökull during the remarkable -eruption of 1783, we resumed our journey; the day was very hot--as -much so as any July day in England. Passing the beautiful waterfall -of Seljalandsfoss, which appeared in the bright sunlight like -curtains of silvery foam upon the face of the dark basaltic cliffs, -which here are about 200 feet in height, we arrived at the farm of -Hörgsdalr. Here dwelt another of our “Jökull men” (as Paul called -those he had hired for my expedition) named Eyólfur; he was one of -the toughest, blithest-hearted, and most good-natured fellows I had -ever come across. - -The bóndi (as the Icelandic farmer is called) was a relation of the -farmer at Núpstað, whose farm, where I had received such kindly -welcome in 1871 and 1874, was only half-a-day’s journey eastward. - -I found the farmer of Hörgsdalr, like his relative, extremely -hospitable; taking a great interest in my expedition, and willing -to give every assistance in his power. - -The next day we ascended the Kaldbakkr, a mountain 2279 feet in -height, in order to get a good look at the south side of the -Vatna Jökull, which was directly to the north of it. Kaldbakkr is -situated a few miles to the north of Hörgsdalr. - -Accompanied by the farmer, we rode to the last patch of grass that -was nearest the mountain, and, after a smart scramble, reached -the summit. The Jökull looked decidedly whiter than I had ever -seen it, but there was the same expanse of snow losing itself in -the northern distance; pure, silent, dazzling, beautiful, and -spotless, save where a few black peaks and uncouth masses of dark -rock protruded through the frozen covering. These were scattered -at long intervals across the unsullied snow-slopes, and clustered -together in the south-west, where lies that portion of the Vatna -known as the Skaptar Jökull. Harmless and guileless they looked -in the morning sunshine; but they had vomited the lava which had -desolated the plain below, and had given vent to the fiery force -which from time to time had shaken Iceland to its very foundations! -One peak to the north-west especially attracted my attention, on -account of its height and its perfectly conical form, and my guide -informed me that it had erupted on several occasions, and that the -last outburst occurred about thirty years ago. - -It was with no small satisfaction I arrived at the now familiar -homestead of Núpstað, and received the usual glad welcome from -the bóndi Ayólver, who had been expecting us. I again took up -my quarters in the disused little church, which makes such a -good storehouse for my friend Ayólver, and such an excellent -resting-place for chance travellers like myself. It seemed -quite home-like as I tumbled into the little bed which had been -improvised upon the boxes in the corner, and I experienced the -comfortable feeling of being in my old place again as I ate my -breakfast off and posted up my diary upon the antiquated communion -table. Do not be shocked, good reader! all sanctity had long ago -departed from this useful piece of furniture, and if we were to -peep into the inside, we should find neither sacred utensils nor -vestments; but simply the serviceable homespun garments of the -bóndi’s wife. - -The farm and the rocks behind it were but little altered since I -first saw them four years ago. One year in Núpstað is much like -its predecessor, and things go on, year after year, in just the -same routine, except where the inevitable changes of life and -death intervene. The people had altered the most, for of course -they had grown older, and one or two faces were missing! Well, I -have grown older, too--it is no good to stand dreaming. There is a -bullock to be bought, butchered, and salted, preparatory to making -it into “kœfar,” as the Icelanders call the kind of pemmican I -make for my Jökull expeditions. Skin-bags and mocassins have to be -procured; butter, bread, and stock-fish have to be sought after; in -fact, the greater part of three weeks’ provisions for six men must -be collected from the neighbouring farms. We made the necessary -arrangements, and settled that these various articles are to be -ready for us in a week’s time; we then deputed Paul’s father to -attend to the levying of our requisitions, and the payment for -them. The ox was next slain, dissected, and salted, and we were -again ready to start on our travels. - -Some little difficulty was experienced in getting all into train, -owing to the hurry all the farmers of this locality were in to get -this year’s wool to the store at Papós, which is situated four -days’ journey to the east; for tidings had been received that the -ice of a portion of the Vatna Jökull, known as the Breiðamerkr -had advanced to such an extent as to threaten the cutting off of -all communication along the sea-shore, since the advance still -continued. In consequence of this alarm every farmer was busy -preparing the wool for market; steaming cauldrons were cleansing -it from its grease, bands of sturdy Icelandic maidens were rinsing -it in the clear water of the mountain streams--which are almost -sure to be found in close proximity to the farms in this part of -the country--patches of white wool were drying upon the ground, -while the male part of the community were measuring it in quaint -wooden baskets, packing it into sacks, and forming bundles of -equal weight to balance on each side of the pack-horses. It would -be a very serious thing, indeed, if the road to Papós were to be -intercepted, as it would compel the dwellers in this district to -journey to Eyrarbakki before they could exchange their produce for -the necessaries they require. Leaving Núpstað behind us, we set -out for the advancing glacier, and turned our faces towards the -snowy slopes of Örœfa. - -The Súla river, or Núpsvatn, had to be crossed. It was deeper than -I had before seen it, though its volume of water scarcely seemed -to have increased. Its bed was changed to one of pebbles and -quicksand. In 1871 it was of pebbles only, in 1874 it was black -sand, in 1875 it is again pebbles and sand. - -We crossed the river and fast sped on our way over the desert of -Skeiðarár Sandr. This sand occupies an area of 300 square miles. -It has been formed by the joint efforts of volcanoes upon the -Vatna and Mount Örœfa, which have strewn this tract with sand and -ashes, and whose ejectamenta have been brought down by the shifting -waters of numerous glacial streams which traverse the Skeiðarár -Sandr in many directions. It would seem that the portion of the -Vatna which here bounds the Skeiðarár Sandr upon the north has -acted in a similar manner to the Breiðamerkr Jökull; for numerous -_moraines_ occur upon these sands, some of which are at a great -distance from the utmost limit of the Jökull at the present time. -Indeed, there has been an obvious advance at this point since 1871 -of the fringe of the glacier which almost surrounds the Vatna -Jökull. The existence of scratched rocks in _moraines_ in Iceland -below the limit of the glaciers does not of necessity prove that -such glaciers have bodily advanced, as during extensive eruptions -of glacial mountains huge masses of ice frequently slip forward to -considerable distances, scratching the harder and furrowing the -softer rocks in their progress, which, upon their melting, leave -large piles of glacial _débris_, in no way distinguishable from a -_moraine_ stranded upon the lower elevations. - -It was blowing hard from the east with heavy rain, but upon the -west side of the mountain before us (Örœfa) the sun was shining in -the most tantalising manner, so that as we urged our horses along -the heavy sands we were fain to fancy ourselves exploring those -dazzling glaciers and snowy slopes which seemed to fascinate the -sunshine and detain it from reaching us. - -We were soon under the lee of the mountains before us. Sheltered -from the wind and the storm, we could stop to admire the grand -sweep from the Örœfa to the commencement of the Skeiðará Jökull. -Looking back at Núpstað, we saw it enwrapped in gloom, the clouds -clustering round the Lómagnúpar,[1] a mountain which seems to -attract all the bad weather to Núpstað and the storm sat heavily -upon the western portion of the plain of Skeiðarár Sandr, which was -exposed to the fury of the east winds. - -Crossing the river Skeiðará, we reached the Saga-famed Svínafell. -Here we stayed to refresh ourselves with the national panacea -for the ills of Icelandic travel, namely, a cup of coffee of the -real Icelandic brew! The art of making good coffee is one of the -greatest accomplishments of the fair sex here, and it is a pity -it is not more generally attained by the lady population of other -countries. The occurrence of drinkable coffee in Iceland, a good -cup of it being always to be obtained at the poorest farm, is -the more remarkable, as the coffee sold by the merchants at the -various stores is never of the best quality; but is principally the -Java coffee. The grand secret of success in this special domestic -art is doubtless owing to the fact that the coffee is roasted at -home, exactly to the right turn, and deftly manipulated in some -particular way which early training and long practice can alone -effect. The last and by no means the least adjunct to this national -_bonne bouche_ is in most cases a good supply of cream. - -Being thus fortified, we were taken to see a birch-tree upon the -hill behind the farm. This tree might have been five-and-twenty -feet in height, and it was considered the largest tree in this -part of the island. There is, however, a considerable growth of -bushy trees, principally birch, in the valley called Núpstaða-skógr -down which the river Súla flows. It is by far the largest wood -in the south of Iceland. Núpstaða-skógr is likewise remarkable -for containing a breed of wild sheep, which belongs to our friend -Ayólver, who is the owner of the skógar, together with the valuable -farm of Núpstað. There is also another patch of wood at the -north-west base of Örœfa, which is of great use to Svínafell and -the adjacent farms. - -The hills behind Svínafell are basaltic; but as we proceeded -further eastward, we soon found ourselves surrounded by the more -recent products of the volcano Örœfa, which towered above us upon -our left hand. Seeing a party of horsemen approaching, we whipped -our little drove together, and met them upon the grass which was a -few hundred yards off. - -The party consisted of an Althing’s-man, who was going to Reykjavík -to attend the Althing, or Icelandic Parliament, with his servants, -and the priest from Sandfell, at whose house he had been staying, -and who was escorting him for a short distance. The priest turned -out to be a cousin of my man Paul, so after a brief colloquy, and -requesting the Althing’s-man to convey our greetings to friends at -Reykjavík, we rode on to Sandfell. - -Our road lay past several beds of white pumice which had all been -ejected from Örœfa. A smart gallop over cinders and fragments of -lava brought us to the church and parsonage. Sandfell is situated -at the south base of Örœfa. Behind it rise barren hills of compact -agglomerate, composed of volcanic ash and fragments of lava, but -our friend the priest is compensated for his dreary surroundings -by having one of the prettiest Icelandic women I have seen for -his wife. She seemed quite piqued because I could not own to -thinking Sandfell a very pretty place. Going hence, we crossed the -stream of lava and agglomerate, which I was informed resulted from -the eruption of Örœfa in 1862. This stream is a remarkable one, -inasmuch as the agglomerate has flowed down in a semi-molten state, -cotemporaneously with the lava, both being mixed together; the -agglomerate appears to preponderate, but this may be the result of -the lava being of higher specific gravity, which causes it to sink -to the bottom of the stream. - -We stopped for the night at Myrum,[2] on the south-west of the -Breiðamerkr Sandr. The bóndi, like all the people of this district, -was hastening to get to Papós with his wool. We supped and -breakfasted off some birds which our host called Svartfugl. They -were the nicest birds I had ever tasted in Iceland, the meat being -tender and plenty of it, and I thought so well of this dish that I -took one of the birds away with us for our lunch on the road. - -Here we hired a fresh horse, leaving Paul’s, which had contracted -a sore back, and started over the Breiðamerkr Sandr. The sands, -like the Skeiðarár Sandr are the result of the great efforts of -the Örœfa and Vatna Jökulls, more especially the part of the Vatna -known as the Breiðamerkr Jökull, which was the one whose movements -we had to examine. - -The road over these sands is long and dreary, especially in such -weather as had just overtaken us. We passed an extensive encampment -of farmers, who were on their way to Papós; but, despairing of -crossing the rivers which traverse the Breiðamerkr Sandr upon such -a day with heavily laden horses, they had decided on remaining -encamped upon the little patch of grass they had reached. About -one third of the way over the Sandr we arrived at the farm of -Kvísker, which is situated upon a little oasis of grass-land. We -found it a very acceptable halting-place, and although we were wet, -we were glad to sit down and take coffee and schnapps, and smoke -a pipe inside; the room had no windows, and it was filled with -planks and carpenter’s tools, for the house was being enlarged. We -could obtain but little food for our horses, and the greater part -of our day’s work had yet to be accomplished, so a quarter of an -hour saw us again to horse, and rapidly approaching the extreme -point of the advancing Jökull. This Jökull appeared unlike most of -the Icelandic glaciers I have seen. Instead of terminating in an -even slope, or steep rounded cliffs of ice, sometimes fissured, -but generally very regular, it terminated in an irregular wall of -cloven and contorted masses of the rifled and dislocated glaciers; -while the more elevated masses assumed the form of spires, towers -and grotesque architectural shapes. As we were intently looking at -them, some of them tottered and fell. It is indeed a serious matter -to contemplate the short distance now left between the Jökull and -the sea--at one point not more than 250 yards--in addition to this, -new rivers have been formed between the Jökull and the sea, which -have to be crossed, but which it would be impossible to do with a -strong south wind blowing. The Jökulsá is quite bad enough, but to -have several miles of road converted into quicksand by the diverted -waters of the Jökulsá, and to have new rivers in addition to the -advance of the Jökull, is enough to make the people of the district -fear for the road to Papós. One consolation may exist--that the -Jökull has advanced before, and, after a considerable time, -retreated. Still, as an old inhabitant of the neighbourhood -informed me, “It never has advanced as it does now,” and even upon -the other occasion, upon the whole, it gained ground. Alas! poor -Iceland--both fire and water appear allied against it; the latter -especially, in all its forms--boiling, cold, and frozen, and in the -form of rain, hail, snow, and vapour! We were obliged at one point -to travel along the sea-shore, where we espied the body of a large -fish with some dark objects moving about it. A nearer approach -showed it to be a small whale, which, from olfactory evidence, -had lain there for some time. The dark objects, startled at our -appearance, rose in a covey of--well, the same birds of which we -had enjoyed the flavour at Myrum. Svartfugl have never tasted quite -so nice to me since. At last the Breiðamerkr Sandr were passed; -fresh mountains rose before us, and the weather cleared. To our -right was a remarkable lagoon, Breiða-bólstaðalón; which is a -narrow fjord, twelve miles in length, enclosed upon the south by -a large sand-bank running parallel with the shore. This lagoon is -open to the sea at the north-east end, but is too shallow for ships -to enter. - -Evening found us at Kálfafellstaðr, a place pleasantly situated -beneath the outlying hills of the Vatna Jökull. These hills -are principally composed of amygdaloidal basalt, abounding in -zeolites; chalcedonies are especially plentiful, and I dare say it -might pay to look for the precious opal. This eastern corner of -Iceland appears to be particularly rich in zeolites; I noticed the -same when I was at Berufjörðr. - -We stayed for the night with another relative of Paul--he seemed -to have kindred nearly all over the island, and a very superior -race they appear to be. This relation was the widow of the former -priest of Kálfafellstaðr. Here we bought another horse, and hired -the widow’s son, a lad about seventeen; for we required a man and a -lad to drive our horses round to the north of the island while we -crossed the Vatna Jökull. The widow and her daughter accompanied -us a short distance upon our return journey, and, after two days’ -riding, we were again at Núpstað. - -Preparations for our journey across the Vatna now commenced in -earnest. The sleighs and the snow-shoes had been made according -to our instructions. All was there except the men and the butter; -enough of the latter, however, turned up in the morning to enable -us to make the pemmican, which I at once set myself to work to -superintend. - -A fire was lighted and a cauldron of water soon heated, and the -beef boiled; then came the work of cutting up an entire ox -into pieces the size of ordinary wine-corks. Paul senior, and I -commenced operations by first taking out the bones; and, by dint -of sharp knives, and a few hours’ hard work, we prepared about -seventy-eight pounds of meat. Twenty pounds of salt butter and -half-a-pound of salt were then melted in the cauldron, and the meat -carefully mixed with it. After a short time it was ready to be -packed in the skin bags in which it was to be carried. - -The bags were placed in troughs of water during the operation of -filling, to prevent leakage at the seams, and when they were filled -they were tied up and laid in a stream close by, where stones were -piled upon them to press down the meat. When they were sufficiently -pressed, and the contents had become cold (which took about twenty -hours), they were each placed in ordinary sacks for more easy -carriage; for greasy skin-bags full of meat are rather slippery -things to carry, and somewhat nasty things to handle. - -By June 25th all my preparations were made, and my men arrived; -Paul Paulsen and a cousin of his from Skaptarfellssysla; Helgi, -from the farm of Króki; Finnur, from Myrdalssysla; and Eyólfur, -from Hörgsdalr: these were to accompany me across the Vatna -Jökull. In addition were Bjarni, who was with me last year; the -farmer from Rauðberg, who carried the post between Prestbakki and -Berufjörðr--a deaf and dumb man, and a man named Vigfúss; these -four were to return when we reached the mountain which I last year -named “Mount Paul,” about a third of the way across the Jökull. I -had also arranged with Paul’s father and little Arni, whom I had -hired at Kálfafellstaðr, to take our horses from Núpstað round the -east side of the Vatna into the north of the island. - -Our equipment, which was to be drawn upon hand-sleighs, consisted -of a low tent, four feet high; a large sleeping-bag, which would -accommodate six of us--this was eight feet long, and five feet -wide--one side being made of a layer of cork and felt, covered -with mackintosh, and the other of a stout blanket also covered -with waterproof. This bag was open at both ends, so that three -could sleep with their heads one way and three with their heads the -other. Both these openings were covered by a hood, which proved a -great protection to our heads while sleeping, and prevented the -snow from getting into the bag. This gave us sleeping accommodation -for six persons, with a weight of only sixty pounds. This bed, -however, had its disadvantages; for instance, if any one was taken -with cramp, or dreamt of engaging in any particularly active -exercise, its limited dimensions became painfully apparent; -moreover, it is almost impossible to keep the inside of the bag -perfectly dry, owing to the exhalation from our bodies. I have -paid great attention to this matter, but have found that for a -prolonged sojourn amidst wet snow, where weight is a subject of -paramount importance, it is the best sleeping arrangement that can -be contrived. - -Our provisions consisted of 100 lbs. of pemmican in skin bags, -50 lbs. of butter, 100 lbs. of skonrok, or Danish ship-biscuits, -15 lbs. of dried fish, 15 lbs. of dried mutton, 15 lbs. of gravy -soup, 2 tins of “soupe Julienne,” in packets; 6 tins of chocolate -and milk, 2 lbs. of cocoa, and 4 lbs. of sugar; 2 gallons of proof -whiskey, 1 gallon of spirit for burning, 5 lbs. of tobacco, and -3 tins of Peek and Frean’s meat biscuits. I had a small Russian -furnace, which is an excellent lamp for heating water or melting -snow. These articles, with a good supply of warm clothing, -waterproofs, and mocassins (for it is impossible to wear leather -boots in the snow), and the necessary instruments and implements, -completed our outfit. - -All things were now ready, and the day had at length arrived when -we were to assail the Vatna again. We rose betimes, but it was -midday before we were fairly on our way. I took leave of the bóndi -Ayólver, who would not charge me anything for my own board and for -the keep of my own horses. He was too unwell to accompany us to -the Vatna, and seemed quite upset at saying good-bye, as he said -he felt sure it would be for the last time, whether we got across -the Jökull or not. I cheered him up, and said, I hoped some day or -another to come to Núpstað again; and so we started on horseback, -and, after crossing the river Diúpá, we commenced the ascent of -Kálfafellsfjall, which hill lay between us and the Vatna. - -The journey was a very trying one to the horses; it is so at the -best of times, but now the melting snow still lay thickly, and -in places had converted the unstable soil into quicksands. In -some parts it was necessary to cross ravines full of snow, which -had melted underneath, leaving the bottom of the ravine roofed. -The horses fought very shy of these snow-roofed valleys, and -when we came to any hole which had been formed by the subsidence -of a portion of the snow into the valley beneath, it was with -difficulty we could get them along, as the noise of the stream, -which invariably ran below, made them rather fractious. But the -snow having regelated into an indurated compact mass, was often -some yards in thickness, so I do not think there was any real -danger of sinking through it. These preliminary difficulties were -soon disposed of, and 6 P.M. found us at that point where the rocks -terminate and the eternal snows of the Vatna commence. - -A squall of sleet and wind now rolled down upon us. I immediately -directed two men to prepare some coffee, for we had brought wood -for that purpose, while some gave the horses a feed of hay, and -others unpacked the burdens they had carried so pluckily from -Núpstað. The coffee was soon ready, the storm cleared, and the -scene must have bordered on the picturesque, or perhaps the -“_unique_,” as we all clustered round the remnant of the fire, amid -the different packages that were to cross the Vatna, our horses -pawing the ground, impatient to return to their pastures. The -grand white Jökull lay before us, the black crags of the fjalls -behind us, and the roar of the Diúpá in our ears, while a beautiful -rainbow spanned the eastern sky--a harbinger, we trusted, of good -success. - -Here we took leave of Paul’s father and his cousin Arni, directing -them where to wait for us with the horses, in the north of the -island. The evening promised to be showery; but having a lively -reminiscence of the black sand of this locality, which at our last -year’s encampment upon this spot got into our ears, our eyes, and -our food, I determined to advance and camp, as soon as we needed -to do so, upon the deep snow, although my men had already begun -to put up a temporary abode with loose stones from the terminal -_moraine_ of the Jökull. - -At this point last year the Jökull was a crevassed glacier, -whose surface was covered with aiguilles and hummocks of black -sand and ice. But all traces of the glacier were buried beneath -a vast accumulation of snow! From the first we were able to use -our sleighs, and, turning due northward, we left the habitable -world behind us, being face to face with the hardest piece of -our summer work. As far as the eye could see was one lifeless, -pathless wilderness of snow, destitute alike of animal, insect, -or floral life. Our footsteps gave no sound, and our very voices -seemed strange in this drear solitude, the death-like stillness -of whose snowy wastes is broken only by the howling of the storm, -or the outburst of a volcano! It was evident that a much greater -snowfall had taken place during the past winter than in the -preceding one, and the newly-fallen snow took us up to our knees, -making our progress very difficult and slow. After about three -hours’ dragging, it began to snow, and a thick fog enveloped us, -so I decided to encamp. The plan I usually adopt for sleeping in -the snow--and I believe one of the warmest and best methods--is to -dig a square hole, three or four feet deep; over this I pitch my -tent, banking it well round the sides with snow. I then spread the -sleeping bag at the bottom of the hole, with the hoods doubled down -over the ends to prevent any snow getting into it. If a storm is -blowing, I cast up a bank of snow to windward, and take everything -that will be required for immediate use into the tent. The next -thing is to draw the sleighs up to the door of the tent; so that -if anything extra is required it can be procured without much -difficulty, and having stuck up all sticks and shovels firmly in -the snow, to prevent their getting covered up and lost, we turn -in, changing our wet or snowy clothes sitting upon the waterproof -exterior of the bag, and, putting on a dry change, we all get into -the bag, having previously fixed up waterproof coats upon the snowy -wall at each end, to lean against. If it is not freezing very hard, -we hang our snowy clothes upon a line at the top of our tent, -with our satchels, &c.; but if it is freezing hard we put them -underneath the bed. Snow is then melted, soup or chocolate is made, -and rations served, which, with a small allowance of grog, pipes, -and a song all round, finish our labours for the day or night, as -the case may be, and we go to sleep. - -This was the manner in which we now camped, six of us occupying the -sleeping-bag, much after the manner of sardines in a sardine box, -the remaining four, who were only to accompany us as far as Mount -Paul, made themselves as comfortable as they could with rugs and -mackintosh coats in the front part of the tent. I ordered every man -to fill his flask with snow and put it in his pocket, that each -might have a drink of water when he awoke, and in the course of an -hour nothing could be heard but the heavy, stentorian breathing of -nine out of ten of our party. Having posted up my diary, I slept -well for an hour, when I was awakened by a sudden commotion at the -other end of the tent. I called out to Paul for an explanation, -saying, “Holloa! what’s the matter at your end?” He replied in a -deep, solemn voice, “Now is the dumb beating his feet.” Although -our dumb friend’s feet were doubtless cold, I could not allow -that method of warming them in a tent only 10 by 6½ feet, and I -therefore directed that another man should chafe the dumb man’s -feet and cuddle them up in his arms. The morning brought us only -fog and storm, but after a few hours the latter abated. I served -out some warm soup, and we got under weigh. After an hour the fog -became so dense, the snow so soft and deep, and a determined sleet -had set in, that I was obliged reluctantly to call a halt. Between -nine and ten in the evening the weather cleared, the wind shifted -to the north-west and the sun came out, and we again advanced; but -the snow being up to our knees, I perceived I was tiring my men. -So after going on a few miles I again halted, as it had begun to -freeze, and the probability was that in about two hours the snow -would be firm enough to travel on. Casting up a bank of snow to -windward, we six turned into our bag upon the surface of the snow, -leaving the tent and all other wraps for our four extra men. - -It was bitterly cold, but the atmosphere was very clear. By 3 A.M. -I roused my men; the thermometer registered 20° Fahrenheit; a firm -crust had formed upon the snow which bore us bravely. It was a -glorious morning and a stiff north wind was blowing; the sleigh -travelled merrily along, and as the sun illumined the magnificent -snow slopes around us, everything seemed to promise fine weather -and success. The pure element we were breathing seemed to give us -fresh life and strength, and made us feel equal to the work before -us. After three hours one of the men (Vikfúss) gave out, said he -could go no further, and lay down upon the snow; but as there were -not nearly so many degrees of frost now, the man was warmly clad, -and I had a great idea he was shirking, I left him behind, much -against the will of his companions. Before we were half a mile -away I had the satisfaction of seeing him following, apparently -not very much the worse for wear. The ascent from the first had -been a very gradual slope of snow, which now became undulating and -somewhat steeper, especially upon the N.E., where steeps of snow -swept up to the mountain. I last year named Vatna Jökull “Housie,” -from the great resemblance which its summit, then free from snow, -bore, when viewed in one aspect, to the roof of a house. The -likeness was now much less striking, from its being all white. - -I can scarcely go on without remarking upon the excellence of -the postman from Rauðberg. He was always cheerful, willing and -obliging, and had twice the hardihood and strength of the other -men. I only regretted I could not take him right across the Vatna, -but his postal duties would not admit of so prolonged an absence. -We sighted Mount Paul at 9 A.M. Here we made a good breakfast, and -our disabled man having slunk up, he made better progress with his -meal than he did with his sleigh. - -Mount Paul is a cluster of one large and several smaller volcanic -eminences, rising to the height of 150 feet above the surrounding -snow. A semi-circular pit being thawed out by the radiation of the -sun’s rays from the south side of the mountain, we found here an -abundant supply of water. The mountain is composed of varieties -of obsidian, varying from the highly vitreous to the grey stony -variety; one portion of it consists of vitreous obsidian cementing -together multitudes of the concretionary forms commonly known as -spherulites. - -We slept for two or three hours; but the state of the snow was such -that it was impossible to get the sleighs through it. I sent back -my four extra men, for they had little or nothing to carry, and -we had left them a good supply of provisions at the commencement -of the Jökull. As the accommodation in the tent was but small for -them, and it seemed to promise bad weather, they preferred forcing -their way back through the soft snow to running the chance of being -weather-bound for three or four days. They had not been gone away -many hours when it began to rain, and as night drew on it became -more and more evident that there would be no frost. The wind had -shifted to the S.S.E., the thermometer stood at 33° Fahr., and as -the night advanced the snow became so soft and rotten that in some -places it took us up over our knees. - -The next day the wind was still S.S.E., and the fog and sleet -were as bad as ever; and as progress was impossible, I minutely -inspected the rocks of Mount Paul. They rise from a large crater -now filled with snow. To the south-east is a pit-crater partially -filled with snow. Mount Paul is composed almost entirely of -perlite and obsidian. This is the only place in Iceland in which -I have found obsidian “in situ.” The west side of the mountain -particularly attracted my attention, being composed of multitudes -of spherulites cemented together by obsidian. Thousands of these -small globular formations had been weathered out of the obsidian, -and in some places one might have collected a hat-full. - -Night brought no improvement in the weather; and a somewhat -remarkable scene presented itself of six men lying in a hole in -the snow, 4250 feet above the sea-level, in Iceland, all hoping -for a frost--but no frost came, and morning found us in the same -position. This was very aggravating for one who had spent much -money, time and labour, in order to complete a survey across the -Vatna Jökull; but the day was fine, and I could post up my diary, -plan for the future, learn Icelandic, eat, drink and smoke, upon -the volcanic _débris_ on the leeward side of Mount Paul, where the -thermometer at midday rose to 75 and 80 degrees in the sun, and it -was infinitely preferable to lying in the snow. Towards evening it -began to freeze, so we packed up our sleighs and retired to Mount -Paul, until the crust was strong enough to bear the weight of the -sleigh. By ten P.M. there were twelve degrees of frost, and the -wind blew freshly from the N.W. The crust now bore the sleigh, but -we sank through it up to our knees at every step. This was such -laborious work that after two hours we halted, hoping the crust -would soon become firmer; but we were doomed to disappointment, for -after a while the wind suddenly shifted to the S.E., and almost -simultaneously a fog appeared. However, we were soon upon our legs, -and although the surface of the snow became worse and worse, and we -sank deeper and deeper into it as we proceeded, we managed to do -five hours’ work by halting every quarter of an hour. - -About 3 P.M. I noticed a curious phenomenon. The sun was above the -horizon, and was occasionally discernible through the fog--for at -this time of the year at this altitude, about 4500 feet, the sun -can scarcely be said to set--appearing to move in a circle from the -meridian westward, and still keeping above the horizon to almost -due north, where it dips for about half-an-hour, appearing again -about N.N.E., and by six P.M. it bears due east, some forty degrees -above the horizon. A strong current of air was drifting the clouds -and fog at our level across the surface of the Jökull from the -S.E., while dark masses of cloud were perfectly discernible passing -at a very rapid rate across the face of the sun from a precisely -opposite direction. - -The storm now increased in violence, and we were soon so -surrounded by whirling clouds of snow that it was impossible to -distinguish from what quarter the wind was blowing. The compass had -for a long time been almost useless, in all probability owing to -the magnetic ore contained in the rocks which underlie the snows -of the Jökull. This rendered us entirely dependent upon the wind -and the sun for our direction. In clear weather, where the compass -is useless, I always steer by a circular piece of card marked off -into four right angles, so that by carefully taking the angular -bearings of all distinguishable objects, one is able to steer a -pretty straight course. - -[Illustration: - - _London, Longmans & C^o._ - _E. Weller, Litho._ - - Map of the - AUTHORS ROUTES - _from_ - Núpstað to Reikjahlíð] - -Being now unable to avail myself of either compass, sun, wind, or -card, nothing remained for us but another halt. For two days the -storm continued and it would have been impossible to get many yards -away from the tent without being lost. On the third day at noon -the storm abated, the wind shifted due east, and the sun broke -through the clouds. We all turned out, but it was useless to think -of struggling through the loose, deep snow. We took our bed out -to dry it, for it was wet with the exhalations from our bodies. -This, however, was rather against the wish of some of my men, -upon whom the inactivity of the last few days had begun to tell. -I observed two black peaks protruding through the snow, one -about five miles due north, and the other about eleven miles N.W. -I was surprised to find a considerable quantity of volcanic ash -upon the snow, of a fine, light, grey description. This appeared -the more remarkable, as I knew of no volcano that had been in -eruption south of the Vatna Jökull, and the storm had blown almost -entirely from the S.E. Moreover, I was aware there was no ash of -that kind anywhere upon the south. It appeared to me that this must -have been carried either from an erupting volcano, or from some -ash-strewn district to the north of the Jökull, by a current of air -travelling in a different direction to the S.S.E. wind which we -had experienced during the last few days, and bisecting the latter -current at a point south of our present position, had been unable -to resist its force, and had been carried by it to the place where -it was now lying. - -We here obtained an excellent view of the Vatna Jökull Housie, -which appeared to be higher than any other point on the Jökull, -our present height being 4500 feet--the summit of the Housie being -at least 1500 feet above us. Its form is a lop-sided cone, from -which I could trace, through my telescope, the course of huge lava -streams, now deeply buried in the snow, but still leaving unequal -ridges upon each side of the mountain, and in some instances -extending to a considerable distance upon the main body of the -Vatna Jökull. An extensive eruption of one of these snow-covered -volcanoes must be awful, when any vast volume of lava is suddenly -ejected upon such a tremendous accumulation of frozen material; -but minor eruptions and smaller streams of lava, I should think, -can make but little impression upon such an enormous quantity of -snow in the first instance. Probably (unless there has been any -great amount of sand or ashes previously ejected) they melt their -way through the snow to the rocky bed of the mountain, and forming -a sort of tube by the aid of the rapidly consolidated crust upon -their surface continue their course, much as a lava stream would -upon ordinary ground, or more especially, perhaps, at the bottom -of the sea, without occasioning any very remarkable phenomena, and -even the effect of the most extensive eruptions must of necessity -be but local. - -By 4 P.M. the wind shifted back to its old quarter, S.S.E., and, -despairing of frost, we again betook ourselves to the tent. -Towards midnight, for about the twentieth time, I went out with -Paul to look at the weather. We tried the sleighs, and found it -was as much as one man could do to pull a sleigh with nothing -on it, and a very small weight almost buried the sleigh in the -snow, and enabled it to resist our united efforts to get it -along. During our experiment we sunk very deep into the snow. -For the last three days I had put every one on half rations, and -as anything is better than inactivity with insufficient food, we -determined to abandon our sleighs and attempt to force our way -through the snow, carrying everything upon our backs. It was rather -foggy and sleeting, but the wind was blowing pretty steadily. We -communicated our determination to the rest of our party, and they -quietly accepted it without a murmur. We packed up everything, and -leaving our sleighs and a gathering storm behind us, we turned -our faces northward with a cheer which was more animated than -might have been expected under the circumstances. I must say our -position bore rather a forlorn aspect. Six men heavily laden, -wading through snow up to their knees at every step, no view but -an ever-advancing circle of gloom, the only variation being that -it was darker towards the south, from which quarter a strong wind -was blowing, with squalls of sleet and snow. About every quarter -of an hour we had to stop from sheer exhaustion, and after two or -three hours’ arduous toil two of my men became quite incapacitated -and too ill to proceed. This was evidently not a case of sham. I -therefore halted, and served out with all speed some warm grog; one -man was spitting blood, and another was suffering severe pains in -the stomach. I had previously advised every man to wear a cloth -bandage round his stomach, but none of them had cared to do so. I -suffered rather from pains in the bowels the previous year upon the -Vatna Jökull, but I was now wearing an abdominal bandage of tarred -cloth, and throughout our prolonged stay upon the snow suffered no -inconvenience whatever. The next day was finer, with sunshine and -increased cold, with snow at intervals, the thermometer being below -freezing point all day; one of the sick men had recovered, but the -other was still too ill to travel. Towards evening the wind blew -from the west, and it began to freeze hard. I therefore sent back -for the sleighs, which we had taken the precaution to stand upright -and fix firmly in the snow before we left them. - -By 9 P.M. it was freezing very sharply. I served out an allowance -of warm grog, and as the invalid was greatly recovered and said he -would rather die than go back, we again struck N.N.E., allowing -him to go free. We had packed everything on one of the sleighs, -four pulling and one pushing behind, and so firm a crust had now -formed upon the surface of the snow that this heavily laden sleigh -travelled as easily as an empty one would have done the evening -before. We now gradually ascended until at 1 A.M. we reached -a rolling plain, at the height of 5750 feet. It was perfectly -clear in the west, and I obtained a good view of Tungufell’s and -Arnarfell’s Jökulls, which from the angle they made with our line -of march, showed me we were two-thirds of the way across the Vatna -Jökull. It was still very thick in the south and east, and the -wind had shifted to the south-west. An ice-storm was almost the -immediate result, a driving mist encrusting everything with ice; -the undulations in the plateau became more and more marked, the -variation in altitude being sometimes as much as 100 feet or more. -A most obdurate mist continued to prevent our obtaining any further -view, which was very exasperating, as we might have passed within -a short distance of objects of interest without being conscious of -the fact. - -We made our first halt at 3 A.M., and took a light meal of Peek -and Frean’s meat biscuits and snow. When I say snow I do not mean -the pure white frosty snow which lies upon the surface, but the -coarse, granular, icy particles of which the crust we were walking -upon was composed. I have often been dependent upon snow for the -water supply, both in North-West America and upon mountains, and -I find the coarser the snow is, and the more it approaches the -character of ice, the better it quenches the thirst, and the less -likely it is to occasion pain in the stomach. When the fine white -snow only can be procured, as every tyro knows, it can be made -more palatable by compressing it into a snowball. In other words, -the less cold air is swallowed, entangled in the snow, the better; -for the very act of squeezing the snow causes it to part with -some portion of air, as is shown by the change of colour, as it -regelates towards the form of ice. Thus we preferred the coarse icy -granules, which formed the crust upon the older snow, to the pure -white tempting frost-snow which, owing to the extra amount of air -it contained, must have been of a considerably lower temperature -than the granulated snow beneath. We were now at the height of 5900 -feet, and the temperature was 15° of frost. The rim of the sun was -occasionally observable through the fog which surrounded us, giving -us a good line to steer by, and bright fog-bows escorted us to -windward; but these were simply bows, and had none of the cruciform -corona in the interior, which were so observable upon the Myrdal’s -Jökull last year. At 6 P.M. we reached a steep ascent, where our -compass twisted and turned about in the most eccentric fashion; -the heavens became black as night to windward, the wind had risen, -and was making the peculiar booming noise I have often remarked in -these regions before a storm, and driving a blinding, pitiless -drifting snow before it, which eddied about the sleigh and wrapped -itself around us, as if longing to enshroud and bury us in its -frozen toils. But we had an idea of burying ourselves in our own -fashion. “Oskôp mikill stormur kèmur bráðum” (A bad storm is coming -on presently), said Eyólfur, sitting down for a moment on the -sleigh, and clapping his feet together to knock off the snow which -was clinging to his legs, and we were all of the same opinion. We -were at the height of 6150 feet, so I ordered a hole to be dug, -and the tent to be pitched. The snow was very hard and firm, even -at the depth of four feet, and we cut out as clean a hole as if it -had been in salt, but the wind drifted so much loose snow into it, -that the men were obliged to hold up the tent to windward during -its completion. We had barely got ourselves snug and commenced -breakfast, when the storm burst upon us, seeming to threaten the -tearing up of the very snow in which we had taken refuge; and had -not former experience taught us to fortify our tent well all round -with banks of snow, I have no doubt it would have been the last we -should have seen of that article of furniture. Being satisfied that -all was snug, and that the worst which could happen to us was that -we might be buried a few feet in the snow, we went to sleep. When -we awoke at mid-day the storm had subsided and the fog had lifted, -showing three dark mountains to the north--doubtless Skjaldbreið, -Herðubreið, and Dyngjufjöll. - -We were speculating as to whether we should go on in spite of the -still threatening aspect of the weather, when the fog returned, -and the booming wind announced another storm to be close at hand. -Presently it broke upon us; never before had I heard the wind make -such an unearthly wail. It seemed as if every imaginable demon and -all the storm spirits of that wild region had assembled to howl and -make a united attack upon us. The light was fast becoming obscure, -and we were getting fairly snowed up, but that made us all the -warmer, all the more secure, and the shrieking of the storm was -deadened by the friendly covering. We partook of some chocolate, -smoked and sung, and finally slept again. At 8 P.M. the storm had -somewhat subsided, and I sent out a man to clear away some of the -snow from the roof of the tent to let a little light in. The snow -had drifted nearly over the tent, and it took some hard work before -we were dug sufficiently out to let in enough light to write by; -outside there were 10° of frost, but we were comfortably warm in -the tent. The air outside was so full of snow that we could not -see a couple of yards in advance. Another day showed us only a -continuation of storm and snow which utterly prevented progress. We -had now only about a week’s provision left, so I again put every -one on half rations. The men were obliged to take turns in clearing -away the snow, at intervals of every three hours, from the top -of the tent, and before very long the tent had the appearance of -lying at the bottom of a deep hole in the snow. We passed the time -as best we could, by sleeping, eating, smoking, writing, singing, -spinning yarns, and I occasionally amused the assembly by learning -strings of Icelandic words by Mr. Stokes’s method of mnemonics, -and repeating them in order, either backwards or forwards, which -puzzled the Icelanders not a little. - -Before I started for the Vatna in 1871, I remember saying I -should like to see one of its worst storms: I now had that -gratification. Storms are interesting natural phenomena, but when -prolonged indefinitely are, to say the least, tedious hindrances to -progress; and now, lying upon the top of the Vatna Jökull, with the -possibility of their lasting for a month, and provisions materially -diminishing, their dreary monotony became intolerably oppressive, -and after mature consultation we all came to the conclusion that -if the weather did not clear in two days’ time, we would leave all -impedimenta behind, except provisions, instruments and my diary, -and strike northward, storm or no storm--“_sauve qui peut_.” - -When we lay down and were fairly snowed over, the booming of the -storm sounded as if it came from the interior of the mountain, and -almost any familiar sound could be singled out from the hurly-burly -in an exaggerated degree, without any great stretch of imagination. -It stormed all night; the wind “Trolls” shrieked around us, the -thunder of the storm roared through the, to us, dark midnight -hours, surging upon the icy bosom of the Jökull, sweeping up its -snowy slopes, bearing with it avalanches of snow-drift which had -buried us several feet deep by morning. By 5 A.M. it lessened -somewhat, the furies of the Vatna appeared to have given up the -idea of overwhelming us, and the disheartened tempest sunk away -in melancholy sobs, but a determined drift and south-west wind -persevered in harassing us. - -It was clear that we must now start forward, for not only was there -a considerable amount of snow yet to be traversed, but a howling -wilderness of volcanic sand, lava, and mountain torrents had to -be crossed which lay between the north base of the Jökull and the -nearest habitation. We could not remain in our present position, -so deeply were we buried, and so difficult was it to get in and -out of the tent; moreover the fury of the storm had beaten the -snow hard, so there was no time to be lost. I served out a hearty -meal, and as packing up under such circumstances seemed to demand -some stimulant, I made some grog out of methylated spirit, for -all our whisky was gone. This served to quicken our circulation, -although it was far from being palatable, having, as my Icelanders -said, “slœmr dropi,” or a bad after-taste, and no wonder, as the -first taste was not suggestive of an agreeable sequel. We packed, -but with great difficulty, owing to everything being frozen quite -hard. Upon leaving, I drew over my mocassins a pair of fishing -stockings; they were as hard as sheet iron, and were a very great -inconvenience to me; but it was too cold to stop and take them off, -for it seemed as if we should freeze as we stood. These stockings -had been of great service in keeping me dry hitherto, and I hoped -they would protect me now. I felt a hard lump in the bottom of my -left stocking; if it was snow it meant a frozen foot. But there -was no help for it--we could not think of stopping to change -foot-gear in such a tempest. The wind had shifted to the west, -almost freezing the side exposed to it. We steered N.N.E.: it was -fortunate the wind was almost at our back, for we could hardly have -faced it. - -After three hours’ hard tugging we reached the height of 6,150 -feet, and straight away began to descend, and presently at so rapid -a rate that I had to send three men behind, in order to prevent -the sleigh from starting on its own account for the bottom of the -mountain. Suddenly the clouds cleared away before us, disclosing a -deep, snowy valley at our feet, and a tall black mountain, streaked -with snow, upon our left and west. Lower and lower we descended, -more and more precipitous, till it was evident that we could go -no farther upon our present course with the sleigh; so Paul and -I went forward to explore. The side of the valley terminated in -almost perpendicular walls of snow, which were now frozen perfectly -hard, and glazed over by the severity of the frost; the opposite -side was more broken, with dark crags here and there protruding, -while a copious lava stream appeared to flow northwards from the -termination of the snow, though I afterwards found that a fringe of -glaciers intervened. - -We next decided on striking due north, along the sloping sides of -the valley, to what we supposed to be Querkfjall, but afterwards -found to be Kistufell. Upon returning to the sleigh, while putting -back my field-glass, which I was obliged to do barehanded, for my -gloves were a mass of ice upon the outside, my fingers began to -freeze; but a little hard clapping, and by getting two of my men -to beat them with their hands, the circulation was restored. I now -ordered three of my men to put spiked iron clamps upon their feet, -for without this precaution I doubt not but we should have ended -our career, sleigh and all, by an abrupt descent into the valley -beneath, unless we had been stopped by some of the ugly crevasses -which yawned half-way down the snowy steep, upon the slippery and -precipitous sides of which we were descending. - -We proceeded, but with great difficulty; our trouble now being, not -that the sleigh was hard to get along, but that it would go too -fast; in fact, it seemed likely to run away with us altogether. -Behind us was a fierce wind, beneath us a precipice of some 800 or -1,000 feet; and the sloping snow-banks we were treading shelved off -at such an alarming angle that it rendered the work more dangerous -than pleasant. In this critical position I became painfully aware -that I had frozen my left big toe; for the increased exertions -and the lessening altitude were causing it to thaw. The pain was -horrible; but presently the slope became less abrupt, and we -stepped along at such a rate that 1,500 feet were negociated with -considerable speed. Hurrah! we were again in bright sunshine; but -the moment we stood still, the wind cut us to the bone. Before us -lay the long looked-for Norðurland. We arrived at the bottom of the -valley, and found it full of loose snow, which was knee-deep, for -the crust was here much too light to bear our weight, and at every -few feet we sunk into a miniature crevasse. After struggling on for -some few hours, however, we pitched our tent. - -Right thankful was I to get some warm soup and creep into the bag. -One of my men--and a real good fellow he was--named Sigurð, cuddled -my left foot in his arms, although my writhings kept him as well as -myself awake while the others slept. I have had many parts of my -body frozen, but I never suffered so much as from that toe. - -After a few hours we again started; and although the sleigh -travelled easily over the crust, we still broke through it, which -occasioned me so much pain at every step that I sat upon the sleigh -and was drawn along until we had descended so much that the crust -ceased altogether. The snow terminated in a half-melted slush, -lying upon a bottom of ice. Wading through the slush, which at -times took us up to the waist, we next reached Kistufell, where -the ice and snow terminated. Here we landed on a bed of volcanic -débris, which covered the ice to such a depth that one could in no -way, except by digging, distinguish it from the adjacent fjall. -The Vatna Jökull now lay behind us with its mysterious recesses -and volcanoes carefully guarded from intrusion by gloom and -storm. To the north of us rose a cluster of mountains from which -great quantities of steam were rising, and hovering above their -summits in a huge mushroom-shaped cloud; to our left and west lay -a wide-spreading lava-field, arms of which stretched amongst the -neighbouring mountains like the troubled waters of a cindery ocean. -Patches of black sand at intervals broke the continuity of this -tract of lava, and culminated in a desert still farther to the -north-east. Beyond, all the weird forms of fire-wrought mountains -formed a fitting back-ground; their rude outlines rendered still -more uncouth and grim by the fierce storms of ages. A huge tongue -of glaciers at this point swept down to a distance of some ten -miles beyond its most northern limit, as represented upon the map -published by Olsen in 1844, from a survey made by Gunnlaugsson, -in 1835. I here caught sight of Snæfell; and, upon taking its -bearings with the smoking mountains, which were evidently the -Dyngjufjöll, I found that instead of being at Querkfjall, which -was the point I had intended to strike, we were upon the east -side of Kistufell, about ten miles too much to the west. What -astonished us most was (granted that we were at the east side of -Kistufell) that we could see nothing of the Jökulsá-á-fjöllum, -which river, upon Olsen’s map, rises at the foot of Kistufell; -besides, upon his map the Jökull ends at Kistufell, while here a -huge glacier extended east and north-east as far as the eye could -reach, though exactly to our north and north-west it terminated -abruptly, and only an insignificant river flowed to the north. We -here abandoned our sleigh and snow-shoes which had served us so -well, and whatever we no longer required, and, making everything -into packs, continued our descent over huge piles of moraine, which -doubtless covered glacial ice, buttresses and points of which here -and there protruded. Having slidden down several steep slopes of -snow, which had collected in all the hollows, affording us ready -means of descent, we found ourselves at the height of 3,850 feet, -in the bed of what evidently had been a large river, though now -only an insignificant stream. - -To our east and right stretched the immense glaciers before -mentioned, completely overrunning the route taken by Gunnlaugsson -in 1835, and diverting the source of the Jökulsá, which rises -in several arms from the extremity of the glacial tongue before -mentioned. Upon our left and west lay the wide-spreading -lava-desert of the Ódáðahraun. - -Our way over the sandy bottom of the grand old watercourse was an -easy one to travel, for the sand had absorbed sufficient water -to make it firm and compact. Our attention was engaged for some -time in watching the fanciful shapes that crowned the dark wall -of ice upon our right, on the opposite side of the stream which -now lay between us and the glacier; and now and then we could not -help stopping to peer into some of the dark chasms which seemed -to penetrate into the heart of the icy monster, and to admire the -little cataracts of foam which spouted from clefts in the dark -green ice, or to wonder at some icy pinnacle or turret, that ever -and again tumbled from, perhaps, some few hundred feet above us -with a roar and a splash into the river, there to be slowly melted, -while the sound of its downfall echoed and re-echoed amongst the -cavernous openings in the glacier from which it had fallen! After -an hour or so we settled on a low sandy island in the middle of the -river, which must have formed formidable rapids when the immense -stream that had hollowed out this mighty watercourse had roared -over its bed; but it was shallow enough now, and by judiciously -picking our way it scarcely reached up to our knees as we waded -to the little island. I here noticed, as I had often done before, -an intermittent occurrence of waves in certain portions of the -stream. These, in large rivers, are rather terrible things, but -here they were on so small a scale as to make their examination -simply a safe indulgence of harmless curiosity. These waves occur -in all the sandy rivers, and they are occasioned by the sand and -detritus, which is brought down by the river in large quantities, -accumulating against some obstacle until such a time as it forms -rapids, which increase in proportion to the durability of this -suddenly-formed sandbank. In most cases it readily yields to -the action of the water, and is carried away; if, however, the -material which is thus piled up should be of a heavier character -than usual, it soon accumulates to such an extent as to resist the -action of the water altogether, and cause the current to alter its -course. This shows how the rivers of Iceland may be diverted and -changed from this cause alone, converting shallows into deep water, -and deep water into shallows, indeed altering the position and -character of the rivers altogether. - -As we lay down, the volcanoes in the Dyngjufjöll were smoking -away with increased violence. My frost-bitten toe would not allow -me to sleep much, so after a doze of two hours we started on our -way; we had but two days’ full rations left, and as Grímstaðir -was the nearest farm, a series of forced marches was necessary. -Before us to the N.E. was a cluster of hills, which stretched from -the southern extremity of the Dyngjufjöll in a S.E. direction -towards the Jökulsá, upon the east and west sides of which valleys -appeared to open northwards. Wishing, however, to get a good view -of the country before us, as neither of us had been here before, -and it was a matter of paramount importance that we should make -no mistake as to the direction, I decided to steer for the centre -of the hills, and to cross them. For a short distance we skirted -the tongue of the Jökull, past a line of moraine which shewed that -the glacier had ebbed as well as flowed, then bearing more to the -north, after a hard walk of three hours we reached the hills before -us. They were composed of the usual confusion of agglomerate, -sand and lava, which had issued from it--it was impossible to say -where; but they were evidently of a very ancient date, and many -of the harder rocks were glaciated, while the softer ones were -simply ruinous heaps. After an arduous scramble, we crossed these -hills and reached the little desert of black volcanic sand we had -seen from the northern edge of the Vatna Jökull. This sand plain -lay between the Dyngjufjöll and a chain of mountains upon the -opposite side of the Jökulsá-á-fjöllum. It was now raining somewhat -heavily, but there was no fog; the burdens of my men were heavy, -and I was carrying all I could manage with my bad foot. Under these -conditions we were obliged often to rest, which much hindered in -our progress. We sighted some low, black, misshapen volcanoes, -about half way across the plain, and near these we determined to -camp for the night. Two hours brought us to a field of lava which -had flowed from and surrounded those eccentric little volcanoes -which rose in four ghastly eminences in the centre of the plain, -in no part more than 100 feet high. Tired as I was, and greatly -inconvenienced by my foot, I could not refrain from examining them. -They were situated upon a crack from which the lava had welled up -in four mamelonic shapes, which in two instances showed irregular -breached craters, nearly filled with sand, which had been drifted -thither by the wind. The lava was basaltic, and of a remarkably -scoriaceous nature, though in the immediate neighbourhood of the -volcanoes no cinders were visible around them, so their eruptions -must have been attended with but little of explosive character. - -The worst feature of our night’s lodging was the absence of water, -so I ordered the waterproof coats to be spread out to catch rain -for our use in the morning. - -It was 1.30 A.M. before we all turned in for the night. Sand is -warm to camp upon, but it gets into everything, and when one is -wet it sticks to clothes, &c., in a most objectionable manner. By -six A.M. we were all awake, sufficient water had collected for -immediate use, and we were soon all under weigh over the lava, -which in most places flowed very evenly, and being of a more -compact character than that which was close to the volcanoes we -had just left, had allowed little pools of rain water to collect -upon the surface. We marched for four hours, and then struck -a large river upon our east. This was the Jökulsá-á-fjöllum. -After following its course for some time, we decided to “cache” -everything but the remainder of our provisions, our maps, and -my diary, for it was my intention to return with horses to the -Dyngjufjöll mountains which now lay to our N.W., when I could -recover them without much difficulty. Having carefully made our -“cache,” we planted a flag-pole upon an adjacent sandbank, and -having carefully taken its bearings, struck for the Vaðalda -hills, which were not very far distant. These hills run for some -nine miles parallel with the course of the Jökulsá; their base -being washed by the Svartá, or Black river, which rises in the -Dyngjufjöll, but is soon lost in the sand, re-appearing on the -Svartá at the commencement of the Vaðalda. Upon the opposite side -of this river we found a root of angelica (Icelandic, _hvönn_), the -stem and root of which we shared and ate with great relish; we also -saw two white sheep, but how they manage to eke out an existence -must have puzzled their sheeps’ heads not a little. Though, -proverbially, two heads are better than one, I doubt if the proverb -would hold good in their case, but there may be some grass in glens -which I have not seen in the Ódáðahraun, where enough herbage may -grow to feed Icelandic sheep, as they are not very dainty, and are -accustomed to short commons. - -The Vaðalda hills, although of no great height, command an -extensive view towards the Vatna Jökull, and upon reaching their -summit I glanced back over the plain. It was one broad wilderness -of black sand and lava, girt about with ridges of volcanic -mountains, whose numerous cones and chasms have vomited the immense -amount of ash, sand and lava with which the surrounding country -is covered. In the centre of the plain rose the little volcanoes -by which we had encamped the previous night, grimly and perkily -protruding, as if they aped their monster brethren around them. -Beyond all was the wide, white expanse of the Vatna Jökull, from -which a huge tongue of glacier extended more than half way across -the plain; from its extremity commenced the river we had been -following (the Jökulsá-á-fjöllum), which stretched through the -black bare plain sometimes in many arms, enclosing little islands -of black sand and pebbles in its sinuous embrace, then surging -along through a single deep channel it had worn for itself in the -sand, where the unstable banks, even while we gazed on them, were -crumbling and falling in, patch after patch of sand rendering still -more murky its already discoloured waters. - -From here I obtained the first good view of the Querkfjall, which -appeared to be a cluster of conical mountains, one huge crater -being on the northern side of the Vatna Jökull. This large crater, -though partially filled with snow, was smoking at three points, -but presented no other signs of activity. Having advanced about -a mile upon the Vaðalda, we were soon upon the pumice which was -ejected last year from the Öskjugjá, or chasm of oval casket, -in the Dyngjufjöll mountains. It has fallen in a line of about -twenty-five miles in breadth from the centre of the Vaðalda to -the south of Herðubreið, in a band of continually extending ladià -eastward towards the sea shore, destroying in its course six farms -in the Jökuldalr, and injuring others in the immediate vicinity. -This shows that the prevalent winds during the eruption of Öskjugjá -must have been south-west. - -This pumice is of a remarkably vitreous nature and vesicular in -structure, often assuming very beautiful forms, such as sponge, -honeycomb, coral or grained wood. As far as the eye could see, -the whole country was buried under greyish cinders, often to the -depth of several feet; while in places it had been swept up into -huge banks of many feet in thickness by the wind, sometimes burying -whole lava fields, the more elevated crags of which protruded, as -if struggling to get free, and proclaim the existence of the lava -stream underneath. We descended into a valley in which everything, -like the surrounding country, was covered with the same white -greyish pumice, except where the darkly-flowing river wound -silently along, deep, black and foul, bearing upon its surface -floating islands of pumice. - -The pumice had evidently fallen upon the winter’s snow, for a thick -layer lay underneath, protected by the cinders from the influences -of the summer temperature. Ever and again this substratum gave -way, and we sank deeply into a mixture of snow and ashes. It was -trying work, but we were well warmed, and pushed on at a good pace. -We again climbed to the crest of the hills, and another valley -opened to our view, running S.S.E., and another river not marked -upon Olsen’s map helped to swell the waters of the Jökulsá, while -the river at our feet poured through a rocky chasm it had worn for -itself; further on was a jam of floating pumice which blocked up a -portion of the river, causing it in some places to look precisely -similar to the adjacent ground. Presently, a wide plain opened -before us, from which rose a lofty mountain, shaped like a huge -pork-pie, crusted over with ice and snow upon its flattened summit, -which rose gradually to a fantastic, ornamental apex in the centre. -This was Herðubreið, and it was at once recognised by Paul, who had -been in the north of Iceland before. Beyond Herðubreið the country -was of a darker hue, no doubt caused by the absence of the pumice, -which had not fallen upon the sand and lava desert of the Mývatns -Örœfí. We now halted to determine our exact position. We found we -were about forty-five miles from Grímstaðir, and upon the north -end of the Vaðalda, and as it would be necessary to hit the exact -spot where the boat was kept, Grímstaðir being upon the east side -of the river and we upon the west, we agreed to follow the course -of the Jökulsá. This river, in the map, appeared to flow pretty -nearly straight, but in reality does no such thing. As food was -getting short we took a light meal off our pipes, and reviewed our -supplies. We had a half-pound pot of chocolate and cream, about a -pound of hard tack, half a pound of butter, and three square inches -of “gravy soup”--rather short commons for six men, with forty-five -miles, at the very least computation, of the very roughest country -possible before them, and which, as we intended to follow the -course of the river the greater part of the way, would be sure to -develop into considerably more. - -There was a lovely yellow sunset as we descended the northern slope -of the Vaðalda; the sun was waning towards the north, and the -ashen covering of the surrounding mountains reflected an unearthly -light, which added a ghastly grandeur to the chaotic desolation -through which we were passing, while we ourselves, dirty, brown, -and wayworn, as we travelled almost noiselessly in our moccasins -over the ash-strewn ground, seemed fitting representatives of the -outlaws and evil spirits with which tradition had peopled this wild -region. A very suitable abode it seemed for all of evil omen, but -even such must have had a hard time of it if the country were in -their day such as it is now, which probably was not the case. - -By two A.M. we rested, purposing to take a couple of hours’ -sleep. I scooped out a place for myself in the cinders, and lying -down under the lee of a large stone, covered myself over with my -mackintosh coat. Unfortunately my men could not sleep as they were -so cold, so we soon resumed our journey. At five A.M. we were due -east of Herðubreið, where we took a slight meal, the most prominent -feature of which was water from the Jökulsá. We were travelling -over an old lava stream nearly covered with pumice, and the river -had assumed formidable proportions, having been joined by a third -arm upon the east side, which roared over the lava in its bed. The -sun was shining brightly, the clouds were beginning to melt away -from the summit of Herðubreið, leaving a cloudless sky; a slight -frost was glistening upon everything and stiffening our beards, the -pumice was getting thinner and thinner, and presently altogether -disappeared. Before us lay a broad waste of sand and lava, and -in the far distance loomed the mountains of Mývatn, which Paul -recognised as old friends, as some years of his life had been spent -in the Mývatn sveit. For the first few miles my foot troubled me a -good deal, but as soon as I got warm the pain ceased, and as the -day promised to be hot, we made the most of these early hours. - -Following the course of the river, we found ourselves upon a plain -of sand and pebbles, and as we advanced, a little scanty herbage -began to make its appearance, while occasional sheep tracks showed -that sheep in this quarter were, as usual, wont to stray from -richer and more plentiful pastures to those which afforded but -a poor and meagre supply. By 8.30 we reached the little river -Grafalandá, which here flows into the Jökulsá; and here there was -plenty of grass. The sun now shone warmly, and as we were not more -than twenty-seven miles from Grímstaðir in a straight line, we lay -down and slept for two hours. Upon rising we still followed the -river, which, as before remarked, is by no means a straight one. -Our road now lay through a considerable quantity of thick herbage, -principally galix and coarse grass. Some hills here interrupted -our progress, the base of which was washed by the river, and since -no way was possible between the river and the over-hanging cliffs, -for the river here took a great turn eastward, we decided to ascend -the hills. The summits of these, as is often the case in Iceland, -were formed of stones imbedded in sand and decomposed rock, after -the fashion of a loosely macadamized road. This is doubtless caused -by the heavy covering of the winter’s snow, which presses down the -stones, and then as it melts converts the material in which they -are embodied into slush, into which the fragments of rock, &c., -readily sink, so that when the water has drained off and the fine -weather comes, it is found transformed into a kind of cement, for -the decomposed fellspathic lavas especially set very firmly under -such circumstances. By three P.M. we reached a delightful little -mountain stream brawling over the rocks and lava, fertilizing the -parts of the mountain through which it ran, and calling into birth -green borders of galix and grass, forming a beautiful little -cascade directly in our path. Here we halted; the sun was intensely -hot, but it felt rather comfortable than otherwise. Here we found -an abundant growth of angelica, which we ate with the remainder of -our provisions. We then washed our socks and laid down to sleep, -lulled by the bubble of the stream and the sweet fresh smell of -the herbage around us, which our long absence from everything that -could produce so agreeable an aroma rendered all the more welcome. - -Evening came before we again started, and our road was through a -deep loose sand, which was very trying and heavy to our feet, for -beneath this was a layer of pure white ash of the consistency of -flour--probably decomposed pumice. When this was mixed with sand, -it seemed to be a good fertilizer, for wherever it occurred a patch -of wild oats was the invariable result. Before we again reached the -river, we found it cut directly through a cluster of low mountains, -striking a field of very dark and almost vitreous lava. By midnight -we sighted Grímstaðir to the S.E., upon the opposite side of the -river, although at some considerable distance, and the ferry was -beyond the farm, to the north of it. We followed closely down the -bank of the river that we might not miss it, for there was no track -to guide one across the Mývatns Örœfí, and it was a good three -hours before we found the boat, which was a leaky concern, but by -dint of bailing and rowing we eventually reached the opposite side. -Five A.M. saw us arrived at Grímstaðir, much to the surprise of the -occupants, who had not at all expected the intrusion of six men _on -foot_ at such an hour, and from such a quarter. - -The bóndi having been roused, the whole establishment turned -out to have a look at us. Grímstaðir was decidedly the best and -most extensive farm I had seen in the island, except, perhaps, -Breiðarbólstað in Rangarvallasýsla. The bóndi was a good type of -the genuine old-fashioned Icelander, and everything in the place -was cleanly and comfortable. He had passed all his life in the -north of the island, and had not ever journeyed to Reykjavík. - -There was a good-sized windmill in front of the farm, to grind the -rye and wheat sold by the store-keepers; and this was a very great -improvement upon the old stone handmill so generally used in other -parts of the country, especially in the south. Windmills seem to be -rather a characteristic of the north of Iceland. My first object -was to procure coffee and a good meal; this having been secured, -I proceeded to purchase four sheep, and give instructions for -their death and disposal. One was destined for immediate use, the -other three to be made into pemmican, their skins being dried for -carriage to England. - -What a glorious institution is a bed! What a happy thought it was -of the man who first conceived the idea of taking off his clothes -before turning into it! What luxury! a tub, hot water, soap, a -sponge, a towel, clean sheets, an eiderdown quilt, a little tallow -for my poor sore nose, and sleep! What sublimity of comfort! -Well, I slept as only a well-worn traveller could sleep, till I -was roused by the novel sound of a knock at the door of my room. -“What’s the matter? Who’s there?” My watch said twelve o’clock. - -It was the bóndi’s daughter, with coffee and a plate full of -delicate little pancakes, each carefully rolled up with a few -raisins inside, and nicely powdered over with white sugar. Forgive -the weakness, good reader, but that little tray! Can I ever forget -it or its contents, to say nothing of its comely bearer? Will I -have any more? Oh yes, by all means. My mid-day meal became an -interesting speculation, to say nothing of the comely bearer of it, -through whom I ordered sheep’s fry, and ere long was greeted with -its savoury smell. - -Paul had gone to Reikjahlíð to try and hire a man and some horses -to enable us to go to Öskjugjá (the volcano we had seen smoking), -for my own horses had not yet arrived, but I learnt that it was -almost impossible to obtain either horses or men, as all were -engaged in gathering in the hay harvest. - -In the afternoon two students arrived from the college at Reykjavík -to spend their vacation in the north, and a merry evening we had of -it with my men, who were in high spirits at having fairly reached -the Norðurland by a route which had never before been trodden by -the foot of man, since their island first rose above the waters of -the North Atlantic--a feat that would immortalise their names in -local Icelandic history! - -We had then travelled from Núpstað in the south of the island to -Grímstaðir in the north, a distance of about 270 miles, in sixteen -days, twelve of which had been passed amongst the regions of -perpetual snow. I must here remark that the pluck, perseverance, -and obedience of the Icelanders who accompanied me are deserving of -all praise; for without them I could never have crossed the Vatna -Jökull. The next day was Sunday, and at breakfast I was informed -that the bóndi would read a service in the baðstofa, an apartment -for general use. This room was filled with little truck bedsteads, -and somewhat reminded me of a hospital. All the household were -gathered about, neat and orderly, sitting on the bedsteads, and -the service consisted of singing, reading, and prayer. - -One cannot help noticing the softening and harmonising influences -of all forms of civilized religion when not clouded by fanaticism, -more especially among those whose lives are spent in close contact -with the ruder elements of the world. - -The beautiful clear sunny weather continued, enabling us on the -following day to obtain a good view of the distant hills of -the Mývatn, across the arid waste of the Mývatns Örœfí, where -occasional puffs of wind were raising small clouds of the light -volcanic sand, carrying them high into the air. Sometimes, too, -circular currents raised screw-shaped columns of sand, which now -and then increased to rather formidable dimensions, and even -crossed the Jökulsá, blinding the chance traveller, and scaring -any stray sheep that might be cropping the tufts of scant herbage -sprinkled at long intervals over the plain. - -The volcano in the Dyngjufjöll was smoking away with greater -ferocity than ever, and the dark columns which formed the centre of -the great mushroom of vapour which still hung over these remarkable -mountains showed that something heavier than steam was being -ejected. - -Paul returned in the evening with a man from Grœnavatn, named -Thorlákur, who was to accompany me to the Ódáðahraun and the -Dyngjufjöll, but my difficulty lay in not having sufficient horses, -as Paul had found it impossible either to buy or hire more than -two, and they belonged to Thorlákur; and as I could not afford to -wait for my own, I was compelled to modify my plan of operations. -Requiring a fresh supply of necessaries, I first despatched Paul -to the stores at Vopnfjörðr, and then, with the rest of my men -and Thorlákur, set out for the Ódáðahraun on foot, one horse -carrying hay and the other provisions. Our first stage was to be -the Grafalandá, where there was plenty of grass, and our next some -point between the Dyngjufjöll mountains and the river Svartá, -within easy reach of the baggage I had left behind. From here I -determined to start with Thorlákur and Eyólfur, while the rest -returned to the Grafalandá with everything we did not absolutely -need, directing them in the meantime to fetch more provisions -from Grímstaðir, and a sufficient number of my own horses (which -doubtless by that time would have arrived) to carry us and our -belongings from the Grafalandá to Mývatn. - -In the evening two of the farm servants, who were refugees from -some of the devastated farms in the Jökuldalr, recounted their -experiences during the eruptions of last spring, which, however, by -no means damped the ardour of my men. - -The next day was spent in completing my preparations, and in the -evening, we bade adieu to Paul and our good friends at Grímstaðir, -after which we again turned our faces towards the mountains. - -My supplies now consisted of 50 lbs. of pemmican, 25 lbs. of bread, -10 lbs. of butter, two large dried trout from Mývatn, and about -half-a-gallon of corn brandy. - -Having crossed the ferry, my attention was arrested by a small -crater orgjà (chasm), as the natives called it, which had opened -in the plain about two miles to the west; it was an ancient vent, -named Hrossaberg, and many similar to it occur in the plain of -the Mývatns Örœfí. The fissures which had erupted in the spring -were of a like nature, and the heated lava from them we could just -perceive farther to the west, looking like a black bank, while from -it little clouds of steam were occasionally rising, and a thinnish, -darker vapour overshadowed it; and even at the distance we stood -from it pungent exhalations were perceptible. We continued on our -way towards Herðubreið in a southerly direction, over a desert of -sand and lava streams which had intersected and flowed over one -another, but my foot still greatly inconvenienced me, though I had -given it entire rest during my stay at Grímstaðir. At five A.M. we -stopped for half-an-hour to let the horses refresh themselves at -a patch of wild oats which here grew rather abundantly in patches, -generally in shape and size rather resembling ordinary haycocks, so -that in the distance they often made the plain appear as if it were -covered with hay in cocks all ready for carting. The peculiarity of -their form is doubtless due to the roots that protect the sand in -which they grow, while the sand on the surface of the surrounding -plain is being constantly swept away by the wind. - -We were now in a line west of the hills of Grímsfjall, which are -not marked upon Olsen’s map. We pursued our journey with the -morning sun, and it is surprising what an effect the sunlight -has upon one, to refresh, cheer, and revive one’s strength. I -have often remarked (and others have told me they have done the -same) that, when travelling all night, the sensation of weakness -and weariness is most felt between the hours of one and three -o’clock in the morning, but as soon as the sun appears there is a -consciousness of refreshment almost as though one had slept. - -We perceived a small quantity of steam, perhaps from a hot spring -or a fissure in the lava, about seven miles to our west, but I -could not spare time to inspect it. - -We next reached the Grafalandá, which is a small river taking its -rise north-west of Herðubreið, and flows north-east into the -Jökulsá. This water no doubt comes from patches of snow upon the -Dyngjufjöll, the Trölladýngjur mountains and Herðubreið, and as -is generally the case around these mountains, loses itself in the -sand and lava at their base to reappear as a stream when it can no -longer find a subterranean passage. The banks of this stream were -covered with dwarf birch and salix, but the larger wood was dead, -and this would seem to show that the woods were more extensive and -of a stronger growth in bygone years than at the present time. I -have observed this in other parts of Iceland. There was also here -an abundance of grass, making it an excellent halting place for -anyone desirous of exploring the adjacent mountains. It was in -this vicinity, tradition tells us, that the last of the Icelandic -outlaws found a shelter, and, as late as a hundred years ago, one -man, named Eyvindr, lived here for a considerable time, and a cave -in the north of Herðubreið hill memorialises his handy-work, in -the shape of a horse carved upon its roof or walls. He appears, -however, to have been by no means of terrible character, and was in -great favour with the country people. - -We next moved on to the river Lindá, about four miles in advance, -and three miles north-east of Herðubreið. Here there was good grass -for the horses, and angelica grew abundantly, and the stems and -roots of it were very acceptable and refreshing in a region so -void of vegetable life as this. I wonder the inhabitants do not -more cultivate it in their gardens, for I believe it would be quite -possible for them to acquire a national fondness for it as a staple -article of vegetable diet. - -A short trudge over the lava brought us level with Herðubreið, -and here we soon began to observe signs of the volcano in the -Dyngjufjöll in the shape of the peculiar vitreous pumice I have -before mentioned. - -Weary, weary work for sore feet this pumice-deluged country. Many -masses were four or five feet in circumference, but the majority -varied from the size of a man’s hand to that of a wine cork. In -many places it had drifted into huge beds, which was bad enough -for us to travel over, but it was still worse for the poor horses, -who seemed much fatigued with their journey. In ascending and -descending these large cinder heaps, great quantities would often -suddenly shift, leaving us deeper than our knees in dust and -pumice. We were steering west of the course we had taken from the -Vatna Jökull, and the pumice was thicker than we had yet found it; -while occasionally we met with round white masses of lava glazed -over upon the outside, but when broken they disclosed a highly -vesicular nature in their interior. This stony shower must have -been appalling, especially when accompanied by darkness, floods of -scalding water, and mephitic vapours. - -The dust occasioned by our progress was excessively trying to the -eyes, and even penetrated our clothes. In many places floods of -water had evidently flowed from the direction of the volcano. The -pumice was rapidly decomposing under the action of the atmosphere, -especially where it was wet, and a great deal of it appeared -to have been ejected in a wet state, and had since absorbed a -kind of wet earthy matter, which seemed materially to assist its -decomposition. These floods of water from volcanoes which are -neither glacial nor snow-capped mountains, can only be explained -in two ways, either by supposing the water to have accumulated as -a subterranean lake in the chimney of the volcano, or that it was -previously entangled in the very elements of the matter ejected. -We were now leaving the Vaðalda hills to the east, and we could -see by what a tortuous course we had travelled by keeping so close -to the river Jökulsá on our journey to Grímstaðir. At two A.M. we -rested and gave the horses some hay, for they were very tired, and -most of my men had scarcely recovered from their long march. After -an hour’s rest, we again moved on; the men were suffering much -from thirst, for Icelanders drink more water when on a walking -expedition than any people I ever met with, which I suppose is -because they are accustomed to consume a great quantity of milk -when at home. - -The pumice became finer and less deep as we advanced, and -remembering it had fallen in the winter, I dug through it to reach -the snow, which greatly relieved our thirst. We were now between -the Vaðalda and the Dyngjufjöll mountains, and from the top of a -lava field, almost buried beneath the pumice, we beheld the broad -sand plain we had crossed upon our journey from the Vatna. I here -noticed some rounded masses of lava, which were just the reverse -of the bombs I had seen before, being harder and more compact in -the centre than upon the exterior. The pumice now grew less and -less, and a gentle slope brought us to the sand plain; so, having -deposited our loads about one mile south-east of the Askja, and two -west of the southern extremity of the Vaðalda, I despatched two men -with the horses to seek the remainder of the belongings we had left -a week before upon the sand, about four miles away to the S.S.E. - -We then pitched by the side of three or four large shallow pools -of water, formed by several small streams which here run from the -Dyngjufjöll and lose themselves in the sand, re-appearing, as I -have before described, as the Svartá, a few miles to the S.S.E. - -The sand was very trying, for a westerly wind filled the air with -clouds of a most irritating dust. It was some time before the -men returned, when they informed me they had seen several sheep, -looking plump and well, and had found some grass near the source of -the Svartá, where they had given the horses a rest. Having taken -a good meal, I sent three of my men on their return journey, for -we had not sufficient hay to keep the horses any longer. I was -now left with only Thorlákur and Eyólfur, so we pitched our tent -in order that we might take a good sleep before setting out for -the Dyngjufjöll. The wind had died away upon the plain, the sand -no longer troubled us, the sun was shining warmly, so after our -long journey we were rewarded by a most refreshing sleep. Seven -P.M., however, saw us again on our legs. I had determined that the -volcanoes of Öskjugjá must be north-west of our present position, -and therefore decided to take a northern course along the E.S.E. -face of the mountains, and take the first _gill_ which should -anyway lead in a westerly direction. I also arranged for five days’ -provision to be taken with us, and the remainder to be _cached_ -upon the sand. Our whisky was now reduced to two small bottles -full, for I had been compelled to be rather liberal with it the -previous night. I therefore directed that a pint or more of water -should be placed in the keg, and this we left in the cache to await -our return. - -Having crossed a few small streams to the north, which flowed into -the pools by which we had encamped, the road became tolerably good, -being formed of very fine pumice, sand, and mud that had evidently -been cast up by the volcano in question. This, in all probability, -had been showered down towards the termination of the eruption, -when the pumice had been many times ejected and swallowed again by -the volcano, thus reducing it to very small pieces, lapilli and -mud,--while at the same time the eruption itself was waxing feeble. -Our good road terminated after about three hours’ walking, and then -we trod again upon a series of heaps of large and most execrable -pumice. All night we continued our difficult progress, but no -_gill_ presented itself, up which we might turn towards the object -of our search. - -My position may be imagined by the reader supposing himself toiling -over vast piles of rotten cinders, with 20 lbs. weight on his back, -in wet skin socks, with villanously sore feet. The circumstances -demanded a halt, for the sun was beginning to show itself in an arc -of misty, crimson light, which grew broader and broader and more -vivid with approaching day. To our left there arose crags to the -height of over 1000 feet above us, their sides being draped with -slopes of lava and shifting pumice. Around us were misshapen rocks -and conical eminences, carrying our thoughts back to eruptions -in bygone ages of the volcanic fires beneath. Here was a chasm, -yawning widely where it had not been filled up with pumice, -while many others cut deeply into the flanks of the surrounding -mountains. These were probably the result of the earthquakes -which had preceded the recent eruptions; while in the north of -the volcano we were now ascending they were very numerous, but I -did not observe any to the south of it. The wind was blowing from -the east, and hitherto the volcano had not troubled us with its -noisome smell; but as the heavy midnight clouds began to roll down -the mountain sides, a pungent sulphurous odour reminded us that -the dread power which had created the wilderness around was still -alive, though somewhat feeble, in the heart of the mountains which -seemed to scowl upon their nocturnal intruders. The snowy turban of -Herðubreið, however, was glowing in the sunlight, and the bright -face of the luminary broke through the eastern mists, showering -beautifully upon the cinder-strewn country around us the heavenly -gift of morning sunlight. “Já blessuð sólin,” exclaimed both my -companions. “Aye, the blessed sun!” and we all for some minutes -silently watched the approach of the tutelar spirit of Icelandic -travellers. Who can wonder at the uneducated or the uncivilized -worshipping the sun? Crude nature always regards what it cannot -understand with superstitious fear, and sometimes with love and -worship, and if we did not recognise in all a great Primeval Cause, -we might worthily deify the sun; but it was useless to lay dreaming -and it was too cold to lie still, and lying still would not get us -up the mountain, for up the mountain we were fain to go. We had -already gone too far to the north, and as there was no gill, we -must needs climb straight up, and steer for the thickest steam and -the foulest smell; in short, when our eyes failed, to follow our -noses. - -Toiling up the sides of the mountain, the mist thickened, while -dense clouds settled around us as though they would draw us -into the volcano; the smell grew sickening, and the pumice more -muddy. What was falling, rain or sand? Neither; it was a kind of -fatty loam, falling in coarse granules, the smells from which -were most offensive, and it was very fortunate we were almost to -windward of the volcano, or progress would have been impossible. -My aneroid here marked 3500 feet, and as higher and higher we -climbed the mist cleared a little, until we stood upon the top; -while beneath us lay a pandemonium of steam and hideous sounds. -Suddenly a fearful crash made us stand aghast; it seemed as if half -the mountain had tumbled in upon the other side of this horrible -valley, and for some time we could see nothing for the dense -clouds of steam which seethed up before us, and the heavy rain of -loam which was falling, while the most hideous shrieks, groans, -booming and screaming sounds rose from all parts of this terrible -depression, the bottom of which was now utterly obscured. Again -and again came a crash and a roar from the opposite side, and also -occasionally from the side we were standing upon. The sides of -the crater were evidently falling in, and huge wide cracks, even -where we stood, showed us that our position was not altogether a -safe one; but the wind was clearing the clouds away, so, seating -ourselves upon some large blocks of pumice, we lit our pipes and -waited until we could obtain a better view. One thing was certain, -this was evidently the volcano of the Öskjugjá which had wrought -so much devastation in the Jökuldalr and its vicinity, and we were -upon the eastern wall of its crater! Presently the clouds lifted in -the distance, and as gap after gap, and space after space cleared, -we could see the scorched and blasted country which stretched for -many a league behind us. Mountain after mountain gradually shook -off the clouds in which the night had enfolded them, and as the -mist cleared toward the north we could distinguish a three-cornered -plain, encircled except at one point, N.N.E., by semi-detached -sections of volcanic mountains, some of which had broken out in -ancient times, and by their insignificant lava streams had helped -to swell the widely-extending lava stream of the Ódáðahraun. - -The crater upon the eastern edge of which we stood was situated -in its southern corner. This plain was the Askja (or oval wooden -casket). It is about six miles long, and from three to four -broad, and at this end was some 4000 feet above sea level. I -believe it could be easily reached by a glen upon the N.E. side -of the Dyngjufjöll. Presently, apparently about a mile away to -the north, we could see the rim of the crater, at a great depth -beneath us, and while we were looking at it, a great crack opened -upon the margin, and a huge slice slipped with but little noise -into the crater, deep down beyond the range of vision. The mist, -however, somewhat cleared away, and then a shaft, like the mouth -of a large coal-pit, was disclosed to the N.N.E. corner of the -valley, but beyond the rim of the crater, from which a straight -column of pitch-black vapour was issuing. Boom, boom, from its -hoarse black throat, was succeeded in a few seconds by a heavy -shower of the coarse earthy granules before mentioned; then a -long line of chasms and holes burst to view in the dark floor of -the crater, from which issued screaming noises, intermingled with -inky vapour, patches of steaming ground, and gaping rifts and -chasms. The sun now broke through, and almost simultaneously the -clouds lifted from the valley, shaking off the Plutonic vapours -which had chained them during the night, and, as if ashamed to own -their temporary bondage in the presence of the lord of day, they -slunk away to windward. By this time we could see the whole of -the crater and its surroundings, except in places where the thick -smoke and steam intervened. I felt it was well worth taking the -journey from England to stand even for a moment and look into the -abyss which opened at our feet, with its black pits and grim chasms -all contributing to the general aggregate of steam, and loam, and -stench, and horrid sound; while behind us stretched a wild waste of -glen, desert, and mountain, a country moaning in ashes, and howling -with desolation. - -This crater, which perhaps we may be allowed to call Öskjugjá, -or “the chasm of the oval casket,” is triangular in shape, and -is about five miles in circumference, the base of the triangle -being to the N.W., and about 1¼ English miles across. From this -base, which was nearly at the level of the plain of Askja, a -perpendicular wall of rock cut off all communication with the floor -of the crater, which sloped gradually towards the centre, to the -depth probably of four or five hundred feet below the plain above -described; but I had no opportunity of measuring it, as I could not -get down to the crater at any point, neither could I see nor hear -the stones which I flung in strike the bottom, as they gave back no -sound, on account of the soft mud into which they must have fallen; -for the floor of the crater appeared to be covered with the same -soft loam which was at intervals rained upon us. - -[Illustration: THE ÖSKJUGJÁ. - - _Page 88._] - -The eastern and western sides of the crater converged towards the -south, being shut in by lofty mountains, which rose in some places -to the height of 1000 feet above the plain of Askja; so that they -appeared to be shorn of their inner faces by the violence of the -eruption, which had left perpendicular cliffs of great height. The -edges of the crater, too, were rapidly tumbling in, and had formed -in several places steep slopes of pumice and débris, which it was -quite possible to descend; all access to the floor of the crater, -however, was prevented by an interior rim of precipice immediately -at the bottom of these heights. How long this shape will remain -unaltered is, however, a matter of great doubt, for during our stay -there, sometimes scarcely a minute elapsed between the roar of -the stony avalanches, which increased the din and gradually altered -the form of the crater! Three principal lines of fissures, pits, -and irregular openings diverged from the centre of the crater to -the south-east and west respectively. These, together with black -patches of steaming ground and several minor cracks, were all that -remained of the huge chasm which at one time must have occupied -this valley. - -I now selected a spot where there had been a considerable fall in -the wall of the crater, forming a slope of a much smaller angle -than anywhere else, and exposed a stratum of the previous winter’s -snow which enabled us to obtain sufficient water for our breakfast. - -My men slept here while I posted up my diary, but I was presently -disturbed by a peculiar rushing sound. I instinctively looked -towards the crater, and there saw what at first sight seemed to -be a fog-bow amongst the steam, but presently the increasing -noise gave sufficient evidence of its true character. It was a -huge column of water springing up from a fissure in the bottom of -the crater, which, being ejected in a slanting direction, almost -described an arc, rising to a much greater height than even the -level of the spot we were encamped upon, was, of course, converted -into spray long before it reached such an elevation, and falling -with great violence upon the opposite edge of the valley, caused -a great portion of the wall of the crater at that point to fall -away with a prodigious noise, the concussion of which produced a -series of avalanches in various other parts of the volcano. One -could imagine, from the effect of such a comparatively small body -of water, what a terrible scene must have presented itself when the -mountain was in a state of general activity, and when the entire -crater vomited a vast volume of pumice, mud, and water, and the -whole valley beneath was a seething cauldron of fire and water! We -next removed to the lee of a large rock of agglomerate, and having -scooped a bed in the pumice, slept comfortably, with the tent -spread over all of us like one large blanket. - -Upon awaking I ascended the highest point in the wall of the -crater, which was almost its southern extremity, and there I found -its height by my aneroid to be about 4500 feet above sea level, -the angles by my azimuth compass being from Herðubreið 40° west, -Skjaldbreið 103° east. From this point the floor of the crater -appeared more bent about and upheaved, while many of its gaping -fissures seemed much wider than before, doubtless the result -of the longitudinal view of them which the position commanded; -in fact, each fissure seemed trying to excel its neighbour in -making the most horrible noise, while emitting the most nauseous -smell. I doubt if even Cologne, in all its former nastiness and -“thousand well defined and separate stinks,” could have produced -anything so utterly putrid and abominable as the effluvia which -were wafted to the summit we were standing upon! At one point it -seemed just possible for us to reach the floor of the crater, and -as it would save us a considerable detour if we were able to cross -it, we packed up and began again to descend a very precipitous -slope of pumice. From thence we descended as far as 750 feet, and -then found our way barred by the interior rim of precipice before -spoken of. Hitherto we had been unable to see its full extent from -the overhanging wall of the crater, but from this vantage-ground -it seemed to be about 300 feet deep, while the floor appeared to -be dark mud: many of the fissures must have been twenty or thirty -feet across, and others at least a quarter of a mile in length. -I tried to measure the precipice by flinging over a large lump -of the heaviest pumice, but it gave no sound as it reached the -bottom, for it was so light I could not fling it far enough to see -where it struck, hence we were afraid to go to the extreme edge of -the precipice on account of the loose and crumbling nature of the -rocks. Nothing now remained for us but to climb back again. This -was no easy matter, because of the great angle of the slope, so -I was compelled to dig my sore toes into the pumice with all my -might; and in one place, for a distance of some 200 feet, to dig -steps with my ice axe. We reached the summit at last, very warm, -but very glad to be at the top instead of at the bottom of those -750 feet, for had we slipped, we should in all probability have -fallen to the bottom of the crater. At last we arrived at the plain -of Askja by following along the top of cliffs upon the eastern -side of the crater, and there we found everything covered with a -dark brown loam, which was still falling thickly around us. I next -inspected the pit I had noticed in the morning, which was situated -by itself at the top of the precipice, and found it about a quarter -of a mile in circumference. Upon looking into it, for a long time -nothing could be seen but dense clouds of steam and loam which -were rising from it with intermittent violence; but after a while -a large portion of the margin slipped in, and stopping the steam -for a few moments, enabled us to discern a black funnel-shaped pit -tapering towards the bottom, from which huge volumes of steam were -again beginning to rise; then came a sudden burst of hot steam, -loam, and stench, which again compelled us to make a precipitate -retreat. I next investigated every part of this side of the crater -in order to see if I could by any means descend to the floor of -it, but I found the interior precipice extended all round, and at -every point prevented my doing so. We therefore camped but a short -distance from the pit, that we might be the better able to watch -the wonderful and varying manœuvres which from time to time were -enacted. - -The worst of our position now was, that it lacked both snow and -water, but the loam made us a tolerably nice soft bed, and we slept -soundly. Soon, however, a heavy fall of loam upon our tent awoke -us, and our eccentric friend outside was uttering such fiendish -noises, and giving off such a putrid stench, that we thought the -better part of valour was to retreat; so we hastily packed up -amid a copious shower of loam, our movements being quickened by -the surmise that we might also be treated to a little pumice and -hot water. Moreover, the stench was beginning to tell upon us, -causing us to feel sick. We next proceeded along the N.N.W. side -of the crater, as I wished to count the number of paces along it, -in order that I might approximate the size, which I found to be -about one and a quarter miles in length. The ground was now much -fissured, and disclosed in many places the snow of the previous -winter at the depth of six feet beneath the pumice, as well as a -quantity of loam which had been flung out by the volcano. After -breakfasting beside one of these fissures, at mid-day we turned our -backs upon what I can imagine to be one of the most marvellous, -and perhaps I may add, one of the most indescribable sights the -world can anywhere present! On resuming our journey, we set our -faces towards Skjaldbreið, alias Trölladyngjá, and the first part -of our journey was across the little plain of Askja, over a lava -stream, which here enters from the Ódáðahraun, and had run for -some distance up hill. The loam which had been showered down by -Öskjugjá had taken the edge off the lava, which was a great source -of comfort, and soon we were glad to sight the broad black desert -of the Ódáðahraun. There was the snowy mound of Skjaldbreið, -spotted with black lava, with its curious tuft of rock at the -top, somewhat similar to that on Herðubreið. Before us there was -Kistufell, by which we had first descended into Norðurland, and -behind all, the broad expanse of the Vatna Jökull, sweeping the -horizon from east to west, where it appeared in the distance to -be joined by Tungufell and Tindafells Jökull. From here, we could -not see the Sprengi Sandr, which lay between them, but perceiving -through my telescope a patch of snow upon the hills which almost -joined Skjaldbreið upon the east, I determined to strike a line -across the Ódáðahraun to it, that I might take another rest and -relinquish all our loads before we ascended Skjaldbreið the next -morning. - -I may here remark that the Ódáðahraun is a desert of sand and lava, -extending over an area of 1200 square miles, the greater part of -which seems to have flowed from Skjaldbreið, so I think it must be -one of the oldest lava flows in Iceland, for this volcano has not -erupted since 1305. Some of the lava may, however, have flowed from -the Dyngjufjöll, or, possibly, from fissures in the plain itself. -I could, however, trace no distinct stream from the above-named -mountains, nor has any one, I believe, travelled along the west -side of them for the purpose of ascertaining. In several places the -lava of the Ódáðahraun has run up hill. This, I believe, has been -occasioned by the crust which flowed upon the surface of the lava -stream, constituting a sort of pipe with the ground upon which the -stream rested; and the air being thus excluded, the still liquid -lava underneath has acted in the same way as water would when -enclosed in a pipe, by finding its own level, or approximately so, -according to its degree of fluidity. At any rate it took us five -hours to cross the Ódáðahraun and reach the snow patch I had seen. -There we rested, and early next morning, accompanied by Thorlákur, -I set off for Skjaldbreið, leaving Eyólfur, who was very tired, -in camp. We next followed an immense lava stream about half-way -up the mountain, and during the early part of our walk I several -times heard the muffled sound of water running beneath the lava. -When about half-way up, we reached deep indurated snow, through -which protruded the black hummocks and masses giving Skjaldbreið -such a mottled appearance when I first saw it from the Dyngjufjöll -mountains. Skjaldbreið is, however, nothing but a huge mound of -basaltic lava, partially covered with snow, rising by a very -gradual slope to about 4000 feet above sea level, and from it has -evidently flowed the greater part of the Ódáðahraun, though, as all -the neighbouring mountains seem to have erupted at some period or -another, it is but fair to presume they have also helped to swell -this vast wilderness of volcanic dregs; but I have been unable -to trace any lava stream in the Ódáðahraun to any other source -than Skjaldbreið. The summit of Skjaldbreið I found was thickly -enveloped in clouds, so I stopped when within 300 feet of the top -to look at the surrounding country. To our north lay the arid -waste of the Ódáðahraun, the unearthly desolation of which I have -never seen equalled. Truly, it may be said that it extends over -but a small area when compared with many of the mighty deserts -in other parts of the world, but there is a forbidding, yet -fascinating grimness about this which is an especial characteristic -of Icelandic scenery, and as this savage region extends as far -as the eye can see, it produces none the less vivid impression -upon the mind of the beholder, although one can refer to the map -and find that it extends over only about 1500 square miles. When -first gazing at a dreary Icelandic lava desert the sensations are -something akin to those experienced when for the first time one -sees a prairie immediately after the fire has swept across it; but -although one is conscious that there may be a million instead of -a thousand square miles of burnt, black, cindery country around, -it does not impress one with its awful magnificence and grandeur -of desolation as the Ódáðahraun does. To the north and east were -the Dyngjufjöll mountains, with their volcanoes smoking away with -renewed vigour in the cold morning air. A point further to the east -was the long weary route we had just traversed, stretching away -bleak and bare to where the grey pumice in the distance gave the -country the appearance of lying in bright sunshine. To the south -rose the Vatna Jökull, cold and gloomy, with its heights wrapped in -fog and mist. Kverkfjall and Kistufell, however, were exceptionally -clear; the former was smoking in three places, and a great quantity -of sand and lava appeared to have proceeded from it. Between us -and the Kverkfjall swept the broad tongue of glacier, reaching -two-thirds of the way northward towards the Vaðalda hills, and -from its extremity I counted five arms of the Jökulsá which issued -from it, while the small stream from Kistufell was hidden by the -intervening hills. We next continued our journey to the summit, and -then found a small but perfectly formed crater, about 500 yards -in circumference, but of no great depth, while in the centre rose -a ridge of burnt lava, which gave the mountain the black tufted -appearance I had noticed in the distance. - -The latest eruptions, I should imagine, from the contour and -disposition of the surrounding lava, have taken more the form -of prodigious boilings over than of explosive outbursts, and it -seems as if it had continued to burn tranquilly long after its -last outburst. From here we descended a short distance upon the -north-west side, in order to get below the fog, and obtain a view -of the country to the west. The same dreary desolation presented -itself--the pure white Jökull, with the black sand and the rugged -lava fields were alike cold, silent, motionless, and dead! The -mountains were a little different in form, but there was the -same grand desolate wilderness, seeming ready to blast every -living thing that dared to intrude on its enchanted solitude. We -therefore returned to camp, and were not sorry to sit down to a -good breakfast of pemmican, bread and butter, and water. The sun -shone fiercely at midday, and the heat, radiated by the sand and -lava, became so great that we rested till the cool of the evening, -when we struck for the south-east end of the Dyngjufjöll, which -we reached about midnight, but as a thick fog descended upon us, -I steered close along the base of the mountains, preferring a -little circuit to wandering about all night in uncertainty upon the -plain. Our course from here was over an old lava stream, buried in -light volcanic dust, which was very trying to travel over, for we -sunk rather deeply into it, and had to stop every now and then to -empty our shoes, which were constantly becoming filled with sand. -At length we struck upon the pumice, which showed we were nearing -the volcano of Öskjugjá; soon after we came to a small stream, and -being all very thirsty, the water was highly appreciated. Seeing -that the pumice increased, and fearing we should be getting too far -to the east, I resolved to follow the course of the next stream, -conjecturing that it would bring us down to the pools by which we -had made our cache. It was a crooked way, but it brought us right -at last; for as the mist dispersed we sighted the pools, and it was -not long before we gladly lighted upon our cache. The first thing -that came to hand was a box of Fry’s chocolate powder, so we all -sat down upon our packs and with our broad knife blades began to -operate upon the powdery treasure. Eating chocolate powder we found -was thirsty work, so having emptied the box, we took a good drink -of water, pitched the tent, and turned in. - -We had hitherto been using stones for tent pegs, but here there -were none to be had, and as we could not now avail ourselves of -little screws of hay, as we had done when last camped upon the same -spot, we took off our mocassins and buried them, with a string -attached to each, at intervals round the tent; these answered the -purpose of pegs very well, and as it is always necessary to bury -untanned mocassins while resting, to prevent them from shrinking -and becoming too hard to wear, we, by this device, managed to -“kill two birds with one stone.” After a good sleep, I debated on -the possibility of reaching the Kverkfjall, which I particularly -wished to examine, but the Jökulsá and a long stretch of country -lay between us, and as Thorlákur assured me if we did so we should -have soon “_to go on our naked feet_,” it was a matter for grave -consideration what was best to do. The lava had already played sad -havoc with our foot-gear--we had each of us worn out four pairs -of mocassins since we left Grímstaðir--and those which were doing -duty as tent pegs were almost played out, while there were but -two pairs remaining in our small stores, which was anything but -encouraging. Moreover, we had a long way before us yet; so all -things considered, I came to the conclusion that Kverkfjall was -impracticable. I determined, therefore, to ascend the Dyngjufjöll -again, and from the peak above us take a farewell look around, -directing Eyólfur in the mean time to carry all our things to a -small stream at the foot of the mountains, about two miles north -of our present position, which could be easily done in two shifts. -Accordingly, I began my climb accompanied by Thorlákur, but our -progress was continually interrupted by deep “gjás,” or fissures, -many of which were of great depth, probably several hundred feet. -In some cases, however, we found bridges of snow and pumice, by -which we were able to cross these chasms. - -At this time the sun was wending its way westward across the snowy -slopes of the Vatna, as we reached the top of this part of the -Dyngjufjöll, and really language quite fails me when I attempt to -describe the wildness of that view! Behind us was the volcano, -from which vast volumes of dark smoke and steam were rising; the -various mountains which studded the sterile wastes before us were -all clothed in the same dull grey covering; the black sand of the -Mývatns Örœfí was just visible to the north, and as far as the eye -could see eastward, there stretched a series of mountains, valleys -and wasted plains. During nearly two hours we might almost be said -to have slept in the view before us; indeed, I was hardly conscious -how the time had gone until the sun seemed to have slipped behind -the Hofs Jökulls, giving their snows a golden outline, while my -watch reminded me that it was nearly 11 P.M. - -The atmosphere now turned very cold, the frost was already -sparkling upon the surrounding rocks, a purple glow stole over the -mountains, blending their softened outlines with the tinted sky, -and we felt that a little brisk work would sensibly add to our -comfort. Our descent afforded us some amusement, sliding down the -steep beds of small pumice, which we did at a furious rate. It had -taken us more than three hours to ascend the mountain, but less -than one to come down it! We found Eyólfur where I had directed him -to wait; making a good meal, we patched up our mocassins as well as -we could by moonlight, and by a different route to that by which -we came we struck a straight line for Herðubreið. Ultimately we -reached Herðubreið with the sun, and I was not at all sorry to find -myself on my way home; for increased inflammatory symptoms in my -great toe showed that a liberal application of blue-stone and rest -were absolutely indispensable to its cure. The weather by this -time appeared very uncertain, for the heavens were spotted all over -with masses of golden nimbus, drifting rapidly before a wind which -was blowing above, though the atmosphere beneath was perfectly -calm, which are invariably indications of storm in Iceland. - -We were now clear of the pumice, and after a hard scramble over -some very rough lava, part of which had flowed from an ancient -volcano not marked upon the map, about eight miles S.S.E. of -Herðubreið, part, apparently, from the Dyngjufjöll mountains, and -some from Trölladýngjur (Troll’s bowers). Here we camped by a pool -of water. - -Herðubreið, whose trigonometrical height is 5447 feet, is a -snow-covered cone, resting upon a perpendicular mass of rock, -whose height equals about twice the diameter of the cone. Upon its -south-east and west sides are tali of disintegrated and greatly -weather-worn rocks, and bulging, misshapen masses of agglomerate. -At every point except the S.E. and N.N.W. the sides are perfectly -perpendicular, presenting walls of about 2000 feet from the base of -the mountain to the commencement of the snow-covered cone; it is -surrounded by a dry sandy foss, and choked in places with rounded -_débris_, which had fallen from the agglomerate of which Herðubreið -is principally composed. - -Probably the most remarkable feature of this mountain is that no -streams of water flow down its sides, while the base of most other -Icelandic snow-capped mountains are generally watered with streams, -which, as we have already seen, often disappear in sandy or -cavernous ground; but here all the water which must result from the -melting of the frozen accumulation upon the summit of Herðubreið -seemed utterly lost, until it issued in springs such as those which -form the source of the Lindá, at a considerable distance from the -base of the mountain, or collects in pools such as Herðubreiðvatn. - -The gulleys which had in many places worn the side of Herðubreið -into the fantastic forms so peculiar to this formation -(agglomerate), appear to be the result of rain and wind, and the -only points from which the mountain is assailable are the S.S.E. -and N.W. It was from the latter that Captain Burton attempted it in -1872, and that experienced traveller seems to regard it as the core -of a much larger mountain; possibly such may be the case, but its -shape is decidedly against its being a volcano of anything but the -most ancient order. History tells us, however, that this mountain -has erupted upon several occasions. The eccentricity of its form is -sufficient to suggest any amount of speculations as to its origin -and character, while nothing but a careful investigation of the -mountain from the base to the apex could enable anyone to arrive -at a satisfactory conclusion. The palagonitic agglomerate (which, -as I have said, constitutes the greater part of the mountain), is -of so friable a nature, and so rapid is the erosive influence of -the Icelandic climate, while so disturbed and metamorphosed has -the whole of the island been by volcanic agency, that one ceases -to wonder at the eccentric shape and anomalous character of its -mountains. - -I much regretted being compelled to pass by Herðubreið without -attempting to ascend it, but our foot gear was in tatters and my -sore toe required immediate attention, so we camped in a large -gulley of sand and lava, which extended a mile or more, gradually -rising to the level of the plain towards the south. Here, while we -were lying with the tent spread over us all, blanket fashion, and -had just dropped off to sleep, we were suddenly awakened by such -a blast of wind, and a deluge of the finest sand and pumice, that -for the moment I didn’t know what it was. At first we started to -our feet, only to get our eyes full of finely-powdered pumice, and -as I tried to speak I got my mouth full. We saw all the smaller -articles of our packs making the most speedy tracks for the more -settled portions of the country. I tried to save my hat, but in so -doing kicked my bad toe against a lava block, tangled my feet up -in the tent rope, and fell down, the latter being about the most -sensible thing I could do, for in a few moments the gust was past -and I could look up. - -Blind with the sand, and wild with the agony it was occasioning -us, we all rushed for the water, and opened our eyes in it. While -so doing there came another gust, which compelled us to wait upon -our knees, keeping our heads in the shallow water until it was -over; and then, soaked with sand and water, we made our way back to -where our things had been. I say _had been_, for all were not there -then; my broad-brimmed Danish hat, and half my small etceteras were -gone, and, worst of all, my map and case, where were they? Four -white spots upon a lava field a quarter of a mile away caused me to -run--yes, run--bad toe and all! However, my painful and spasmodic -effort was amply repaid by the recovery of Olsen’s map, which had -been nicely mounted and packed up in a case by the bookbinder at -Reykjavík; now, even the bookbinder would scarcely have recognised -it. Its journey across the Vatna Jökull had not improved its -“personnel,” but the short cut it had made through the neighbouring -pool had in some places rendered it illegible. Fortunately the -Vatna Jökull and its surroundings, with my various markings, were -miraculously preserved, but its case I never saw again. - -To return to camp. Everything that had been buried in the sand had -been dug out, and just as we were about to start again another gust -came sweeping down the gulley, half smothering us. We buried our -faces in our mackintosh coats until it was past, when my companion -Thorlákur remarked, “This is not fine;” to which I assented in -the most emphatic language my stock of Icelandic would command. -We now made very fair progress over the lava field, where, under -an overhanging lava block, we bathed our eyes with sulphate of -zinc and rose water, which had often been a great relief during -my Icelandic journeys, and I advise all travellers who may follow -in my wake by no means to omit taking so essential a medicament. -We soon reached the grass at the source of the Lindá, which river -rises from a single spring about two miles N.N.E. of Herðubreið. -Here we took the rest we had been unable to obtain at our last -halting-place, and by evening we reached the remainder of our party -at the Grafalandá, where I was rejoiced to find our horses and a -good supply of provisions, which had been sent with a kind note -from the good people of Grímstaðir, who had sent us some pancakes, -flat bread, coffee and milk, and the latter, though sour, was very -acceptable. From Vopnafjörd I also had ordered some schnapps and -chocolate; so that we made what seemed to us a right royal feed, -and after a good wash, I enjoyed a night of sound rest in the -sleeping bag, which had previously sheltered my men who had been -waiting for us upon the banks of the Grafalandá. - -At 5 A.M. the next morning we were on horseback, and away over the -sand and the lava of Mývatns Örœfí, leaving the Vatna Jökull and -the land of the outlaws behind us, enveloped in clouds of light -grey dust which were blown up from the pumice by a S.E. wind. This -dust, I must explain, was of the most irritating nature, resembling -finely-powdered glass; our clothes got saturated with it, and I -was already beginning to feel its effect in the severe abrasion -of skin it was inflicting upon me. By 12 A.M. we were level with -Grímstaðir, only much more to the west, and here we stopped to -allow the horses to graze off the wild oats, for the heat of the -sun was intense. After lunch we must all have taken a nap, for -suddenly looking up, I found it was one o’clock, and the horses -were nowhere in sight, and more than an hour elapsed before we -recovered them. Having secured the vagrant animals, we made for the -new lava, which was produced by the eruptions of last spring in the -Mývatns Örœfí. Sulphurous and acid vapours had long announced its -proximity, although the wind was unfavourable for their reaching -so far. This lava stream, which is about fifteen miles long, -and varies from one to three broad, has flowed almost entirely -over ancient lava streams, most of which have flowed from an old -crater situated in the vicinity, called Sveinagjá. The new lava -extended to about an English mile to the north of the old road from -Reykjahlíð to Grímstaðir. - -At this particular point it is bordered by a rather fertile stretch -of ground, where a few sheep managed to sustain a miserable -existence on cinders and salix, though further to the north and -east there are excellent pastures. The lava stream was basaltic, -and presented the usual chaos of black crags, waves, and fanciful -shapes, blisters, and heaps of clinker. It was intensely black, -and still hot; thin, pungent choking fumes being emitted in -all directions, while from various places puffs of steam were -constantly bursting out. This stream, or rather, these two streams, -which have since joined one another, I find have flowed from a long -fissure in the plain, the course of which was marked by a line of -conical mounds thrown up by the eruptions in the late spring; of -these a fuller description will be found upon another page, and an -account of the previous eruption in the Appendix. - -We climbed a few hundred yards over the lava stream, but could not -reach the mounds from which the lava had flowed, on account of -the deleterious fumes exhaled from them. The fissures were lined -with various sublimations, to the thickness in some places of -half-an-inch. Amongst them chloride of ammonia was very prominent, -but this was in a state of rapid deliquescence. It might have paid -to collect it, for the quantity was considerable. - -We next turned more than a mile out of our course, to a part -where Thorlákur expected to find some water, for we were all very -thirsty. Our road, however, was over old and viscous lava for -some distance, and we came upon some coarse hillocky grass land, -in a line north of the lava stream. Here we encountered a variety -of fissures which had been formed by the earthquake, several of -which, Thorlákur informed me, had cast out sand, stones, and a -little lava. We found only dry pits at the place where Thorlákur -had expected water, so nothing remained but to strike westward for -Reykjahlíð. No doubt the various cracks and fissures so recently -formed in the plain accounted for the absence of water. - -The new lava obliges a traveller from Grímstaðir to Reykjahlíð to -go three miles out of his way. We here crossed a depression of -about thirty feet, extending over several square miles, caused by -the late volcanic disturbances. In the vicinity of this depression -the ground was upheaved and much fissured. Thorlákur informed me -that the depression was formed shortly after the first eruption -in the Mývatn Orœfí in the preceding spring. We were, however, -soon amongst the hills of Mývatn, where we obtained some water, -and before long ascended the Námufjall, whose dirty yellow, red -and brown sides, had in some places the appearance of washed-out -posters. Here the smell was filthy. In this locality the treasures -of the Northern Sulphur Mining Company are situated, but as I was -thinking more about my supper than the hidden wealth of the hills -over which we were riding, I will say more about them presently. - -A wadi near the summit which divides the Námufjall upon the south -from the Dalfjall upon the west, brought us to the western side -of the sulphur hills, where we first caught sight of the Lake of -Mývatn, or Midge-water, upon the north end of which Reykjahlíð is -situated. Lake Mývatn is seen to the best advantage at a distance, -but it cannot lay claim to great beauty of appearance, although -certainly both remarkable and interesting. Surrounded as it is -with volcanic mountains, and rugged lava streams stretching along -its shores, studded with misshapen little islands, it presents an -eccentric and striking aspect. A short ride past spluttering and -steaming solfataras brought us to the farm of Reykjahlíð, where -we were hospitably received by the bóndi Pètur Jónsson, who was -expecting our arrival. - -Reykjahlíð is of the average better class of byre. The farm is a -good one, and has been in the possession of the same family for -600 years. I was glad to find Paul and the rest of my belongings -awaiting us, and anything but displeased to receive the information -that an Englishman occupied the guest chamber. My compatriot I -found to be Mr. G. Fitzroy Cole, who was making a survey of the -neighbourhood for the Company purposing to work these northern -sulphur mines. I also heard that a sulphur prospecting party, -under the guidance of the well-known Captain Burton, had only just -left for Húsavík, upon the sea coast. The guest chamber being thus -occupied, I shared another room with Paul and Thorlákur, and in -the morning I had the pleasure of making Mr. Cole’s acquaintance, -sharing the guest room with him, and likewise a magnificent salmon. - -The two days following I rested, as the weather was so -unfavourable. I also paid off all my men excepting Paul and Olgi, -and sent them home to the south. Mr. Cole in the meantime left, -so I proceeded to investigate the sulphur mines for myself. These -I found to be situated in the Námufjall, upon the eastern side of -the Lake of Mývatn, and these collectively are designated the -Hlíðar-Námur; they consist of a series of solfataras, which occur -not only upon the Námufjall itself, but extend a considerable -distance upon either base of the mountains. The Námufjall is -composed of palagonitic agglomerate and lava, the solfataras being -simply pools of calcareo-siliceous mud, formed by the decomposition -of the lava and agglomerate. Upon the surface of these pools the -sulphur sublimates in crusts varying from half-an-inch to several -feet in thickness. The phenomena of solfataras are so well known -that it is needless for me to dilate upon them in the abstract. -However, I first examined the west side of the Námufjall, where -I found both active and latent fumeroles, the former spluttering -and fizzing, and tranquilly steaming, the latter in the form of -cold accumulations of sulphur, siliceous clay and gypseous earth. -I was able to follow the tracks of the sulphur exploring party, -who had preceded me. They had dug into the sulphur crust upon the -surface of the solfataras, and in some places had excavated the -calcareo-siliceous clay, which hardens into a species of sinter. -This clay likewise contains a percentage of sulphur; at all events -the specimens I obtained varied from 5 to 40 per cent. In many -places I found crusts of sulphur covered over with light _débris_, -which a little digging showed to extend for a considerable -distance. Roughly estimating it by stepping the length and breadth -of the various conspicuous sulphur patches, and lumping the -smaller ones together, gave about twenty sulphur-covered spots of -twenty square yards, upon which the crust of pure sulphur averaged -probably half a foot in thickness. On ascending the Námufjall by a -deep gulley worn by the rain in the side of the mountain, we found -this gulley to be cut through several feet of a friable arenaceous -agglomerate, formed by atmospheric action on the disintegrated -constituents of the rocks composing the Námufjall. Passing various -patches of steaming sulphur, we reached the summit, where we -found several solfataras which bear perhaps the thickest deposits -of sulphur, though, in the aggregate I should hardly think they -extend over so large an area as those upon the western side of the -mountain. This mountain is capped by several castellated masses -of basaltic lava, much weather-worn and decomposed by the acid -vapours evolved from the surrounding solfataras, which upon the -eastern slope are decidedly the most extensive to be met with, and -I imagine they contain more pure sulphur than either the summit or -the western side. Of course when speaking of the relative amount of -sulphur, I allude to the exposed crusts, and there must be a great -deal more sulphur than appears upon the surface. - -Upon the east base were circular pools of bluish boiling slush, -which emitted a fœtid smell somewhat resembling the effluvia which -so disgusted us at the Öskjugjá. These pools boil with great but -intermittent violence, sometimes splashing the scalding mud to the -distance of four or five feet. They have surrounded themselves -with walls of hardened mud a few feet in height, and from a breach -in two of these walls I should imagine that these springs were -occasionally subject to paroxysms of extraordinary violence. While -approaching the most northern of these slush cauldrons, the earth -on which I was walking gave way, and I slipped into a fissure -up to my armpits; a violent burst of steam from beneath me was -the immediate result, and I was glad to be extricated from this -unenviable position by my companion Olgi. It was indeed fortunate -the fissure was not filled with boiling slush, or I might have -been scalded even more severely than was my travelling companion, -the Rev. J. W----, in 1874, in the solfataras of Krísuvík, in the -south of Iceland. This fissure had probably been formed by the -earthquakes in the spring, and had at one time been filled with -slush, which had hardened on the surface, and afterwards flowed -away through some other channel, leaving a treacherous pitfall -for any unlucky tourist who, like myself, should have a fancy to -closely examine these slush pools. - -On returning to the west side of the mountain, and on my way to -Reykjahlíð, I took the liberty of scraping off all the sulphur -from a small solfatara, which I piled in a heap by the side of it; -for the grand question for the Sulphur Company to consider, to my -mind, appears to be--how long does this sulphur take to accumulate? -I trust Mr. Locke, the owner of these mines, will forgive me the -trespass; but in a year’s time he will be able to form some idea of -the rate of accumulation. I shall feel curious to know how soon the -sulphur will again accumulate. - -We next returned to Reykjahlíð and supped with the bóndi Pètur -Jónsson, his son-in-law, Thorlákur, and Paul. The former seemed -a little aggrieved at the sulphur business generally, and from -what I could gather, it had from time immemorial been a sore point -as to whether the sulphur mines belonged to his family or to the -Danish Government. There could not be the slightest doubt about -the matter, but I could scarcely wonder at the existence of such -a feeling; for a family who had owned the neighbouring country -for 600 years might naturally think the intervening mountains -were their own fee simple. This feeling quite accounts for any -brusquerie the Sulphur Prospecting Expedition may have met with. -I can only bear testimony, that during my stay at Reykjahlíð I -received the kindest attention, that I had the best of everything -there was in the place, and that the charges were moderate. Old -Pètur informed me that he was building a stone church in place of -the old turf and wooden structure, which required repair. He had -plenty of stone, but his chief difficulty was the want of lime; in -fact, he had been obliged to import all he had hitherto used from -Denmark, which of course was very expensive to him; so I advised -him to try and burn the gypsum from the solfataras, and instructed -him how to set about it, which piece of information seemed to -rejoice his heart exceedingly. - -The old church in question is the veritable building, with some -additions and improvements, concerning the escape of which from -destruction during the eruption of some craters to the S.W. of -Krafla, in 1720, so much has been said and written. Suffice it to -say, that the lava could not have reached the church unless it had -previously filled up the Lake of Mývatn. My day’s work ended with -making preparations for a visit to Dettifoss. - -The morrow brought very unsatisfactory weather; it had snowed -heavily in the night, and the mountains and ground were white, a -piercing north-west wind was blowing, and it seemed as if we had -suddenly jumped into mid-winter; however, by nine o’clock we were -on horseback. As we journeyed on we were much amused and surprised -to see hay-making going on in the middle of a snow storm; but still -it was the fact that the good people of Reykjahlíð were busily -engaged in the tún (home field) mowing grass, and piling that which -had been cut a day or so previously into cocks, that it might -receive as little injury as possible. Leaving Reykjahlíð behind, -we crossed the rugged lava at the west base of the Námufjall, and -ascended the winding path of the Námu-skarð which divides the -Námufjall from the Dalfjall, and turning to the north pursued our -way by the side of an ancient lava stream, covered with verdure, -and thence bending sharply to the north-east we reached the little -bothy of Skarðsel, a poor dilapidated hut of turf and lava blocks, -which sheltered some of the servants from Reykjahlíð, who during -the summer months tend the sheep in the neighbouring grass land. -Here we took a good draught of milk, and leaving behind us a large -piece of Mr. Cole’s salmon, some hard tack, chocolate and schnapps, -to refresh us upon our return, we crossed the Sandbalnafjöll by -means of a sandy pass, and reached the plain of the Mývatns Örœfí -amid a blinding storm. Our route lay again over lava, covered with -sand, which I was informed had been ejected by Krafla. On, on, -N.N.E., the storm utterly defying our tattered mackintoshes. A -little herbage had begun to make its appearance, and presently we -were galloping over excellent sheep pastures, varied occasionally -by barren stretches of sand and pebbles. Several times, however, we -were stopped by fissures which had been very recently formed in the -plain, probably by the volcanic action of the previous spring, but -very insignificant in comparison with those we had previously met -with in the Mývatns Örœfí. At last, after about six hours’ riding, -we sighted the column of spray arising from the Dettifoss, and soon -after we descended into what appeared to have been the bed of a -large river, most likely an ancient bed of the Jökulsá, which may -have been diverted to its present channel by an earthquake; while -upon ascending its eastern bank, the dull roar of the Dettifoss -reached us. Climbing over crags of basalt we rode to the edge of -the river, where we dismounted upon a patch of excellent grass, -and thence obtained a good view of the cataract, which is very -imposing. The Jökulsá is here about 250 yards across, and roars -along in a series of rapids, till its broken and foaming waters -pour down a perpendicular wall of basalt at least 200 feet in -height, into a chasm some hundred yards wide, seething and boiling -in pent-up wrath, forming a “riotous confluence of water-courses, -blanching and bellowing in the hollow of it,” until, released from -this confinement, it softens, a few hundred yards further down, -into a broad swift-flowing stream of milky water. The Dettifoss is -by far the largest waterfall in Iceland, and, I believe, in Europe, -being about the size of the Canadian Niagara Fall. The only view -obtainable, however, is not calculated to impress the beholder with -an adequate idea of its height, for one has to look down upon it, -which is always a disadvantage: still, although the Dettifoss lacks -the beauty of Niagara, it does not convey the impression of the -thinness of the body of water, as does the Transatlantic cataract; -for the grace and beauty of the latter are greatly enhanced by -its surroundings of richly-wooded heights and the clearness of -the water. Although Dettifoss is much smaller than the Falls of -Niagara in their entirety, nevertheless, it is a grand and terrible -spectacle, and is all the more striking on account of the diablerie -of the wild scenery by which it is environed. There is an upper -cascade, but of no great height, and it is scarcely worth naming -beside Dettifoss; for one waterfall is so much like another, that, -after having seen several of the largest, one rather tires of the -similarity, unless there be some distinguishing peculiarity to -enliven the interest. - -When satiated with admiring the scenery at this part, we took a -light meal, and commenced our return journey amid pouring rain. -It was past midnight before we reached the west side of Mývatns -Örœfí; and as the mist had somewhat lifted from the hills, I turned -my horse’s head towards Krafla. Upon reaching the height of a few -hundred feet the mist again beat down upon us; besides which the -snow lay so thick in many places that it became very dangerous for -the horses in the half-light and fog. We therefore abandoned Krafla -for the moment, and taking the first gill which ran in a southerly -direction, we descended to the little hut where we had left our -salmon and reserve supply of provisions. The good folks were in -bed, but one of the women immediately got up to assist us, and the -other produced, first the bottle of schnapps, and then, one by one, -the biscuits and the chocolate, from what appeared to be the only -cupboard in the place, viz., from underneath the bedclothes. As the -bed had three occupants, I was in terror lest my salmon had been -stored in the same undesirable repository, but fortunately it had -been put up outside. The biscuits and chocolate might have been -none the worse for their safe storage, but they were unpleasantly -warm, and I preferred to wait for the salmon, which with some good -coffee, sheep’s milk, and schnapps, was not to be despised by a -hungry traveller who had been exposed to the storm for nearly a -score of hours. - -We reached Reykjahlíð at five A.M., and I turned in for a short -sleep, till breakfast at seven o’clock, and then we made our start -for Krafla. Over the Námufjall again, by the Námu-skarð, a gill -of solfataras, we passed the parti-coloured heaps, slopes, and -accumulations, which reminded me of the refuse from some huge -dye-works, and turned to the north along the east base of the -Dalfjall, skirting a lava stream upon our right hand. Hereabout -the aspect was much improved by (for Iceland) a luxuriant -overgrowth of dwarf birch and salix. Crossing hence to the base -of Sandbalnafjöll, we drew up for a minute at the little hut of -Skarðsel for a draught of sheep’s milk. Pursuing our way over a -lava field covered with alluvium, we hastened on towards Krafla. We -hobbled our horses at the base of the high ground between Krafla -and Leirhnúkur, and forthwith commenced the ascent, passing several -solfataras of no great importance, their chief characteristic -being the production of abominable smells. Soon after we reached -comparatively level ground, which extended for some distance at the -S.S.W. base of Krafla proper. Cheered by the sight of our horses -making tracks for home, in spite of their hobbles, we now continued -along the south-west margin of a crater-lake, which probably was -more than two miles in circumference, its length equalling about -twice its breadth, being surrounded by steep slopes of clay, -disintegrated rock and fragmentary _débris_. There was a similar -crater further to the N.N.W., of more circular form. Following -along a neck of land between the two, we commenced the ascent of -Krafla proper, which is a sub-conical mass of agglomerate, pierced -to the summit and in many other places with intruded lava. The -sides we found to be everywhere strewed with all kinds of volcanic -_débris_, amongst which were numerous trachitic masses, some of -which contained atoms of iron pyrites, and although these occurred -very frequently in loose fragments and masses, I was unable to find -any _in situ_. Half-an-hour’s hard climbing next brought us to the -summit, which my aneroid shewed to be scarcely 3000 feet above -Reykjahlíð, or a little under 4000 feet above sea level. On looking -around we found upon the high ground to the west several pools of -clear water, probably small crater lakes, as doubtless were the -two depressions immediately beneath us to the south-west. My guide -informed me that it was from the most northern of these that the -last eruption of Krafla proceeded, and that the water in it used to -be hot; he also told me a fact which was afterwards corroborated by -his father, that Krafla had never been known to erupt lava, having -cast out only ashes, pumice, sand and water; indeed, the aspect -of these pit craters would lead one so to imagine it. I was also -much surprised at not finding any obsidian, for I had heard so much -of the obsidian of Krafla; but on further inquiry I ascertained -that it is only found on the portion of the mountain known as the -Hrafntinnuhryggr (the obsidian back), and there it only occurs in -fragments--indeed, the only obsidian I have met with _in situ_ in -Iceland is at Mount Paul, in the middle of the Vatna Jökull. - -The summit of Krafla commands a most extensive view. Looking -south-west, over the hills beneath, with their dirty splotches of -whitish yellow sulphur, the country looked wintry indeed after -the snow storm of the previous day, while the eye as it wandered -southward caught a fine view-range over the Hliðarfjall and -Dalfjall, as well as over the straggling lake of Mývatn, where the -scenery widened out over the Mývatnsveit towards the snow-capped -Seljalandsfjall, standing out like an island in the commencement of -the dark stony sea of the Ódáðahraun. In another direction, between -the snow-covered hills upon the east side of the Skjálfandifljót -and the smoking Dyngjufjöll, the view extended over the pitiless -waste of the Ódáðahraun to the snowy mound of Skjaldbreið, while -the broad white expanse of the Vatna seemed to join the sky, till, -almost wearied with the strain upon the visual power, it seemed -quite a relief to turn to the nearer and happier-looking spots of -green which the volcano and the glaciers have spared to Iceland. - -Further to the east are the Bláfjall, where the Fremri-Námur -deposits of sulphur are situated, and the fire-scorched hills -of Trölladýngjur, whose position on the map Captain Burton has -corrected, and the lordly Herðubreið, whose snowy cap looked all -the purer for the recent snow storm. To the east and north-east -stretched the plain of the Mývatns Örœfí, with its black patch -of new lava enshrouded in a dim mist. Bearing N.N.E. was a tall -column, apparently of steam, upon which the sun was shining; it was -the spray from the Dettifoss, varying in shape as the wind acted on -it, and reflecting rainbow colours in the sunlight. To the north -the prospect was between the Hágaunguhnúkur (high-going hills) and -Jónstindr, over a level country to the hills of Theistareykjafjall, -where a third large deposit of sulphur occurs. It was seven P.M. -before we returned to Reykjahlíð, and in a few hours we bade -adieu to old Pètur and started along the eastern side of Lake -Mývatn, accompanied by Paul and Arngrimur, for the little lake of -Grœnavatn. The road was a bad one, over a continuation of lava -streams which had flowed into the Lake of Mývatn, forming the -curious little islands that spotted its sedgy waters. We put to -flight several of the duck tribe, which were enjoying themselves -after the manner of ducks upon the margin of the lake, and reached -Grœnavatn at three A.M.; this was very slow work, but the nature of -the ground prevented our travelling at anything beyond a walking -pace for the greater part of the way. One of the principal features -of this ride was the numerous gates which had to be opened and -shut; these marked the termination of the various holdings, and -also prevented the sheep belonging to the different homesteads upon -the side of the lake from straying; for very often, where the gates -were situated, the lava prevented the passage even of sheep by any -other way. - -The occupants of the farm at Grœnavatn may be described as “a happy -family.” The two sons of Pètur of Reykjahlíð, Jón and Arngrimur, -had married the two sisters of my previous guide, Thorlákur, and -he, by way of returning the compliment, had married one of their -sisters. They were all living under the same roof with Thorlákur’s -father, and together managed their thriving homestead. - -About midday we started for the sulphur mines of Fremri-Námur, on -the east and west slopes of the Bláfjall and Hvannfell. Proceeding -in a S.S.E. direction we crossed the lava which occupies the -entire eastern side of the valley of Mývatn, and began to ascend -the hills at the base of the Bláfjall. We here inspected two small -but perfectly-formed craters, both of which had discharged lava -streams into the valley beneath. A little further up the hill to -the north of the Bláfjall we came upon the tracks of the Sulphur -Exploring Expedition, under the conduct of Capt. Burton, who had -passed that way a few days previously. From this point the hills -commanded a striking view of Mývatn, Krafla, and the neighbouring -mountains, with a glimpse to the south-west of Arnarfells Jökull -in the far distance. This we found was a difficult route for the -horses, and it did not improve as we reached the lava which had -flowed from the Fremri-Námur at the time of its latest eruption. -This lava stream had flowed into a valley between the Bláfjall -and the Hvannfell, destroying all herbage except a little “island -of green,” which it almost encircled; this small patch of verdure -is called Heilag (holy valley). Here, choosing a spot where there -was the most grass, we rested and lunched. The grass, however, was -not plentiful, the greater part being what is called kinder-grass -(sheep’s grass), or a mixture of straggling birch and salix -intermixed with coarse grass and herbage. The sheep eat this with -avidity, but horses must be very hungry before they will feed -upon it. As we were about to depart a heavy snow storm burst upon -us. My guide had no waterproof, but I had a large oilskin that Mr. -Kent, one of the sulphur explorers, had given to Paul; we therefore -took shelter under the lee of a crag in the ancient lava stream -underlying the grass-land, and improvised a roof with the oilskin -and our whips. We were imprisoned for more than an hour; so violent -was the storm that it was impossible to see many yards around -us. Eventually it cleared up; we had almost succeeded in keeping -ourselves dry, and I think our drenched and shivering horses were -only too glad to resume their journey. - -It was getting on towards night; the wind was blowing from the -north-west, making our soaked saddles anything but pleasant, for so -suddenly had the storm come on that we had not time to unsaddle our -horses. We next followed the lava stream for some distance until -we sighted the yellow depression which marked the commencement of -the sulphur mines. As we decided that it would be more pleasant to -travel on foot, and that by doing so we could make better progress, -we fastened our horses each with his head tied to the tail of his -companion, and steered for the light yellow patches, from which a -few wreaths of steam were curling. A short climb brought us to -the most regularly-formed crater I have seen in Iceland. This was -an oval depression, with a circumference of about half-a-mile and -nearly 150 feet deep, called the “Great Kettle;” it was formed of a -scoriaceous basaltic lava. No lava stream had actually flowed from -this crater, but it seemed as if it had been tapped by a fissure -some distance westward, whence a great quantity of lava had flowed, -although all traces of such fissure or opening were now obscured by -lava. The principal sulphur mines are upon the north and east side -of the mountain, extending upon the latter right away up to the -edge of the crater, and breaking out even within the crater itself -upon its eastern side. I followed in the track of the exploring -party, as I had done at Hlíðar-Námur, and dug into several parts -of the solfataras. The sulphur here, as at the above-named place, -rests upon a bed of calcareo-siliceous clay, and is strewed in many -places with pieces of gypsum and fragments of lava coated with -various sublimations; in some parts I found the pure sulphur to -be upwards of two feet in thickness, the average thickness being, -perhaps, half-a-foot. These deposits are much more extensive than -those of Reykjahlíð, and I believe I did not inspect the whole of -them. Returning to the summit, the extensive view was anything -but a cheering one. To the east lay the Mývatns Orœfí, with its -black patches of new lava, the thin vapour which was rising from -it making it dim and indistinct; further to the south we looked -across the Trölladýngjur to Herðubreið, whose snowy cone was alone -brightened by the sunlight, which had long forsaken the dark, -shadowy waste of the Ódáðahraun; due south were the Dyngjufjöll -mountains, and upon them the night clouds were brooding heavily. -A strong wind was raising great clouds of dust upon the plain -which lay to the east between us and the Jökulsá. A fresh storm -was rapidly shutting out the twilight in the west, and an ominous -gloom had settled upon the rocks around us. A hunt after our horses -in a blinding storm would have been anything but pleasant in such -an inhospitable region, so we returned with all haste to our poor -trembling steeds. Then with our clothes stiffly frozen, and our -saddles covered with ice, all night long we rode in the face of a -blinding storm, at a snail’s pace, on account of the darkness. - -By two A.M. we arrived at the foot of Bláfjall. The snow had turned -into rain, and amid a thick woolly fog we made our way over the -lava stream which lay between us and Grœnavatn. Our pace was of -necessity very slow, and it was not until four A.M. that we reached -the farm. Here we found materials for a hearty meal spread out -for us by the good folks, who had long since retired to bed. After -doing justice to the catering of our unconscious hosts, I posted up -my diary and turned in. On awaking again next morning I took a swim -in the lake, and breakfast preparatory to my departure with Paul -for Húsavík, where I hoped to have the pleasure of falling in with -the exploring party. Passing to the south of the Lake of Mývatn, -we crossed the Laxá (salmon river), which takes its name from the -abundance of salmon found in the more northerly portion of its -waters, and considerable time was here taken up in drinking coffee -with an old friend. - -The river Laxá, I may here remark, rises in the west end of the -lake, and after flowing out a short distance is joined by the -Kráká. From Mývatn Lake to Grenjaðastaðir (which may be called -the upper portion of the river) its waters abound with trout and -char, but at that point a waterfall (the Brúarfoss) prevents the -salmon ascending the river any further. From the Brúarfoss to the -sea there is, however, some of the finest salmon and trout fishing -in Iceland, as many an English sportsman can testify. The Laxá, I -found, emptied itself into the sea at the Skjálfandifjörð, not very -far from the store at Húsavík. - -Crossing the Mývatns Sandr, the road lies through an undulating -grazing country, and upon the high ground to the south of the -little Lake of Laugarvatn we caught sight simultaneously of the -steam from the hot springs of Reykir, to the north-east the -Arctic ocean, which washes the northern shore of Iceland, and the -mountains of Theistar-reykir, where a third series of sulphur mines -is located. - -On, on we sped, as fast as our horses could carry us, as the -English steamer, for anything we knew, might be on the point of -starting. The Mýrarkvísl, however, was reached in good time, and -as I had stopped behind to give my horse a drink, leaving Paul to -go on before me, upon crossing the river I was pleased to find him -in conversation with Mr. Kent, who had been fishing. Great was my -joy, too, on finding that the steamer had not gone, and that the -exploring party was still at Húsavík. Soon after we proceeded to -the farm of Laxámyri, which was the best farm I had seen in the -country, and must have cost a great sum for an Icelander, as it -was built by Danish workmen, with a wooden carving of a salmon and -an eider duck over the front door to indicate the sources of the -owner’s wealth. Here I made a good meal, and after half-an-hour’s -nap we were off again, in company with Mr. Kent, for Húsavík, where -I met with a most hospitable reception from the members of the -Sulphur Prospecting Expedition, and Herra Guðmundson, the merchant. - -The sulphur party, I found, were submitting to an enforced stay, -for their steamer was a week behind the time she was expected -to arrive. They were all lodged in the house of the sheriff, -which happened to be vacant, and a merry time they were having, -especially the sporting portion of their community, who, I have no -doubt, for a long time will sing the praises of Laxá. - -Besides the veteran traveller Capt. Burton, there was another -member of the party known to fame, Mr. Baldwin, a companion of -the late Dr. Livingstone in his travels in Central Africa, whose -“Twelve Years of Sporting Experience in South Africa” presents a -series of vivid pictures of sporting travel. - -Húsavík is pleasantly situated at the foot of Húsavík-urfjall, upon -the eastern side of the bay of Skjálfandi, and has a good harbour -except when the wind is blowing from the north. The mountains of -Víkna-fjöll upon the western side of the bay form a great addition -to the scenery; they were covered with snow even at this season of -the year. - -Having so long followed in the wake of the exploring party, it -was impossible for me not to speculate upon the prospects of -“the North Iceland Sulphur Company,” and my lucubrations ran in -the following strain:--There is certainly no lack of sulphur -both at Hlíðar-Námur and at Fremri-Námur, and the report of the -_prospectors_ on the smaller solfataras of _Theistareykir-Námur_ is -a good one. The road between the sulphur mines and the sea is not -of such an impracticable nature but that it would be quite possible -to construct a road, or to sledge the sulphur down in the winter. -If the company set about their work in the right way and keep their -undertaking in the hands of some half-dozen capitalists, they will -probably not only enrich themselves, but also add another valuable -export to needy Iceland. If, however, the shares are sent into the -Stock Exchange, the chances are the undertaking will be weighted -with too much capital, and thus be at the mercy of cliques of -speculators belonging to that body. - -After spending a night with the travellers, whose hospitality and -agreeable society added greatly to the pleasure of my stay at -Húsavík, the merchant, Herra Guðmundson invited me to stay with -him, and, as I needed rest, I accepted his kind invitation. - -Nothing could exceed the kindness of my host, and I do not know -how the sulphur expedition would have fared had it not been for -his kindness and assistance. I was beyond measure sorry, on my -return to England, to see a long article in a Scotch newspaper, -from one member or some members of the party, disparaging almost -everything at Húsavík, and making invidious remarks about the wine -which Herra Guðmundson had supplied us with from his own cellar, -and which we had all partaken of with him at his house. Several -members of the expedition whom I have since had the pleasure of -meeting agree with me that it is a matter to be thoroughly ashamed -of. After a few days’ rest I left Húsavík to visit the remarkable -cliffs of Ásberg, which Herra Guðmundson had informed me were -equal to those of Thingvalla: his sister and nephew joined me, -so that, with Paul, we made up quite a pleasant little party. -Unfortunately, however, none of the other visitors were able to go -with us, for they were afraid the steam ship might arrive, and not -be able to wait their return. The road we took to Ásberg lay across -a monotonous stretch of country (the Reikjahlíð), which for the -greater part of the way was undulating high ground, covered with -ancient lava, partly grown over with dwarf straggling birch and -herbage. The track which leads across it is called Bláskógavegr, -or the way of the Blue forest. Bláberrie bushes are apparently -the largest trees one meets with here; they, however, were rather -abundant, and in some instances grew almost to the height of the -long straggling apologies for birch brush which were occasionally -to be met with. If it had not been that we were a merry party, I -should have felt the journey decidedly dull; but it was not, and -ultimately we arrived at the small farm of Ás about midnight, a -short distance to the west of the river Jökulsá, where we took -coffee, bought a lamb, and, accompanied by the farmer, proceeded -at sunrise to the cliffs of Ásberg. We found Ásberg to consist of -a V-shaped valley some 300 feet deep, surrounded by perpendicular -walls of basaltic lava to the east and west, while it opened out -towards the north, inosculating an elongated cliff of basaltic -lava, like a rocky island, towards the northern and widest part -of the valley. This glen is a little more than a Danish mile in -circumference, occurring towards the termination of an ancient lava -stream, supposed by Capt. Burton and the geologist who accompanied -his expedition to have been the work of pre-historic oceans, and -that the walls of the valley are old sea cliffs--probably they are -right. - -The valley contains the finest wood I have seen in the island, -consisting of a thick growth of birch and willow, in many places -attaining to the height of thirty or forty feet. - -Our guides informed us that in the spring time large streams -flowed over the cliffs at the south end of the valley, forming -magnificent cascades; and we noticed that in three places they had -worn water-courses for themselves, over which there now trickled -only a feeble stream. There were also two deep pits filled with -water, that appeared to have been hollowed out by the waterfalls -which in the spring empty themselves into them. It was a beautiful -day, and the fragrant birch reminded me of many a glorious ramble -in North West America. Here we bivouacked, and cooked our lamb to a -turn, under the supervision of our lady friend, and after enjoying -the meal we shouted ourselves almost hoarse in awakening the echoes -which probably had slumbered for years in the old grey cliffs, so -it was not until ten in the evening that we started on our homeward -journey. Right well and bravely did our lady ride, in spite of the -fatigue which she had undergone, over rough ground and smooth. - -We stayed at a small farm called Geîtar Staðir (goats’ farm) for -coffee and a drink of goat’s milk, and arrived at Húsavík at 6 A.M. -The exploring party we found, with the exception of Mr. Tennant -and Mr. Baldwin, were about to start for the Dettifoss, intending -to take Ásberg in the way; so I passed a convivial evening with my -host, but was not sorry to turn in rather early. I was, however, -soon awakened abruptly by two voices which seemed familiar enough, -calling me to get up again. My early visitors proved to be Mr. -Slimond and Mr. Wight, of Leith, whose acquaintance I had the -pleasure of making in the previous spring, giving me warning that -the steamer Buda had arrived and was lying in Húsavík bay. On -hearing that, I hastily dressed, and having given orders to Paul to -take the best horses and start forthwith, bearing a note to Capt. -Burton and his party, with the letters which had arrived for them, -I proceeded with all haste to the Buda, to ask my newly-arrived -friends to breakfast with me. - -Upon nearing the ship, Mr. Slimond called out that they were -just off to Borðeyri, and asked if I would join them. The steps -were just about to be hauled up the ship’s side, but I accepted -his offer, and in five minutes we were steaming out of the Bay -of Skjálfandi and sitting down to a genuine English breakfast. -After rounding the island of Flatey, which lies at the mouth of -the Skjálfandi, we obtained a beautiful view of the mountainous -coast of the north of the island. The weather was delightful, and -the pleasant society of old acquaintances, with the interesting -occupation of looking through the latest news from England, made -the twenty-four hours pass with amazing rapidity; so in fact I -felt quite sorry when the next morning found us steaming up the -Húnaflói upon the S.W. extremity of which Borðeyri is situated. -Here Capt. Cockle, whose acquaintance I had previously made, had -been waiting a whole fortnight with some 300 Icelandic ponies, the -delay having been occasioned by the break-down of the engine of the -Fifeshire, which Mr. Slimond had first chartered for his Icelandic -trip. Mr. Slimond, I must explain, entirely commands the Icelandic -horse trade, and has done more towards developing that branch of -commerce in Iceland than any other man. During the time he has been -in connexion with it, it is stated that he has spent over £50,000 -in the country. This amount has wonderfully helped many of the -Icelanders to improve their dwellings, and it cannot fail to have -exercised a very beneficial influence in stimulating Icelandic -trade as well as assisting the development of other branches of -industry. - -The horses were at last all penned into a corral, and by the time -the Buda was fairly anchored in the Húnaflói, the obstreperous -cargo was ready for shipment--a rather difficult matter, for the -horses had to be conveyed to the ship in small boats, and as their -respective ages varied from two to five years, as may be expected, -the trouble of getting them all conveyed to the ship, hoisted on -board, and stowed away can scarcely be described. While the process -of loading was going on I took a walk on shore, in the company of -Mrs. Slimond, her sister, and Mr. Wight, and I must say we neither -of us received a very favourable impression either of the place or -the people. - -Borðeyri itself is uninteresting in the extreme, as most of the -more fertile parts of Iceland are; it is neither barren enough to -exhibit the desolate grandeur of many other portions of the island -through which I had travelled during the two previous months, -nor fertile enough to be pleasant to the eye. By dint of great -labour on the part of Mr. Slimond, Captain Cockle, and some of the -ship’s crew, together with the tardy assistance of some of the -inhabitants of the place, the animals were at length stowed away, -the Buda steamed out of the Húnaflói, and we arrived at Húsavík -the following morning. Here the Sulphur Company came on board with -all their belongings; Mr. Locke, however, remained, as he had -some further business to transact at Húsavík and Reykjavík; so I -took leave of Mr. Slimond and his party with many thanks for his -hospitality, and, having shaken hands with the other members of -the company, we parted with mutual good wishes for our respective -journeys. - -Accompanied by Mr. Locke, I climbed into the little boat that was -waiting for us, and returned to our kind host, Herra Guðmundson, -while the good ship Buda sped on her way to Scotland. Mr. Locke, -Herra Guðmundson, and his sister were bound for Reykjavík, but I -intended to cross the Sprengisandr, and pay a visit to the Skaptar -Jökull. We therefore agreed to journey part of the way together, -and I was easily persuaded to accompany them as far as Akreyri, -as I wished to see the place--town it can scarcely be called--of -second importance in Iceland. The next day, therefore, Mr. Locke, -Herra Guðmundson, his wife, his sister, his little son, and a -servant, Paul, Olgi, and myself, all set out first for Mývatn, -where I inspected the solfatara I had cleared of its sulphur about -three weeks before, and found it had quite a yellow tinge, although -there was no appreciable fresh deposit of sulphur. From Mývatn we -advanced towards Akreyri, and crossing the river Skjálfandifljót -(quivering flood), we turned to the N.W., to view the waterfall -of Godafoss. This waterfall is but a tame affair after Dettifoss, -and the fall is about thirty-five feet; but the Skjálfandi is a -much smaller river than the Jökulsá. There is, however, a finer -waterfall higher up, upon the Skjálfandifljót, a distance of about -a day-and-a-half’s journey. We halted at the farm of Ljósavatn, and -next day took the road past the Lake of Ljósavatn (Lake of Light) -for Arkeyri, but at the lake Mrs. Guðmundson, her son, and servant -left us, and we rode briskly on, up the pass of Ljósavatnskarð. In -clear weather this must be a beautiful pass, but the clouds were -hanging so low upon the hills they obscured the view, and deprived -us of what otherwise would, no doubt, have been a grand prospect. -We soon reached the church and parsonage of Háls, and thence -descended into a valley, Fnjóskádalr, in which there is the finest -growth of birch, next to that in the valley of Ásberg, which had -as yet come under my notice. We next crossed the river of Fnjóská, -and forthwith commenced to ascend the heights of Vaðlaheiði, a -mountainous ridge upon the opposite side of the Eyjafjörð to -Akreyri. The summit of these heights was so enveloped in mist -that all hope of benefitting by the view which such an altitude, -viz. 2,118 feet, must of necessity command, was quite out of the -question, we therefore descended straight away to Akreyri, which we -reached by fording the mouth of the Eyjafjarðará, which can only be -done at low tide. Here we put up at the inn, where several friends -soon made their appearance, and a jolly time we had of it. - -Although Akreyri is not so extensive a settlement as Reykjavík, it -possesses a much better harbour, being shut in upon the east by -the Vaðlaheiði, and upon the west by the hills of Súlur and the -outlying mountains of the Vindheima Jökull, which rise in some -places to the height of 3000 feet. The town is situated at the -south end of the Eyjafjörð (island firth), taking its name from -the little island of Hrísey which lies in its mouth. The trade of -this small place does not equal that of its sister settlement, -owing, perhaps, to the numerous stores situated in various fjords -in the north of Iceland, whereas Reykjavík and Eyrarbakki command -the trade of the greater part of the south, in consequence of the -iron-bound nature of its coast. Arkeyri is composed of two streets -of wooden frame-houses, one of which runs so close to the sea shore -as to be occasionally flooded, and it has a renown of its own, from -the largest trees in the whole island growing there. These however, -are merely two or three mountain-ash trees, about 25 to 30 feet in -height, flourishing in front of a house facing the fjord, belonging -to one of the principal store keepers! - -The luxuriance of their growth is the more remarkable, as all the -attempts which have hitherto been made to grow trees in Reykjavík -have failed, although its mean temperature is much higher than that -of Akreyri. The explanation of this probably is that Akreyri is -one of the most sheltered spots in the island, while Reykjavík is -exposed to the full fury of the east and west winds. - -A short distance to the north of the town we found a cluster of -black sheds, the filthy smell from which informed us at once of the -odoriferous business carried on there, which was at full swing. I -had often smelt from afar this same disgusting effluvium, and found -it to arise from the profitable but revolting work of extracting -oil from sharks’ livers. Accompanied by Paul, I determined to -inspect this manufacture, so, passing through an avenue of vats -full of sharks’ putrid livers, reeking and sweltering in the sun, -we thrust our pocket-handkerchiefs into our mouths and plunged -into the boiling-house. Here about half-a-dozen cauldrons of -sharks’ livers were simmering, and slowly “frying out” the filthy -but valuable shark-oil, exhaling the foulest stench imaginable. -Three grimy oleaginous men and a boy, who seemed to thrive amid -their abominable surroundings, were engaged in stoking the fires, -stirring up the stewing livers and baling out the oil, as it -accumulated, into a long trough, which discharged itself into a -large iron tank outside, whence it was drawn off again into barrels -ready for shipment to the various parts of the world where there -is a demand for such a very unpleasant lubricator. The men seemed -quite surprised that we found anything disagreeable in the smell of -the oil, and seemed quite to enjoy giving the cauldrons an extra -stir on our account, which was a pleasure we could have dispensed -with. - -In the evening we paid a visit to the apothecary, whose house -seemed to be the rendezvous of all the captains whose ships were -lying in the harbour, and there we arranged to depart the next day. - -Here I may as well observe there are two ways from the north to the -south of Iceland, the shortest being, however, the most difficult -road, which lies across the Sprengisandr, and the longest, but -easiest, across the Stórisandr. Mr. Locke, with Herra Guðmundson -and his sister, had resolved to go by the Stórisandr to Reykjavík, -and I wished to go by the Sprengisandr to the east, so that I might -visit the Skaptar Jökull. Although I intended to have left early, -it was night before we got away from Akreyri, for leave-taking -always occupies an indefinite time in inverse proportion to the -size of the place. Re-crossing Vaðlaheiði, we reached Ljósavatn -(where I had left my baggage and baggage-horses) with the daylight, -from whence we proceeded along the Skjálfandifljót to Stóruvellir. -The river Skjálfandifljót runs down a broad fertile valley shut -in by hills of basalt, which rise in some places as much as 1300 -feet above the level of the river. From thence a broad stretch -of grass-land, extending some 25 miles long, brought us to -Stóruvellir, a flourishing farm surrounded by grass-lands. The -people, we found, were all busy hay-making; so I ascended the -hills behind the farm to look at the surrounding country, but -before I could reach the summit it had clouded over, and I could -see but a very short distance. Early next morning a man brought -word that a fresh eruption had broken out in the Mývatns Örœfí. -This was news indeed, and as it was Sunday, when some of the more -distant population would be assembled at the neighbouring church, I -despatched Paul to ascertain from them the accuracy of the news. In -the meanwhile, however, accompanied by the farmer’s son, I ascended -the hills to reconnoitre, and when about half-way up I espied a -tall dense column of white smoke in the east, which announced the -correctness of the intelligence we had received. On arriving at the -summit I looked again, and then perceived six smaller columns in a -line with the larger one, rising to about half its height. These -columns of smoke had evidently originated in the Mývatns Örœfí, -and rose in perpendicular columns, which spread out at the apex -like phantoms of giant palm trees in the calm atmosphere of that -early autumn Sabbath morning! The position I occupied commanded a -magnificent view of the Dyngjufjöll mountains and the Kverkfjöll, -both of which volcanoes lie south of the Mývatns Örœfí; neither -of these, however, seemed to be particularly disturbed, but the -mushroom-shaped cloud of smoke which had been there all the summer -still hovered over the Dyngjufjöll. There appeared, however, no -increase in the three thin columns of vapour I had before observed -rising from the Kverkfjöll. Looking in another direction I found -the country to the east obscured by what seemed to be a fog, which -was, probably, vapour and ashes from the fresh eruption drifting -slowly towards the Vatna Jökull. Presently the large volume of -smoke from the Mývatns Orœfí disappeared, leaving in its place a -cloud of thin black vapour, but before many seconds had elapsed it -again sprang up in three distinct bursts to more than its former -height. Hastily descending, I ordered the horses to be saddled, and -at once we rode away at full gallop towards the seat of the new -eruption. - -By evening we reached the farm of Grœnavatn, where I had the -pleasure of again seeing Thorlákur and his brother-in-law, and I -forthwith made preparations for visiting the point of volcanic -activity the following morning, but my plans were frustrated by a -violent storm of rain, wind, and snow, which made it a matter of -impossibility to cross the hills; so, chafing at the delay, I was -compelled to postpone my expedition. During the previous night a -man had arrived from Grímstaðir, upon the eastern side of the -Mývatns Örœfí, and reported that between ten and eleven o’clock on -Sunday morning, August 15th, a smart shock of earthquake was felt -at that place, travelling from north-east to south-west, while -almost simultaneously columns of smoke were seen upon the plain -of Mývatns Örœfí, and forthwith an eruption commenced from the -same place as in the previous spring. Upon the 17th the storm had -sufficiently abated, so, accompanied by Jón, who had been my guide -to Fremri-Námur, I set out for the eruption. Upon entering a valley -in the mountains of Mývatn, by which we intended to gain access to -the Mývatns Örœfí, a few columns of smoke in the distance warned -us that the eruption lay before us, and as we emerged from the -glen, a line of some twenty columns of smoke burst upon our view, -while at the north end lay two clusters of black mounds in close -proximity. From the most southerly of these sprung up two columns -of dense black smoke, which struggling to ascend, were beaten back -to earth again by the wind in a foul heavy mist that spread itself -out for miles over the lava streams, both old and new, which lay -to eastward, clinging to the higher crags in dark, ominous-looking -masses, and obscuring large patches of the more level plain. From -its neighbour to the north a high column of stones, ashes, and -dust proclaimed the principal volcanic vent, and as we gazed upon -the scene, suddenly, with a roar, every particle seemed on fire, -while explosion after explosion hurled the larger fragments to a -height beyond our view in the dense canopy of vapour which hung -over us, making the ground upon which we stood and the rocks around -us tremble. While the lava sloped over the most northerly side, -the large column of fire sank, and only stones and cinders were -ejected. This column of _débris_ I noticed continually varied both -in size and volume, sometimes clustering like a large swarm of bees -in the smoke, apparently scarcely a hundred feet above the crater, -while at other times it shot up into a tall column with explosive -violence, the masses of scoriæ shrieking in their passage through -the air. This was followed by a calm, and then again by a rending -sound, as a new crater opened on the north side of the mound, which -ejected a stream of white hot lava that tumbled in a cascade of -fiery froth upon the old lava stream of the previous spring. At -this point a dense smoke and the sound of splitting rocks marked -its progress till it oozed in bright red viscous masses through the -interstices of the older lava, forming pools beyond the limit of -the elder stream, which glowed for a moment only and then turned -black. As we looked on these wonderful changes of the face of -nature, a dim twilight supervened, although only six P.M., so we -stopped upon a patch of wild oats which grew profusely upon many -parts of these sands, and here we left our horses to feed while we -took our evening meal upon a sand-bank commanding a full view of -the eruption, which was rather more than a mile away. The scene was -grand, but our horses did not appear to be particularly frightened -at the eruption, for after standing some time looking at it, they -quietly went on grazing. - -On approaching the volcano as closely as the heated lava would -allow, I found it to consist of a cluster of black mounds, -describing together an irregular cone, from the centre of which, -and probably towards the termination of the spring-eruption, -a large crater had been formed, apparently little more than -half-a-mile in circumference; its northern wall had now evidently -been broken down, while from the centre rose the conical walls of -the crater then erupting. There was a breach also in the north -side, from which the lava poured at intervals, while numerous -cracks in the walls of the cone caused the glow from the intense -burning within to shine through with such brilliancy as to give the -summit the appearance of being wrapped in flames. As I intently -examined this, two smaller craters became suddenly visible, one -in the north base of the erupting mound and the other some little -distance further north, in the lava itself. Both these were burning -with a brilliant white light, and emitted a rending, crushing -sound, although erupting with little violence. From these two -craters the principal lava streams were advancing with considerable -rapidity, encircling from time to time patches of ancient lava -and sand which formed the plain, and finally overwhelming them in -its fiery embrace. As night closed in, the heated lava and the -noxious gases arising from it prevented me from getting nearer than -within a few hundred yards of the volcano, so I lit my pipe at the -nearest lava _coulée_ and returned to camp. There again, while -sitting by my tent, upon a high bank of volcanic sand, I gazed for -a long time upon the mighty fountains of volcanic fire, which in -one continuous stream assailed the sky with a glorious display of -natural pyrotechnics. All through the dark hours of the night the -volcano burned and roared, followed by explosion after explosion, -which shook the desolate waste around to its very foundation. -When I rose at midnight to take another look at this grand and -terrible spectacle, it was still energetically erupting with a -grandeur the equal of which I may never have another opportunity -of witnessing; for the grim sands and lava fields of the Mývatns -Örœfí were bathed in an unwonted light which reddened the lurid -sky and deepened the shadows amongst the weird crags of lava, -rendering them still more unearthly in that fire-blasted wilderness -in the midst of which we were encamped. The wind still blew freely -from the north-west, from which quarter, fortunately, it had been -blowing all the evening, so that I was enabled to reach a neck of -land almost encircled with lava within about two hundred yards of -the crater which was erupting. From this coign _d’avantage_ I was -able to examine minutely the progress of the eruption; but the -heat was very great even at this distance, while my field glass -shewed me that the fiery column seemed to be made up of myriads of -molten atoms. The whole scene was, in fact, utterly indescribable, -yet I could not but reflect how meagre and insignificant was even -that glorious display in comparison with those mighty fires which -have been occasionally let loose from such mountains as the Vatna -and Skaptar Jökulls, and how terrible! how utterly unapproachable -must have been their outburst! Yes, that is the unsatisfactory -part about them; when they are in full working order there is no -getting near them, and at other times one can only climb, shudder -and freeze over their temporary tombs. - -However, nothing daunted, at 6 A.M. I started to examine the line -of smoking mounds which marked the course of the great fissure -or gjá (chasm). As mentioned before, this fissure was formed in -the early spring, and re-opened on the 15th August, 1875, to -give vent to the volcanic fires which have rifted and contorted -the surrounding plain. The erupting mound had grown about 50 or -60 feet in the night, but the eruption itself, as I saw it, was -evidently upon the wane. The next cluster of mounds towards the -south contained three craters, but the largest was covered with -whitish yellow sublimations, probably sulphur and sal-ammoniac. -This was tranquilly steaming and had evidently not been disturbed -during the recent outburst; in fact, all along the fissure there -occurred mounds at intervals, and some were smoking violently, -while many other smaller lateral cracks and fissures were likewise -smoking, but not to the same extent. These fissures, I noticed, -were entirely environed with hot lava, apparently of recent -production, and a depression in some places of 50 feet in depth -had sunk around them, varying from two to about four miles in -breadth, while numerous deep chasms crevassed the adjacent plain. -They were mostly parallel to the principal line of disturbance, -and as they approached the depression they increased in size and -depth, while those in close proximity to it ran into one another -where the ground was upheaved by a general chaotic dislocation. The -whole line of smoking fissures appeared to me to have erupted lava -both during the spring and at the eruption in August; the fissures -terminated in a series of cracks, the edges of which were in many -places covered with sublimations of sulphur and sal-ammoniac. - -Aided by a strong north-westerly wind, which had fortunately been -blowing throughout my visit to this remarkable spot, and a strong -pair of leather boots, I succeeded at one point in traversing -the still hot lava, till I reached the principal fissure about -half-a-mile from its southern termination. In many places I found -it was four or five feet wide, in some places choked with solid -lava; and in others gaping widely open, but at some points it was -spanned with cinders and lava, encrusted with various sublimations, -which showed that there had been no recent outburst in that -particular spot. In some places, however, similar accumulations had -been scattered around by the recent disturbances, in fragments so -variously encrusted that at first sight I was led to suppose the -fissure had cast out great quantities of party-coloured cinders; at -all events, at all points where the eruption had been particularly -violent circles of cinders and clinkers had formed varying from -one or two to many feet in height, bridging over the fissure and -forming conical mounds wherever the outburst had continued for any -lengthened period. This struck me as being rather remarkable, as I -should almost have expected to find the clinkers, etc., piled up in -banks upon each side of the fissure, instead of assuming, as they -did, such regular shapes, often at right-angles with the fissures -producing them; but where the fissure was not blocked up it steamed -violently, emitting nauseous smells and making hoarse choking -sounds. Its depth I could not ascertain, as the emanations which -arose from the lava I was standing upon compelled me to beat a -hasty retreat, and indeed they made me feel dizzy for the remainder -of the day. This gjá is situated in the Mývatns Örœfí, in a line -parallel with Lake Mývatn, at the height of a little less than -1000 feet above sea level; its direction is N.N.E. to S.S.W. The -length of the fissure is about twelve English miles, and from it -has issued a lava stream of about fourteen English miles in length -and perhaps three-and-a-half broad upon an average, though it is -much narrower at some points than at others, especially towards -its southern extremity. This recent lava, both of the spring and -autumn, had flowed over the ancient lava and sand, rendering so -large a portion of the Mývatns Örœfí a useless desert; while it -had particularly overflowed an ancient lava stream, produced by -a vent in the west portion of the Mývatns Örœfí, called Svínagjá. -The new lava appeared to differ from the old only in this respect, -viz., that the ancient lava contained olivine, which the closest -microscopic examination failed to discover in the more recent -production. I also found that no pumice had been ejected from this -fissure up to last August; lava, stones, cinders and ashes only -having been thrown up. This spot may be regarded as the northern -centre of recent volcanic activity, and the Öskjugjá as the -southern, both occurring in the same rectilinear bearing, N.N.E. -and S.S.W., and so coinciding with the great fissure which it has -been presumed bisects the island from N.E. to S.W. - -Carefully taking the bearings of the neighbouring mountains from -the south end of the fissure, I made two or three dashes over the -hot lava to look into the grim jaws of a chasm which had been -erupting with especial violence, where the various heights of the -conical mounds gauged the violence and the extent of the eruption; -but a very short distance farther north the heated lava became too -broad to permit of such excursions with any degree of safety, so -I ascended some elevated ground to the west, in order to obtain a -bird’s-eye view of the seat of eruption. - -This fissure, as I have before said, extends through a -recently-formed depression, in the direction N.N.E. to S.S.W., -extending from about one mile north of the road from Grímstaðir -to Reikjahlíð to a point bearing Jörundr 19° N., Búrfell 349° -N.W. It had erupted in seven places with great violence, and had -formed there conical hills, containing several craters. After -inspecting these, I turned my back upon the line of steaming vents, -having seen all that could be seen, and I was well contented with -my little expedition. After a while we reached our horses by a -short cut over the ancient lava, which had flowed partly from -the Svínagjá and partly from the Mývatn hills, then returning to -Grœnavatn, and proceeded thence to Stóruvellir the next day. - -We left Stóruvellir amid a heavy gale and were accompanied by -the farmer as far as Halldórstaðir where the priest, who spoke a -little English, would not hear of our leaving without partaking of -coffee, chocolate, or schnapps. We took leave here of the bóndi of -Stóruvellir, who had treated us hospitably and had charged very -moderately. - -Leaving here we next made our way to Mýri, where lived an old man -whose father was the first to cross the Sprengisandr, in 1810, as -the south of Iceland previously had been always reached by crossing -the Stórisandr. This old man was pleased to see me, and gladly -gave me an account of the road, written by his father, to guide -future travellers, and my informant I found was eighty-three years -of age. Before leaving my new acquaintance I purchased a spoon -of him said to be fifty years old. This was quite an ingenious -novelty, for when unscrewed it divided into fifteen different -pieces; I also bought a wooden roller which used to serve the -purpose of a mangle a few centuries back, and a rude representation -of the crucifixion in needlework upon green wadmal (Icelandic -homespun cloth), which the old man told me had been worked by -the nuns of an Icelandic convent long, long ago,--he could not -say how long, but he knew that the banner was “eld gamalt” (very -old). He also informed me that when he first went to Reykjavík -for stock-fish no ships came to the north of Iceland, and that in -Reykjavík coffee and sugar cost five marks (about 1_s._ 10½_d._) -per pound, while they could only obtain fifteen skillings (3½_d._) -per pound for their wool. The present price of these commodities, -I may remark, is--coffee, three marks (1_s._ 1½_d._), sugar, -thirty-two to thirty-four skillings (6_d._ to 8_d._) per -pound--while they are now able to sell their wool at 1_s._ 1½_d._ -per pound. - -I sent Paul and Olgi on with the baggage while I, accompanied by -the old man’s son, went a little out of the way to visit the -waterfall of Alderjufoss, where the river Skjálfandifljót pours -into a rift in an ancient lava stream, about forty-five feet deep. -This sight is well worth going out of the way to see, as it is a -much finer fall than the Godafoss. - -The most remarkable feature about these falls, however, is the -wall of rock over which they descend, the bottom of the wall being -composed of perpendicular basaltic columns, overlaid by a compact -basaltic lava of a very crystalline nature, while the columns -themselves are of a compact stony basaltic lava, but in neither -of the specimens I broke off could I find a single crystal. I -am, however, inclined to think that both lavas are of identical -composition, and of contemporaneous production. - -Having satisfied my curiosity here I left the Alderjufoss behind, -and rode quickly after Paul and Olgi, overtaking them not far from -the lake of Ísholtsvatn, from whence a short ride brought us to the -farm of Ísholt, which was inhabited by a bachelor brother and his -three sisters. Here we enjoyed a good supper of char and potatoes -(for the latter were now of an edible size), and a good night’s -rest, preparatory to our journey across the Sprengisandr. - -Although there are no fish in the Skjálfandifljót, there are plenty -in Ísholtsvatn and the Fiskiá, which flows out of it into the -Skjálfandifljót. I suppose this is on account of the turbid nature -of the water in the latter, which is purely a glacial stream. - -After resting a while here I left Ísholt in company with the -farmer, and commenced our journey southwards, there being at the -time a severe storm of wind from the N.W., bearing with it clouds -of sand. On our way we paid a visit to the brother of the old man -of Mýri, from whom I obtained some more curiosities in the shape of -ancient spoons, one of which, like the other, could be separated -into fifteen different pieces, and an old Prayer-book, printed at -Hólar in 1742. This man lived at the farm of Mjófidalr (narrow -valley) and had the reputation of being a good herb doctor. I -found him pleased to see us, and before we left he treated us to a -compound of schnapps and angelica root which was very refreshing. -A fierce gale was blowing at the time from the S.W., and the sand -was intolerable, even penetrating through the gauze of our snow -spectacles, and almost blinding us; while at times the sand storm -was so heavy that we were unable to see one another even when -within touching distance. Our poor horses felt it very much, the -eyes of some being completely closed up, so that when we reached -to the grass hills to the north of Kiðagil, we were compelled to -halt and bathe their eyes with water. As the road here lay over -a series of stony hills, grown over in many places with moss and -scanty grass, the dust became less troublesome, and therefore -we were glad to alight in the evening at the song-famed Kiðagil -(goats’ valley). The last grass to be found upon the north side of -the Sprengisandr is in this valley, and it takes several hours’ -hard riding before the next grass is reached. - -This valley is fertilized by the river Kiðagilsá which runs through -it, and empties itself into the Skjálfandifljót at this spot. The -weather cleared beautifully in the evening, so I climbed to the -summit of Kiðagilshnukur, which commands an extensive view towards -the snowy heights of Arnarfells, the Tungufells, and the white -slopes of the Vatna Jökull, with their black cones and buttresses -protruding through the snow. To the N.E. stretched the country to -the north of the Vatna Jökull, with the well-remembered mountains -which I had traversed with so much interest, and the desert plains -over which I had trudged for many a weary hour, sore-footed and -tired. The wind had sunk to rest with the sun, and the serrated -outline of the Dyngjufjöll grew darker and darker, beneath the -heavy canopy of smoke which still hovered over them, while the -neighbouring mountains grew more indistinct and shadowy as the -light faded from the west. - -My tent had been pitched in the valley below, the autumn nights -had now commenced, and the fitful gleam of the aurora told me -my summer work was almost ended. On looking around upon those -old familiar scenes--it might be for the last time--my emotion -was so great that my tongue, in its endeavours to give audible -expression to the sentiments that filled my breast, exclaimed -with all the enthusiasm my nature was capable of, “Farewell, -farewell, dear old Northernland! I came to your rugged and barren -shores an enthusiastic traveller, anxious and resolved to seek -out the wonderful things hidden in your frozen casket; and having -enjoyed your simple and honest hospitalities and gratified my -ambitious curiosity, I must now bid you adieu, bearing with me -an affectionate remembrance of your craters and geysers, your -mountains of eternal snow, and, above all, of the kind and faithful -services rendered me by your hardy and generous sons and daughters.” - -Having relieved my emotion by this crude expression of my feelings, -I took one more fond look and then turned in to rest for the night, -feeling amid my regret at leaving old Iceland, something akin to -an inward pride, to think that although so humble a member of the -Alpine Club, I had been enabled to accomplish so much, and that, -too, notwithstanding the doubts of my friends, and the opinion of -Mr. Forbes, who seems to have formed very erroneous notions as to -the Vatna Jökull, or of the determination and endurance a member -of the Alpine Club is capable of if once he sets his mind upon -exploring a mountain. - -To return to my narrative. Soon after day-break my men and I were -again astir and in our saddles; but I was sorry to perceive that -the weather had changed for the worst, which was a serious thing -for us, seeing that we had a long, bad road before us, as well as -a tiring journey to perform under various difficulties, enough -to daunt the sturdiest of us. To add to our misery the clouds -above were black as ravens’ wings, and a fierce wind blew in such -piercing gushes that we could scarcely stand against them, as they -came bursting on straight into our very teeth. As I shuddered -beneath the blast, I consoled myself with the thought that such -a parting with Iceland was, after all, quite characteristic; and -soon one poetic notion after another took such possession of me -that by the time I had got thoroughly awake I began to find myself -growing quite warm with excitement, and of course less sensible to -the real severities of the storm. True to his kindly nature, and -well sustaining the character of his countrymen, my old friend the -bóndi of Ísholt resolved to see me part of the way on my journey; -and although unwilling to trouble him, I must certainly acknowledge -the extreme pleasure this trifling act of courtesy and kindness -afforded me. And when at last the hour arrived for us to separate, -we shook each other heartily by the hand, and cheered ourselves in -a parting cup which drained the last of my schnapps. “God speed” -having been expressed on both sides, I resolutely turned my back -upon the fascination of the distant mountains, and faced the -driving storm of wind and sand to thread my way southward. - -Our route at first lay over a series of low terraced hills, and -presently a wet tedious ride brought us to a cluster of small stone -cairns, round which were collected a number of horses’ bones, not a -very cheering sight to our own animals, and they seemed rather shy -of the ghastly remains of their ill-fated brethren. - -While looking on this sad sight, Paul told me it was often the -custom to write a verse, and leave it in a bone upon such a mound -as this for the next traveller, and, accordingly, I wished to do -so too, but could not find one suitable, and so we felt ourselves -relieved from the responsibility of keeping up the “old custom.” -It would have been all the same, however, if we had desired to do -so, for the cheerless prospect of fog and rain, with the apparently -boundless Sprengisandr around us, varied only by an occasional -glimpse of some snowy Jökull, would have been sufficient to freeze -the most gushing of poetical ideas. - -Wishing to quit this spot without delay, we determined upon taking -the route known as the Arnarfells-vegr upon the west bank of the -Thjórsá rather than follow the track upon the east, as by doing -so we should be able to cross the numerous smaller rivers whose -confluent waters form the Thjórsá, one by one, instead of having to -wait perhaps a day or so, until the waters of the Thjórsá should be -sufficiently low to enable us to ford them. - -In the course of our journey we passed between Arnarfells Jökull -and Tungufells Jökull, and thence bearing to the west, we got as -close to the former as possible in order that we might cross these -smaller arms at their source. Some of these arms, I imagine, must -be very difficult in warm weather, for even upon this cold and -stormy day they were in many places over our horses’ girths. - -Arnarfell, upon the N.E., rises from a band of glaciers, from -which steep slopes of snow sweep up to the black peaks of -Arnarfell-hið-Mikla which must be of considerable altitude, a -little more than a Danish mile away from the termination of the -glacier. The nature of the ground we were traversing precluded -the possibility of quick riding, hence it took us five hours more -to reach Arnarfell-hið-Mikla, which was to be our destination for -the night. This elevation is a cluster of eminences formed of -agglomerate, which has been weathered into peaks of considerable -height, and these are traversed by several dykes and intruded -masses of basaltic lava. Here we found a good patch of grass and -angelica, extending along the sides of Arnarfell-hið-Mikla, as well -as along the banks of the river washing its eastern base. - -Our arrival at this part disturbed a bevy of swans, which at this -season of the year (August) lose the feathers of their wings, of -course preventing their flight. Taking advantage of this, chase was -immediately given, and four of their number very soon captured. - -I am glad to say the next morning showed us a more cheery prospect, -for a stiff breeze blew from the N.W., and although the clouds -hung upon the mountains, the sun occasionally broke through, -encouraging us to put some of our wet things out to dry. While -this was being done I ascended the Arnarfell-hið-Mikla, and was -well repaid for my trouble, for the clouds were lifting from the -adjacent mountains, which gave me a peep at the Vatna Jökull, as -well as the more western hills, over the broad plain lying between -it and the Arnarfells Jökull. The Sprengisandr is here cut up -by a network of rivers and streams, which upon our side of the -Sprengisandr all flowed into the Thjórsá. We now pursued our way -with a bright sun shining upon us; the ground was in most places -covered with swampy moss, which was much better travelling than the -stones of the preceding day. Many streams with quicksands had to -be crossed, whose waters were all the deeper for the fine weather -we were enjoying. Turning thence directly southwards we struck the -main stream of the Thjórsá. Travellers to the south who take the -eastern route generally cross this stream at this point, but they -are sometimes detained for days in consequence of freshets, which -may occur at any season of the year; therefore the west side of -the Thjórsá, though a little longer, is found to be much the surer -road. Here we saw a number of sheep grazing upon the opposite bank, -belonging to farmers in the south; and as may be well imagined, we -hailed their appearance as the first sign of the “Suðurland” we -were approaching. - -After a short enjoyable halt here, we continued our journey to a -point between the rivers Kisá and Miklilœkr, where we encamped. On -continuing our journey, an uninteresting ride over an undulating -and gradually descending moor, which in fine weather commands a -good view of Hekla, brought us to an ancient lava stream which had -flowed from the Rauðu Kambar, an old volcano lying to the west of -the road, and here again we found ourselves amongst lava, pumice -and black sand. - -I will not weary my readers any longer by continuing a description -of the monotonous dreary scenery met with at this stage of my -journey, and in fact as I trudged along dreamily, recalling to -mind the many incidents that had crowded themselves upon me since -I had been on the island, my eyes had been as it were blind to -the surroundings to such an extent that more than once I was only -recalled to them by the stumbling of my faithful horse, the rolling -of a boulder, or an extra fierce gust of blinding wind; and then, -once more reminded of the fact that I was still a traveller, I -gazed around like a wanderer amongst the sepulchres of a past race, -awe-struck with the lifeless condition of the place, while my mind -wandered back from the silent scene to the one or two living giants -(Öskjugjá, &c.) that still existed, lonely examples of the activity -and power of an age so far removed from the world’s history as to -be lost in antiquity, and yet still so vigorous as to fulfil the -important and wonderful mission of connecting the present with the -most primitive ages of the world. - -Well, after trudging along several miles in this dreamy mood we at -last arrived at the Skriðufell farm, but here, I regret to say, we -found no welcome, for the farmer was a noted churl, and instead of -offering us the same generous hospitality as all others had, he -positively refused the smallest assistance, even going so far as to -object to let us put our horses under the old roof of an outhouse. -My companions pleaded in his behalf that he could not help it, as -he had had the misfortune to be crossed in love! which I was very -sorry to hear, and sincerely trust no similar calamity might happen -to spoil the other inhabitants. - -However, being compelled to push on again by this unpleasant -contretemps, we made as much haste as we could, and were soon -pleased to find ourselves in front of a poor little homestead, -where we were glad to find a generous welcome, plenty of good -milk and other necessaries, of which we availed ourselves, being -made truly welcome. After this brief halt we again pushed on to -the Hagafell along the banks of the Hagafjall, with Hekla full in -sight, its summit being, as usual, enveloped in clouds. Here we -obtained a good night’s rest, and wishing to obtain some specimens -from the Great Geysir, I decided to reach Reykjavík _viâ_ Geysir -and Thingvellir, although it was the longest route, and accordingly -in the morning we made our way towards Hruni, upon the banks of -the Kálfá. I next turned a little out of my way to examine a white -buttress of rock protruding from a grassy hill upon our right hand. -This proved to be a ridge of intruded trachytic lava, extending a -considerable distance; I mention this as it was the only instance -of purely trachytic lava which I had met with, excepting in a -pumiceous form. Here we were most cordially and hospitably received -by the priest of Hruni, who would not allow us to depart without -bringing out a bottle of his best port wine, and hearing an account -of our experience. It was late in the night before we arrived at -Great Geysir. One of the principal objects of my visit to this -part was to seek a box of minerals I had entrusted to the care of -the farmer of Haukadalr to take to Reykjavík in the previous year, -but which had never come to hand, though he protested that he had -delivered them according to my directions, however, I set about -collecting fresh specimens, which was no very serious trouble. - -Great Geysir did not favour us with an eruption, as we had wished, -so we stirred up Stroker with the usual meal of turf, which caused -it to spout, but scarcely to the same height as when I witnessed -its performance in 1874. In the evening we left for Thingvellir, -but as we did not arrive there till one A.M. we did not awake our -friend the priest, who, on rising, found us lying asleep, with -the tent covered over us, upon the grass just outside his door. -This good gentleman upbraided us for not waking him up, brought -out everything of his best, and gave us a hearty breakfast, for -we were old friends. Five hours’ hard riding later on brought us -to Reykjavík, where I again put up at the house of friend Oddr -Gíslasson, who had two Scotch ladies staying with him. These I -found to be Miss Oswald and Miss Menzies, who had been making a -prolonged tour in the island--a plucky undertaking, which perhaps -may encourage other ladies to seek health and amusement amongst the -wild rocks of salubrious Iceland, undeterred by the fear of having -no other escort than an Icelander. - -Upon the arrival of the Post ship, I was amused to receive an -extract from the “Evening Echo” of August giving a most deplorable -account of my health and personal appearance after crossing the -Vatna Jökull. Though it amused us all at Reykjavík, I felt sorry -to think of the unnecessary distress and anxiety it might cause to -my friends at home. If such were the motive of the writer, it may -gratify him to learn that he succeeded admirably. However, any one -of the Sulphur Company would at once have pronounced the statement -to be false. - -I rejoiced in the possession of two pairs of Alpine boots, but I -preferred wearing Icelandic mocassins, they being easier to walk -in. I had also two coats, but always preferred wearing a tight -knitted jersey and waistcoat, which were much more convenient for -movement, while I generally prefer a knitted cap instead of a hat, -for a cap draws down about the ears and keep them warm, and is less -at the mercy of sudden gusts of wind. It seemed curious how such -a worthless little piece of pure imagination could gain access -to London newspapers. The simple facts are, I sent a carefully -written letter, giving a succinct account of my journey across -the Vatna Jökull and my visit to Öskjugjá, the effects of which -volcano were creating much discussion in England at the time. -This letter Capt. Burton kindly forwarded for me to the “Times,” -and it was set up in type (as the proof came into my hand on my -return), but for some reason or another, best known to the editor, -it subsided into the waste paper basket, while a more lengthy -letter I afterwards wrote to the same journal, giving an account -of the eruption in the Mývatns Örœfí, appeared in full. There are -anomalies in the civilized world which confound one even more than -the idiosyncracies of nature. - -With the Post ship came several tourists who were bent on making a -few days’ excursion in the island. We therefore made up a party, -including Miss Oswald, Miss Menzies, Mr. Young, of Edinburgh, and -myself, to pay a visit with Oddr Gíslasson to some solfataras -belonging to him at Cape Reykjanes, and a very pleasant trip it -was, though the way was extremely monotonous, being as usual over -a series of lava streams flowing from the Krísuvík mountains. -The part of the S.W. peninsular we were traversing was called -the Vatns-leysuströnd, or waterless strand; here there is no -fresh water to be obtained except upon the beach where the lava -streams terminate. These can often only be reached at low water, -and then, as may be imagined, the water is brackish. Two days’ -journeying brought us to Kirkjuvogr, where Oddr Gíslasson’s mother -and brothers-in-law lived. It is one of the best homesteads in the -south, besides having about the largest piece of grass land on this -peninsular. It is also a fishing station of some importance, lying -as it does upon the south bank of a little boot-shaped creek named -Oscar. We were very kindly received, and the next day rode on to -the solfataras of Reykjanes at the extremity of the peninsular. The -day was miserable, and we were unable to get a satisfactory view. -These solfataras, however, are remarkable, as the acid and heated -vapours have here, as in other places, formed extensive pools of -calcareo-siliceous mud, hardened in some instances into almost a -semi-opal, coloured and streaked with blood-red stains from the -ferruginous nature of the rocks which have been decomposed, but the -sublimations of sulphur were very insignificant. - -The most remarkable feature of the locality occurred where the -lava was not much decomposed by the erosive action of the vapours, -and upon splitting such masses of the partially decomposed rock, -scarlet vapours could be seen issuing from crevices beneath, -coating any surface that was partially exposed to the air with a -film of iron pyrites. Further up the side of the old volcano, at -the base of which these curiosities are to be found, are pools and -pits of blue, red, and green boiling clay. While in this locality -the rain continued and the fog became more dense, and as it would -have been anything but pleasant to be caught in a thick fog amongst -the lava and solfataras of Reykjanes, we curtailed our visit, and -returned with all speed to Kirkjuvogr. - -The next day, wishing to avoid the tedious road over the lava by -which we came, we rode to Njarðvík, where we hired a sailing boat, -and returned by sea to Reykjavík. Here I found that Captain Cockle -and Mr. Slimond had returned by the Post-ship with the welcome -intelligence that the steamer “Queen” would arrive in about a week, -and sail almost as soon as the old tub “Diana.” This was indeed -good news to us all, for we had determined to return by a small -sailing ship belonging to a horse-trader, Mr. Ascham, rather than -subject ourselves to the floating purgatory of the Diana. - -In due time the “Queen” arrived, and I bade Iceland and Icelandic -friends farewell, feeling satisfied with my summer’s work, and -consoling myself with the thought that I had accomplished the -little piece of “utter folly” I had thrice undertaken. I resignedly -committed myself to the evils of sea-sickness, from which I had -scarcely recovered when we arrived at Edinburgh, two days before -the Diana, which had sailed from Reykjavík a day before the Queen. -Here I accepted the hospitality of Mr. Slimond, of Leith, and -greatly enjoyed British fare and a relapse into civilization. - -“Ah!” my reader may say with a smile, “after all the toil and -trouble undertaken the wonders seen could not have been worth the -toil and privation.” My readers, like myself, must by this time -have grown somewhat weary of the eternal repetition of lava, -pumice, &c., &c., and therefore we will mutually congratulate -ourselves upon being able to vary the subject with reference to -scenes and subjects more lively and civilized; but I must most -respectfully demur to that conclusion, for if the general aspect of -nature throughout Iceland be dreary and wild, there is also plenty -to reward a man of scientific and athletic inclinations. Indeed -the same tiresome pumice and lava and sand, when placed beneath -the power of the microscope, is found to possess such wonders -and exquisite beauty of form, that the beholder is struck with -admiration and astonishment to find so much perfection treasured -up in such rough settings, giving material for many an hour of -patient study and enjoyment which has alone fully compensated for -the hardships of the journey across the Vatna Jökull. - - - - - APPENDIX. - - -It may now be as well to take a retrospective view of Iceland to -determine the opinion we have formed of the Icelanders themselves, -and sum up the leading physical features and characteristics of -the country. Iceland, apart from its historical and literary fame, -which it is not our purpose to consider, is of especial interest -to the geologist and the physical geographer. It lies almost at -the northern extremity of the great volcanic line which skirts -the extreme west of the Old World, extending from the island of -Jan-Mayen in the Arctic Ocean, through Iceland, the Faroe Isles, -Great Britain, the Madeiras, the Azores, the Canaries, along the -west coast of Africa, right away down to the Antarctic island of -Tristan d’Acunha; and its equal as a centre of volcanic activity -can alone be found amongst the islands of the Pacific Ocean. The -peculiar manner in which we here find ice and snow mixed up with -the igneous productions of its volcanoes imparts a grim beauty to -its scenery, that I can well imagine we might travel the whole -world over without seeing surpassed. A very short sojourn amongst -the weird rocks of Iceland arouses that latent superstition which -will lurk in the minds of even the most materialistic, and while -we laugh at the mythological credulity of the ancient Icelanders, -we cannot help acknowledging that a more fitting place to create -an implicit belief in wraiths and demons could not possibly be -found, all the way from the elf and pixy dancing amongst the timid -flowers, whose bright eyes peep from sheltered rocks in ancient -lava streams, to the hobgoblin and the ghoul, moaning and shrieking -and performing their nameless deeds upon blasted peaks and barren -mountain-tops, where fire strives with frost. - -This remarkable little island was colonized 1002 years ago by -Norwegians, though its earliest settlement is involved in some -obscurity. It afterwards became subject to Denmark, until the -year before last, when it received its legislative freedom. The -Icelanders are upon the whole a harmless, struggling race, and -like most other nations that have been unable to draw upon the -arteries of other countries for renewed vitality, are encumbered -with that contentment which, however conducive it may be to -domestic ease, is fatal to advancement. The last twelve months, -however, have introduced the element of enterprise which before -was only conspicuous by its absence. This may result from -their newly-acquired liberties or the reflective influence of -emigration; at any rate it augurs well for Iceland, whose emigrants -have already shown that the Icelander contains a good deal of the -right sort of stuff in his composition, and the determined pluck -of those who accompanied me across the Vatna Jökull shows us that -the spirit of their Viking forefathers, who visited both Greenland -and America long before the birth of Columbus, is not yet extinct. -Pre-eminently perhaps in the Icelanders’ character stands love -for his country. It is a remarkable fact that the more barren and -unfruitful a country is, the stronger seems to be the attachment -and love of the sons of its soil. This trait appears very strongly -in the Icelanders’ national song, the first stanza of which runs -thus-- - - “World old Iceland, beloved fosterland, - As long as the ocean girds our shores, - As long as lovers for their sweethearts sigh, - As long as the sun shines upon our mountains, - Thy sons shall love thee.” - -There is great room for improvement in the home industries of -the country, especially in the art of cheese-making, for the -milk is rich and excellent, and there is no reason why cheese -should not be produced in Iceland that would find a ready sale in -European markets. The Icelandic wool, which is unsurpassed, might -be likewise worked at home during the winter to a much better -advantage; for many choice woollen productions which would command -a high price have long ceased to be manufactured. There is also -room for improvement in the breeding of stock, and much valuable -grass-land might be reclaimed by proper drainage. - -The climate of Iceland is very uncertain, but it is much milder -than might be expected from its latitude. This is doubtless owing -to its insular position, and the influence of the Gulf Stream, one -arm of which touches its southern shore. The summer begins in June -and ends in September, and during those months the climate is very -similar to that of the north of Scotland. The rainfall, especially -in the south of Iceland, is very great during the summer, but -thunderstorms seldom occur except in the winter. Upon the -mountains the climate is still more variable, and I have sometimes -experienced a variation of sixty degrees between day and night upon -the snows of the Vatna Jökull, at the height of some 4,000 feet -above sea level. But few vegetables can now be grown in Iceland--a -modicum of potatoes, turnips, radishes, and cabbages alone eking -out a struggling existence against an adverse climate, and seldom -attaining to what we should consider maturity. The trees of Iceland -are mere bushes of birch, willow, and a little ash, and even these -are but rarely met with. The chief exports of the country are fish, -oil, tallow, wool, horses, sheep, and Iceland spar, but it is to -be hoped (now the sulphur mines in the north of Iceland are about -to be worked) that in the course of a year sulphur may be added to -these. The imports are some of the luxuries and a good many of the -necessaries of life. So much for Iceland itself; we will pass by -its history, people, exports or imports, and forthwith consider its -physical characteristics; these may be defined as the volcanoes of -Iceland and their products, the hot springs, the Jökulls, or ice -mountains, and their effects upon the climate. Iceland contains no -less than twenty-two mountains that have been witnessed in active -eruption during historical times. The best known volcano is Hekla. -This remarkable mountain rises directly from a plain that has been -devastated by its repeated eruptions. As the mountain is approached -from the north-west its form appears to be that of an oblong cone; -it is about twenty miles in circumference, and 5,000 feet in -height; it is capped by three smaller cones, the product of recent -eruptions. Its craters are all upon the west and south-west sides, -and most of its lava streams have flowed in that direction. - -The next best known of the Icelandic volcanoes is perhaps Kötlugiá, -which has erupted no less than fifteen times since the year 900. -It now presents nothing but a deep valley filled with snow, cutting -into the very heart of Myrdals Jökull; it is one of the largest -examples of breached craters in the world. The principal phenomena -attending eruptions of this volcano are stupendous floods of heated -water and the prodigious quantities of sand ejected. It has, I -believe, never been known to produce lava, but upon the base of the -mountain I found numerous ancient lava streams, proving that at -one time Kötlugiá was no exception to its neighbouring volcanoes. -The floods from Kötlugiá during eruptions have often submerged a -district of 280 square miles, continuing sometimes for days, in -spite of the rapid outflow to the sea. These floods are produced -not only by the melting of the snow at the time of eruption, -but in all probability by the bursting of large cavities in and -beneath the mountain, in which water might have been for years -accumulating. This aqueous phenomenon is, however, by no means -peculiar to Kötlugiá, although it occurs on the largest scale, -for during the 13th and 14th centuries all the volcanoes in the -south of Iceland erupted water. The most extensive eruption that -ever occurred in Europe during historic times proceeded from the -south-west portion of the Vatna, named the Skaptar Jökull. This -volcano has only been known to have erupted upon that occasion, -viz., A.D. 1783, when it produced two of the most extensive lava -streams in Europe. The highest volcano in Iceland is Örœfa Jökull, -which reaches the height of 5927 feet. - -The volcanoes which erupted so violently in the spring of 1875, -and one of which wrought such damage in the north of Iceland, -are--the Öskjugjá (or the chasm of the oval casket), situated in -the Dyngjufjöll mountains upon the north of the Vatna, and a chasm -some twelve miles in length, which opened in the Mývatns Örœfí (or -sandy desert of Mývatns), but as these have already been described -at some length I need only casually mention them. - -Having briefly enumerated the more important volcanoes of -Iceland, we will now consider their products. First there are -the agglomerates, which form such an important feature in the -geology of Iceland, formed either directly by debacles at periods -of eruption, or indirectly by streams and atmospheric influences. -Secondly we come to the lavas; these occur either as stony streams -that have flowed from the volcanoes, or as pumice which has been -hurled high into the air and fallen in a destructive shower of -vesicular cinders. Another class of lavas we must likewise mention, -namely, the glassy, but we must for the present confine ourselves -more particularly to the physical geology of Iceland, leaving the -character of the Icelandic rocks for other consideration. Of the -stony streams of lava we have two very good examples; first, the -huge lava streams which flowed from Skaptar Jökull in 1783, being -50 miles long and 15 wide; and the other 40 miles in length and -seven broad, being in some places 500 feet in depth. It has been -computed that the entire mass exceeds in bulk that of Mont Blanc. -This lava is basaltic and highly ferruginous, and impregnates very -strongly the waters of the river Eldvatn, which flows through -it. The second example is the lava stream which has flowed into -the far-famed valley of Thingvellir, wherein the Althing, or -Parliament, of Iceland used to hold their meetings, and the -wonderful rifts of the Almanna-gjá and the Raven’s-gjá occur. At -some remote period of the geological history of Iceland a large -river of lava flowed from Mount Skjaldbreið, which is about thirty -miles distant, into the valley of Thingvellir; a crust, of course, -soon formed on the surface, and upon the cessation of the eruption, -the still liquid lava at the bottom of the stream continued to flow -into the deeper parts of the lake which occupies the south-east end -of the valley of Thingvellir, leaving the unsupported crust, which -was now of great thickness, to sink down to the present level -of the valley, occasioning lateral rifts upon either side of the -stream, viz., the Almanna-gjá on one side, and the Raven’s rift -upon the other. The valley of Thingvellir is likewise traversed -by many smaller fissures and crevasses, which in many instances -enclose and almost inosculate large masses of lava; the Lögberg, -or “hill of laws,” is such an island of rock, and is rendered -inaccessible, except at one point, by deep yawning crevasses. It -was on account of these natural fortifications that it was chosen -as a forum for the ancient court of Althing, which assembled there -once a year. Such are the monuments of Iceland, which take the -place of the ruined castles and abbeys of other countries, simply -the rude rocks of nature ennobled by brave deeds of history or some -touching romance of love. - -We now come to the hot springs of Iceland. The chief of these, -_par excellence_, is, of course, the Great Geysir; it has been so -often described and re-described that it scarcely needs a remark -from me. Professor Forbes calculated its age, from the thickness -of the siliceous sinter which surrounds its basin, at 1000 years. -The Great Geysir is surrounded by numerous other springs of all -temperatures and sizes, whose deposits differ according to the -character of the rocks through which they pass. There are numerous -hot springs scattered about in various parts of Iceland, some of -which owe their existence to earthquakes, which instantaneously -called them into being--in 1339 a hot spring sixty feet in diameter -suddenly opened at Mosfell--and during the earthquakes which -preceded the great eruption of Skaptar Jökull in 1783, no less -than thirty-five new hot springs made their appearance. We may not -dwell longer upon these interesting phenomena, but we will turn our -attention to the huge ice mountains or Jökulls of Iceland, which -constitute such an important feature in the physical geography of -the country. The principle ones are the Vatna, Arnarfells, Hofs, -Lang, Myrdals, Godalands, Eyjafjalla, Dránga, and Glámu Jökulls. Of -these remarkable features in the physical geography of Iceland we -could not find a better example than the Vatna Jökull, which has -formed the principal subject of this little book: until recently it -was almost a _terra incognita_, and until this year had resisted -all attempts to cross it. - -The Vatna Jökull is a vast accumulation of volcanoes, ice, and -snow, comprising an area of over 3000 square miles. It is for the -most part surrounded by a wilderness, formed by the destructive -outbursts of its volcanoes, and the constant drifting of the -glacial torrents which flow from its melting snows. The Vatna -Jökull and its immediate surroundings constitute the most lofty -portions of Iceland, and I believe the oldest, for we find lava -streams which have flowed from its volcanoes in a state of ruin -and decay unequalled in any other part of the country; and, again, -we find it bounded upon the south by sea cliffs that were washed -by pre-historic oceans when many other parts of the island must -necessarily have been under water, unless very serious depressions -have taken place since the waters which washed the south outlying -hills of the Vatna receded to their present limit. The Vatna -Jökull comprises by far the most important mountain section in -Iceland, and a far greater area is covered by its snows than could -be occupied by the sum of all the remaining snow-clad mountains -in Iceland. As may be supposed, perhaps half the river water of -Iceland flows either directly or indirectly from the Vatna Jökull, -either issuing in torrents from the extremity of its glaciers, or, -after filtering for long distances through the loose and cavernous -ground, appearing as land springs at a lower elevation. The rocks -of the Vatna, as far as I have had an opportunity of judging, are -purely and simply the product of this very remarkable cluster of -volcanoes, which have piled up layer after layer of ash, sand, and -agglomerate, until a mountain heap was formed of such a height that -it allowed snow and ice to accumulate upon it to such an extent as -to render the summer’s warmth quite inadequate to remove it. This -vast snow pile then grew of its own accord, and glaciers commenced -to creep down the sides of the barren mountains upon which it -rested. Volcanoes continued to erupt, but the effect of their fires -upon the accumulating snow must have been purely local and limited -in the extreme; for volcanic productions are the worst possible -conductors of heat, and I should imagine that a lava stream, -unless it be of gigantic proportions, conducts itself beneath the -profound snows of the Vatna much as a lava stream would beneath -the sea, without producing any very violent commotion. Thus this -vast mountain mass was accumulated, growing with each succeeding -winter and each eruption. The Vatna Jökull rises by a very gradual -slope upon the south, and it is not until more than thirty miles -of snow fields have been traversed that the highest part of the -Vatna, viz., 6,150 feet, can be reached from that direction. I -have at present omitted any mention of the snow line in Iceland; -this is on account of its variable nature, incidental to local -causes. Thus upon the Vatna we have the snow line much lower upon -its southern than northern slopes, the cause of which we will -consider presently. Of late years the volcanic forces of Iceland -appear to have retreated to the Vatna Jökull and its immediate -neighbourhood, and volcanic eruptions have been witnessed in force -in several directions. The Kverkfjall we found to be smoking and -Öskjugjá can only be regarded as a lateral crater of the Vatna, -and, I doubt not, had we been favoured with better weather, we -should have found many other eruptive vents; but so rapid is the -accumulation of snow upon the Vatna, and so bad a conductor of heat -are all volcanic eruptions, that the traces of them are very soon -obliterated. As may be supposed, such a prodigious accumulation -of ice and snow as the Vatna Jökull produces a very sensible and -marked effect upon the climate of certain parts of Iceland. It has -this effect--it deluges the country to the south of it with rain, -and gives to those districts which lie to the north of it a happier -climate than they would otherwise possess. The snowy heights of -the Vatna attract to themselves the aqueous vapours which travel -northwards from more southern latitudes, depositing them upon their -broad shoulders in the form of snow and hail, and refrigerating and -drying the vapours which travel across their snows, thus rendering -the south wind a wet one in the country to the south of the Vatna -and the north wind a dry one, whilst in those districts which -lie to the north of it the reverse is the case. And since by far -the greater part of the aqueous vapours which reach Iceland are -borne thither from the more readily evaporating waters of southern -oceans by that bugbear to travellers in the south of Iceland, the -southerly wind, we see at once why the snow line is lower upon -the south than the north of the Vatna Jökull. When we inspect the -glaciers which fringe the south of the Vatna Jökull, we find they -have decidedly advanced; indeed, at one point so much so as to -almost destroy communication along that part of the south shore. -Upon the north we find that a huge tongue of glacier has flowed -down full ten or twelve miles beyond the utmost limit assigned to -it by Gunnlaugsson some forty years ago, while the route traversed -by that enterprising man is completely overrun by the ice, and the -traditionary road of the Vatna Jökull’s verge is now amongst the -high snows of the Vatna. Icelanders, as a rule, are loth to admit -the advance of their glaciers, and vainly appeal to striated rocks -at much lower altitudes than most of the Icelandic glaciers of the -present day, and to moraines stranded upon the plains beneath some -of the principal mountain sections; but since it is impossible -to say when these rocks were scratched, or even whether the very -rocks to whose striæ they so confidently point were not erupted -long before Northern Europe and America disappeared beneath the ice -and snow of the earlier glacial period, what is the use of such -evidence? The very moraines may have been produced by the glaciers -which have strewn even our own country with erratic boulders and -glacial _débris_. Again, it is no uncommon thing in Iceland for -huge masses of glaciers to slide down the mountain side during -periods of eruption, scratching the harder and furrowing the softer -rocks in their progress, and leaving heaps of _débris_ in no way -distinguishable from terminal moraines. These facts are rather -startling. True, the glaciers of Iceland may, and, no doubt, do ebb -and flow, but they gain upon the whole, and never would increase -to this extent was not the annual accumulation vastly in excess of -the waste. It may be said this is due to a cycle of unpropitious -seasons. Possibly; but we find this advance of northern glaciers is -not peculiar to Iceland. Dr. Nordenskjöld has proved a considerable -advance in the glaciers of Spitzbergen; Greenland gives us the same -intelligence. This seems to point to something more than a local -advance, compensated for by a retreat in other places. It is too -rapid an advance to be accounted for by astronomical causes; but -cannot we suggest some comparatively slight physical changes which -may account for it? Granted that above a certain latitude the earth -only receives as much heat during the summer as it does during the -winter, and that in one winter it will accumulate just as much -snow and ice as the summer’s heat will suffice to melt, if it were -all employed for that purpose. Now we are perfectly aware that snow -and ice having once accumulated, a greater part of the succeeding -summer’s heat would be reflected back into space and not employed -in melting them, while the aqueous vapours condensing above it -would screen the snow from solar influence. Thus a new glacial -period would creep upon us, heralding its approach by an advance -band of low temperature of its own production were it not for the -warm oceanic and atmospheric currents, for the beneficial influence -of which we have only to look at the varying temperature of many -localities in similar latitudes to appreciate. A great alteration -in temperature and climate would certainly take place supposing -any variation should occur in the direction of these currents--in -the Gulf Stream, for instance. Supposing that its waters, instead -of reaching so far north, were deflected southwards, then not -only would Arctic climates and Arctic ice be less affected by it, -but the deflected stream would heighten the temperature of the -waters of lower latitudes, and cause an increased evaporation; -consequently there would be an increased condensation upon northern -mountains and Polar shores, and an increased reflection of the -succeeding summer’s sun. It is rather a curious fact that less -American driftwood has been brought to the northern shores of -Iceland during late years, and an increased amount has been cast -upon its southern coast. This little fact of course proves nothing -in itself; but when we see northern glaciers advancing to the -extent they have done one naturally asks the reason. Astronomical -causes we must put on one side, for the glacial advance is too -rapid to admit of that solution. But if northern glaciers continue -to advance, it will be a matter of some interest if we could -ascertain whether those mysterious forces which give birth to the -earthquake and the volcano have wrought any alteration in the flow -of that guardian angel of the north--the Gulf Stream. - -We will now pass on to the volcanic rocks of which Iceland is -constituted. The foundation of Iceland is palagonitic tuff of -sub-aqueous origin, disturbed and at times metamorphosed by -enormous masses of amygdaloidal basaltic lava whose cavities abound -with zeolites, being traversed by dykes and layers of interjected -basaltic and trachytic lava at all times dislocated and confused by -the various earthquakes which from time to time have shaken Iceland -to its nethermost stone. These rocks are overlaid by lava streams -of sub-ærial origin, pumiceous tuffs and agglomerates that have -been formed by debacles and atmospheric influences. Concerning -the strike and dip of the various layers of trap and basalt there -is no general inclination, no uniformity--all is confusion. The -loose soil of Iceland is entirely composed of disintegrated and -decomposed volcanic rocks and decayed vegetable matter, and would -be very fruitful if it were in a lower latitude. The vast period -of time which it must have taken to decompose the huge lava -streams that we find almost entirely converted into humus may be -appreciated when we look upon pre-historic lava fields, grey with -lichens, like that of Thingvellir, while the actual decomposition -of its surface scarcely amounts to half-an-inch. We may divide the -lavas of Iceland, like those of most other volcanic districts, -into two classes; first, the basalts passing into dolerites, and -secondly, the trachytic lavas. The more ancient basalts occur -most frequently as intruded masses of amygdaloidal character; the -doleritic lavas of Iceland are the more recent products of its -volcanoes, varying only in this respect, that the earlier erupted -lavas contain crystals of olivine, in addition to the felspar and -augite which occur in most of the lavas of our own time. - -Trachytic lava occurs but sparingly in the parts of Iceland that I -have visited. It has for a long time been assumed that a trachytic -band was disposed upon a fissure which bisected Iceland from N.E. -to S.W., namely from Cape Langanes to Reykjanes upon which the -principal centres of eruption were supposed to be situated. This, -however, is a presumption unwarranted by investigation. A glance at -the map will show us that there are many other centres of volcanic -activity which do not occur in this imaginary trachytic band. -True most of the more recently active volcanoes occur upon this -rectilinear, but there are Myrdals Jökull, Eyjafjalla and Örœfa -Jökull, all volcanoes that have erupted comparatively recently, and -a host of more ancient volcanoes distributed over other portions of -the island, which might lead us to surmise that there were a dozen -instead of one great fissure in the superficial rocks of Iceland. - -Trachytes, principally I believe in an altered condition, have been -found around and between Hekla and the Geysers, and notably at the -volcano of Rauðarkamb. I was informed, however, that we must look -for the greater part of the trachyte of Iceland other than in a -pumiceous form upon the peninsulars of Snæfells Jökull. Certainly -I found that trachytic lava almost died out upon the north side of -the Vatna Jökull, or else it is so covered up with recent volcanic -productions as to be undiscernible. The obsidians of Iceland, which -are found so universally distributed in fragmentary forms upon the -sides of the volcanoes are seldom to be met with _in situ_, indeed -the only instance that I have met with of obsidian _in situ_ was at -Mount Paul, in the heart of the Vatna Jökull. That mountain, as we -have already seen, is entirely composed of obsidian, varying from -the vitreous to the grey stony variety. - -The obsidians of Iceland seldom contain the beautiful felspar -crystals, so characteristic of the Arran pitch-stones, but some -of them are of a porphyritic nature, showing under the microscope -crystals of quartz much fissured and split about, no doubt during -the process of cooling. We must also regard the greater part of -the pumice which was ejected last year from the Öskjugjá as an -obsidian, in spite of its remarkably vesicular character. The -fine dust which was carried to Norway during the eruption of last -Easter-day resembled powdered glass, and led geologists there to -come to the conclusion that the mountain which was erupting must -have been pouring out great quantities of obsidian. As compared -with the lavas of Vesuvius, I cannot help suggesting that many of -the more ancient lavas in both instances are of a more trachytic -and porphyritic character. In the Vesuvian lavas especially, the -crystals contained by the older rocks have crystallized out of the -uncrystalline or semi-crystalline mass. A prevalent mineral in the -older Vesuvian lavas is leucite, which corresponds to the olivine -that occurs so frequently in the older erupted lavas of Iceland, -while those minerals are seldom to be met with in the more recent -lavas of either Iceland or Italy. - -I must now bring these few pages to a close. I dare say they -contain a great deal of what is not worth reading; but as they give -the only account of the Vatna Jökull and the part of the Ódáðahraun -which I traversed, I trust those that may take the trouble to read -them, will accept them as the best and the most accurate account of -those districts that I am able to give. - - - - - INDEX. - - - PAGE. - - Agglomerates 183 - - Akreyri 143 - - Alderjufoss 159 - - Arnarfell-hið-Mikla 166 - - Ásberg 136 - - Askja, plain of 86 - - - Birch-tree 20 - - Borðeyri 138 - - Breiðamerkr Glacier 17, 24 - ” ” Sandr 23 - - - Climate 180 - - Crater Lakes 122 - - - Dettifoss 119 - - Dyngjufjöll 83 - ” ascent of 101 - - - Equipment 28 - - Eyrarbakki 8 - - - Glaciers 190 - - Grafalandá River 76 - - Grímstaðir 70 - - - Heiði 11 - - Hekla 181 - - Hengill, volcano of 6 - - Herðubreið 65, 103 - - Hot Springs 185 - - Hraun 7 - - Hrossaberg 75 - - Húsavík 133 - - - Iron Pyrites, sublimation of 174 - - - Jökulls 186 - - Jökulsá-á-fjöllum 61 - - - Kaldbakkr 14 - - Kálfafellsfjall 30 - - Kálfafellstaðr 25 - - Kiðagil 160 - - Kistufell 54 - - Kötlugiá 181 - - Krafla 123 - - - Lœkjarbotn 5 - - Lake Grœnavatn 126 - ” Mývatn 111 - - Lavas of Iceland 183, 193 - ” ” Mývatns Orœfí 108, 155 - - Laxá River 131 - - Lindá River 77 - - Lómagnúpar 19 - - - Mount Paul 36 - - Mud-pools 115 - - Mývatns Orœfí, eruption of 146 - - - Námufjall 113 - - Núpstað 15 - - Núpstaða-skógr 21 - - Núpsvatn River 18 - - - Obsidian 36, 124 - - Ódáðahraun 95 - - Ölfusá, river of 8 - - Öskjugjá, crater of 88 - ” volcano of 84 - - - Pemmican, preparation of 26 - - Perlite 38 - - Provisions 29 - - Pumice 63, 78 - - - Querkfjall 63 - - - Reykjahlíð 112 - - Rivers, diversion of 57 - - - Seljalandsfoss 13 - - Shark-liver oil 144 - - Skeiðarár Sandr 18 - - Skjaldbreið, ascent of 83, 96 - - Skjálfandifljót 145 - - Skógarfoss 11 - - Snow, camping in 32 - - Solfataras 174 - - Spherulite 38 - - Sprengisandr 165 - - Storms on the Vatna 46 - - Sulphur mines 112, 129 - - Svartfugl 23, 25 - - Swans 13 - - - Thjórsá 10, 167 - - The “Great Kettle” 129 - - Trachytic lava 170 - - - Vaðalda Hills 61 - - Vatna Jökull 32, 186 - ” ” Housie 41 - - Volcanic mud 84, 88, 92 - - - Water, eruption of 89 - - - - - FOOTNOTES: - -[1] So called from a particular kind of bird, called Lómi, -which frequents this mountain. - -[2] Not marked on the map. - - - - - TRANSCRIBER’S NOTE - - For consistency all occurrences of a.m. and p.m. have been changed - to A.M. and P.M. - - Icelandic names often have accents and hyphens, but they are applied - inconsistently in the original text. Names in the etext have - been adjusted to be consistent and follow the most common variant in - the text. For example Reykjahlid, Reykjahlið, Reykjahlíð, have all - been rendered as Reykjahlíð. - - Five occurrences of Öskjagjá have been changed to Öskjugjá. - Eight occurrences of Dyngjufjall have been changed to Dyngjufjöll. - Seven occurrences of Reykjahlaíð have been changed to Reykjahlíð. - - Obvious typographical errors and punctuation errors have been - corrected after careful comparison with other occurrences within - the text and consultation of external sources. - - Except for those changes noted below, all misspellings in the text, - and inconsistent or archaic usage, have been retained: for example, - sandbank, sand-bank; mid-day, midday; grass land, grass-land; - under weigh; negociated; felspar; enwrapped; indurated; coign. - - Pg 3: ‘Oddr Gíslason upon’ replaced by ‘Oddr Gíslasson upon’. - Pg 14: ‘named Eyólfr; he’ replaced by ‘named Eyólfur; he’. - Pg 27: ‘and Eyólfr, from’ replaced by ‘and Eyólfur, from’. - Pg 28: ‘accomodate six’ replaced by ‘accommodate six’. - Pg 37: ‘known as spherolites’ replaced by ‘known as spherulites’. - Pg 38: ‘pearlite and obsidian’ replaced by ‘perlite and obsidian’. - Pg 38: ‘spherolites cemented’ replaced by ‘spherulites cemented’. - Pg 52: ‘reached the the height’ replaced by ‘reached the height’. - Pg 66: ‘to develope into’ replaced by ‘to develop into’. - Pg 70: ‘baleing and rowing’ replaced by ‘bailing and rowing’. - Pg 70: ‘Ha had passed’ replaced by ‘He had passed’. - Pg 74: ‘and Eyolpur, while’ replaced by ‘and Eyólfur, while’. - Pg 82: ‘The circumtances’ replaced by ‘The circumstances’. - Pg 92: ‘again begining to’ replaced by ‘again beginning to’. - Pg 111: ‘wady near the’ replaced by ‘wadi near the’. - Pg 114: ‘which upon eastern’ replaced by ‘which upon the eastern’. - Pg 127: ‘at the the time of’ replaced by ‘at the time of’. - Pg 128: ‘the commencment of’ replaced by ‘the commencement of’. - Pg 136: ‘north, insoculating’ replaced by ‘north, inosculating’. - Pg 139: ‘into a karal’ replaced by ‘into a corral’. - Pg 139: ‘the obstreporous cargo’ replaced by ‘the obstreperous cargo’. - Pg 141: ‘cross the Sprengrtandr’ replaced by ‘cross the Sprengisandr’. - Pg 168: ‘view of Hecla’ replaced by ‘view of Hekla’. - Pg 185: ‘almost insoculate’ replaced by ‘almost inosculate’. - Pg 190: ‘by Gunlaugson some’ replaced by ‘by Gunnlaugsson some’. - Pg 190: ‘vergr is now’ replaced by ‘verge is now’. - - Index. ‘Dyngjafjöll’ replaced by ‘Dyngjufjöll’. - Index. ‘Lake Grænavatn’ replaced by ‘Lake Grœnavatn’. - Index. ‘Myvatus’ replaced by ‘Mývatns’. - Index. ‘Námurfjall’ replaced by ‘Námufjall’. - Index. ‘Núpsvatu’ replaced by ‘Núpsvatn’. - Index. ‘Querkfjöll’ replaced by ‘Querkfjall’. - - - - - -End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of Across the Vatna Jökull; or Scenes i - Iceland, by William Lord Watts - -*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK SCENES IN ICELAND *** - -***** This file should be named 62282-0.txt or 62282-0.zip ***** -This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: - http://www.gutenberg.org/6/2/2/8/62282/ - -Produced by MFR, John Campbell, Gísli Valgeirsson and the -Online Distributed Proofreading Team at https://www.pgdp.net -(This file was produced from images generously made -available by The Internet Archive) - - -Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions will -be renamed. - -Creating the works from print editions not protected by U.S. copyright -law means that no one owns a United States copyright in these works, -so the Foundation (and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United -States without permission and without paying copyright -royalties. 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margin-right: 1em; margin-top: -1.4em;} - -.smcap {font-variant: small-caps;} - -sup {font-size: 70%;} - -.wsp {word-spacing: 0.3em;} -.lsp {letter-spacing: 0.1em;} -.lsp2 {letter-spacing: 0.2em;} -.lht {line-height: 2em;} - -.caption {font-weight: normal; font-size: 80%; - padding-top: 1em; padding-bottom: 0.2em;} - -.antiqua {font-family: Blackletter, Fraktur, Textur, "Olde English Mt", "Olde English", Diploma, England, Gothic, serif;} -.font-tall {font-family: "Arial Narrow", "Juice ITC", "AR Bonnie", "Impact", serif;} - -.pg-brk {page-break-before: always;} -.no-brk {page-break-before: avoid;} - -/* Images */ -img {border: none; max-width: 100%; height: auto;} - -.figcenter { - margin: auto; - padding-top: .7em; - padding-bottom: .5em; - text-align: center; -} - - -/* Footnotes */ -.footnotes {border: dashed 1px; margin-top: 2em; margin-bottom: 3em; - padding-bottom: 1em;} - -.footnote {margin-left: 10%; margin-right: 10%; font-size: 90%;} -.footnote p {text-indent: 0em;} -.footnote .label {position: absolute; right: 84%; text-align: right;} - -.fnanchor { - vertical-align: super; - font-size: .8em; - text-decoration: none; -} - -/* Poetry */ -.poetry-container {text-align: center; font-size: 90%;} - -.poetry {display: inline-block; text-align: left;} - -.poetry .verseq {text-indent: -3em; padding-left: 2.6em; - margin-top: 0em; margin-bottom: 0em;} -.poetry .verse0 {text-indent: -3em; padding-left: 3em; - margin-top: 0em; margin-bottom: 0em;} - -@media handheld { - .poetry {display: block; margin-left: 4.5em;} -} - -/* Transcriber's notes */ -.transnote { - background-color: #E6E6FA; - color: black; - font-size: 90%; - padding: 0.5em; - margin-top: 5em; - margin-bottom: 5em; -} - -.transnote p {text-indent: 0em;} - - - </style> - </head> - -<body> - - -<pre> - -The Project Gutenberg EBook of Across the Vatna Jökull; or Scenes in -Iceland, by William Lord Watts - -This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere in the United States and -most other parts of the world at no cost and with almost no restrictions -whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or re-use it under the terms -of the Project Gutenberg License included with this eBook or online at -www.gutenberg.org. If you are not located in the United States, you'll -have to check the laws of the country where you are located before using -this ebook. - - - -Title: Across the Vatna Jökull; or Scenes in Iceland - Being a Description of Hitherto Unkown Regions - -Author: William Lord Watts - -Release Date: May 30, 2020 [EBook #62282] - -Language: English - -Character set encoding: UTF-8 - -*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK SCENES IN ICELAND *** - - - - -Produced by MFR, John Campbell, Gísli Valgeirsson and the -Online Distributed Proofreading Team at https://www.pgdp.net -(This file was produced from images generously made -available by The Internet Archive) - - - - - - -</pre> - - - -<div class="transnote"> -<p><strong>TRANSCRIBER’S NOTE</strong></p> - -<p class="screenonly">Click on either of the two maps to see a larger image.</p> - -<p>Footnote anchors are denoted by <span class="fnanchor">[number]</span>, and the two footnotes have -been placed at the end of the book.</p> - -<p>Basic fractions are displayed as ½ and ¼; there are no other fractions -in this book.</p> - -<p>Icelandic names frequently have accented characters, and often have -the ‘eth’ character which displays as ð.</p> - -<p>All changes noted in the <a href="#ERRATA">ERRATA</a> in the frontmatter have been applied -to the etext.</p> - -<p>Some minor changes to the text are noted at the <a href="#TN">end of the book.</a></p> -</div> - - -<hr class="chap" /> - -<div class="figcenter"> -<img src="images/cover.jpg" width="540" alt="original cover" /></div> - - -<hr class="chap pg-brk" /> - -<div class="figcenter"> -<a id="FRONTIS"></a> -<img src="images/i_frontis.jpg" width="650" alt="" /> -<div class="caption"> -MOUNT PAUL.<br /> -<p class="right fs80"><em>Frontispiece.</em></p> -</div></div> - - -<hr class="chap pg-brk" /> - -<h1 class="font-tall">ACROSS THE VATNA JÖKULL;</h1> - -<p class="p4 pfs60">OR,</p> - -<p class="p1 pfs180 antiqua">Scenes in Iceland;</p> - -<p class="p2 pfs90 lht">BEING A DESCRIPTION OF HITHERTO UNKNOWN<br /> -REGIONS.</p> - -<p class="p6 pfs60">BY</p> - -<p class="p1 pfs120 lsp">WILLIAM LORD WATTS.</p> - -<p class="p6 pfs100 antiqua lsp">London:</p> - -<p class="pfs100 wsp">LONGMANS AND CO., PATERNOSTER ROW.</p> - -<hr class="r5a" /> -<p class="pfs90">1876.</p> - - -<hr class="chap pg-brk" /> - -<p class="p10" /> -<p class="pfs70">LONDON:</p> -<p class="pfs70">PRINTED BY GILBERT AND RIVINGTON,</p> -<p class="pfs70">ST. JOHN’S SQUARE AND WHITEFRIARS STREET.</p> -<p class="p10" /> - - -<hr class="chap pg-brk" /> - -<p class="p10" /> -<p class="pfs120 lsp2">THIS WORK</p> - -<p class="p2 pfs70">IS</p> - -<p class="p1 pfs90">DEDICATED TO HIS ICELANDIC FRIENDS</p> - -<p class="p2 pfs70">BY</p> - -<p class="p1 pfs120">W. L. WATTS.</p> -<p class="p10" /> - - - <div class="chapter"></div> -<hr class="chap" /> -<p class="p6" /> - -<h2 class="no-brk fs150 lsp2">PREFACE.</h2> - -<hr class="r20" /> - -<p class="noindent lht">Having traversed several parts of Iceland concerning -which nothing has hitherto been known, I -have ventured to publish the few following pages, -giving an account of my journey across the Vatna -Jökull, and my visit to the volcanoes in the North -of Iceland.</p> - -<p class="right">W. L. W.</p> -<p class="p6" /> - - -<hr class="chap pg-brk" /> -<p class="p6" /> - -<h2 class="no-brk">ILLUSTRATIONS AND MAPS.</h2> - -<hr class="r15" /> - -<table border="0" cellpadding="4" cellspacing="0" class="fs90" summary=""> -<tr><td class="tdl"></td><td class="tdl"></td><td class="tdl"></td><td class="tdr fs70">PAGE</td></tr> -<tr><td class="tdl nowrap">No. 1.</td><td class="tdl">Mount Paul—<a href="#FRONTIS"><em>Frontispiece</em></a>.</td></tr> -<tr><td> </td></tr> -<tr><td class="tdl">No. 2.</td><td class="tdl"><a href="#I_88">The Öskjugjá</a></td><td class="tdl"></td><td class="tdr">88</td></tr> -<tr><td> </td></tr> -<tr><td colspan="4"><hr class="r20" /></td></tr> -<tr><td> </td></tr> -<tr><td class="tdl"></td><td class="tdl"><a href="#I_1">Map of Iceland</a></td><td class="tdr nowrap"><em>To face page</em></td><td class="tdr">1</td></tr> -<tr><td> </td></tr> -<tr><td class="tdl"></td><td class="tdl"><a href="#I_41f">Map of the Author’s Routes from<br /> Núpstað to Reikjahlíð</a></td><td class="tdc">”</td><td class="tdr">45</td></tr> -</table> -<p class="p6" /> - - -<hr class="chap pg-brk" /> -<p class="p6" /> - -<h2 class="no-brk"><a name="ERRATA" id="ERRATA"></a>ERRATA.</h2> - - -<div class="fs80"> -<table border="0" cellpadding="4" cellspacing="0" summary=""> -<tr><td class="tdl">Page</td><td class="tdl">11,</td><td class="tdl">line</td><td class="tdl">16,</td><td class="tdl"><em>for</em> A.M., <em>read</em> P.M.</td></tr> -<tr><td class="tdc"> ”</td><td class="tdl">26,</td><td class="tdl">lines</td><td class="tdl" colspan="2">1 and 5, <em>for</em> zoolites, <em>read</em> zeolites.</td></tr> -<tr><td class="tdc"> ”</td><td class="tdl">27,</td><td class="tdl">line</td><td class="tdl">2,</td><td class="tdl"><em>omit</em> comma <em>after</em> Paul.</td></tr> -<tr><td class="tdc"> ”</td><td class="tdl">29,</td><td class="tdc">”</td><td class="tdl">26,</td><td class="tdl"><em>for</em> 12 A.M., <em>read</em> midday.</td></tr> -<tr><td class="tdc"> ”</td><td class="tdl">30,</td><td class="tdc">”</td><td class="tdl">14,</td><td class="tdl"><em>for</em> laid, <em>read</em> lay.</td></tr> -<tr><td class="tdc"> ”</td><td class="tdl">35,</td><td class="tdc">”</td><td class="tdl">12,</td><td class="tdl"><em>after</em> Fahrenheit, <em>omit</em> of frost.</td></tr> -<tr><td class="tdc"> ”</td><td class="tdl">58,</td><td class="tdc">”</td><td class="tdl">18,</td><td class="tdl"><em>for</em> laid, <em>read</em> lay.</td></tr> -<tr><td class="tdc"> ”</td><td class="tdl">100,</td><td class="tdc">”</td><td class="tdl">22,</td><td class="tdl"><em>for</em> meat, <em>read</em> feet.</td></tr> -</table></div> -<p class="p4" /> - - -<hr class="chap pg-brk" /> - -<div class="figcenter"> -<a id="I_1"></a> - -<span class="screenonly"> - <a href="images/i_001f-large.jpg"> - <img src="images/i_001f.jpg" width="650" alt="" /></a></span> - -<span class="handonly"> - <img src="images/i_001f.jpg" width="650" alt="" /></span> - -<div class="caption"> -<p class="fs70"><em>London, Longmans & C<sup>o</sup>.</em></p> -<p class="rt fs70"><em>Edw<sup>d</sup>. Weller, Litho. Red Lion Square.</em></p> -ICELAND</div> -</div> - - - <div class="chapter"></div> -<hr class="chap" /> -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_1" id="Page_1">[Pg 1]</a></span></p> -<p class="p6" /> - -<h2 class="no-brk fs150 font-tall bold">ACROSS THE VATNA JÖKULL.</h2> -<hr class="r20" /> - - -<p class="noindent">Iceland again! Reykjavík again! Here I am upon -the same errand as in 1871 and 1874—foolhardiness -and folly as it is denounced by some at home. I fancy -I can see some of my worthy countrymen at ten -o’clock in the morning, clad in dressing-gown and -slippers, breakfast half finished, and a copy of some -journal that has condescended to take notice of my -little expedition in his hand. Umph! he says, -5,000 square miles of uninhabited country, a howling -wilderness, nothing but volcanoes, ice, and snow—a -man must be a fool to want to go there; no one -ever has crossed this cold, desolate region, why, in -the name of everything that is worth pounds, shillings, -and pence, should any one be mad enough to -want to do so now? It would be in vain to refer him -to that element in the Anglo-Saxon, which especially -longs to associate itself with the unknown; he scouts -the idea of possible scientific results; no pulse would -quicken in his frame because he stood where no mortal -had planted his foot before. He sees it costs -money, time, and labour. He thinks of the hard<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_2" id="Page_2">[2]</a></span> -cash going out that might be advantageously invested -(and rightly so, too, if he enjoys the felicity -of being a paterfamilias); he magnifies the risk a -thousandfold, and stamps the whole concern as “utter -folly.” Well! well! let our worthy friend stop at -home; it is his element. Only it would be as well if -he did not go out of his way to anathematise an -expedition which costs him not a farthing, which -occupies not one moment of his time, and risks not a -hair of his head. Everyone, it is said, is mad upon -some point or another. Our worthy friend’s mania -may be, that he thinks he is specially called upon to -spend his energies in breeding a superior race of -poultry; mine may be to wander amongst unknown -or unfrequented corners of the earth; but so long as -I leave his chicken-house unmolested, I think he -should leave off sneering at my wild peregrinations. -But a truce to critical stay-at-homes, for we are again -upon our travels.</p> - -<p>We have endured the unstable liveliness of the -old steam-ship “Diana,” and have reached the little -capital of Iceland again, to find most of our friends -alive and well, and Paul Paulsen (whom the readers -of “Snioland” will recognise as my head man upon -the Vatna Jökull last year), who greets us with the -cheering intelligence that our horses have been all -provided, that our complement of men has been<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_3" id="Page_3">[3]</a></span> -already hired, and that as soon as I have paid a few -complimentary visits to my friends in Reykjavík, he -is ready to raise the shout of, “Forward to the snows -of Vatna Jökull!”</p> - -<p>Twelve hours are sufficient to effect my friendly -purposes, and the evening after that upon which we -landed a small boat full of boxes, saddles, and the -necessary equipments for our long journey was lying -alongside one of the little wooden landing-stages in -front of the town. It was 8 <span class="fs70">P.M.</span> before we made -our appearance, escorted by a numerous party of Icelandic -friends. As many as could do so, without -inconvenience to the rowers, squeezed themselves -into the little boat, and we departed amid the cheers -of our friends and, I believe, the good wishes of all -the inhabitants. Clear of the shore, we hoisted our -sail and glided along at no inconsiderable pace -towards the little farm of Laugarnes, at the east end -of the bay, where our horses were awaiting us, while -we enlivened our brief voyage by a Norse song or -two, accompanied by an intermittent fantasia by -friend <ins class="corr" title="Transcriber's Note—Original text: 'Oddr Gíslason upon'">Oddr Gíslasson upon</ins> the French horn. We -found our horses in as fair a condition as was possible -for the time of year; but it saves an immense deal of -trouble and some money if one knows of any person -to be relied on, who can be entrusted with a commission -to purchase horses previous to one’s arrival,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_4" id="Page_4">[4]</a></span> -for we thus avoid not merely the harassing delay -incidental to procuring these important necessaries -for Icelandic travel, but the payment of a long price -for the sorry animals which generally fall to the lot -of the tourist, who must purchase a stud as soon as -he has landed in the island. My horses had been -procured from the south of Iceland; they cost from -fifty to ninety dollars each, and were, upon the whole, -I think, the finest set of horses I had ever seen in the -country.</p> - -<p>As I intended to travel as fast as I could to the -seat of our summer’s work, I had a change of horses -for riding and for the pack-boxes. This is absolutely -necessary where anything like hard riding is contemplated, -but it is by no means essential where time -is not an object. After some delay incidental to -reducing the baggage to a portable shape and proportion, -which is always a matter of some difficulty at -the commencement of either an equestrian or pedestrian -journey, we took leave of the remainder of our -friends, and accompanied by Paul and another Icelander, -we pursued our way eastward, over the -roughest path imaginable, towards Eyrarbakki, amid -the gathering gloom of what turned out to be a -wet and miserable day. It is always necessary to -take an extra man to help during the first day’s -journey, for the horses are always more unruly and<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_5" id="Page_5">[5]</a></span> -obstinate the first day or two. This is especially the -case where the route is a rough one, like that towards -Eyrarbakki. The first part of our course lay over a -series of ancient lava streams, upon which the scant -herbage was being cropped by a few miserable sheep -which had escaped the hand of the shearer; their -dirty, ragged coats had been partly torn from their -backs by the crags among which they had scrambled, -giving them a deplorable appearance quite in keeping -with the forbidding aspect of the country and the -miserable day. About midday we reached the -wretched little farm of Lœkjarbotn. It boasted -nothing but squalor, stock-fish, and dirty children. -I do not know why it is, but most of the farms in -the immediate neighbourhood of Reykjavík are of -the poorest and most wretched description. It is true -their pastures in most cases are poorer than those of -other parts of the country, but there is a great difference -in the people also. No one can help noticing -a settled look of contented despair in their countenance, -scarcely to be wondered at considering their -surroundings, which, in this particular instance, -seemed as much like hopeless wretchedness as anything -I had ever seen. Ah, well! our horses are -rested, we have waded through the slush pools and -the mire which front that heterogeneous mound of -lava blocks, turf, and timber, which we can scarcely<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_6" id="Page_6">[6]</a></span> -conceive anyone, by any stretch of sentimental imagination, -calling <em>home</em>. Our horses struggled down -the steep mound of slippery mud which by no means -assists travellers either to arrive at or depart from -Lœkjarbotn. Leaving this little patch of stagnant -misery behind us, we come upon the desolate lava, -the dank mists from the adjacent mountains wrapping -themselves around us, a driving rain beating -into our faces, and a nipping wind exaggerating our -discomfort, and assisting the rain to find out the weak -places in our mackintosh armour.</p> - -<p>We next ascended the hills of Hengilsfjall. This -volcano (Hengill) and its neighbours have given vent -to numerous pre-historic eruptions, from which vast -streams of lava have issued in various directions, not -only having poured from the craters of the mountains -themselves, but having welled up at various places in -huge mamelonic forms. Near the summit of the -mountains is a boiling spring, the medicinal properties -of which are thought very highly of by the -well-known Dr. Hjaltalín, of Reykjavík. In fine -weather this part of the country must be very interesting, -and even Lœkjarbotn itself might not have -looked so extra melancholy. In journeying through -these centres of volcanic activity we cannot but be -struck with the general lowness of the volcanoes in -Iceland. This is doubtless owing to the number of<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_7" id="Page_7">[7]</a></span> -vents which exist in close proximity to one another, -so that the volcanic force, having piled up a certain -amount of superincumbent matter, finds readier exit -by bursting through the superficial overlying rocks -in adjacent localities, which offered less resistance -than the accumulated volcanic products which they -themselves had previously erupted, or by availing -themselves of some pre-existing point of disturbance -which afforded them a readier escape. The evening -found us at the small farm of Hraun, which impressed -me more favourably than Lœkjarbotn, although it -was kept by a poor widow whose means were excessively -limited.</p> - -<p>Not having burdened myself with more provisions -than I required for the Vatna Jökull alone, we were -here again dependent upon the resources of the -country, and although this is the worst time of year -to travel without provisions in Iceland, still we fared -not amiss, obtaining a sufficiency of rye cake, milk, -and smoked mutton, which, without being very -palatable, answered all the purpose of affording us a -meal. Although we had employed a lad to watch -our horses during the night, some of them were -found astray in the morning. When travelling in -this country, especially in the earlier part of the -journey, it is by far the best to hire some one to -watch the horses, rather than to hobble them while<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_8" id="Page_8">[8]</a></span> -grazing, for, in the first place, even when hobbled, -horses will stray a long way, and, very often, the -only effect of hobbling is to prevent their picking -out the best of the pasture, and one finds in -the morning they have decamped just the same -as if they had been turned out loose.</p> - -<p>Having again got under weigh, we were soon upon -the sandy shores of the Ölfusá. This river is formed -by the confluent waters of the Hvítá and the Sog, -which unite, some twenty English miles from the -point where they flow into the sea, forming a very -large body of water. Here several seals were basking -in the sun, and lying like pieces of rock within -a hundred yards of our track, but upon our nearer -approach they scrambled into the water with considerable -agility. Eyrarbakki really means sandy -bank; it is situated upon the east side of the Ölfusá, -at the point where that river empties itself into the -sea. Upon both sides of the Ölfusá, and on the west -side in particular, are great stretches of black sand, -while upon the west side these are grown over with -wild oats, and the more one looks on the vast accumulation -on the west of the river, the more one is struck -with its magnitude. Its cause, however, is apparent.</p> - -<p>At this point, huge lava streams, flowing down -from the volcanoes upon the west side of the river, -have obstructed the mud and sand brought down by<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_9" id="Page_9">[9]</a></span> -the waters of that stream; where an immense bed of -sand was formed, which diverted the course of the -river, causing it to empty itself further to the east, -leaving these huge accumulations of sand high and -dry on the western side.</p> - -<p>Having crossed the stream by means of a ferry, we -found that the irons of all our pack-boxes required -alteration, and we could not halt at a better place -than Eyrarbakki to have them attended to. These -irons, which attach the pack-box to the pack-saddle, -are the nightmare of Icelandic travel; and travellers -cannot be too particular in having them of the -most careful construction, also of the best material -possible; again, if anything be amiss with them, -they should be always attended to at the earliest -opportunity, or a breakdown is sure to occur in -some inconvenient or outlandish place; and, but for -the Icelanders’ remarkable faculty for improvising -ways and means, such occasions would cause a serious -delay in a day’s march. Eyrarbakki is one of the -principal trading stations in the south of Iceland. -It is situated upon a dreary sandbank, the view from -which is most monotonous and depressing, while the -wailing roar of the formidable breakers, which here -extend a long distance out to sea, is melancholy in -the extreme.</p> - -<p>All along this portion of the shore, ancient lava<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_10" id="Page_10">[10]</a></span> -streams have run out into the sea; but upon the -land they are indiscernible, owing to the alluvium -with which they are covered. The whole of the -south coast, from Eyrarbakki to Papós, is rendered inaccessible -to ships by shoals, sand-banks, and sunken -rocks, and there is not an inlet during all that -distance of some 200 miles which a ship could enter.</p> - -<p>Having ridden within a few miles of the River -Thjórsá, although it was the middle of the night, we -stopped at a farm to purchase another horse, and, -having roused the inmates from their beds, we completed -our purchase, took “schnapps,” and rode away -to the Thjórsá. It was past 1 <span class="fs70">A.M.</span>, and the ferryman -had gone to bed on the opposite side of the -river; it was raining, sleeting, and blowing hard; -again and again we shouted, but the storm and the -roaring of the water proved too much even for our -united lungs, which were none of the weakest. -Fortunately, Paul remembered there was a farmer -who owned a boat a mile or so further up the side -of the river we were on, he therefore roused him -while I looked after the horses. This was scarcely -an easy task, for, in spite of the driving storm, they -strayed away to graze in every direction. Bye-and-bye -the farmer and his wife made their appearance. -They seemed quite happy at being disturbed from -their warm beds in the middle of a cold, stormy<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_11" id="Page_11">[11]</a></span> -night, to earn a dollar-and-a-half by paddling about -in the icy cold water of the Thjórsá and ferrying -over their nocturnal visitors with their goods and -chattels. In fact, our worthy Charon seemed to look -upon it as a piece of good fortune. <em>At this time of -the year, it is light all night.</em></p> - -<p>The weather cleared about 8 <span class="fs70">A.M.</span> and we had a -good view of Mount Hekla as we forded the West -Rángá. We stopped between the rivers East and -West Rángá, where we had to pay for one of the -horses we were riding, for Paul had only brought it -with him to Reykjavík on sale or return. Here we -took coffee, and next proceeded to Breiða-bólstaðr, -where, as usual, we were received with great kindness -and hospitality. After taking two hours’ sleep, we -pushed on to Holt, which we reached about 1 <span class="fs70">P.M.</span> -The day was half spent before we were again on -our way; so we rode briskly to Skógarfoss, one of the -largest and most beautiful waterfalls in Iceland, -where there is a very good farm, and the people are -extremely thrifty. I suppose they had never been -able to procure any of the legendary gold beneath -the falls of Skógarfoss, but they evidently manage to -screw a tolerable amount out of travellers who come -to admire its beauties.</p> - -<p>On, on; past the ice cliffs of Eyjafjalla Jökull to -Heiði, where we were so kindly entertained last<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_12" id="Page_12">[12]</a></span> -year. It was 10 <span class="fs70">P.M.</span> when eight horses, which -showed as though they wanted to graze, and two -men, who looked as if they wanted to go to bed, -drew up in front of this hospitable dwelling.</p> - -<p>The farm is a poor one, though the good folks -make the best of it. Their lives, like that of all the -poorer Icelanders, must be one continuous struggle -against poverty, inclement weather, and a fruitless -soil. Yet they have a few sheep and cows upon the -hillside; plenty of fish in the lake; and withal are -contented. But their contentment is evidently of a -very different kind to that which we noticed at -Lœkjarbotn; it manifestly results from a hope -that their circumstances may be improved by domestic -thrift, and good fortune with their flocks. Hopeful -contentment differs from the contentment of despair -in this respect, the one is cheerful and open to improvement, -the other is sullen and so sunken in the -slough of despondency as to have given up all hope -of a change for the better, and thus to be incapable -of availing itself of any propitious opportunity, if -such should occur. One day’s rest at Heiði, and we -mount again, directing our course eastward; riding -swiftly over the arid waste of Myrdals Sandr, we -reached the banks of the river Kuða-fljót. We find -that this river, which we forded with considerable -difficulty last year, could now only be crossed in<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_13" id="Page_13">[13]</a></span> -boats. This shows how the unstable beds of Icelandic -rivers shift and change about, transforming -shallows into deep water, and creating sand-banks -amid the deepest river channels.</p> - -<p>We purchased of our ferryman some birds (skümur) -which were considered very good to eat. We -stopped for the night at the farm of Króki. -The farmer, who had been previously hired to form -one of my expedition across the Vatna Jökull, regaled -us with swan’s flesh, which much resembled tough -beef; and, although eating it was rather hard work, -it was certainly nutritious and palatable. The farmer, -Olgi by name, had taken up shooting as his special -hobby, and, in spite of his inefficient tools, a very -profitable use he appeared to make of it, if we might -judge from the numerous swan-skins which were -drying outside his house, and the amount of swan’s -flesh that was being salted. The swans of Iceland -are valuable on account of their down; the outer -feathers are seldom of any good, for they are never -pure white; the value of a swan skin is about one -rix dollar, Danish. After a ramble amongst the lava -which had flowed from the Skaptar Jökull during -the remarkable eruption of 1783, we resumed our -journey; the day was very hot—as much so as -any July day in England. Passing the beautiful -waterfall of Seljalandsfoss, which appeared in the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_14" id="Page_14">[14]</a></span> -bright sunlight like curtains of silvery foam upon -the face of the dark basaltic cliffs, which here are -about 200 feet in height, we arrived at the farm of -Hörgsdalr. Here dwelt another of our “Jökull -men” (as Paul called those he had hired for my -expedition) <ins class="corr" title="Transcriber's Note—Original text: 'named Eyólfr; he'">named Eyólfur; he</ins> was one of the -toughest, blithest-hearted, and most good-natured -fellows I had ever come across.</p> - -<p>The bóndi (as the Icelandic farmer is called) -was a relation of the farmer at Núpstað, whose farm, -where I had received such kindly welcome in 1871 -and 1874, was only half-a-day’s journey eastward.</p> - -<p>I found the farmer of Hörgsdalr, like his relative, -extremely hospitable; taking a great interest in my -expedition, and willing to give every assistance in -his power.</p> - -<p>The next day we ascended the Kaldbakkr, a mountain -2279 feet in height, in order to get a good look -at the south side of the Vatna Jökull, which was -directly to the north of it. Kaldbakkr is situated a -few miles to the north of Hörgsdalr.</p> - -<p>Accompanied by the farmer, we rode to the last -patch of grass that was nearest the mountain, and, -after a smart scramble, reached the summit. The -Jökull looked decidedly whiter than I had ever seen -it, but there was the same expanse of snow losing -itself in the northern distance; pure, silent, dazzling,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_15" id="Page_15">[15]</a></span> -beautiful, and spotless, save where a few black peaks -and uncouth masses of dark rock protruded through -the frozen covering. These were scattered at long -intervals across the unsullied snow-slopes, and clustered -together in the south-west, where lies that -portion of the Vatna known as the Skaptar Jökull. -Harmless and guileless they looked in the morning -sunshine; but they had vomited the lava which had -desolated the plain below, and had given vent to the -fiery force which from time to time had shaken -Iceland to its very foundations! One peak to the -north-west especially attracted my attention, on account -of its height and its perfectly conical form, -and my guide informed me that it had erupted on -several occasions, and that the last outburst occurred -about thirty years ago.</p> - -<p>It was with no small satisfaction I arrived at the -now familiar homestead of Núpstað, and received -the usual glad welcome from the bóndi Ayólver, -who had been expecting us. I again took up my -quarters in the disused little church, which makes -such a good storehouse for my friend Ayólver, and -such an excellent resting-place for chance travellers -like myself. It seemed quite home-like as I tumbled -into the little bed which had been improvised upon -the boxes in the corner, and I experienced the comfortable -feeling of being in my old place again as<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_16" id="Page_16">[16]</a></span> -I ate my breakfast off and posted up my diary upon -the antiquated communion table. Do not be shocked, -good reader! all sanctity had long ago departed -from this useful piece of furniture, and if we were to -peep into the inside, we should find neither sacred -utensils nor vestments; but simply the serviceable -homespun garments of the bóndi’s wife.</p> - -<p>The farm and the rocks behind it were but little -altered since I first saw them four years ago. One -year in Núpstað is much like its predecessor, and -things go on, year after year, in just the same -routine, except where the inevitable changes of -life and death intervene. The people had altered -the most, for of course they had grown older, and -one or two faces were missing! Well, I have grown -older, too—it is no good to stand dreaming. There -is a bullock to be bought, butchered, and salted, -preparatory to making it into “kœfar,” as the Icelanders -call the kind of pemmican I make for my Jökull -expeditions. Skin-bags and mocassins have to be -procured; butter, bread, and stock-fish have to be -sought after; in fact, the greater part of three weeks’ -provisions for six men must be collected from the -neighbouring farms. We made the necessary arrangements, -and settled that these various articles are to -be ready for us in a week’s time; we then deputed -Paul’s father to attend to the levying of our requisitions,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_17" id="Page_17">[17]</a></span> -and the payment for them. The ox was next slain, -dissected, and salted, and we were again ready to -start on our travels.</p> - -<p>Some little difficulty was experienced in getting -all into train, owing to the hurry all the farmers of -this locality were in to get this year’s wool to the -store at Papós, which is situated four days’ journey -to the east; for tidings had been received that the ice -of a portion of the Vatna Jökull, known as the -Breiðamerkr had advanced to such an extent as to -threaten the cutting off of all communication along -the sea-shore, since the advance still continued. In -consequence of this alarm every farmer was busy -preparing the wool for market; steaming cauldrons -were cleansing it from its grease, bands of sturdy -Icelandic maidens were rinsing it in the clear water -of the mountain streams—which are almost sure to be -found in close proximity to the farms in this part of -the country—patches of white wool were drying -upon the ground, while the male part of the community -were measuring it in quaint wooden baskets, -packing it into sacks, and forming bundles of equal -weight to balance on each side of the pack-horses. -It would be a very serious thing, indeed, if the road -to Papós were to be intercepted, as it would compel -the dwellers in this district to journey to Eyrarbakki -before they could exchange their produce for the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_18" id="Page_18">[18]</a></span> -necessaries they require. Leaving Núpstað behind -us, we set out for the advancing glacier, and turned -our faces towards the snowy slopes of Örœfa.</p> - -<p>The Súla river, or Núpsvatn, had to be crossed. -It was deeper than I had before seen it, though its -volume of water scarcely seemed to have increased. -Its bed was changed to one of pebbles and quicksand. -In 1871 it was of pebbles only, in 1874 it -was black sand, in 1875 it is again pebbles and -sand.</p> - -<p>We crossed the river and fast sped on our way -over the desert of Skeiðarár Sandr. This sand -occupies an area of 300 square miles. It has been -formed by the joint efforts of volcanoes upon the -Vatna and Mount Örœfa, which have strewn this -tract with sand and ashes, and whose ejectamenta -have been brought down by the shifting waters -of numerous glacial streams which traverse the -Skeiðarár Sandr in many directions. It would seem -that the portion of the Vatna which here bounds the -Skeiðarár Sandr upon the north has acted in a similar -manner to the Breiðamerkr Jökull; for numerous -<em>moraines</em> occur upon these sands, some of which are -at a great distance from the utmost limit of the -Jökull at the present time. Indeed, there has been -an obvious advance at this point since 1871 of the -fringe of the glacier which almost surrounds the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_19" id="Page_19">[19]</a></span> -Vatna Jökull. The existence of scratched rocks in -<em>moraines</em> in Iceland below the limit of the glaciers -does not of necessity prove that such glaciers have -bodily advanced, as during extensive eruptions of -glacial mountains huge masses of ice frequently slip -forward to considerable distances, scratching the -harder and furrowing the softer rocks in their -progress, which, upon their melting, leave large piles -of glacial <em>débris</em>, in no way distinguishable from a -<em>moraine</em> stranded upon the lower elevations.</p> - -<p>It was blowing hard from the east with heavy -rain, but upon the west side of the mountain before -us (Örœfa) the sun was shining in the most tantalising -manner, so that as we urged our horses along -the heavy sands we were fain to fancy ourselves exploring -those dazzling glaciers and snowy slopes -which seemed to fascinate the sunshine and detain -it from reaching us.</p> - -<p>We were soon under the lee of the mountains -before us. Sheltered from the wind and the storm, -we could stop to admire the grand sweep from the -Örœfa to the commencement of the Skeiðará Jökull. -Looking back at Núpstað, we saw it enwrapped in -gloom, the clouds clustering round the Lómagnúpar,<a name="FNanchor_1_1" id="FNanchor_1_1"></a><a href="#Footnote_1_1" class="fnanchor">[1]</a> -a mountain which seems to attract all the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_20" id="Page_20">[20]</a></span> -bad weather to Núpstað and the storm sat heavily -upon the western portion of the plain of Skeiðarár -Sandr, which was exposed to the fury of the east -winds.</p> - -<p>Crossing the river Skeiðará, we reached the Saga-famed -Svínafell. Here we stayed to refresh ourselves -with the national panacea for the ills of -Icelandic travel, namely, a cup of coffee of the real -Icelandic brew! The art of making good coffee is -one of the greatest accomplishments of the fair sex -here, and it is a pity it is not more generally attained -by the lady population of other countries. The -occurrence of drinkable coffee in Iceland, a good cup -of it being always to be obtained at the poorest farm, -is the more remarkable, as the coffee sold by the -merchants at the various stores is never of the best -quality; but is principally the Java coffee. The -grand secret of success in this special domestic art -is doubtless owing to the fact that the coffee is -roasted at home, exactly to the right turn, and deftly -manipulated in some particular way which early -training and long practice can alone effect. The -last and by no means the least adjunct to this -national <i lang="fr" xml:lang="fr">bonne bouche</i> is in most cases a good supply -of cream.</p> - -<p>Being thus fortified, we were taken to see a birch-tree -upon the hill behind the farm. This tree might<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_21" id="Page_21">[21]</a></span> -have been five-and-twenty feet in height, and it was -considered the largest tree in this part of the island. -There is, however, a considerable growth of bushy -trees, principally birch, in the valley called Núpstaða-skógr -down which the river Súla flows. It is by -far the largest wood in the south of Iceland. Núpstaða-skógr -is likewise remarkable for containing a -breed of wild sheep, which belongs to our friend -Ayólver, who is the owner of the skógar, together -with the valuable farm of Núpstað. There is also -another patch of wood at the north-west base of -Örœfa, which is of great use to Svínafell and the -adjacent farms.</p> - -<p>The hills behind Svínafell are basaltic; but as we -proceeded further eastward, we soon found ourselves -surrounded by the more recent products of the volcano -Örœfa, which towered above us upon our left hand. -Seeing a party of horsemen approaching, we whipped -our little drove together, and met them upon the -grass which was a few hundred yards off.</p> - -<p>The party consisted of an Althing’s-man, who was -going to Reykjavík to attend the Althing, or Icelandic -Parliament, with his servants, and the priest -from Sandfell, at whose house he had been staying, -and who was escorting him for a short distance. -The priest turned out to be a cousin of my man Paul, -so after a brief colloquy, and requesting the Althing’s-man<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_22" id="Page_22">[22]</a></span> -to convey our greetings to friends at Reykjavík, -we rode on to Sandfell.</p> - -<p>Our road lay past several beds of white pumice -which had all been ejected from Örœfa. A smart -gallop over cinders and fragments of lava brought -us to the church and parsonage. Sandfell is situated -at the south base of Örœfa. Behind it rise barren -hills of compact agglomerate, composed of volcanic -ash and fragments of lava, but our friend the priest -is compensated for his dreary surroundings by having -one of the prettiest Icelandic women I have seen -for his wife. She seemed quite piqued because I -could not own to thinking Sandfell a very pretty -place. Going hence, we crossed the stream of lava -and agglomerate, which I was informed resulted -from the eruption of Örœfa in 1862. This stream is -a remarkable one, inasmuch as the agglomerate has -flowed down in a semi-molten state, cotemporaneously -with the lava, both being mixed together; the agglomerate -appears to preponderate, but this may be the -result of the lava being of higher specific gravity, -which causes it to sink to the bottom of the stream.</p> - -<p>We stopped for the night at Myrum,<a name="FNanchor_2_2" id="FNanchor_2_2"></a><a href="#Footnote_2_2" class="fnanchor">[2]</a> on the south-west -of the Breiðamerkr Sandr. The bóndi, like all -the people of this district, was hastening to get to Papós -with his wool. We supped and breakfasted off some<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_23" id="Page_23">[23]</a></span> -birds which our host called Svartfugl. They were -the nicest birds I had ever tasted in Iceland, the -meat being tender and plenty of it, and I thought so -well of this dish that I took one of the birds away -with us for our lunch on the road.</p> - -<p>Here we hired a fresh horse, leaving Paul’s, which -had contracted a sore back, and started over the -Breiðamerkr Sandr. The sands, like the Skeiðarár -Sandr are the result of the great efforts of the Örœfa -and Vatna Jökulls, more especially the part of the -Vatna known as the Breiðamerkr Jökull, which -was the one whose movements we had to -examine.</p> - -<p>The road over these sands is long and dreary, -especially in such weather as had just overtaken us. -We passed an extensive encampment of farmers, who -were on their way to Papós; but, despairing of -crossing the rivers which traverse the Breiðamerkr -Sandr upon such a day with heavily laden horses, -they had decided on remaining encamped upon the -little patch of grass they had reached. About one -third of the way over the Sandr we arrived at the -farm of Kvísker, which is situated upon a little oasis -of grass-land. We found it a very acceptable halting-place, -and although we were wet, we were glad to -sit down and take coffee and schnapps, and smoke -a pipe inside; the room had no windows, and it was<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_24" id="Page_24">[24]</a></span> -filled with planks and carpenter’s tools, for the house -was being enlarged. We could obtain but little food -for our horses, and the greater part of our day’s -work had yet to be accomplished, so a quarter of -an hour saw us again to horse, and rapidly approaching -the extreme point of the advancing Jökull. This -Jökull appeared unlike most of the Icelandic glaciers -I have seen. Instead of terminating in an even slope, -or steep rounded cliffs of ice, sometimes fissured, -but generally very regular, it terminated in an -irregular wall of cloven and contorted masses of the -rifled and dislocated glaciers; while the more elevated -masses assumed the form of spires, towers and -grotesque architectural shapes. As we were intently -looking at them, some of them tottered and fell. It is -indeed a serious matter to contemplate the short distance -now left between the Jökull and the sea—at one -point not more than 250 yards—in addition to this, -new rivers have been formed between the Jökull and -the sea, which have to be crossed, but which it would -be impossible to do with a strong south wind blowing. -The Jökulsá is quite bad enough, but to have several -miles of road converted into quicksand by the diverted -waters of the Jökulsá, and to have new rivers -in addition to the advance of the Jökull, is enough -to make the people of the district fear for the road to -Papós. One consolation may exist—that the Jökull<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_25" id="Page_25">[25]</a></span> -has advanced before, and, after a considerable time, -retreated. Still, as an old inhabitant of the neighbourhood -informed me, “It never has advanced as it -does now,” and even upon the other occasion, upon -the whole, it gained ground. Alas! poor Iceland—both -fire and water appear allied against it; the latter -especially, in all its forms—boiling, cold, and frozen, -and in the form of rain, hail, snow, and vapour! We -were obliged at one point to travel along the sea-shore, -where we espied the body of a large fish with some -dark objects moving about it. A nearer approach -showed it to be a small whale, which, from olfactory -evidence, had lain there for some time. The dark -objects, startled at our appearance, rose in a covey of—well, -the same birds of which we had enjoyed the -flavour at Myrum. Svartfugl have never tasted quite -so nice to me since. At last the Breiðamerkr Sandr -were passed; fresh mountains rose before us, and -the weather cleared. To our right was a remarkable -lagoon, Breiða-bólstaðalón; which is a narrow fjord, -twelve miles in length, enclosed upon the south by -a large sand-bank running parallel with the shore. -This lagoon is open to the sea at the north-east end, -but is too shallow for ships to enter.</p> - -<p>Evening found us at Kálfafellstaðr, a place pleasantly -situated beneath the outlying hills of the -Vatna Jökull. These hills are principally composed<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_26" id="Page_26">[26]</a></span> -of amygdaloidal basalt, abounding in zeolites; chalcedonies -are especially plentiful, and I dare say it -might pay to look for the precious opal. This eastern -corner of Iceland appears to be particularly rich in -zeolites; I noticed the same when I was at Berufjörðr.</p> - -<p>We stayed for the night with another relative of -Paul—he seemed to have kindred nearly all over the -island, and a very superior race they appear to be. -This relation was the widow of the former priest of -Kálfafellstaðr. Here we bought another horse, and -hired the widow’s son, a lad about seventeen; for -we required a man and a lad to drive our horses -round to the north of the island while we crossed -the Vatna Jökull. The widow and her daughter -accompanied us a short distance upon our return -journey, and, after two days’ riding, we were again -at Núpstað.</p> - -<p>Preparations for our journey across the Vatna -now commenced in earnest. The sleighs and the -snow-shoes had been made according to our instructions. -All was there except the men and the butter; -enough of the latter, however, turned up in the morning -to enable us to make the pemmican, which I at -once set myself to work to superintend.</p> - -<p>A fire was lighted and a cauldron of water soon -heated, and the beef boiled; then came the work of<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_27" id="Page_27">[27]</a></span> -cutting up an entire ox into pieces the size of ordinary -wine-corks. Paul senior, and I commenced operations -by first taking out the bones; and, by dint of sharp -knives, and a few hours’ hard work, we prepared -about seventy-eight pounds of meat. Twenty -pounds of salt butter and half-a-pound of salt were -then melted in the cauldron, and the meat carefully -mixed with it. After a short time it was ready to -be packed in the skin bags in which it was to be -carried.</p> - -<p>The bags were placed in troughs of water during -the operation of filling, to prevent leakage at the -seams, and when they were filled they were tied up -and laid in a stream close by, where stones were -piled upon them to press down the meat. When -they were sufficiently pressed, and the contents had -become cold (which took about twenty hours), they -were each placed in ordinary sacks for more easy -carriage; for greasy skin-bags full of meat are -rather slippery things to carry, and somewhat nasty -things to handle.</p> - -<p>By June 25th all my preparations were made, and -my men arrived; Paul Paulsen and a cousin of his -from Skaptarfellssysla; Helgi, from the farm of Króki; -Finnur, from Myrdalssysla; <ins class="corr" title="Transcriber's Note—Original text: 'and Eyólfr, from'">and Eyólfur, from</ins> Hörgsdalr: -these were to accompany me across the Vatna -Jökull. In addition were Bjarni, who was with<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_28" id="Page_28">[28]</a></span> -me last year; the farmer from Rauðberg, who carried -the post between Prestbakki and Berufjörðr—a -deaf and dumb man, and a man named Vigfúss; -these four were to return when we reached the -mountain which I last year named “Mount Paul,” -about a third of the way across the Jökull. I had -also arranged with Paul’s father and little Arni, -whom I had hired at Kálfafellstaðr, to take our -horses from Núpstað round the east side of the Vatna -into the north of the island.</p> - -<p>Our equipment, which was to be drawn upon -hand-sleighs, consisted of a low tent, four feet high; -a large sleeping-bag, which would <ins class="corr" title="Transcriber's Note—Original text: 'accomodate six'">accommodate six</ins> -of us—this was eight feet long, and five feet wide—one -side being made of a layer of cork and felt, -covered with mackintosh, and the other of a stout -blanket also covered with waterproof. This bag was -open at both ends, so that three could sleep with -their heads one way and three with their heads the -other. Both these openings were covered by a -hood, which proved a great protection to our heads -while sleeping, and prevented the snow from getting -into the bag. This gave us sleeping accommodation -for six persons, with a weight of only sixty pounds. -This bed, however, had its disadvantages; for instance, -if any one was taken with cramp, or dreamt -of engaging in any particularly active exercise, its<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_29" id="Page_29">[29]</a></span> -limited dimensions became painfully apparent; moreover, -it is almost impossible to keep the inside of the -bag perfectly dry, owing to the exhalation from our -bodies. I have paid great attention to this matter, -but have found that for a prolonged sojourn amidst -wet snow, where weight is a subject of paramount -importance, it is the best sleeping arrangement that -can be contrived.</p> - -<p>Our provisions consisted of 100 lbs. of pemmican -in skin bags, 50 lbs. of butter, 100 lbs. of skonrok, -or Danish ship-biscuits, 15 lbs. of dried fish, 15 lbs. -of dried mutton, 15 lbs. of gravy soup, 2 tins of -“soupe Julienne,” in packets; 6 tins of chocolate and -milk, 2 lbs. of cocoa, and 4 lbs. of sugar; 2 gallons -of proof whiskey, 1 gallon of spirit for burning, -5 lbs. of tobacco, and 3 tins of Peek and Frean’s -meat biscuits. I had a small Russian furnace, which -is an excellent lamp for heating water or melting -snow. These articles, with a good supply of warm -clothing, waterproofs, and mocassins (for it is impossible -to wear leather boots in the snow), and the -necessary instruments and implements, completed our -outfit.</p> - -<p>All things were now ready, and the day had at -length arrived when we were to assail the Vatna -again. We rose betimes, but it was midday before -we were fairly on our way. I took leave of the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_30" id="Page_30">[30]</a></span> -bóndi Ayólver, who would not charge me anything -for my own board and for the keep of my own -horses. He was too unwell to accompany us to the -Vatna, and seemed quite upset at saying good-bye, -as he said he felt sure it would be for the last time, -whether we got across the Jökull or not. I cheered -him up, and said, I hoped some day or another to -come to Núpstað again; and so we started on -horseback, and, after crossing the river Diúpá, we -commenced the ascent of Kálfafellsfjall, which hill -lay between us and the Vatna.</p> - -<p>The journey was a very trying one to the horses; -it is so at the best of times, but now the melting -snow still lay thickly, and in places had converted -the unstable soil into quicksands. In some parts it -was necessary to cross ravines full of snow, which -had melted underneath, leaving the bottom -of the ravine roofed. The horses fought very -shy of these snow-roofed valleys, and when we -came to any hole which had been formed by the subsidence -of a portion of the snow into the valley -beneath, it was with difficulty we could get them -along, as the noise of the stream, which invariably -ran below, made them rather fractious. But the -snow having regelated into an indurated compact -mass, was often some yards in thickness, so I do not -think there was any real danger of sinking through<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_31" id="Page_31">[31]</a></span> -it. These preliminary difficulties were soon disposed -of, and 6 <span class="fs70">P.M.</span> found us at that point where the rocks -terminate and the eternal snows of the Vatna commence.</p> - -<p>A squall of sleet and wind now rolled down upon -us. I immediately directed two men to prepare some -coffee, for we had brought wood for that purpose, -while some gave the horses a feed of hay, and others -unpacked the burdens they had carried so pluckily -from Núpstað. The coffee was soon ready, the storm -cleared, and the scene must have bordered on the -picturesque, or perhaps the “<em>unique</em>,” as we all clustered -round the remnant of the fire, amid the different -packages that were to cross the Vatna, our -horses pawing the ground, impatient to return to -their pastures. The grand white Jökull lay before us, -the black crags of the fjalls behind us, and the roar -of the Diúpá in our ears, while a beautiful rainbow -spanned the eastern sky—a harbinger, we trusted, of -good success.</p> - -<p>Here we took leave of Paul’s father and his cousin -Arni, directing them where to wait for us with -the horses, in the north of the island. The evening -promised to be showery; but having a lively reminiscence -of the black sand of this locality, which at -our last year’s encampment upon this spot got into -our ears, our eyes, and our food, I determined to<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_32" id="Page_32">[32]</a></span> -advance and camp, as soon as we needed to do so, -upon the deep snow, although my men had already -begun to put up a temporary abode with loose stones -from the terminal <em>moraine</em> of the Jökull.</p> - -<p>At this point last year the Jökull was a crevassed -glacier, whose surface was covered with aiguilles and -hummocks of black sand and ice. But all traces of -the glacier were buried beneath a vast accumulation -of snow! From the first we were able to use our -sleighs, and, turning due northward, we left the -habitable world behind us, being face to face with -the hardest piece of our summer work. As far as the -eye could see was one lifeless, pathless wilderness of -snow, destitute alike of animal, insect, or floral life. -Our footsteps gave no sound, and our very voices -seemed strange in this drear solitude, the death-like -stillness of whose snowy wastes is broken only by the -howling of the storm, or the outburst of a volcano! -It was evident that a much greater snowfall had -taken place during the past winter than in the preceding -one, and the newly-fallen snow took us up to -our knees, making our progress very difficult and -slow. After about three hours’ dragging, it began -to snow, and a thick fog enveloped us, so I decided -to encamp. The plan I usually adopt for sleeping -in the snow—and I believe one of the warmest and -best methods—is to dig a square hole, three or four<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_33" id="Page_33">[33]</a></span> -feet deep; over this I pitch my tent, banking it -well round the sides with snow. I then spread the -sleeping bag at the bottom of the hole, with the -hoods doubled down over the ends to prevent any -snow getting into it. If a storm is blowing, I cast -up a bank of snow to windward, and take everything -that will be required for immediate use into the tent. -The next thing is to draw the sleighs up to the door -of the tent; so that if anything extra is required it -can be procured without much difficulty, and having -stuck up all sticks and shovels firmly in the snow, to -prevent their getting covered up and lost, we turn -in, changing our wet or snowy clothes sitting upon -the waterproof exterior of the bag, and, putting on a -dry change, we all get into the bag, having previously -fixed up waterproof coats upon the snowy -wall at each end, to lean against. If it is not freezing -very hard, we hang our snowy clothes upon a line at -the top of our tent, with our satchels, &c.; but if it -is freezing hard we put them underneath the bed. -Snow is then melted, soup or chocolate is made, and -rations served, which, with a small allowance of -grog, pipes, and a song all round, finish our labours -for the day or night, as the case may be, and we go -to sleep.</p> - -<p>This was the manner in which we now camped, -six of us occupying the sleeping-bag, much after the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_34" id="Page_34">[34]</a></span> -manner of sardines in a sardine box, the remaining -four, who were only to accompany us as far as Mount -Paul, made themselves as comfortable as they could -with rugs and mackintosh coats in the front part of -the tent. I ordered every man to fill his flask with -snow and put it in his pocket, that each might have a -drink of water when he awoke, and in the course of an -hour nothing could be heard but the heavy, stentorian -breathing of nine out of ten of our party. Having -posted up my diary, I slept well for an hour, when I -was awakened by a sudden commotion at the other -end of the tent. I called out to Paul for an explanation, -saying, “Holloa! what’s the matter at your -end?” He replied in a deep, solemn voice, “Now is -the dumb beating his feet.” Although our dumb -friend’s feet were doubtless cold, I could not allow -that method of warming them in a tent only 10 by -6½ feet, and I therefore directed that another man -should chafe the dumb man’s feet and cuddle them -up in his arms. The morning brought us only fog -and storm, but after a few hours the latter abated. I -served out some warm soup, and we got under weigh. -After an hour the fog became so dense, the snow so -soft and deep, and a determined sleet had set in, -that I was obliged reluctantly to call a halt. Between -nine and ten in the evening the weather cleared, the -wind shifted to the north-west and the sun came out,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_35" id="Page_35">[35]</a></span> -and we again advanced; but the snow being up to -our knees, I perceived I was tiring my men. So after -going on a few miles I again halted, as it had begun -to freeze, and the probability was that in about two -hours the snow would be firm enough to travel on. -Casting up a bank of snow to windward, we six -turned into our bag upon the surface of the snow, -leaving the tent and all other wraps for our four -extra men.</p> - -<p>It was bitterly cold, but the atmosphere was very -clear. By 3 <span class="fs70">A.M.</span> I roused my men; the thermometer -registered 20° Fahrenheit; a firm crust had -formed upon the snow which bore us bravely. It -was a glorious morning and a stiff north wind was -blowing; the sleigh travelled merrily along, and as -the sun illumined the magnificent snow slopes around -us, everything seemed to promise fine weather and -success. The pure element we were breathing seemed -to give us fresh life and strength, and made us feel -equal to the work before us. After three hours one -of the men (Vikfúss) gave out, said he could go no -further, and lay down upon the snow; but as there -were not nearly so many degrees of frost now, -the man was warmly clad, and I had a great idea he -was shirking, I left him behind, much against the -will of his companions. Before we were half a mile -away I had the satisfaction of seeing him following,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_36" id="Page_36">[36]</a></span> -apparently not very much the worse for wear. The -ascent from the first had been a very gradual slope -of snow, which now became undulating and somewhat -steeper, especially upon the N.E., where steeps -of snow swept up to the mountain. I last year -named Vatna Jökull “Housie,” from the great resemblance -which its summit, then free from snow, bore, -when viewed in one aspect, to the roof of a house. -The likeness was now much less striking, from its -being all white.</p> - -<p>I can scarcely go on without remarking upon the -excellence of the postman from Rauðberg. He was -always cheerful, willing and obliging, and had twice -the hardihood and strength of the other men. I -only regretted I could not take him right across the -Vatna, but his postal duties would not admit of so -prolonged an absence. We sighted Mount Paul at -9 <span class="fs70">A.M.</span> Here we made a good breakfast, and our disabled -man having slunk up, he made better progress -with his meal than he did with his sleigh.</p> - -<p>Mount Paul is a cluster of one large and several -smaller volcanic eminences, rising to the height of 150 -feet above the surrounding snow. A semi-circular -pit being thawed out by the radiation of the sun’s -rays from the south side of the mountain, we -found here an abundant supply of water. The -mountain is composed of varieties of obsidian,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_37" id="Page_37">[37]</a></span> -varying from the highly vitreous to the grey stony -variety; one portion of it consists of vitreous obsidian -cementing together multitudes of the concretionary -forms commonly <ins class="corr" title="Transcriber's Note—Original text: 'known as spherolites'">known as spherulites</ins>.</p> - -<p>We slept for two or three hours; but the state of -the snow was such that it was impossible to get the -sleighs through it. I sent back my four extra men, -for they had little or nothing to carry, and we had -left them a good supply of provisions at the commencement -of the Jökull. As the accommodation -in the tent was but small for them, and it seemed to -promise bad weather, they preferred forcing their -way back through the soft snow to running the -chance of being weather-bound for three or four -days. They had not been gone away many hours -when it began to rain, and as night drew on it -became more and more evident that there would be -no frost. The wind had shifted to the S.S.E., the -thermometer stood at 33° Fahr., and as the night -advanced the snow became so soft and rotten that in -some places it took us up over our knees.</p> - -<p>The next day the wind was still S.S.E., and the fog -and sleet were as bad as ever; and as progress was -impossible, I minutely inspected the rocks of Mount -Paul. They rise from a large crater now filled with -snow. To the south-east is a pit-crater partially filled -with snow. Mount Paul is composed almost entirely<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_38" id="Page_38">[38]</a></span> -of <ins class="corr" title="Transcriber's Note—Original text: 'pearlite and obsidian'">perlite and obsidian</ins>. This is the only place in -Iceland in which I have found obsidian “in situ.” -The west side of the mountain particularly attracted -my attention, being composed of multitudes of -<ins class="corr" title="Transcriber's Note—Original text: 'spherolites cemented'">spherulites cemented</ins> together by obsidian. Thousands -of these small globular formations had been -weathered out of the obsidian, and in some places -one might have collected a hat-full.</p> - -<p>Night brought no improvement in the weather; -and a somewhat remarkable scene presented itself of -six men lying in a hole in the snow, 4250 feet above -the sea-level, in Iceland, all hoping for a frost—but -no frost came, and morning found us in the same -position. This was very aggravating for one who -had spent much money, time and labour, in order to -complete a survey across the Vatna Jökull; but the -day was fine, and I could post up my diary, plan for -the future, learn Icelandic, eat, drink and smoke, -upon the volcanic <em>débris</em> on the leeward side of -Mount Paul, where the thermometer at midday rose -to 75 and 80 degrees in the sun, and it was infinitely -preferable to lying in the snow. Towards evening -it began to freeze, so we packed up our sleighs and -retired to Mount Paul, until the crust was strong -enough to bear the weight of the sleigh. By ten -<span class="fs70">P.M.</span> there were twelve degrees of frost, and the -wind blew freshly from the N.W. The crust now<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_39" id="Page_39">[39]</a></span> -bore the sleigh, but we sank through it up to our -knees at every step. This was such laborious work -that after two hours we halted, hoping the crust -would soon become firmer; but we were doomed to -disappointment, for after a while the wind suddenly -shifted to the S.E., and almost simultaneously a fog -appeared. However, we were soon upon our legs, -and although the surface of the snow became worse -and worse, and we sank deeper and deeper into it as -we proceeded, we managed to do five hours’ work -by halting every quarter of an hour.</p> - -<p>About 3 <span class="fs70">P.M.</span> I noticed a curious phenomenon. -The sun was above the horizon, and was occasionally -discernible through the fog—for at this time of the -year at this altitude, about 4500 feet, the sun can -scarcely be said to set—appearing to move in a circle -from the meridian westward, and still keeping above -the horizon to almost due north, where it dips for -about half-an-hour, appearing again about N.N.E., -and by six <span class="fs70">P.M.</span> it bears due east, some forty -degrees above the horizon. A strong current of air -was drifting the clouds and fog at our level across -the surface of the Jökull from the S.E., while dark -masses of cloud were perfectly discernible passing at -a very rapid rate across the face of the sun from a -precisely opposite direction.</p> - -<p>The storm now increased in violence, and we were<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_40" id="Page_40">[40]</a></span> -soon so surrounded by whirling clouds of snow that -it was impossible to distinguish from what quarter -the wind was blowing. The compass had for a long -time been almost useless, in all probability owing to -the magnetic ore contained in the rocks which underlie -the snows of the Jökull. This rendered us -entirely dependent upon the wind and the sun for -our direction. In clear weather, where the compass -is useless, I always steer by a circular piece of card -marked off into four right angles, so that by carefully -taking the angular bearings of all distinguishable -objects, one is able to steer a pretty straight -course.</p> - -<div class="figcenter"> -<a id="I_41f"></a> - -<span class="screenonly"> - <a href="images/i_041f-large.jpg"> - <img src="images/i_041f.jpg" width="450" alt="" /></a></span> - -<span class="handonly"> - <img src="images/i_041f.jpg" width="450" alt="" /></span> - -<div class="caption"> -<p class="fs70"><em>London, Longmans & C<sup>o</sup>.</em></p> -<p class="rt fs70"><em>E. Weller, Litho.</em></p> - -Map of the<br /> -<span class="smcap lsp2">Authors Routes</span><br /> -<em>from</em><br /> -Núpstað to Reikjahlíð -</div></div> - - <div class="chapter"></div> - -<p>Being now unable to avail myself of either compass, -sun, wind, or card, nothing remained for us -but another halt. For two days the storm continued -and it would have been impossible to get many -yards away from the tent without being lost. On -the third day at noon the storm abated, the wind -shifted due east, and the sun broke through the -clouds. We all turned out, but it was useless to -think of struggling through the loose, deep snow. -We took our bed out to dry it, for it was wet with -the exhalations from our bodies. This, however, -was rather against the wish of some of my men, -upon whom the inactivity of the last few days had -begun to tell. I observed two black peaks protruding<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_41" id="Page_41">[41]</a></span> -through the snow, one about five miles due -north, and the other about eleven miles N.W. I -was surprised to find a considerable quantity of -volcanic ash upon the snow, of a fine, light, grey -description. This appeared the more remarkable, as -I knew of no volcano that had been in eruption -south of the Vatna Jökull, and the storm had blown -almost entirely from the S.E. Moreover, I was -aware there was no ash of that kind anywhere upon -the south. It appeared to me that this must -have been carried either from an erupting volcano, -or from some ash-strewn district to the north of the -Jökull, by a current of air travelling in a different -direction to the S.S.E. wind which we had experienced -during the last few days, and bisecting the -latter current at a point south of our present position, -had been unable to resist its force, and had been -carried by it to the place where it was now lying.</p> - -<p>We here obtained an excellent view of the Vatna -Jökull Housie, which appeared to be higher than -any other point on the Jökull, our present height -being 4500 feet—the summit of the Housie being at -least 1500 feet above us. Its form is a lop-sided -cone, from which I could trace, through my telescope, -the course of huge lava streams, now deeply buried -in the snow, but still leaving unequal ridges upon -each side of the mountain, and in some instances extending<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_42" id="Page_42">[42]</a></span> -to a considerable distance upon the main -body of the Vatna Jökull. An extensive eruption -of one of these snow-covered volcanoes must be -awful, when any vast volume of lava is suddenly -ejected upon such a tremendous accumulation of -frozen material; but minor eruptions and smaller -streams of lava, I should think, can make but little -impression upon such an enormous quantity of snow -in the first instance. Probably (unless there has -been any great amount of sand or ashes previously -ejected) they melt their way through the snow to -the rocky bed of the mountain, and forming a sort -of tube by the aid of the rapidly consolidated crust -upon their surface continue their course, much as a -lava stream would upon ordinary ground, or more -especially, perhaps, at the bottom of the sea, without -occasioning any very remarkable phenomena, and -even the effect of the most extensive eruptions must -of necessity be but local.</p> - -<p>By 4 <span class="fs70">P.M.</span> the wind shifted back to its old quarter, -S.S.E., and, despairing of frost, we again betook ourselves -to the tent. Towards midnight, for about the -twentieth time, I went out with Paul to look at the -weather. We tried the sleighs, and found it was as -much as one man could do to pull a sleigh with -nothing on it, and a very small weight almost buried -the sleigh in the snow, and enabled it to resist our<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_43" id="Page_43">[43]</a></span> -united efforts to get it along. During our experiment -we sunk very deep into the snow. For the last -three days I had put every one on half rations, and -as anything is better than inactivity with insufficient -food, we determined to abandon our sleighs and -attempt to force our way through the snow, carrying -everything upon our backs. It was rather foggy and -sleeting, but the wind was blowing pretty steadily. -We communicated our determination to the rest of -our party, and they quietly accepted it without a -murmur. We packed up everything, and leaving -our sleighs and a gathering storm behind us, we -turned our faces northward with a cheer which was -more animated than might have been expected under -the circumstances. I must say our position bore -rather a forlorn aspect. Six men heavily laden, -wading through snow up to their knees at every -step, no view but an ever-advancing circle of gloom, -the only variation being that it was darker towards -the south, from which quarter a strong wind was -blowing, with squalls of sleet and snow. About -every quarter of an hour we had to stop from sheer -exhaustion, and after two or three hours’ arduous -toil two of my men became quite incapacitated and -too ill to proceed. This was evidently not a case of -sham. I therefore halted, and served out with all -speed some warm grog; one man was spitting blood,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_44" id="Page_44">[44]</a></span> -and another was suffering severe pains in the stomach. -I had previously advised every man to wear -a cloth bandage round his stomach, but none of them -had cared to do so. I suffered rather from pains in -the bowels the previous year upon the Vatna Jökull, -but I was now wearing an abdominal bandage of -tarred cloth, and throughout our prolonged stay upon -the snow suffered no inconvenience whatever. The -next day was finer, with sunshine and increased cold, -with snow at intervals, the thermometer being below -freezing point all day; one of the sick men had -recovered, but the other was still too ill to travel. -Towards evening the wind blew from the west, and -it began to freeze hard. I therefore sent back for -the sleighs, which we had taken the precaution to -stand upright and fix firmly in the snow before we -left them.</p> - -<p>By 9 <span class="fs70">P.M.</span> it was freezing very sharply. I served -out an allowance of warm grog, and as the invalid -was greatly recovered and said he would rather die -than go back, we again struck N.N.E., allowing him -to go free. We had packed everything on one of -the sleighs, four pulling and one pushing behind, -and so firm a crust had now formed upon the surface -of the snow that this heavily laden sleigh travelled -as easily as an empty one would have done the -evening before. We now gradually ascended until<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_45" id="Page_45">[45]</a></span> -at 1 <span class="fs70">A.M.</span> we reached a rolling plain, at the height of -5750 feet. It was perfectly clear in the west, and I -obtained a good view of Tungufell’s and Arnarfell’s -Jökulls, which from the angle they made with our -line of march, showed me we were two-thirds of the -way across the Vatna Jökull. It was still very thick -in the south and east, and the wind had shifted to -the south-west. An ice-storm was almost the immediate -result, a driving mist encrusting everything -with ice; the undulations in the plateau became -more and more marked, the variation in altitude -being sometimes as much as 100 feet or more. A -most obdurate mist continued to prevent our obtaining -any further view, which was very exasperating, -as we might have passed within a short distance of -objects of interest without being conscious of the -fact.</p> - -<p>We made our first halt at 3 <span class="fs70">A.M.</span>, and took a light -meal of Peek and Frean’s meat biscuits and snow. -When I say snow I do not mean the pure white -frosty snow which lies upon the surface, but the -coarse, granular, icy particles of which the crust we -were walking upon was composed. I have often -been dependent upon snow for the water supply, -both in North-West America and upon mountains, -and I find the coarser the snow is, and the more it -approaches the character of ice, the better it quenches<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_46" id="Page_46">[46]</a></span> -the thirst, and the less likely it is to occasion pain -in the stomach. When the fine white snow only can -be procured, as every tyro knows, it can be made -more palatable by compressing it into a snowball. -In other words, the less cold air is swallowed, entangled -in the snow, the better; for the very act of -squeezing the snow causes it to part with some portion -of air, as is shown by the change of colour, as it -regelates towards the form of ice. Thus we preferred -the coarse icy granules, which formed the crust upon -the older snow, to the pure white tempting frost-snow -which, owing to the extra amount of air it -contained, must have been of a considerably lower -temperature than the granulated snow beneath. We -were now at the height of 5900 feet, and the temperature -was 15° of frost. The rim of the sun was -occasionally observable through the fog which surrounded -us, giving us a good line to steer by, and -bright fog-bows escorted us to windward; but these -were simply bows, and had none of the cruciform -corona in the interior, which were so observable upon -the Myrdal’s Jökull last year. At 6 <span class="fs70">P.M.</span> we reached -a steep ascent, where our compass twisted and turned -about in the most eccentric fashion; the heavens -became black as night to windward, the wind had -risen, and was making the peculiar booming noise I -have often remarked in these regions before a storm,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_47" id="Page_47">[47]</a></span> -and driving a blinding, pitiless drifting snow before -it, which eddied about the sleigh and wrapped itself -around us, as if longing to enshroud and bury us in -its frozen toils. But we had an idea of burying ourselves -in our own fashion. “Oskôp mikill stormur -kèmur bráðum” (A bad storm is coming on presently), -said Eyólfur, sitting down for a moment on the sleigh, -and clapping his feet together to knock off the snow -which was clinging to his legs, and we were all of -the same opinion. We were at the height of 6150 -feet, so I ordered a hole to be dug, and the tent to -be pitched. The snow was very hard and firm, even -at the depth of four feet, and we cut out as clean a -hole as if it had been in salt, but the wind drifted so -much loose snow into it, that the men were obliged -to hold up the tent to windward during its completion. -We had barely got ourselves snug and commenced -breakfast, when the storm burst upon us, -seeming to threaten the tearing up of the very snow -in which we had taken refuge; and had not former -experience taught us to fortify our tent well all -round with banks of snow, I have no doubt it would -have been the last we should have seen of that -article of furniture. Being satisfied that all was -snug, and that the worst which could happen to us -was that we might be buried a few feet in the snow, -we went to sleep. When we awoke at mid-day the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_48" id="Page_48">[48]</a></span> -storm had subsided and the fog had lifted, showing -three dark mountains to the north—doubtless Skjaldbreið, -Herðubreið, and Dyngjufjöll.</p> - -<p>We were speculating as to whether we should go -on in spite of the still threatening aspect of the -weather, when the fog returned, and the booming -wind announced another storm to be close at hand. -Presently it broke upon us; never before had I -heard the wind make such an unearthly wail. It -seemed as if every imaginable demon and all the -storm spirits of that wild region had assembled to -howl and make a united attack upon us. The light -was fast becoming obscure, and we were getting -fairly snowed up, but that made us all the warmer, -all the more secure, and the shrieking of the storm -was deadened by the friendly covering. We partook -of some chocolate, smoked and sung, and finally -slept again. At 8 <span class="fs70">P.M.</span> the storm had somewhat -subsided, and I sent out a man to clear away some -of the snow from the roof of the tent to let a little -light in. The snow had drifted nearly over the -tent, and it took some hard work before we were -dug sufficiently out to let in enough light to write -by; outside there were 10° of frost, but we were -comfortably warm in the tent. The air outside was -so full of snow that we could not see a couple of -yards in advance. Another day showed us only a<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_49" id="Page_49">[49]</a></span> -continuation of storm and snow which utterly prevented -progress. We had now only about a week’s -provision left, so I again put every one on half -rations. The men were obliged to take turns in -clearing away the snow, at intervals of every three -hours, from the top of the tent, and before very long -the tent had the appearance of lying at the bottom -of a deep hole in the snow. We passed the time as -best we could, by sleeping, eating, smoking, writing, -singing, spinning yarns, and I occasionally amused -the assembly by learning strings of Icelandic words -by Mr. Stokes’s method of mnemonics, and repeating -them in order, either backwards or forwards, which -puzzled the Icelanders not a little.</p> - -<p>Before I started for the Vatna in 1871, I remember -saying I should like to see one of its worst -storms: I now had that gratification. Storms are -interesting natural phenomena, but when prolonged -indefinitely are, to say the least, tedious hindrances -to progress; and now, lying upon the top of the -Vatna Jökull, with the possibility of their lasting -for a month, and provisions materially diminishing, -their dreary monotony became intolerably oppressive, -and after mature consultation we all came to -the conclusion that if the weather did not clear in -two days’ time, we would leave all impedimenta -behind, except provisions, instruments and my diary,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_50" id="Page_50">[50]</a></span> -and strike northward, storm or no storm—“<i lang="fr" xml:lang="fr">sauve qui -peut</i>.”</p> - -<p>When we lay down and were fairly snowed over, -the booming of the storm sounded as if it came from -the interior of the mountain, and almost any familiar -sound could be singled out from the hurly-burly in -an exaggerated degree, without any great stretch -of imagination. It stormed all night; the wind -“Trolls” shrieked around us, the thunder of the -storm roared through the, to us, dark midnight -hours, surging upon the icy bosom of the Jökull, -sweeping up its snowy slopes, bearing with it -avalanches of snow-drift which had buried us several -feet deep by morning. By 5 <span class="fs70">A.M.</span> it lessened somewhat, -the furies of the Vatna appeared to have given -up the idea of overwhelming us, and the disheartened -tempest sunk away in melancholy sobs, but a -determined drift and south-west wind persevered in -harassing us.</p> - -<p>It was clear that we must now start forward, for -not only was there a considerable amount of snow -yet to be traversed, but a howling wilderness of volcanic -sand, lava, and mountain torrents had to be -crossed which lay between the north base of the -Jökull and the nearest habitation. We could not -remain in our present position, so deeply were we -buried, and so difficult was it to get in and out of<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_51" id="Page_51">[51]</a></span> -the tent; moreover the fury of the storm had beaten -the snow hard, so there was no time to be lost. I -served out a hearty meal, and as packing up under -such circumstances seemed to demand some stimulant, -I made some grog out of methylated spirit, for -all our whisky was gone. This served to quicken -our circulation, although it was far from being -palatable, having, as my Icelanders said, “slœmr -dropi,” or a bad after-taste, and no wonder, as the -first taste was not suggestive of an agreeable sequel. -We packed, but with great difficulty, owing to everything -being frozen quite hard. Upon leaving, I -drew over my mocassins a pair of fishing stockings; -they were as hard as sheet iron, and were a very -great inconvenience to me; but it was too cold to -stop and take them off, for it seemed as if we should -freeze as we stood. These stockings had been of -great service in keeping me dry hitherto, and I -hoped they would protect me now. I felt a hard -lump in the bottom of my left stocking; if it was -snow it meant a frozen foot. But there was no help -for it—we could not think of stopping to change -foot-gear in such a tempest. The wind had shifted -to the west, almost freezing the side exposed to it. -We steered N.N.E.: it was fortunate the wind -was almost at our back, for we could hardly have -faced it.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_52" id="Page_52">[52]</a></span></p> - -<p>After three hours’ hard tugging we <ins class="corr" title="Transcriber's Note—Original text: 'reached the the height'">reached the -height</ins> of 6,150 feet, and straight away began to -descend, and presently at so rapid a rate that I had -to send three men behind, in order to prevent the -sleigh from starting on its own account for the -bottom of the mountain. Suddenly the clouds cleared -away before us, disclosing a deep, snowy valley at -our feet, and a tall black mountain, streaked with -snow, upon our left and west. Lower and lower we -descended, more and more precipitous, till it was -evident that we could go no farther upon our present -course with the sleigh; so Paul and I went forward -to explore. The side of the valley terminated in -almost perpendicular walls of snow, which were now -frozen perfectly hard, and glazed over by the severity -of the frost; the opposite side was more broken, -with dark crags here and there protruding, while a -copious lava stream appeared to flow northwards -from the termination of the snow, though I afterwards -found that a fringe of glaciers intervened.</p> - -<p>We next decided on striking due north, along the -sloping sides of the valley, to what we supposed to -be Querkfjall, but afterwards found to be Kistufell. -Upon returning to the sleigh, while putting back -my field-glass, which I was obliged to do barehanded, -for my gloves were a mass of ice upon the outside, -my fingers began to freeze; but a little hard clapping,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_53" id="Page_53">[53]</a></span> -and by getting two of my men to beat them with -their hands, the circulation was restored. I now -ordered three of my men to put spiked iron clamps -upon their feet, for without this precaution I doubt -not but we should have ended our career, sleigh and -all, by an abrupt descent into the valley beneath, -unless we had been stopped by some of the ugly -crevasses which yawned half-way down the snowy -steep, upon the slippery and precipitous sides of -which we were descending.</p> - -<p>We proceeded, but with great difficulty; our -trouble now being, not that the sleigh was hard to -get along, but that it would go too fast; in fact, it -seemed likely to run away with us altogether. Behind -us was a fierce wind, beneath us a precipice of -some 800 or 1,000 feet; and the sloping snow-banks -we were treading shelved off at such an alarming -angle that it rendered the work more dangerous -than pleasant. In this critical position I became -painfully aware that I had frozen my left big toe; -for the increased exertions and the lessening altitude -were causing it to thaw. The pain was horrible; -but presently the slope became less abrupt, and we -stepped along at such a rate that 1,500 feet were -negociated with considerable speed. Hurrah! we -were again in bright sunshine; but the moment we -stood still, the wind cut us to the bone. Before us<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_54" id="Page_54">[54]</a></span> -lay the long looked-for Norðurland. We arrived at -the bottom of the valley, and found it full of loose snow, -which was knee-deep, for the crust was here much -too light to bear our weight, and at every few feet we -sunk into a miniature crevasse. After struggling on -for some few hours, however, we pitched our tent.</p> - -<p>Right thankful was I to get some warm soup and -creep into the bag. One of my men—and a real -good fellow he was—named Sigurð, cuddled my left -foot in his arms, although my writhings kept him as -well as myself awake while the others slept. I have -had many parts of my body frozen, but I never -suffered so much as from that toe.</p> - -<p>After a few hours we again started; and although -the sleigh travelled easily over the crust, we still -broke through it, which occasioned me so much pain -at every step that I sat upon the sleigh and was -drawn along until we had descended so much that the -crust ceased altogether. The snow terminated in a -half-melted slush, lying upon a bottom of ice. Wading -through the slush, which at times took us up to the -waist, we next reached Kistufell, where the ice and -snow terminated. Here we landed on a bed of volcanic -débris, which covered the ice to such a depth -that one could in no way, except by digging, distinguish -it from the adjacent fjall. The Vatna Jökull -now lay behind us with its mysterious recesses and<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_55" id="Page_55">[55]</a></span> -volcanoes carefully guarded from intrusion by -gloom and storm. To the north of us rose a cluster -of mountains from which great quantities of steam -were rising, and hovering above their summits in a -huge mushroom-shaped cloud; to our left and west lay -a wide-spreading lava-field, arms of which stretched -amongst the neighbouring mountains like the troubled -waters of a cindery ocean. Patches of black sand -at intervals broke the continuity of this tract of lava, -and culminated in a desert still farther to the north-east. -Beyond, all the weird forms of fire-wrought -mountains formed a fitting back-ground; their rude -outlines rendered still more uncouth and grim by the -fierce storms of ages. A huge tongue of glaciers at -this point swept down to a distance of some ten miles -beyond its most northern limit, as represented upon -the map published by Olsen in 1844, from a survey -made by Gunnlaugsson, in 1835. I here caught sight -of Snæfell; and, upon taking its bearings with the -smoking mountains, which were evidently the Dyngjufjöll, -I found that instead of being at Querkfjall, -which was the point I had intended to strike, we -were upon the east side of Kistufell, about ten miles -too much to the west. What astonished us most -was (granted that we were at the east side of Kistufell) -that we could see nothing of the Jökulsá-á-fjöllum, -which river, upon Olsen’s map, rises at the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_56" id="Page_56">[56]</a></span> -foot of Kistufell; besides, upon his map the Jökull -ends at Kistufell, while here a huge glacier extended -east and north-east as far as the eye could -reach, though exactly to our north and north-west it -terminated abruptly, and only an insignificant river -flowed to the north. We here abandoned our sleigh -and snow-shoes which had served us so well, and -whatever we no longer required, and, making everything -into packs, continued our descent over huge -piles of moraine, which doubtless covered glacial ice, -buttresses and points of which here and there protruded. -Having slidden down several steep slopes -of snow, which had collected in all the hollows, -affording us ready means of descent, we found -ourselves at the height of 3,850 feet, in the bed of -what evidently had been a large river, though now -only an insignificant stream.</p> - -<p>To our east and right stretched the immense -glaciers before mentioned, completely overrunning -the route taken by Gunnlaugsson in 1835, and -diverting the source of the Jökulsá, which rises in -several arms from the extremity of the glacial tongue -before mentioned. Upon our left and west lay the -wide-spreading lava-desert of the Ódáðahraun.</p> - -<p>Our way over the sandy bottom of the grand old -watercourse was an easy one to travel, for the sand -had absorbed sufficient water to make it firm and<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_57" id="Page_57">[57]</a></span> -compact. Our attention was engaged for some time -in watching the fanciful shapes that crowned the -dark wall of ice upon our right, on the opposite side -of the stream which now lay between us and the -glacier; and now and then we could not help stopping -to peer into some of the dark chasms which -seemed to penetrate into the heart of the icy monster, -and to admire the little cataracts of foam which -spouted from clefts in the dark green ice, or to -wonder at some icy pinnacle or turret, that ever and -again tumbled from, perhaps, some few hundred feet -above us with a roar and a splash into the river, -there to be slowly melted, while the sound of its -downfall echoed and re-echoed amongst the cavernous -openings in the glacier from which it had fallen! -After an hour or so we settled on a low sandy island -in the middle of the river, which must have formed -formidable rapids when the immense stream that -had hollowed out this mighty watercourse had -roared over its bed; but it was shallow enough now, -and by judiciously picking our way it scarcely reached -up to our knees as we waded to the little island. -I here noticed, as I had often done before, an intermittent -occurrence of waves in certain portions of -the stream. These, in large rivers, are rather -terrible things, but here they were on so small a -scale as to make their examination simply a safe<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_58" id="Page_58">[58]</a></span> -indulgence of harmless curiosity. These waves -occur in all the sandy rivers, and they are occasioned -by the sand and detritus, which is brought down by -the river in large quantities, accumulating against -some obstacle until such a time as it forms rapids, -which increase in proportion to the durability of this -suddenly-formed sandbank. In most cases it readily -yields to the action of the water, and is carried away; -if, however, the material which is thus piled up -should be of a heavier character than usual, it soon -accumulates to such an extent as to resist the action -of the water altogether, and cause the current to -alter its course. This shows how the rivers of -Iceland may be diverted and changed from this -cause alone, converting shallows into deep water, -and deep water into shallows, indeed altering the -position and character of the rivers altogether.</p> - -<p>As we lay down, the volcanoes in the Dyngjufjöll -were smoking away with increased violence. My -frost-bitten toe would not allow me to sleep much, -so after a doze of two hours we started on our way; -we had but two days’ full rations left, and as Grímstaðir -was the nearest farm, a series of forced -marches was necessary. Before us to the N.E. was -a cluster of hills, which stretched from the southern -extremity of the Dyngjufjöll in a S.E. direction -towards the Jökulsá, upon the east and west sides of<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_59" id="Page_59">[59]</a></span> -which valleys appeared to open northwards. Wishing, -however, to get a good view of the country before -us, as neither of us had been here before, and it was a -matter of paramount importance that we should -make no mistake as to the direction, I decided to -steer for the centre of the hills, and to cross them. -For a short distance we skirted the tongue of the -Jökull, past a line of moraine which shewed that the -glacier had ebbed as well as flowed, then bearing -more to the north, after a hard walk of three hours -we reached the hills before us. They were composed -of the usual confusion of agglomerate, sand and -lava, which had issued from it—it was impossible to -say where; but they were evidently of a very ancient -date, and many of the harder rocks were glaciated, -while the softer ones were simply ruinous heaps. -After an arduous scramble, we crossed these hills -and reached the little desert of black volcanic sand -we had seen from the northern edge of the Vatna -Jökull. This sand plain lay between the Dyngjufjöll -and a chain of mountains upon the opposite side of -the Jökulsá-á-fjöllum. It was now raining somewhat -heavily, but there was no fog; the burdens of -my men were heavy, and I was carrying all I could -manage with my bad foot. Under these conditions -we were obliged often to rest, which much -hindered in our progress. We sighted some low,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_60" id="Page_60">[60]</a></span> -black, misshapen volcanoes, about half way across -the plain, and near these we determined to camp for -the night. Two hours brought us to a field of lava -which had flowed from and surrounded those eccentric -little volcanoes which rose in four ghastly -eminences in the centre of the plain, in no part more -than 100 feet high. Tired as I was, and greatly -inconvenienced by my foot, I could not refrain from -examining them. They were situated upon a crack -from which the lava had welled up in four mamelonic -shapes, which in two instances showed -irregular breached craters, nearly filled with sand, -which had been drifted thither by the wind. The -lava was basaltic, and of a remarkably scoriaceous -nature, though in the immediate neighbourhood of -the volcanoes no cinders were visible around them, -so their eruptions must have been attended with but -little of explosive character.</p> - -<p>The worst feature of our night’s lodging was the -absence of water, so I ordered the waterproof coats -to be spread out to catch rain for our use in the -morning.</p> - -<p>It was 1.30 <span class="fs70">A.M.</span> before we all turned in for the -night. Sand is warm to camp upon, but it gets into -everything, and when one is wet it sticks to clothes, -&c., in a most objectionable manner. By six -<span class="fs70">A.M.</span> we were all awake, sufficient water had collected<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_61" id="Page_61">[61]</a></span> -for immediate use, and we were soon all under weigh -over the lava, which in most places flowed very -evenly, and being of a more compact character than -that which was close to the volcanoes we had just -left, had allowed little pools of rain water to collect -upon the surface. We marched for four hours, and -then struck a large river upon our east. This was -the Jökulsá-á-fjöllum. After following its course for -some time, we decided to “cache” everything but -the remainder of our provisions, our maps, and my -diary, for it was my intention to return with horses -to the Dyngjufjöll mountains which now lay to our -N.W., when I could recover them without much -difficulty. Having carefully made our “cache,” we -planted a flag-pole upon an adjacent sandbank, and -having carefully taken its bearings, struck for the -Vaðalda hills, which were not very far distant. -These hills run for some nine miles parallel with the -course of the Jökulsá; their base being washed by the -Svartá, or Black river, which rises in the Dyngjufjöll, -but is soon lost in the sand, re-appearing -on the Svartá at the commencement of the Vaðalda. -Upon the opposite side of this river we found a root -of angelica (Icelandic, <em>hvönn</em>), the stem and root of -which we shared and ate with great relish; we also saw -two white sheep, but how they manage to eke out an -existence must have puzzled their sheeps’ heads not<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_62" id="Page_62">[62]</a></span> -a little. Though, proverbially, two heads are better -than one, I doubt if the proverb would hold good in -their case, but there may be some grass in glens -which I have not seen in the Ódáðahraun, where -enough herbage may grow to feed Icelandic sheep, -as they are not very dainty, and are accustomed to -short commons.</p> - -<p>The Vaðalda hills, although of no great height, -command an extensive view towards the Vatna -Jökull, and upon reaching their summit I glanced -back over the plain. It was one broad wilderness of -black sand and lava, girt about with ridges of volcanic -mountains, whose numerous cones and chasms -have vomited the immense amount of ash, sand and -lava with which the surrounding country is covered. -In the centre of the plain rose the little volcanoes by -which we had encamped the previous night, grimly -and perkily protruding, as if they aped their monster -brethren around them. Beyond all was the wide, -white expanse of the Vatna Jökull, from which a -huge tongue of glacier extended more than half way -across the plain; from its extremity commenced the -river we had been following (the Jökulsá-á-fjöllum), -which stretched through the black bare plain sometimes -in many arms, enclosing little islands of black -sand and pebbles in its sinuous embrace, then surging -along through a single deep channel it had worn for<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_63" id="Page_63">[63]</a></span> -itself in the sand, where the unstable banks, even -while we gazed on them, were crumbling and falling -in, patch after patch of sand rendering still more -murky its already discoloured waters.</p> - -<p>From here I obtained the first good view of the -Querkfjall, which appeared to be a cluster of conical -mountains, one huge crater being on the northern side -of the Vatna Jökull. This large crater, though -partially filled with snow, was smoking at three -points, but presented no other signs of activity. -Having advanced about a mile upon the Vaðalda, -we were soon upon the pumice which was ejected -last year from the Öskjugjá, or chasm of oval casket, -in the Dyngjufjöll mountains. It has fallen in a -line of about twenty-five miles in breadth from the -centre of the Vaðalda to the south of Herðubreið, -in a band of continually extending ladià eastward -towards the sea shore, destroying in its course six -farms in the Jökuldalr, and injuring others in the -immediate vicinity. This shows that the prevalent -winds during the eruption of Öskjugjá must have -been south-west.</p> - -<p>This pumice is of a remarkably vitreous nature -and vesicular in structure, often assuming very -beautiful forms, such as sponge, honeycomb, coral -or grained wood. As far as the eye could see, the -whole country was buried under greyish cinders,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_64" id="Page_64">[64]</a></span> -often to the depth of several feet; while in places it -had been swept up into huge banks of many feet -in thickness by the wind, sometimes burying whole -lava fields, the more elevated crags of which protruded, -as if struggling to get free, and proclaim -the existence of the lava stream underneath. We -descended into a valley in which everything, like -the surrounding country, was covered with the same -white greyish pumice, except where the darkly-flowing -river wound silently along, deep, black and -foul, bearing upon its surface floating islands of -pumice.</p> - -<p>The pumice had evidently fallen upon the winter’s -snow, for a thick layer lay underneath, protected by -the cinders from the influences of the summer temperature. -Ever and again this substratum gave -way, and we sank deeply into a mixture of snow -and ashes. It was trying work, but we were well -warmed, and pushed on at a good pace. We again -climbed to the crest of the hills, and another valley -opened to our view, running S.S.E., and another -river not marked upon Olsen’s map helped to swell -the waters of the Jökulsá, while the river at our feet -poured through a rocky chasm it had worn for itself; -further on was a jam of floating pumice which -blocked up a portion of the river, causing it in some -places to look precisely similar to the adjacent<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_65" id="Page_65">[65]</a></span> -ground. Presently, a wide plain opened before us, -from which rose a lofty mountain, shaped like a huge -pork-pie, crusted over with ice and snow upon its -flattened summit, which rose gradually to a fantastic, -ornamental apex in the centre. This was Herðubreið, -and it was at once recognised by Paul, who -had been in the north of Iceland before. Beyond -Herðubreið the country was of a darker hue, no -doubt caused by the absence of the pumice, which -had not fallen upon the sand and lava desert of the -Mývatns Örœfí. We now halted to determine our -exact position. We found we were about forty-five -miles from Grímstaðir, and upon the north end of -the Vaðalda, and as it would be necessary to hit -the exact spot where the boat was kept, Grímstaðir -being upon the east side of the river and we upon -the west, we agreed to follow the course of the -Jökulsá. This river, in the map, appeared to flow -pretty nearly straight, but in reality does no such -thing. As food was getting short we took a light meal -off our pipes, and reviewed our supplies. We had -a half-pound pot of chocolate and cream, about -a pound of hard tack, half a pound of butter, and -three square inches of “gravy soup”—rather short -commons for six men, with forty-five miles, at the very -least computation, of the very roughest country possible -before them, and which, as we intended to follow<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_66" id="Page_66">[66]</a></span> -the course of the river the greater part of the way, -would be sure <ins class="corr" title="Transcriber's Note—Original text: 'to develope into'">to develop into</ins> considerably more.</p> - -<p>There was a lovely yellow sunset as we descended -the northern slope of the Vaðalda; the sun was -waning towards the north, and the ashen covering -of the surrounding mountains reflected an unearthly -light, which added a ghastly grandeur to the chaotic -desolation through which we were passing, while -we ourselves, dirty, brown, and wayworn, as we -travelled almost noiselessly in our moccasins over -the ash-strewn ground, seemed fitting representatives -of the outlaws and evil spirits with which tradition -had peopled this wild region. A very suitable abode -it seemed for all of evil omen, but even such must -have had a hard time of it if the country were in -their day such as it is now, which probably was -not the case.</p> - -<p>By two <span class="fs70">A.M.</span> we rested, purposing to take a couple -of hours’ sleep. I scooped out a place for myself in -the cinders, and lying down under the lee of a -large stone, covered myself over with my mackintosh -coat. Unfortunately my men could not sleep as -they were so cold, so we soon resumed our journey. -At five <span class="fs70">A.M.</span> we were due east of Herðubreið, where -we took a slight meal, the most prominent feature -of which was water from the Jökulsá. We were -travelling over an old lava stream nearly covered<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_67" id="Page_67">[67]</a></span> -with pumice, and the river had assumed formidable -proportions, having been joined by a third arm upon -the east side, which roared over the lava in its bed. -The sun was shining brightly, the clouds were -beginning to melt away from the summit of Herðubreið, -leaving a cloudless sky; a slight frost was -glistening upon everything and stiffening our beards, -the pumice was getting thinner and thinner, and -presently altogether disappeared. Before us lay a -broad waste of sand and lava, and in the far distance -loomed the mountains of Mývatn, which Paul -recognised as old friends, as some years of his life -had been spent in the Mývatn sveit. For the first -few miles my foot troubled me a good deal, but as -soon as I got warm the pain ceased, and as the day -promised to be hot, we made the most of these early -hours.</p> - -<p>Following the course of the river, we found ourselves -upon a plain of sand and pebbles, and as we -advanced, a little scanty herbage began to make its -appearance, while occasional sheep tracks showed that -sheep in this quarter were, as usual, wont to stray -from richer and more plentiful pastures to those -which afforded but a poor and meagre supply. By -8.30 we reached the little river Grafalandá, which -here flows into the Jökulsá; and here there was plenty -of grass. The sun now shone warmly, and as we<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_68" id="Page_68">[68]</a></span> -were not more than twenty-seven miles from Grímstaðir -in a straight line, we lay down and slept -for two hours. Upon rising we still followed the -river, which, as before remarked, is by no means a -straight one. Our road now lay through a considerable -quantity of thick herbage, principally galix -and coarse grass. Some hills here interrupted our -progress, the base of which was washed by the river, -and since no way was possible between the river -and the over-hanging cliffs, for the river here took -a great turn eastward, we decided to ascend the -hills. The summits of these, as is often the case in -Iceland, were formed of stones imbedded in sand and -decomposed rock, after the fashion of a loosely -macadamized road. This is doubtless caused by the -heavy covering of the winter’s snow, which presses -down the stones, and then as it melts converts the -material in which they are embodied into slush, into -which the fragments of rock, &c., readily sink, so that -when the water has drained off and the fine weather -comes, it is found transformed into a kind of cement, -for the decomposed fellspathic lavas especially set -very firmly under such circumstances. By three -<span class="fs70">P.M.</span> we reached a delightful little mountain stream -brawling over the rocks and lava, fertilizing the parts -of the mountain through which it ran, and calling -into birth green borders of galix and grass, forming<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_69" id="Page_69">[69]</a></span> -a beautiful little cascade directly in our path. -Here we halted; the sun was intensely hot, but -it felt rather comfortable than otherwise. Here we -found an abundant growth of angelica, which we -ate with the remainder of our provisions. We then -washed our socks and laid down to sleep, lulled by -the bubble of the stream and the sweet fresh smell -of the herbage around us, which our long absence -from everything that could produce so agreeable an -aroma rendered all the more welcome.</p> - -<p>Evening came before we again started, and our road -was through a deep loose sand, which was very -trying and heavy to our feet, for beneath this was a -layer of pure white ash of the consistency of flour—probably -decomposed pumice. When this was mixed -with sand, it seemed to be a good fertilizer, for -wherever it occurred a patch of wild oats was -the invariable result. Before we again reached -the river, we found it cut directly through a cluster -of low mountains, striking a field of very -dark and almost vitreous lava. By midnight we -sighted Grímstaðir to the S.E., upon the opposite -side of the river, although at some considerable -distance, and the ferry was beyond the farm, to the -north of it. We followed closely down the bank of -the river that we might not miss it, for there was -no track to guide one across the Mývatns Örœfí, and<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_70" id="Page_70">[70]</a></span> -it was a good three hours before we found the boat, -which was a leaky concern, but by dint of <ins class="corr" title="Transcriber's Note—Original text: 'baleing and rowing'">bailing -and rowing</ins> we eventually reached the opposite side. -Five <span class="fs70">A.M.</span> saw us arrived at Grímstaðir, much to the -surprise of the occupants, who had not at all expected -the intrusion of six men <em>on foot</em> at such an hour, -and from such a quarter.</p> - -<p>The bóndi having been roused, the whole establishment -turned out to have a look at us. Grímstaðir -was decidedly the best and most extensive -farm I had seen in the island, except, perhaps, -Breiðarbólstað in Rangarvallasýsla. The bóndi -was a good type of the genuine old-fashioned -Icelander, and everything in the place was cleanly -and comfortable. <ins class="corr" title="Transcriber's Note—Original text: 'Ha had passed'">He had passed</ins> all his life in the -north of the island, and had not ever journeyed to -Reykjavík.</p> - -<p>There was a good-sized windmill in front of the -farm, to grind the rye and wheat sold by the store-keepers; -and this was a very great improvement -upon the old stone handmill so generally used in -other parts of the country, especially in the south. -Windmills seem to be rather a characteristic of the -north of Iceland. My first object was to procure -coffee and a good meal; this having been secured, -I proceeded to purchase four sheep, and give -instructions for their death and disposal. One was<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_71" id="Page_71">[71]</a></span> -destined for immediate use, the other three to be -made into pemmican, their skins being dried for -carriage to England.</p> - -<p>What a glorious institution is a bed! What a -happy thought it was of the man who first conceived -the idea of taking off his clothes before turning into -it! What luxury! a tub, hot water, soap, a sponge, -a towel, clean sheets, an eiderdown quilt, a little -tallow for my poor sore nose, and sleep! What sublimity -of comfort! Well, I slept as only a well-worn -traveller could sleep, till I was roused by the novel -sound of a knock at the door of my room. “What’s -the matter? Who’s there?” My watch said twelve -o’clock.</p> - -<p>It was the bóndi’s daughter, with coffee and a -plate full of delicate little pancakes, each carefully -rolled up with a few raisins inside, and nicely powdered -over with white sugar. Forgive the weakness, -good reader, but that little tray! Can I ever forget -it or its contents, to say nothing of its comely -bearer? Will I have any more? Oh yes, by all -means. My mid-day meal became an interesting -speculation, to say nothing of the comely bearer of -it, through whom I ordered sheep’s fry, and ere long -was greeted with its savoury smell.</p> - -<p>Paul had gone to Reikjahlíð to try and hire a -man and some horses to enable us to go to Öskjugjá<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_72" id="Page_72">[72]</a></span> -(the volcano we had seen smoking), for my own -horses had not yet arrived, but I learnt that it was -almost impossible to obtain either horses or men, -as all were engaged in gathering in the hay harvest.</p> - -<p>In the afternoon two students arrived from the -college at Reykjavík to spend their vacation in the -north, and a merry evening we had of it with my -men, who were in high spirits at having fairly -reached the Norðurland by a route which had never -before been trodden by the foot of man, since their -island first rose above the waters of the North -Atlantic—a feat that would immortalise their names -in local Icelandic history!</p> - -<p>We had then travelled from Núpstað in the south of -the island to Grímstaðir in the north, a distance of -about 270 miles, in sixteen days, twelve of which -had been passed amongst the regions of perpetual -snow. I must here remark that the pluck, perseverance, -and obedience of the Icelanders who accompanied -me are deserving of all praise; for without -them I could never have crossed the Vatna Jökull. -The next day was Sunday, and at breakfast I was -informed that the bóndi would read a service -in the baðstofa, an apartment for general use. This -room was filled with little truck bedsteads, and -somewhat reminded me of a hospital. All the -household were gathered about, neat and orderly,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_73" id="Page_73">[73]</a></span> -sitting on the bedsteads, and the service consisted of -singing, reading, and prayer.</p> - -<p>One cannot help noticing the softening and harmonising -influences of all forms of civilized religion -when not clouded by fanaticism, more especially -among those whose lives are spent in close contact -with the ruder elements of the world.</p> - -<p>The beautiful clear sunny weather continued, -enabling us on the following day to obtain a good -view of the distant hills of the Mývatn, across the -arid waste of the Mývatns Örœfí, where occasional -puffs of wind were raising small clouds of the light -volcanic sand, carrying them high into the air. -Sometimes, too, circular currents raised screw-shaped -columns of sand, which now and then increased to rather -formidable dimensions, and even crossed the Jökulsá, -blinding the chance traveller, and scaring any stray -sheep that might be cropping the tufts of scant -herbage sprinkled at long intervals over the plain.</p> - -<p>The volcano in the Dyngjufjöll was smoking away -with greater ferocity than ever, and the dark columns -which formed the centre of the great mushroom of -vapour which still hung over these remarkable mountains -showed that something heavier than steam was -being ejected.</p> - -<p>Paul returned in the evening with a man from -Grœnavatn, named Thorlákur, who was to accompany<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_74" id="Page_74">[74]</a></span> -me to the Ódáðahraun and the Dyngjufjöll, -but my difficulty lay in not having sufficient horses, -as Paul had found it impossible either to buy or -hire more than two, and they belonged to Thorlákur; -and as I could not afford to wait for my own, -I was compelled to modify my plan of operations. -Requiring a fresh supply of necessaries, I first despatched -Paul to the stores at Vopnfjörðr, and then, -with the rest of my men and Thorlákur, set out -for the Ódáðahraun on foot, one horse carrying hay -and the other provisions. Our first stage was to be -the Grafalandá, where there was plenty of grass, -and our next some point between the Dyngjufjöll -mountains and the river Svartá, within easy reach of -the baggage I had left behind. From here I determined -to start with Thorlákur <ins class="corr" title="Transcriber's Note—Original text: 'and Eyolpur, while'">and Eyólfur, while</ins> -the rest returned to the Grafalandá with everything -we did not absolutely need, directing them in the -meantime to fetch more provisions from Grímstaðir, -and a sufficient number of my own horses (which -doubtless by that time would have arrived) to carry -us and our belongings from the Grafalandá to Mývatn.</p> - -<p>In the evening two of the farm servants, who -were refugees from some of the devastated farms in -the Jökuldalr, recounted their experiences during -the eruptions of last spring, which, however, by no -means damped the ardour of my men.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_75" id="Page_75">[75]</a></span></p> - -<p>The next day was spent in completing my preparations, -and in the evening, we bade adieu to Paul and -our good friends at Grímstaðir, after which we -again turned our faces towards the mountains.</p> - -<p>My supplies now consisted of 50 lbs. of pemmican, -25 lbs. of bread, 10 lbs. of butter, two large dried -trout from Mývatn, and about half-a-gallon of corn -brandy.</p> - -<p>Having crossed the ferry, my attention was arrested -by a small crater orgjà (chasm), as the natives -called it, which had opened in the plain about two -miles to the west; it was an ancient vent, named -Hrossaberg, and many similar to it occur in the plain -of the Mývatns Örœfí. The fissures which had erupted -in the spring were of a like nature, and the heated -lava from them we could just perceive farther to the -west, looking like a black bank, while from it little -clouds of steam were occasionally rising, and a thinnish, -darker vapour overshadowed it; and even at the -distance we stood from it pungent exhalations were -perceptible. We continued on our way towards Herðubreið -in a southerly direction, over a desert of sand -and lava streams which had intersected and flowed -over one another, but my foot still greatly inconvenienced -me, though I had given it entire rest -during my stay at Grímstaðir. At five <span class="fs70">A.M.</span> we -stopped for half-an-hour to let the horses refresh<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_76" id="Page_76">[76]</a></span> -themselves at a patch of wild oats which here grew -rather abundantly in patches, generally in shape and -size rather resembling ordinary haycocks, so that in -the distance they often made the plain appear as if it -were covered with hay in cocks all ready for carting. -The peculiarity of their form is doubtless due to the -roots that protect the sand in which they grow, -while the sand on the surface of the surrounding -plain is being constantly swept away by the wind.</p> - -<p>We were now in a line west of the hills of Grímsfjall, -which are not marked upon Olsen’s map. We -pursued our journey with the morning sun, and it -is surprising what an effect the sunlight has upon -one, to refresh, cheer, and revive one’s strength. -I have often remarked (and others have told me they -have done the same) that, when travelling all night, -the sensation of weakness and weariness is most felt -between the hours of one and three o’clock in the -morning, but as soon as the sun appears there is a -consciousness of refreshment almost as though one -had slept.</p> - -<p>We perceived a small quantity of steam, perhaps -from a hot spring or a fissure in the lava, about -seven miles to our west, but I could not spare time -to inspect it.</p> - -<p>We next reached the Grafalandá, which is a small -river taking its rise north-west of Herðubreið, and<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_77" id="Page_77">[77]</a></span> -flows north-east into the Jökulsá. This water no doubt -comes from patches of snow upon the Dyngjufjöll, the -Trölladýngjur mountains and Herðubreið, and as -is generally the case around these mountains, loses -itself in the sand and lava at their base to reappear -as a stream when it can no longer find a subterranean -passage. The banks of this stream were covered -with dwarf birch and salix, but the larger wood was -dead, and this would seem to show that the woods were -more extensive and of a stronger growth in bygone -years than at the present time. I have observed -this in other parts of Iceland. There was also here -an abundance of grass, making it an excellent halting -place for anyone desirous of exploring the adjacent -mountains. It was in this vicinity, tradition tells -us, that the last of the Icelandic outlaws found a -shelter, and, as late as a hundred years ago, one man, -named Eyvindr, lived here for a considerable time, and -a cave in the north of Herðubreið hill memorialises -his handy-work, in the shape of a horse carved upon -its roof or walls. He appears, however, to have been -by no means of terrible character, and was in great -favour with the country people.</p> - -<p>We next moved on to the river Lindá, about four -miles in advance, and three miles north-east of Herðubreið. -Here there was good grass for the horses, -and angelica grew abundantly, and the stems and roots<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_78" id="Page_78">[78]</a></span> -of it were very acceptable and refreshing in a region -so void of vegetable life as this. I wonder the -inhabitants do not more cultivate it in their gardens, -for I believe it would be quite possible for them to -acquire a national fondness for it as a staple article -of vegetable diet.</p> - -<p>A short trudge over the lava brought us level with -Herðubreið, and here we soon began to observe signs -of the volcano in the Dyngjufjöll in the shape of the -peculiar vitreous pumice I have before mentioned.</p> - -<p>Weary, weary work for sore feet this pumice-deluged -country. Many masses were four or five -feet in circumference, but the majority varied from -the size of a man’s hand to that of a wine cork. -In many places it had drifted into huge beds, which -was bad enough for us to travel over, but it -was still worse for the poor horses, who seemed -much fatigued with their journey. In ascending -and descending these large cinder heaps, great quantities -would often suddenly shift, leaving us deeper -than our knees in dust and pumice. We were steering -west of the course we had taken from the Vatna -Jökull, and the pumice was thicker than we had yet -found it; while occasionally we met with round white -masses of lava glazed over upon the outside, but -when broken they disclosed a highly vesicular -nature in their interior. This stony shower must<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_79" id="Page_79">[79]</a></span> -have been appalling, especially when accompanied -by darkness, floods of scalding water, and mephitic -vapours.</p> - -<p>The dust occasioned by our progress was excessively -trying to the eyes, and even penetrated our -clothes. In many places floods of water had evidently -flowed from the direction of the volcano. The -pumice was rapidly decomposing under the action -of the atmosphere, especially where it was wet, and -a great deal of it appeared to have been ejected in a -wet state, and had since absorbed a kind of wet earthy -matter, which seemed materially to assist its decomposition. -These floods of water from volcanoes which -are neither glacial nor snow-capped mountains, can -only be explained in two ways, either by supposing -the water to have accumulated as a subterranean -lake in the chimney of the volcano, or that it was -previously entangled in the very elements of the -matter ejected. We were now leaving the Vaðalda -hills to the east, and we could see by what a tortuous -course we had travelled by keeping so close to the -river Jökulsá on our journey to Grímstaðir. At -two <span class="fs70">A.M.</span> we rested and gave the horses some hay, -for they were very tired, and most of my men had -scarcely recovered from their long march. After -an hour’s rest, we again moved on; the men were -suffering much from thirst, for Icelanders drink<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_80" id="Page_80">[80]</a></span> -more water when on a walking expedition than any -people I ever met with, which I suppose is because they -are accustomed to consume a great quantity of milk -when at home.</p> - -<p>The pumice became finer and less deep as we -advanced, and remembering it had fallen in the -winter, I dug through it to reach the snow, which -greatly relieved our thirst. We were now between the -Vaðalda and the Dyngjufjöll mountains, and from -the top of a lava field, almost buried beneath the -pumice, we beheld the broad sand plain we had -crossed upon our journey from the Vatna. I here -noticed some rounded masses of lava, which were -just the reverse of the bombs I had seen before, -being harder and more compact in the centre than -upon the exterior. The pumice now grew less and -less, and a gentle slope brought us to the sand plain; -so, having deposited our loads about one mile south-east -of the Askja, and two west of the southern extremity -of the Vaðalda, I despatched two men with the -horses to seek the remainder of the belongings we -had left a week before upon the sand, about four -miles away to the S.S.E.</p> - -<p>We then pitched by the side of three or four large -shallow pools of water, formed by several small -streams which here run from the Dyngjufjöll and -lose themselves in the sand, re-appearing, as I have<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_81" id="Page_81">[81]</a></span> -before described, as the Svartá, a few miles to the -S.S.E.</p> - -<p>The sand was very trying, for a westerly wind -filled the air with clouds of a most irritating dust. It -was some time before the men returned, when they -informed me they had seen several sheep, looking -plump and well, and had found some grass near the -source of the Svartá, where they had given the -horses a rest. Having taken a good meal, I sent -three of my men on their return journey, for -we had not sufficient hay to keep the horses any -longer. I was now left with only Thorlákur and -Eyólfur, so we pitched our tent in order that we -might take a good sleep before setting out for the -Dyngjufjöll. The wind had died away upon the -plain, the sand no longer troubled us, the sun was -shining warmly, so after our long journey we were -rewarded by a most refreshing sleep. Seven <span class="fs70">P.M.</span>, however, -saw us again on our legs. I had determined that -the volcanoes of Öskjugjá must be north-west of our -present position, and therefore decided to take a -northern course along the E.S.E. face of the mountains, -and take the first <em>gill</em> which should anyway -lead in a westerly direction. I also arranged for five -days’ provision to be taken with us, and the -remainder to be <em>cached</em> upon the sand. Our whisky -was now reduced to two small bottles full, for I had<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_82" id="Page_82">[82]</a></span> -been compelled to be rather liberal with it the previous -night. I therefore directed that a pint or -more of water should be placed in the keg, and this -we left in the cache to await our return.</p> - -<p>Having crossed a few small streams to the north, -which flowed into the pools by which we had -encamped, the road became tolerably good, being -formed of very fine pumice, sand, and mud that had -evidently been cast up by the volcano in question. -This, in all probability, had been showered down -towards the termination of the eruption, when the -pumice had been many times ejected and swallowed -again by the volcano, thus reducing it to very -small pieces, lapilli and mud,—while at the same time -the eruption itself was waxing feeble. Our good -road terminated after about three hours’ walking, -and then we trod again upon a series of heaps of large -and most execrable pumice. All night we continued -our difficult progress, but no <em>gill</em> presented itself, up -which we might turn towards the object of our -search.</p> - -<p>My position may be imagined by the reader supposing -himself toiling over vast piles of rotten -cinders, with 20 lbs. weight on his back, in wet skin -socks, with villanously sore feet. <ins class="corr" title="Transcriber's Note—Original text: 'The circumtances'">The circumstances</ins> -demanded a halt, for the sun was beginning -to show itself in an arc of misty, crimson light,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_83" id="Page_83">[83]</a></span> -which grew broader and broader and more vivid with -approaching day. To our left there arose crags to -the height of over 1000 feet above us, their sides -being draped with slopes of lava and shifting pumice. -Around us were misshapen rocks and conical eminences, -carrying our thoughts back to eruptions in -bygone ages of the volcanic fires beneath. Here -was a chasm, yawning widely where it had not been -filled up with pumice, while many others cut deeply -into the flanks of the surrounding mountains. These -were probably the result of the earthquakes which had -preceded the recent eruptions; while in the north of -the volcano we were now ascending they were very -numerous, but I did not observe any to the south of -it. The wind was blowing from the east, and -hitherto the volcano had not troubled us with its -noisome smell; but as the heavy midnight clouds -began to roll down the mountain sides, a pungent -sulphurous odour reminded us that the dread power -which had created the wilderness around was still -alive, though somewhat feeble, in the heart of the -mountains which seemed to scowl upon their nocturnal -intruders. The snowy turban of Herðubreið, -however, was glowing in the sunlight, and the bright -face of the luminary broke through the eastern mists, -showering beautifully upon the cinder-strewn country -around us the heavenly gift of morning sunlight.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_84" id="Page_84">[84]</a></span> -“Já blessuð sólin,” exclaimed both my companions. -“Aye, the blessed sun!” and we all for some minutes -silently watched the approach of the tutelar spirit -of Icelandic travellers. Who can wonder at the -uneducated or the uncivilized worshipping the sun? -Crude nature always regards what it cannot understand -with superstitious fear, and sometimes with -love and worship, and if we did not recognise in all -a great Primeval Cause, we might worthily deify the -sun; but it was useless to lay dreaming and it was too -cold to lie still, and lying still would not get us up -the mountain, for up the mountain we were fain to -go. We had already gone too far to the north, and -as there was no gill, we must needs climb straight -up, and steer for the thickest steam and the foulest -smell; in short, when our eyes failed, to follow our -noses.</p> - -<p>Toiling up the sides of the mountain, the mist -thickened, while dense clouds settled around us as -though they would draw us into the volcano; the smell -grew sickening, and the pumice more muddy. What -was falling, rain or sand? Neither; it was a kind of -fatty loam, falling in coarse granules, the smells from -which were most offensive, and it was very fortunate -we were almost to windward of the volcano, or -progress would have been impossible. My aneroid here -marked 3500 feet, and as higher and higher we<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_85" id="Page_85">[85]</a></span> -climbed the mist cleared a little, until we stood upon -the top; while beneath us lay a pandemonium of steam -and hideous sounds. Suddenly a fearful crash made -us stand aghast; it seemed as if half the mountain -had tumbled in upon the other side of this horrible -valley, and for some time we could see nothing for -the dense clouds of steam which seethed up before -us, and the heavy rain of loam which was falling, -while the most hideous shrieks, groans, booming and -screaming sounds rose from all parts of this terrible -depression, the bottom of which was now utterly -obscured. Again and again came a crash and a roar -from the opposite side, and also occasionally from the -side we were standing upon. The sides of the crater -were evidently falling in, and huge wide cracks, even -where we stood, showed us that our position was not -altogether a safe one; but the wind was clearing the -clouds away, so, seating ourselves upon some large -blocks of pumice, we lit our pipes and waited until -we could obtain a better view. One thing was -certain, this was evidently the volcano of the Öskjugjá -which had wrought so much devastation in the -Jökuldalr and its vicinity, and we were upon the -eastern wall of its crater! Presently the clouds lifted -in the distance, and as gap after gap, and space after -space cleared, we could see the scorched and blasted -country which stretched for many a league behind<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_86" id="Page_86">[86]</a></span> -us. Mountain after mountain gradually shook off -the clouds in which the night had enfolded them, -and as the mist cleared toward the north we could -distinguish a three-cornered plain, encircled except -at one point, N.N.E., by semi-detached sections of -volcanic mountains, some of which had broken out -in ancient times, and by their insignificant lava -streams had helped to swell the widely-extending -lava stream of the Ódáðahraun.</p> - -<p>The crater upon the eastern edge of which we -stood was situated in its southern corner. This plain -was the Askja (or oval wooden casket). It is about -six miles long, and from three to four broad, and at -this end was some 4000 feet above sea level. I -believe it could be easily reached by a glen upon the -N.E. side of the Dyngjufjöll. Presently, apparently -about a mile away to the north, we could see the -rim of the crater, at a great depth beneath us, and -while we were looking at it, a great crack opened -upon the margin, and a huge slice slipped with but -little noise into the crater, deep down beyond the -range of vision. The mist, however, somewhat cleared -away, and then a shaft, like the mouth of a large coal-pit, -was disclosed to the N.N.E. corner of the valley, but -beyond the rim of the crater, from which a straight -column of pitch-black vapour was issuing. Boom, -boom, from its hoarse black throat, was succeeded in<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_87" id="Page_87">[87]</a></span> -a few seconds by a heavy shower of the coarse earthy -granules before mentioned; then a long line of -chasms and holes burst to view in the dark floor -of the crater, from which issued screaming noises, -intermingled with inky vapour, patches of steaming -ground, and gaping rifts and chasms. The sun now -broke through, and almost simultaneously the clouds -lifted from the valley, shaking off the Plutonic -vapours which had chained them during the night, -and, as if ashamed to own their temporary bondage -in the presence of the lord of day, they slunk away -to windward. By this time we could see the whole -of the crater and its surroundings, except in places -where the thick smoke and steam intervened. I -felt it was well worth taking the journey from England -to stand even for a moment and look into the -abyss which opened at our feet, with its black pits and -grim chasms all contributing to the general aggregate -of steam, and loam, and stench, and horrid sound; -while behind us stretched a wild waste of glen, desert, -and mountain, a country moaning in ashes, and -howling with desolation.</p> - -<p>This crater, which perhaps we may be allowed to -call Öskjugjá, or “the chasm of the oval casket,” is -triangular in shape, and is about five miles in -circumference, the base of the triangle being to -the N.W., and about 1¼ English miles across.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_88" id="Page_88">[88]</a></span> -From this base, which was nearly at the level of the -plain of Askja, a perpendicular wall of rock cut off -all communication with the floor of the crater, which -sloped gradually towards the centre, to the depth -probably of four or five hundred feet below the plain -above described; but I had no opportunity of measuring -it, as I could not get down to the crater at any -point, neither could I see nor hear the stones which -I flung in strike the bottom, as they gave back no -sound, on account of the soft mud into which they -must have fallen; for the floor of the crater appeared -to be covered with the same soft loam which was at -intervals rained upon us.</p> - - <div class="chapter"></div> - -<div class="figcenter"> -<a id="I_88"></a> -<img src="images/i_088.jpg" width="650" alt="" /> -<div class="caption"> -THE ÖSKJUGJÁ.<br /> -<p class="rt fs70"><a href="#Page_88"><em>Page 88.</em></a></p> -</div></div> - -<p>The eastern and western sides of the crater converged -towards the south, being shut in by lofty -mountains, which rose in some places to the height -of 1000 feet above the plain of Askja; so that -they appeared to be shorn of their inner faces by the -violence of the eruption, which had left perpendicular -cliffs of great height. The edges of the crater, too, -were rapidly tumbling in, and had formed in several -places steep slopes of pumice and débris, which it was -quite possible to descend; all access to the floor of the -crater, however, was prevented by an interior rim of -precipice immediately at the bottom of these heights. -How long this shape will remain unaltered is, however, -a matter of great doubt, for during our stay there,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_89" id="Page_89">[89]</a></span> -sometimes scarcely a minute elapsed between the -roar of the stony avalanches, which increased the -din and gradually altered the form of the crater! -Three principal lines of fissures, pits, and irregular -openings diverged from the centre of the crater to -the south-east and west respectively. These, together -with black patches of steaming ground and several -minor cracks, were all that remained of the huge -chasm which at one time must have occupied this -valley.</p> - -<p>I now selected a spot where there had been a considerable -fall in the wall of the crater, forming a -slope of a much smaller angle than anywhere else, -and exposed a stratum of the previous winter’s snow -which enabled us to obtain sufficient water for our -breakfast.</p> - -<p>My men slept here while I posted up my diary, but I -was presently disturbed by a peculiar rushing sound. -I instinctively looked towards the crater, and there -saw what at first sight seemed to be a fog-bow -amongst the steam, but presently the increasing noise -gave sufficient evidence of its true character. It was -a huge column of water springing up from a fissure -in the bottom of the crater, which, being ejected in -a slanting direction, almost described an arc, rising -to a much greater height than even the level of the -spot we were encamped upon, was, of course, converted<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_90" id="Page_90">[90]</a></span> -into spray long before it reached such an -elevation, and falling with great violence upon the -opposite edge of the valley, caused a great portion of -the wall of the crater at that point to fall away with a -prodigious noise, the concussion of which produced a -series of avalanches in various other parts of the -volcano. One could imagine, from the effect of such -a comparatively small body of water, what a terrible -scene must have presented itself when the mountain -was in a state of general activity, and when the entire -crater vomited a vast volume of pumice, mud, and -water, and the whole valley beneath was a seething -cauldron of fire and water! We next removed to -the lee of a large rock of agglomerate, and having -scooped a bed in the pumice, slept comfortably, with -the tent spread over all of us like one large blanket.</p> - -<p>Upon awaking I ascended the highest point in -the wall of the crater, which was almost its southern -extremity, and there I found its height by my aneroid -to be about 4500 feet above sea level, the angles by -my azimuth compass being from Herðubreið 40° west, -Skjaldbreið 103° east. From this point the floor of -the crater appeared more bent about and upheaved, -while many of its gaping fissures seemed much wider -than before, doubtless the result of the longitudinal -view of them which the position commanded; in fact, -each fissure seemed trying to excel its neighbour in<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_91" id="Page_91">[91]</a></span> -making the most horrible noise, while emitting the -most nauseous smell. I doubt if even Cologne, in -all its former nastiness and “thousand well defined -and separate stinks,” could have produced anything -so utterly putrid and abominable as the effluvia -which were wafted to the summit we were standing -upon! At one point it seemed just possible for us to -reach the floor of the crater, and as it would save us -a considerable detour if we were able to cross it, we -packed up and began again to descend a very precipitous -slope of pumice. From thence we descended -as far as 750 feet, and then found our way barred by -the interior rim of precipice before spoken of. -Hitherto we had been unable to see its full extent -from the overhanging wall of the crater, but from -this vantage-ground it seemed to be about 300 feet -deep, while the floor appeared to be dark mud: -many of the fissures must have been twenty or thirty -feet across, and others at least a quarter of a mile in -length. I tried to measure the precipice by flinging -over a large lump of the heaviest pumice, but it -gave no sound as it reached the bottom, for it -was so light I could not fling it far enough to see -where it struck, hence we were afraid to go to the -extreme edge of the precipice on account of the loose -and crumbling nature of the rocks. Nothing now -remained for us but to climb back again. This was<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_92" id="Page_92">[92]</a></span> -no easy matter, because of the great angle of the -slope, so I was compelled to dig my sore toes into -the pumice with all my might; and in one place, -for a distance of some 200 feet, to dig steps with my -ice axe. We reached the summit at last, very warm, -but very glad to be at the top instead of at the -bottom of those 750 feet, for had we slipped, we -should in all probability have fallen to the bottom of -the crater. At last we arrived at the plain of Askja -by following along the top of cliffs upon the eastern -side of the crater, and there we found everything -covered with a dark brown loam, which was still -falling thickly around us. I next inspected the pit I -had noticed in the morning, which was situated by -itself at the top of the precipice, and found it about -a quarter of a mile in circumference. Upon looking -into it, for a long time nothing could be seen but -dense clouds of steam and loam which were rising -from it with intermittent violence; but after a while -a large portion of the margin slipped in, and stopping -the steam for a few moments, enabled us to discern -a black funnel-shaped pit tapering towards the -bottom, from which huge volumes of steam were -<ins class="corr" title="Transcriber's Note—Original text: 'again begining to'">again beginning to</ins> rise; then came a sudden burst of -hot steam, loam, and stench, which again compelled -us to make a precipitate retreat. I next investigated -every part of this side of the crater in order to see if<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_93" id="Page_93">[93]</a></span> -I could by any means descend to the floor of it, but I -found the interior precipice extended all round, and -at every point prevented my doing so. We therefore -camped but a short distance from the pit, that we -might be the better able to watch the wonderful and -varying manœuvres which from time to time were -enacted.</p> - -<p>The worst of our position now was, that it lacked -both snow and water, but the loam made us a -tolerably nice soft bed, and we slept soundly. Soon, -however, a heavy fall of loam upon our tent awoke -us, and our eccentric friend outside was uttering such -fiendish noises, and giving off such a putrid stench, -that we thought the better part of valour was to -retreat; so we hastily packed up amid a copious -shower of loam, our movements being quickened by -the surmise that we might also be treated to a little -pumice and hot water. Moreover, the stench was -beginning to tell upon us, causing us to feel sick. -We next proceeded along the N.N.W. side of the -crater, as I wished to count the number of paces -along it, in order that I might approximate the size, -which I found to be about one and a quarter miles in -length. The ground was now much fissured, and -disclosed in many places the snow of the previous -winter at the depth of six feet beneath the pumice, -as well as a quantity of loam which had been flung<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_94" id="Page_94">[94]</a></span> -out by the volcano. After breakfasting beside one -of these fissures, at mid-day we turned our backs -upon what I can imagine to be one of the most marvellous, -and perhaps I may add, one of the most -indescribable sights the world can anywhere present! -On resuming our journey, we set our faces towards -Skjaldbreið, alias Trölladyngjá, and the first part -of our journey was across the little plain of Askja, -over a lava stream, which here enters from the -Ódáðahraun, and had run for some distance up -hill. The loam which had been showered down by -Öskjugjá had taken the edge off the lava, which -was a great source of comfort, and soon we were -glad to sight the broad black desert of the Ódáðahraun. -There was the snowy mound of Skjaldbreið, -spotted with black lava, with its curious tuft -of rock at the top, somewhat similar to that on -Herðubreið. Before us there was Kistufell, by -which we had first descended into Norðurland, and -behind all, the broad expanse of the Vatna Jökull, -sweeping the horizon from east to west, where it -appeared in the distance to be joined by Tungufell -and Tindafells Jökull. From here, we could not see -the Sprengi Sandr, which lay between them, but -perceiving through my telescope a patch of snow -upon the hills which almost joined Skjaldbreið upon -the east, I determined to strike a line across the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_95" id="Page_95">[95]</a></span> -Ódáðahraun to it, that I might take another rest -and relinquish all our loads before we ascended -Skjaldbreið the next morning.</p> - -<p>I may here remark that the Ódáðahraun is a -desert of sand and lava, extending over an area of -1200 square miles, the greater part of which seems -to have flowed from Skjaldbreið, so I think it must -be one of the oldest lava flows in Iceland, for this -volcano has not erupted since 1305. Some of the -lava may, however, have flowed from the Dyngjufjöll, -or, possibly, from fissures in the plain itself. I -could, however, trace no distinct stream from the -above-named mountains, nor has any one, I believe, -travelled along the west side of them for the purpose -of ascertaining. In several places the lava of the -Ódáðahraun has run up hill. This, I believe, has -been occasioned by the crust which flowed upon the -surface of the lava stream, constituting a sort of pipe -with the ground upon which the stream rested; -and the air being thus excluded, the still liquid -lava underneath has acted in the same way as -water would when enclosed in a pipe, by finding its -own level, or approximately so, according to its -degree of fluidity. At any rate it took us five -hours to cross the Ódáðahraun and reach the snow -patch I had seen. There we rested, and early next -morning, accompanied by Thorlákur, I set off for<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_96" id="Page_96">[96]</a></span> -Skjaldbreið, leaving Eyólfur, who was very tired, -in camp. We next followed an immense lava stream -about half-way up the mountain, and during the -early part of our walk I several times heard the -muffled sound of water running beneath the lava. -When about half-way up, we reached deep indurated -snow, through which protruded the black hummocks -and masses giving Skjaldbreið such a mottled -appearance when I first saw it from the Dyngjufjöll -mountains. Skjaldbreið is, however, nothing but a -huge mound of basaltic lava, partially covered with -snow, rising by a very gradual slope to about 4000 -feet above sea level, and from it has evidently flowed -the greater part of the Ódáðahraun, though, as all -the neighbouring mountains seem to have erupted -at some period or another, it is but fair to presume -they have also helped to swell this vast wilderness -of volcanic dregs; but I have been unable to -trace any lava stream in the Ódáðahraun to any -other source than Skjaldbreið. The summit of -Skjaldbreið I found was thickly enveloped in clouds, -so I stopped when within 300 feet of the top to look -at the surrounding country. To our north lay the -arid waste of the Ódáðahraun, the unearthly desolation -of which I have never seen equalled. Truly, it -may be said that it extends over but a small area -when compared with many of the mighty deserts in<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_97" id="Page_97">[97]</a></span> -other parts of the world, but there is a forbidding, -yet fascinating grimness about this which is an -especial characteristic of Icelandic scenery, and as -this savage region extends as far as the eye can see, -it produces none the less vivid impression upon the -mind of the beholder, although one can refer to the -map and find that it extends over only about 1500 -square miles. When first gazing at a dreary Icelandic -lava desert the sensations are something akin -to those experienced when for the first time one sees -a prairie immediately after the fire has swept across -it; but although one is conscious that there may be -a million instead of a thousand square miles of burnt, -black, cindery country around, it does not impress -one with its awful magnificence and grandeur of -desolation as the Ódáðahraun does. To the north -and east were the Dyngjufjöll mountains, with their -volcanoes smoking away with renewed vigour in the -cold morning air. A point further to the east was -the long weary route we had just traversed, stretching -away bleak and bare to where the grey pumice in -the distance gave the country the appearance of lying -in bright sunshine. To the south rose the Vatna -Jökull, cold and gloomy, with its heights wrapped in -fog and mist. Kverkfjall and Kistufell, however, -were exceptionally clear; the former was smoking in -three places, and a great quantity of sand and lava<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_98" id="Page_98">[98]</a></span> -appeared to have proceeded from it. Between us and -the Kverkfjall swept the broad tongue of glacier, -reaching two-thirds of the way northward towards -the Vaðalda hills, and from its extremity I counted -five arms of the Jökulsá which issued from it, while -the small stream from Kistufell was hidden by the -intervening hills. We next continued our journey -to the summit, and then found a small but perfectly -formed crater, about 500 yards in circumference, but -of no great depth, while in the centre rose a ridge of -burnt lava, which gave the mountain the black -tufted appearance I had noticed in the distance.</p> - -<p>The latest eruptions, I should imagine, from the -contour and disposition of the surrounding lava, have -taken more the form of prodigious boilings over -than of explosive outbursts, and it seems as if it had -continued to burn tranquilly long after its last -outburst. From here we descended a short distance -upon the north-west side, in order to get below the -fog, and obtain a view of the country to the west. -The same dreary desolation presented itself—the pure -white Jökull, with the black sand and the rugged -lava fields were alike cold, silent, motionless, and -dead! The mountains were a little different in form, -but there was the same grand desolate wilderness, -seeming ready to blast every living thing that dared -to intrude on its enchanted solitude. We therefore<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_99" id="Page_99">[99]</a></span> -returned to camp, and were not sorry to sit down to -a good breakfast of pemmican, bread and butter, and -water. The sun shone fiercely at midday, and the -heat, radiated by the sand and lava, became so great -that we rested till the cool of the evening, when we -struck for the south-east end of the Dyngjufjöll, -which we reached about midnight, but as a thick -fog descended upon us, I steered close along the base -of the mountains, preferring a little circuit to -wandering about all night in uncertainty upon the -plain. Our course from here was over an old lava -stream, buried in light volcanic dust, which was very -trying to travel over, for we sunk rather deeply into -it, and had to stop every now and then to empty our -shoes, which were constantly becoming filled with -sand. At length we struck upon the pumice, which -showed we were nearing the volcano of Öskjugjá; -soon after we came to a small stream, and being -all very thirsty, the water was highly appreciated. -Seeing that the pumice increased, and fearing we -should be getting too far to the east, I resolved to -follow the course of the next stream, conjecturing -that it would bring us down to the pools by which -we had made our cache. It was a crooked way, but -it brought us right at last; for as the mist dispersed -we sighted the pools, and it was not long before we -gladly lighted upon our cache. The first thing that<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_100" id="Page_100">[100]</a></span> -came to hand was a box of Fry’s chocolate powder, -so we all sat down upon our packs and with our -broad knife blades began to operate upon the powdery -treasure. Eating chocolate powder we found was -thirsty work, so having emptied the box, we took a -good drink of water, pitched the tent, and turned in.</p> - -<p>We had hitherto been using stones for tent pegs, -but here there were none to be had, and as we could -not now avail ourselves of little screws of hay, as we -had done when last camped upon the same spot, we -took off our mocassins and buried them, with a string -attached to each, at intervals round the tent; these -answered the purpose of pegs very well, and as it is -always necessary to bury untanned mocassins while -resting, to prevent them from shrinking and becoming -too hard to wear, we, by this device, managed to -“kill two birds with one stone.” After a good sleep, -I debated on the possibility of reaching the Kverkfjall, -which I particularly wished to examine, but the -Jökulsá and a long stretch of country lay between us, -and as Thorlákur assured me if we did so we should -have soon “<em>to go on our naked feet</em>,” it was a matter -for grave consideration what was best to do. The -lava had already played sad havoc with our foot-gear—we -had each of us worn out four pairs of -mocassins since we left Grímstaðir—and those which -were doing duty as tent pegs were almost played out,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_101" id="Page_101">[101]</a></span> -while there were but two pairs remaining in our -small stores, which was anything but encouraging. -Moreover, we had a long way before us yet; so all -things considered, I came to the conclusion that -Kverkfjall was impracticable. I determined, therefore, -to ascend the Dyngjufjöll again, and from the -peak above us take a farewell look around, directing -Eyólfur in the mean time to carry all our things to a -small stream at the foot of the mountains, about two -miles north of our present position, which could be -easily done in two shifts. Accordingly, I began my -climb accompanied by Thorlákur, but our progress -was continually interrupted by deep “gjás,” or -fissures, many of which were of great depth, probably -several hundred feet. In some cases, however, we -found bridges of snow and pumice, by which we -were able to cross these chasms.</p> - -<p>At this time the sun was wending its way westward -across the snowy slopes of the Vatna, as we -reached the top of this part of the Dyngjufjöll, and -really language quite fails me when I attempt to -describe the wildness of that view! Behind us was -the volcano, from which vast volumes of dark smoke -and steam were rising; the various mountains which -studded the sterile wastes before us were all clothed -in the same dull grey covering; the black sand of -the Mývatns Örœfí was just visible to the north,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_102" id="Page_102">[102]</a></span> -and as far as the eye could see eastward, there -stretched a series of mountains, valleys and wasted -plains. During nearly two hours we might almost -be said to have slept in the view before us; indeed, I -was hardly conscious how the time had gone until -the sun seemed to have slipped behind the Hofs -Jökulls, giving their snows a golden outline, while -my watch reminded me that it was nearly 11 <span class="fs70">P.M.</span></p> - -<p>The atmosphere now turned very cold, the frost -was already sparkling upon the surrounding rocks, a -purple glow stole over the mountains, blending their -softened outlines with the tinted sky, and we felt -that a little brisk work would sensibly add to our -comfort. Our descent afforded us some amusement, -sliding down the steep beds of small pumice, which -we did at a furious rate. It had taken us more than -three hours to ascend the mountain, but less than -one to come down it! We found Eyólfur where I -had directed him to wait; making a good meal, we -patched up our mocassins as well as we could by -moonlight, and by a different route to that by which -we came we struck a straight line for Herðubreið. -Ultimately we reached Herðubreið with the sun, -and I was not at all sorry to find myself on my way -home; for increased inflammatory symptoms in my -great toe showed that a liberal application of blue-stone -and rest were absolutely indispensable to its<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_103" id="Page_103">[103]</a></span> -cure. The weather by this time appeared very -uncertain, for the heavens were spotted all over with -masses of golden nimbus, drifting rapidly before a -wind which was blowing above, though the atmosphere -beneath was perfectly calm, which are -invariably indications of storm in Iceland.</p> - -<p>We were now clear of the pumice, and after a -hard scramble over some very rough lava, part of -which had flowed from an ancient volcano not -marked upon the map, about eight miles S.S.E. of -Herðubreið, part, apparently, from the Dyngjufjöll -mountains, and some from Trölladýngjur (Troll’s -bowers). Here we camped by a pool of water.</p> - -<p>Herðubreið, whose trigonometrical height is -5447 feet, is a snow-covered cone, resting upon a -perpendicular mass of rock, whose height equals -about twice the diameter of the cone. Upon its -south-east and west sides are tali of disintegrated -and greatly weather-worn rocks, and bulging, misshapen -masses of agglomerate. At every point -except the S.E. and N.N.W. the sides are perfectly -perpendicular, presenting walls of about 2000 feet -from the base of the mountain to the commencement -of the snow-covered cone; it is surrounded by a dry -sandy foss, and choked in places with rounded -<em>débris</em>, which had fallen from the agglomerate of -which Herðubreið is principally composed.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_104" id="Page_104">[104]</a></span></p> - -<p>Probably the most remarkable feature of this mountain -is that no streams of water flow down its sides, -while the base of most other Icelandic snow-capped -mountains are generally watered with streams, -which, as we have already seen, often disappear in -sandy or cavernous ground; but here all the water -which must result from the melting of the frozen -accumulation upon the summit of Herðubreið -seemed utterly lost, until it issued in springs such -as those which form the source of the Lindá, at a -considerable distance from the base of the mountain, -or collects in pools such as Herðubreiðvatn.</p> - -<p>The gulleys which had in many places worn the -side of Herðubreið into the fantastic forms so -peculiar to this formation (agglomerate), appear to -be the result of rain and wind, and the only points -from which the mountain is assailable are the S.S.E. -and N.W. It was from the latter that Captain -Burton attempted it in 1872, and that experienced -traveller seems to regard it as the core of a much -larger mountain; possibly such may be the case, but -its shape is decidedly against its being a volcano -of anything but the most ancient order. History -tells us, however, that this mountain has erupted -upon several occasions. The eccentricity of its -form is sufficient to suggest any amount of speculations -as to its origin and character, while nothing<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_105" id="Page_105">[105]</a></span> -but a careful investigation of the mountain from -the base to the apex could enable anyone to arrive -at a satisfactory conclusion. The palagonitic agglomerate -(which, as I have said, constitutes the -greater part of the mountain), is of so friable a -nature, and so rapid is the erosive influence of the -Icelandic climate, while so disturbed and metamorphosed -has the whole of the island been by -volcanic agency, that one ceases to wonder at the -eccentric shape and anomalous character of its -mountains.</p> - -<p>I much regretted being compelled to pass by -Herðubreið without attempting to ascend it, but -our foot gear was in tatters and my sore toe required -immediate attention, so we camped in a large gulley -of sand and lava, which extended a mile or more, -gradually rising to the level of the plain towards -the south. Here, while we were lying with the tent -spread over us all, blanket fashion, and had just -dropped off to sleep, we were suddenly awakened by -such a blast of wind, and a deluge of the finest sand -and pumice, that for the moment I didn’t know what -it was. At first we started to our feet, only to get our -eyes full of finely-powdered pumice, and as I tried to -speak I got my mouth full. We saw all the smaller -articles of our packs making the most speedy tracks -for the more settled portions of the country. -I tried to save my hat, but in so doing kicked<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_106" id="Page_106">[106]</a></span> -my bad toe against a lava block, tangled my feet up -in the tent rope, and fell down, the latter being -about the most sensible thing I could do, for in a -few moments the gust was past and I could look up.</p> - -<p>Blind with the sand, and wild with the agony it -was occasioning us, we all rushed for the water, and -opened our eyes in it. While so doing there came -another gust, which compelled us to wait upon our -knees, keeping our heads in the shallow water until -it was over; and then, soaked with sand and water, -we made our way back to where our things had -been. I say <em>had been</em>, for all were not there -then; my broad-brimmed Danish hat, and half my -small etceteras were gone, and, worst of all, my -map and case, where were they? Four white spots -upon a lava field a quarter of a mile away caused -me to run—yes, run—bad toe and all! However, -my painful and spasmodic effort was amply repaid -by the recovery of Olsen’s map, which had been -nicely mounted and packed up in a case by the bookbinder -at Reykjavík; now, even the bookbinder -would scarcely have recognised it. Its journey -across the Vatna Jökull had not improved its “personnel,” -but the short cut it had made through the -neighbouring pool had in some places rendered it -illegible. Fortunately the Vatna Jökull and its -surroundings, with my various markings, were miraculously -preserved, but its case I never saw again.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_107" id="Page_107">[107]</a></span></p> - -<p>To return to camp. Everything that had been -buried in the sand had been dug out, and just as we -were about to start again another gust came sweeping -down the gulley, half smothering us. We -buried our faces in our mackintosh coats until -it was past, when my companion Thorlákur remarked, -“This is not fine;” to which I assented in -the most emphatic language my stock of Icelandic -would command. We now made very fair progress -over the lava field, where, under an overhanging lava -block, we bathed our eyes with sulphate of zinc and -rose water, which had often been a great relief -during my Icelandic journeys, and I advise all -travellers who may follow in my wake by no means -to omit taking so essential a medicament. We soon -reached the grass at the source of the Lindá, which -river rises from a single spring about two miles -N.N.E. of Herðubreið. Here we took the rest we -had been unable to obtain at our last halting-place, -and by evening we reached the remainder of our -party at the Grafalandá, where I was rejoiced to -find our horses and a good supply of provisions, -which had been sent with a kind note from the good -people of Grímstaðir, who had sent us some pancakes, -flat bread, coffee and milk, and the latter, -though sour, was very acceptable. From Vopnafjörd -I also had ordered some schnapps and chocolate; so<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_108" id="Page_108">[108]</a></span> -that we made what seemed to us a right royal feed, -and after a good wash, I enjoyed a night of sound -rest in the sleeping bag, which had previously -sheltered my men who had been waiting for us upon -the banks of the Grafalandá.</p> - -<p>At 5 <span class="fs70">A.M.</span> the next morning we were on horseback, -and away over the sand and the lava of Mývatns -Örœfí, leaving the Vatna Jökull and the land of the -outlaws behind us, enveloped in clouds of light grey -dust which were blown up from the pumice by a S.E. -wind. This dust, I must explain, was of the most -irritating nature, resembling finely-powdered glass; -our clothes got saturated with it, and I was already -beginning to feel its effect in the severe abrasion of -skin it was inflicting upon me. By 12 <span class="fs70">A.M.</span> we were -level with Grímstaðir, only much more to the west, -and here we stopped to allow the horses to graze off the -wild oats, for the heat of the sun was intense. After -lunch we must all have taken a nap, for suddenly -looking up, I found it was one o’clock, and the -horses were nowhere in sight, and more than an -hour elapsed before we recovered them. Having -secured the vagrant animals, we made for the new -lava, which was produced by the eruptions of last -spring in the Mývatns Örœfí. Sulphurous and acid -vapours had long announced its proximity, although -the wind was unfavourable for their reaching so far.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_109" id="Page_109">[109]</a></span> -This lava stream, which is about fifteen miles long, -and varies from one to three broad, has flowed almost -entirely over ancient lava streams, most of which -have flowed from an old crater situated in the vicinity, -called Sveinagjá. The new lava extended to -about an English mile to the north of the old road -from Reykjahlíð to Grímstaðir.</p> - -<p>At this particular point it is bordered by a rather -fertile stretch of ground, where a few sheep managed -to sustain a miserable existence on cinders and salix, -though further to the north and east there are excellent -pastures. The lava stream was basaltic, and -presented the usual chaos of black crags, waves, and -fanciful shapes, blisters, and heaps of clinker. It -was intensely black, and still hot; thin, pungent -choking fumes being emitted in all directions, while -from various places puffs of steam were constantly -bursting out. This stream, or rather, these two -streams, which have since joined one another, I find -have flowed from a long fissure in the plain, the -course of which was marked by a line of conical -mounds thrown up by the eruptions in the late spring; -of these a fuller description will be found upon -another page, and an account of the previous eruption -in the Appendix.</p> - -<p>We climbed a few hundred yards over the lava -stream, but could not reach the mounds from which<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_110" id="Page_110">[110]</a></span> -the lava had flowed, on account of the deleterious -fumes exhaled from them. The fissures were lined -with various sublimations, to the thickness in some -places of half-an-inch. Amongst them chloride of -ammonia was very prominent, but this was in a state -of rapid deliquescence. It might have paid to -collect it, for the quantity was considerable.</p> - -<p>We next turned more than a mile out of our -course, to a part where Thorlákur expected to find -some water, for we were all very thirsty. Our road, -however, was over old and viscous lava for some distance, -and we came upon some coarse hillocky grass -land, in a line north of the lava stream. Here we -encountered a variety of fissures which had been -formed by the earthquake, several of which, Thorlákur -informed me, had cast out sand, stones, and a -little lava. We found only dry pits at the place -where Thorlákur had expected water, so nothing remained -but to strike westward for Reykjahlíð. No -doubt the various cracks and fissures so recently -formed in the plain accounted for the absence of -water.</p> - -<p>The new lava obliges a traveller from Grímstaðir -to Reykjahlíð to go three miles out of his way. -We here crossed a depression of about thirty feet, -extending over several square miles, caused by the -late volcanic disturbances. In the vicinity of this<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_111" id="Page_111">[111]</a></span> -depression the ground was upheaved and much fissured. -Thorlákur informed me that the depression -was formed shortly after the first eruption in the -Mývatn Orœfí in the preceding spring. We were, -however, soon amongst the hills of Mývatn, where we -obtained some water, and before long ascended the -Námufjall, whose dirty yellow, red and brown -sides, had in some places the appearance of washed-out -posters. Here the smell was filthy. In this -locality the treasures of the Northern Sulphur -Mining Company are situated, but as I was thinking -more about my supper than the hidden wealth of the -hills over which we were riding, I will say more -about them presently.</p> - -<p>A <ins class="corr" title="Transcriber's Note—Original text: 'wady near the'">wadi near the</ins> summit which divides the Námufjall -upon the south from the Dalfjall upon the west, -brought us to the western side of the sulphur hills, -where we first caught sight of the Lake of Mývatn, -or Midge-water, upon the north end of which Reykjahlíð -is situated. Lake Mývatn is seen to the best -advantage at a distance, but it cannot lay claim to -great beauty of appearance, although certainly both -remarkable and interesting. Surrounded as it is -with volcanic mountains, and rugged lava streams -stretching along its shores, studded with misshapen -little islands, it presents an eccentric and striking -aspect. A short ride past spluttering and steaming<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_112" id="Page_112">[112]</a></span> -solfataras brought us to the farm of Reykjahlíð, -where we were hospitably received by the bóndi -Pètur Jónsson, who was expecting our arrival.</p> - -<p>Reykjahlíð is of the average better class of byre. -The farm is a good one, and has been in the possession -of the same family for 600 years. I was glad -to find Paul and the rest of my belongings awaiting us, -and anything but displeased to receive the information -that an Englishman occupied the guest chamber. My -compatriot I found to be Mr. G. Fitzroy Cole, who -was making a survey of the neighbourhood for the -Company purposing to work these northern sulphur -mines. I also heard that a sulphur prospecting -party, under the guidance of the well-known Captain -Burton, had only just left for Húsavík, upon the sea -coast. The guest chamber being thus occupied, I -shared another room with Paul and Thorlákur, and in -the morning I had the pleasure of making Mr. Cole’s -acquaintance, sharing the guest room with him, -and likewise a magnificent salmon.</p> - -<p>The two days following I rested, as the weather -was so unfavourable. I also paid off all my men -excepting Paul and Olgi, and sent them home to the -south. Mr. Cole in the meantime left, so I proceeded -to investigate the sulphur mines for myself. These -I found to be situated in the Námufjall, upon the -eastern side of the Lake of Mývatn, and these collectively<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_113" id="Page_113">[113]</a></span> -are designated the Hlíðar-Námur; they -consist of a series of solfataras, which occur not only -upon the Námufjall itself, but extend a considerable -distance upon either base of the mountains. The -Námufjall is composed of palagonitic agglomerate -and lava, the solfataras being simply pools of calcareo-siliceous -mud, formed by the decomposition of the -lava and agglomerate. Upon the surface of these -pools the sulphur sublimates in crusts varying from -half-an-inch to several feet in thickness. The phenomena -of solfataras are so well known that it is -needless for me to dilate upon them in the abstract. -However, I first examined the west side of the -Námufjall, where I found both active and latent -fumeroles, the former spluttering and fizzing, and -tranquilly steaming, the latter in the form of cold -accumulations of sulphur, siliceous clay and gypseous -earth. I was able to follow the tracks of the sulphur -exploring party, who had preceded me. They had -dug into the sulphur crust upon the surface of the -solfataras, and in some places had excavated the calcareo-siliceous -clay, which hardens into a species of -sinter. This clay likewise contains a percentage of -sulphur; at all events the specimens I obtained -varied from 5 to 40 per cent. In many places I -found crusts of sulphur covered over with light -<em>débris</em>, which a little digging showed to extend for a -considerable distance. Roughly estimating it by<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_114" id="Page_114">[114]</a></span> -stepping the length and breadth of the various conspicuous -sulphur patches, and lumping the smaller -ones together, gave about twenty sulphur-covered -spots of twenty square yards, upon which the crust -of pure sulphur averaged probably half a foot in -thickness. On ascending the Námufjall by a deep -gulley worn by the rain in the side of the mountain, -we found this gulley to be cut through several feet -of a friable arenaceous agglomerate, formed by -atmospheric action on the disintegrated constituents -of the rocks composing the Námufjall. Passing -various patches of steaming sulphur, we reached the -summit, where we found several solfataras which -bear perhaps the thickest deposits of sulphur, though, -in the aggregate I should hardly think they extend -over so large an area as those upon the western side -of the mountain. This mountain is capped by -several castellated masses of basaltic lava, much -weather-worn and decomposed by the acid vapours -evolved from the surrounding solfataras, <ins class="corr" title="Transcriber's Note—Original text: 'which upon eastern'">which upon -the eastern</ins> slope are decidedly the most extensive to be -met with, and I imagine they contain more pure -sulphur than either the summit or the western side. -Of course when speaking of the relative amount of -sulphur, I allude to the exposed crusts, and there -must be a great deal more sulphur than appears -upon the surface.</p> - -<p>Upon the east base were circular pools of bluish<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_115" id="Page_115">[115]</a></span> -boiling slush, which emitted a fœtid smell somewhat -resembling the effluvia which so disgusted us at the -Öskjugjá. These pools boil with great but intermittent -violence, sometimes splashing the scalding mud -to the distance of four or five feet. They have surrounded -themselves with walls of hardened mud a -few feet in height, and from a breach in two of these -walls I should imagine that these springs were occasionally -subject to paroxysms of extraordinary -violence. While approaching the most northern of -these slush cauldrons, the earth on which I was walking -gave way, and I slipped into a fissure up to my -armpits; a violent burst of steam from beneath me -was the immediate result, and I was glad to be extricated -from this unenviable position by my companion -Olgi. It was indeed fortunate the fissure was -not filled with boiling slush, or I might have been -scalded even more severely than was my travelling -companion, the Rev. J. W——, in 1874, in the solfataras -of Krísuvík, in the south of Iceland. This -fissure had probably been formed by the earthquakes -in the spring, and had at one time been filled with -slush, which had hardened on the surface, and -afterwards flowed away through some other channel, -leaving a treacherous pitfall for any unlucky tourist -who, like myself, should have a fancy to closely examine -these slush pools.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_116" id="Page_116">[116]</a></span></p> - -<p>On returning to the west side of the mountain, -and on my way to Reykjahlíð, I took the liberty -of scraping off all the sulphur from a small solfatara, -which I piled in a heap by the side of it; for the -grand question for the Sulphur Company to consider, -to my mind, appears to be—how long does this -sulphur take to accumulate? I trust Mr. Locke, the -owner of these mines, will forgive me the trespass; -but in a year’s time he will be able to form some -idea of the rate of accumulation. I shall feel curious -to know how soon the sulphur will again accumulate.</p> - -<p>We next returned to Reykjahlíð and supped with -the bóndi Pètur Jónsson, his son-in-law, Thorlákur, -and Paul. The former seemed a little aggrieved at -the sulphur business generally, and from what I -could gather, it had from time immemorial been a -sore point as to whether the sulphur mines belonged -to his family or to the Danish Government. There -could not be the slightest doubt about the matter, -but I could scarcely wonder at the existence of such -a feeling; for a family who had owned the neighbouring -country for 600 years might naturally think -the intervening mountains were their own fee simple. -This feeling quite accounts for any brusquerie the -Sulphur Prospecting Expedition may have met with. -I can only bear testimony, that during my stay at -Reykjahlíð I received the kindest attention, that I<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_117" id="Page_117">[117]</a></span> -had the best of everything there was in the place, -and that the charges were moderate. Old Pètur informed -me that he was building a stone church in -place of the old turf and wooden structure, which -required repair. He had plenty of stone, but his -chief difficulty was the want of lime; in fact, he -had been obliged to import all he had hitherto used -from Denmark, which of course was very expensive -to him; so I advised him to try and burn the gypsum -from the solfataras, and instructed him how to set -about it, which piece of information seemed to rejoice -his heart exceedingly.</p> - -<p>The old church in question is the veritable building, -with some additions and improvements, concerning -the escape of which from destruction during -the eruption of some craters to the S.W. of Krafla, -in 1720, so much has been said and written. Suffice -it to say, that the lava could not have reached the -church unless it had previously filled up the Lake of -Mývatn. My day’s work ended with making preparations -for a visit to Dettifoss.</p> - -<p>The morrow brought very unsatisfactory weather; -it had snowed heavily in the night, and the mountains -and ground were white, a piercing north-west -wind was blowing, and it seemed as if we had suddenly -jumped into mid-winter; however, by nine -o’clock we were on horseback. As we journeyed on<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_118" id="Page_118">[118]</a></span> -we were much amused and surprised to see hay-making -going on in the middle of a snow storm; but -still it was the fact that the good people of Reykjahlíð -were busily engaged in the tún (home field) -mowing grass, and piling that which had been cut -a day or so previously into cocks, that it might receive -as little injury as possible. Leaving Reykjahlíð -behind, we crossed the rugged lava at the west -base of the Námufjall, and ascended the winding -path of the Námu-skarð which divides the Námufjall -from the Dalfjall, and turning to the north pursued -our way by the side of an ancient lava stream, -covered with verdure, and thence bending sharply to -the north-east we reached the little bothy of Skarðsel, -a poor dilapidated hut of turf and lava blocks, -which sheltered some of the servants from Reykjahlíð, -who during the summer months tend the sheep -in the neighbouring grass land. Here we took a -good draught of milk, and leaving behind us a large -piece of Mr. Cole’s salmon, some hard tack, chocolate -and schnapps, to refresh us upon our return, we -crossed the Sandbalnafjöll by means of a sandy -pass, and reached the plain of the Mývatns Örœfí -amid a blinding storm. Our route lay again over -lava, covered with sand, which I was informed had -been ejected by Krafla. On, on, N.N.E., the storm -utterly defying our tattered mackintoshes. A little<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_119" id="Page_119">[119]</a></span> -herbage had begun to make its appearance, and presently -we were galloping over excellent sheep pastures, -varied occasionally by barren stretches of sand -and pebbles. Several times, however, we were stopped -by fissures which had been very recently formed in -the plain, probably by the volcanic action of the -previous spring, but very insignificant in comparison -with those we had previously met with in -the Mývatns Örœfí. At last, after about six hours’ -riding, we sighted the column of spray arising -from the Dettifoss, and soon after we descended into -what appeared to have been the bed of a large river, -most likely an ancient bed of the Jökulsá, which -may have been diverted to its present channel by an -earthquake; while upon ascending its eastern bank, -the dull roar of the Dettifoss reached us. Climbing -over crags of basalt we rode to the edge of the river, -where we dismounted upon a patch of excellent grass, -and thence obtained a good view of the cataract, -which is very imposing. The Jökulsá is here about -250 yards across, and roars along in a series of -rapids, till its broken and foaming waters pour down -a perpendicular wall of basalt at least 200 feet in -height, into a chasm some hundred yards wide, -seething and boiling in pent-up wrath, forming -a “riotous confluence of water-courses, blanching -and bellowing in the hollow of it,” until, released<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_120" id="Page_120">[120]</a></span> -from this confinement, it softens, a few hundred -yards further down, into a broad swift-flowing stream -of milky water. The Dettifoss is by far the largest -waterfall in Iceland, and, I believe, in Europe, being -about the size of the Canadian Niagara Fall. The -only view obtainable, however, is not calculated to -impress the beholder with an adequate idea of its -height, for one has to look down upon it, which -is always a disadvantage: still, although the Dettifoss -lacks the beauty of Niagara, it does not convey -the impression of the thinness of the body of water, as -does the Transatlantic cataract; for the grace and -beauty of the latter are greatly enhanced by its surroundings -of richly-wooded heights and the clearness -of the water. Although Dettifoss is much smaller than -the Falls of Niagara in their entirety, nevertheless, it -is a grand and terrible spectacle, and is all the more -striking on account of the diablerie of the wild -scenery by which it is environed. There is an upper -cascade, but of no great height, and it is scarcely -worth naming beside Dettifoss; for one waterfall is so -much like another, that, after having seen several of -the largest, one rather tires of the similarity, unless -there be some distinguishing peculiarity to enliven -the interest.</p> - -<p>When satiated with admiring the scenery at this -part, we took a light meal, and commenced our<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_121" id="Page_121">[121]</a></span> -return journey amid pouring rain. It was past midnight -before we reached the west side of Mývatns -Örœfí; and as the mist had somewhat lifted from the -hills, I turned my horse’s head towards Krafla. Upon -reaching the height of a few hundred feet the mist -again beat down upon us; besides which the snow -lay so thick in many places that it became very dangerous -for the horses in the half-light and fog. We -therefore abandoned Krafla for the moment, and -taking the first gill which ran in a southerly direction, -we descended to the little hut where we had -left our salmon and reserve supply of provisions. -The good folks were in bed, but one of the women -immediately got up to assist us, and the other produced, -first the bottle of schnapps, and then, one by -one, the biscuits and the chocolate, from what appeared -to be the only cupboard in the place, viz., -from underneath the bedclothes. As the bed had -three occupants, I was in terror lest my salmon had -been stored in the same undesirable repository, but -fortunately it had been put up outside. The biscuits -and chocolate might have been none the worse for -their safe storage, but they were unpleasantly warm, -and I preferred to wait for the salmon, which with -some good coffee, sheep’s milk, and schnapps, was -not to be despised by a hungry traveller who had -been exposed to the storm for nearly a score of hours.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_122" id="Page_122">[122]</a></span></p> - -<p>We reached Reykjahlíð at five <span class="fs70">A.M.</span>, and I turned -in for a short sleep, till breakfast at seven o’clock, -and then we made our start for Krafla. Over the -Námufjall again, by the Námu-skarð, a gill of solfataras, -we passed the parti-coloured heaps, slopes, -and accumulations, which reminded me of the refuse -from some huge dye-works, and turned to the north -along the east base of the Dalfjall, skirting a lava -stream upon our right hand. Hereabout the aspect -was much improved by (for Iceland) a luxuriant -overgrowth of dwarf birch and salix. Crossing -hence to the base of Sandbalnafjöll, we drew up for -a minute at the little hut of Skarðsel for a draught -of sheep’s milk. Pursuing our way over a lava field -covered with alluvium, we hastened on towards -Krafla. We hobbled our horses at the base of the -high ground between Krafla and Leirhnúkur, and -forthwith commenced the ascent, passing several solfataras -of no great importance, their chief characteristic -being the production of abominable smells. -Soon after we reached comparatively level ground, -which extended for some distance at the S.S.W. base -of Krafla proper. Cheered by the sight of our -horses making tracks for home, in spite of their -hobbles, we now continued along the south-west -margin of a crater-lake, which probably was more -than two miles in circumference, its length equalling<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_123" id="Page_123">[123]</a></span> -about twice its breadth, being surrounded by steep -slopes of clay, disintegrated rock and fragmentary -<em>débris</em>. There was a similar crater further to the -N.N.W., of more circular form. Following along -a neck of land between the two, we commenced the -ascent of Krafla proper, which is a sub-conical mass -of agglomerate, pierced to the summit and in many -other places with intruded lava. The sides we -found to be everywhere strewed with all kinds of -volcanic <em>débris</em>, amongst which were numerous trachitic -masses, some of which contained atoms of -iron pyrites, and although these occurred very frequently -in loose fragments and masses, I was unable -to find any <i lang="la" xml:lang="la">in situ</i>. Half-an-hour’s hard climbing -next brought us to the summit, which my aneroid -shewed to be scarcely 3000 feet above Reykjahlíð, -or a little under 4000 feet above sea level. On -looking around we found upon the high ground -to the west several pools of clear water, probably -small crater lakes, as doubtless were the two depressions -immediately beneath us to the south-west. -My guide informed me that it was from the most -northern of these that the last eruption of Krafla -proceeded, and that the water in it used to be hot; -he also told me a fact which was afterwards corroborated -by his father, that Krafla had never been -known to erupt lava, having cast out only ashes,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_124" id="Page_124">[124]</a></span> -pumice, sand and water; indeed, the aspect of these -pit craters would lead one so to imagine it. I was -also much surprised at not finding any obsidian, for -I had heard so much of the obsidian of Krafla; -but on further inquiry I ascertained that it is only -found on the portion of the mountain known as the -Hrafntinnuhryggr (the obsidian back), and there it -only occurs in fragments—indeed, the only obsidian -I have met with <i lang="la" xml:lang="la">in situ</i> in Iceland is at Mount Paul, -in the middle of the Vatna Jökull.</p> - -<p>The summit of Krafla commands a most extensive -view. Looking south-west, over the hills beneath, -with their dirty splotches of whitish yellow sulphur, -the country looked wintry indeed after the snow -storm of the previous day, while the eye as it -wandered southward caught a fine view-range over -the Hliðarfjall and Dalfjall, as well as over the -straggling lake of Mývatn, where the scenery -widened out over the Mývatnsveit towards the snow-capped -Seljalandsfjall, standing out like an island in -the commencement of the dark stony sea of the -Ódáðahraun. In another direction, between the -snow-covered hills upon the east side of the Skjálfandifljót -and the smoking Dyngjufjöll, the view -extended over the pitiless waste of the Ódáðahraun -to the snowy mound of Skjaldbreið, while the broad -white expanse of the Vatna seemed to join<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_125" id="Page_125">[125]</a></span> -the sky, till, almost wearied with the strain upon -the visual power, it seemed quite a relief to turn -to the nearer and happier-looking spots of green -which the volcano and the glaciers have spared to -Iceland.</p> - -<p>Further to the east are the Bláfjall, where the -Fremri-Námur deposits of sulphur are situated, and -the fire-scorched hills of Trölladýngjur, whose -position on the map Captain Burton has corrected, -and the lordly Herðubreið, whose snowy cap -looked all the purer for the recent snow storm. To -the east and north-east stretched the plain of the -Mývatns Örœfí, with its black patch of new lava -enshrouded in a dim mist. Bearing N.N.E. was a -tall column, apparently of steam, upon which the sun -was shining; it was the spray from the Dettifoss, -varying in shape as the wind acted on it, and -reflecting rainbow colours in the sunlight. To the -north the prospect was between the Hágaunguhnúkur -(high-going hills) and Jónstindr, over a level country -to the hills of Theistareykjafjall, where a third large -deposit of sulphur occurs. It was seven <span class="fs70">P.M.</span> before -we returned to Reykjahlíð, and in a few hours we -bade adieu to old Pètur and started along the eastern -side of Lake Mývatn, accompanied by Paul and -Arngrimur, for the little lake of Grœnavatn. The -road was a bad one, over a continuation of lava<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_126" id="Page_126">[126]</a></span> -streams which had flowed into the Lake of Mývatn, -forming the curious little islands that spotted its -sedgy waters. We put to flight several of the duck -tribe, which were enjoying themselves after the -manner of ducks upon the margin of the lake, and -reached Grœnavatn at three <span class="fs70">A.M.</span>; this was very slow -work, but the nature of the ground prevented our -travelling at anything beyond a walking pace for -the greater part of the way. One of the principal -features of this ride was the numerous gates which -had to be opened and shut; these marked the termination -of the various holdings, and also prevented the -sheep belonging to the different homesteads upon -the side of the lake from straying; for very often, -where the gates were situated, the lava prevented -the passage even of sheep by any other way.</p> - -<p>The occupants of the farm at Grœnavatn may be -described as “a happy family.” The two sons of -Pètur of Reykjahlíð, Jón and Arngrimur, had -married the two sisters of my previous guide, Thorlákur, -and he, by way of returning the compliment, -had married one of their sisters. They were all -living under the same roof with Thorlákur’s father, -and together managed their thriving homestead.</p> - -<p>About midday we started for the sulphur mines -of Fremri-Námur, on the east and west slopes of the -Bláfjall and Hvannfell. Proceeding in a S.S.E.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_127" id="Page_127">[127]</a></span> -direction we crossed the lava which occupies the -entire eastern side of the valley of Mývatn, and -began to ascend the hills at the base of the Bláfjall. -We here inspected two small but perfectly-formed -craters, both of which had discharged lava -streams into the valley beneath. A little further up -the hill to the north of the Bláfjall we came upon -the tracks of the Sulphur Exploring Expedition, -under the conduct of Capt. Burton, who had passed -that way a few days previously. From this point -the hills commanded a striking view of Mývatn, -Krafla, and the neighbouring mountains, with a -glimpse to the south-west of Arnarfells Jökull in the -far distance. This we found was a difficult route for -the horses, and it did not improve as we reached the -lava which had flowed from the Fremri-Námur <ins class="corr" title="Transcriber's Note—Original text: 'at the the time of'">at the -time of</ins> its latest eruption. This lava stream had -flowed into a valley between the Bláfjall and the -Hvannfell, destroying all herbage except a little -“island of green,” which it almost encircled; this -small patch of verdure is called Heilag (holy valley). -Here, choosing a spot where there was the most grass, -we rested and lunched. The grass, however, was not -plentiful, the greater part being what is called kinder-grass -(sheep’s grass), or a mixture of straggling birch -and salix intermixed with coarse grass and herbage. -The sheep eat this with avidity, but horses must be<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_128" id="Page_128">[128]</a></span> -very hungry before they will feed upon it. As we -were about to depart a heavy snow storm burst upon -us. My guide had no waterproof, but I had a large -oilskin that Mr. Kent, one of the sulphur explorers, -had given to Paul; we therefore took shelter under -the lee of a crag in the ancient lava stream underlying -the grass-land, and improvised a roof with -the oilskin and our whips. We were imprisoned for -more than an hour; so violent was the storm that -it was impossible to see many yards around us. -Eventually it cleared up; we had almost succeeded in -keeping ourselves dry, and I think our drenched and -shivering horses were only too glad to resume their -journey.</p> - -<p>It was getting on towards night; the wind was -blowing from the north-west, making our soaked -saddles anything but pleasant, for so suddenly had -the storm come on that we had not time to unsaddle -our horses. We next followed the lava stream -for some distance until we sighted the yellow depression -which marked <ins class="corr" title="Transcriber's Note—Original text: 'the commencment of'">the commencement of</ins> the -sulphur mines. As we decided that it would be -more pleasant to travel on foot, and that by doing -so we could make better progress, we fastened our -horses each with his head tied to the tail of his -companion, and steered for the light yellow patches, -from which a few wreaths of steam were curling.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_129" id="Page_129">[129]</a></span> -A short climb brought us to the most regularly-formed -crater I have seen in Iceland. This was an -oval depression, with a circumference of about half-a-mile -and nearly 150 feet deep, called the “Great -Kettle;” it was formed of a scoriaceous basaltic lava. -No lava stream had actually flowed from this crater, -but it seemed as if it had been tapped by a fissure -some distance westward, whence a great quantity of -lava had flowed, although all traces of such fissure -or opening were now obscured by lava. The principal -sulphur mines are upon the north and east side -of the mountain, extending upon the latter right -away up to the edge of the crater, and breaking out -even within the crater itself upon its eastern side. -I followed in the track of the exploring party, as I -had done at Hlíðar-Námur, and dug into several -parts of the solfataras. The sulphur here, as at the -above-named place, rests upon a bed of calcareo-siliceous -clay, and is strewed in many places with -pieces of gypsum and fragments of lava coated with -various sublimations; in some parts I found the pure -sulphur to be upwards of two feet in thickness, the -average thickness being, perhaps, half-a-foot. These -deposits are much more extensive than those of -Reykjahlíð, and I believe I did not inspect the -whole of them. Returning to the summit, the extensive -view was anything but a cheering one. To<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_130" id="Page_130">[130]</a></span> -the east lay the Mývatns Orœfí, with its black -patches of new lava, the thin vapour which was -rising from it making it dim and indistinct; further -to the south we looked across the Trölladýngjur to -Herðubreið, whose snowy cone was alone brightened -by the sunlight, which had long forsaken the dark, -shadowy waste of the Ódáðahraun; due south were -the Dyngjufjöll mountains, and upon them the night -clouds were brooding heavily. A strong wind was -raising great clouds of dust upon the plain which -lay to the east between us and the Jökulsá. A fresh -storm was rapidly shutting out the twilight in the -west, and an ominous gloom had settled upon the -rocks around us. A hunt after our horses in a -blinding storm would have been anything but -pleasant in such an inhospitable region, so we -returned with all haste to our poor trembling steeds. -Then with our clothes stiffly frozen, and our saddles -covered with ice, all night long we rode in the -face of a blinding storm, at a snail’s pace, on account -of the darkness.</p> - -<p>By two <span class="fs70">A.M.</span> we arrived at the foot of Bláfjall. -The snow had turned into rain, and amid a thick -woolly fog we made our way over the lava stream -which lay between us and Grœnavatn. Our pace -was of necessity very slow, and it was not until four -<span class="fs70">A.M.</span> that we reached the farm. Here we found<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_131" id="Page_131">[131]</a></span> -materials for a hearty meal spread out for us by the -good folks, who had long since retired to bed. After -doing justice to the catering of our unconscious hosts, -I posted up my diary and turned in. On awaking -again next morning I took a swim in the lake, and -breakfast preparatory to my departure with Paul for -Húsavík, where I hoped to have the pleasure of -falling in with the exploring party. Passing to the -south of the Lake of Mývatn, we crossed the Laxá -(salmon river), which takes its name from the abundance -of salmon found in the more northerly portion -of its waters, and considerable time was here taken -up in drinking coffee with an old friend.</p> - -<p>The river Laxá, I may here remark, rises in the -west end of the lake, and after flowing out a short -distance is joined by the Kráká. From Mývatn Lake -to Grenjaðastaðir (which may be called the upper -portion of the river) its waters abound with trout -and char, but at that point a waterfall (the Brúarfoss) -prevents the salmon ascending the river any further. -From the Brúarfoss to the sea there is, however, -some of the finest salmon and trout fishing in Iceland, -as many an English sportsman can testify. -The Laxá, I found, emptied itself into the sea at the -Skjálfandifjörð, not very far from the store at -Húsavík.</p> - -<p>Crossing the Mývatns Sandr, the road lies through<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_132" id="Page_132">[132]</a></span> -an undulating grazing country, and upon the high -ground to the south of the little Lake of Laugarvatn -we caught sight simultaneously of the steam from -the hot springs of Reykir, to the north-east the -Arctic ocean, which washes the northern shore of -Iceland, and the mountains of Theistar-reykir, where -a third series of sulphur mines is located.</p> - -<p>On, on we sped, as fast as our horses could carry -us, as the English steamer, for anything we knew, -might be on the point of starting. The Mýrarkvísl, -however, was reached in good time, and as I had -stopped behind to give my horse a drink, leaving -Paul to go on before me, upon crossing the river I -was pleased to find him in conversation with Mr. -Kent, who had been fishing. Great was my joy, too, -on finding that the steamer had not gone, and that -the exploring party was still at Húsavík. Soon after -we proceeded to the farm of Laxámyri, which was -the best farm I had seen in the country, and must -have cost a great sum for an Icelander, as it was -built by Danish workmen, with a wooden carving of -a salmon and an eider duck over the front door to -indicate the sources of the owner’s wealth. Here I -made a good meal, and after half-an-hour’s nap we -were off again, in company with Mr. Kent, for -Húsavík, where I met with a most hospitable -reception from the members of the Sulphur Prospecting<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_133" id="Page_133">[133]</a></span> -Expedition, and Herra Guðmundson, the merchant.</p> - -<p>The sulphur party, I found, were submitting to an -enforced stay, for their steamer was a week behind -the time she was expected to arrive. They were all -lodged in the house of the sheriff, which happened to -be vacant, and a merry time they were having, -especially the sporting portion of their community, -who, I have no doubt, for a long time will sing the -praises of Laxá.</p> - -<p>Besides the veteran traveller Capt. Burton, there -was another member of the party known to fame, Mr. -Baldwin, a companion of the late Dr. Livingstone in -his travels in Central Africa, whose “Twelve Years -of Sporting Experience in South Africa” presents a -series of vivid pictures of sporting travel.</p> - -<p>Húsavík is pleasantly situated at the foot of -Húsavík-urfjall, upon the eastern side of the bay of -Skjálfandi, and has a good harbour except when the -wind is blowing from the north. The mountains of -Víkna-fjöll upon the western side of the bay form a -great addition to the scenery; they were covered with -snow even at this season of the year.</p> - -<p>Having so long followed in the wake of the exploring -party, it was impossible for me not to -speculate upon the prospects of “the North Iceland -Sulphur Company,” and my lucubrations ran in the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_134" id="Page_134">[134]</a></span> -following strain:—There is certainly no lack of -sulphur both at Hlíðar-Námur and at Fremri-Námur, -and the report of the <em>prospectors</em> on the smaller solfataras -of <em>Theistareykir-Námur</em> is a good one. The -road between the sulphur mines and the sea is not of -such an impracticable nature but that it would be -quite possible to construct a road, or to sledge the -sulphur down in the winter. If the company set -about their work in the right way and keep their -undertaking in the hands of some half-dozen capitalists, -they will probably not only enrich themselves, -but also add another valuable export to needy -Iceland. If, however, the shares are sent into the -Stock Exchange, the chances are the undertaking will -be weighted with too much capital, and thus be at the -mercy of cliques of speculators belonging to that body.</p> - -<p>After spending a night with the travellers, whose -hospitality and agreeable society added greatly to -the pleasure of my stay at Húsavík, the merchant, -Herra Guðmundson invited me to stay with him, -and, as I needed rest, I accepted his kind invitation.</p> - -<p>Nothing could exceed the kindness of my host, and -I do not know how the sulphur expedition would have -fared had it not been for his kindness and assistance. -I was beyond measure sorry, on my return to England, -to see a long article in a Scotch newspaper, from one -member or some members of the party, disparaging<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_135" id="Page_135">[135]</a></span> -almost everything at Húsavík, and making invidious -remarks about the wine which Herra Guðmundson -had supplied us with from his own cellar, and which -we had all partaken of with him at his house. Several -members of the expedition whom I have since had -the pleasure of meeting agree with me that it is a -matter to be thoroughly ashamed of. After a few -days’ rest I left Húsavík to visit the remarkable -cliffs of Ásberg, which Herra Guðmundson had -informed me were equal to those of Thingvalla: his -sister and nephew joined me, so that, with Paul, we -made up quite a pleasant little party. Unfortunately, -however, none of the other visitors were able to go -with us, for they were afraid the steam ship might -arrive, and not be able to wait their return. The -road we took to Ásberg lay across a monotonous -stretch of country (the Reikjahlíð), which for the -greater part of the way was undulating high ground, -covered with ancient lava, partly grown over with -dwarf straggling birch and herbage. The track -which leads across it is called Bláskógavegr, or the -way of the Blue forest. Bláberrie bushes are apparently -the largest trees one meets with here; they, -however, were rather abundant, and in some instances -grew almost to the height of the long straggling -apologies for birch brush which were occasionally to -be met with. If it had not been that we were a<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_136" id="Page_136">[136]</a></span> -merry party, I should have felt the journey decidedly -dull; but it was not, and ultimately we arrived at the -small farm of Ás about midnight, a short distance -to the west of the river Jökulsá, where we took coffee, -bought a lamb, and, accompanied by the farmer, -proceeded at sunrise to the cliffs of Ásberg. We -found Ásberg to consist of a V-shaped valley some -300 feet deep, surrounded by perpendicular walls of -basaltic lava to the east and west, while it opened -out towards the <ins class="corr" title="Transcriber's Note—Original text: 'north, insoculating'">north, inosculating</ins> an elongated -cliff of basaltic lava, like a rocky island, towards the -northern and widest part of the valley. This glen -is a little more than a Danish mile in circumference, -occurring towards the termination of an ancient -lava stream, supposed by Capt. Burton and the -geologist who accompanied his expedition to have -been the work of pre-historic oceans, and that the -walls of the valley are old sea cliffs—probably they -are right.</p> - -<p>The valley contains the finest wood I have seen in -the island, consisting of a thick growth of birch and -willow, in many places attaining to the height of -thirty or forty feet.</p> - -<p>Our guides informed us that in the spring time -large streams flowed over the cliffs at the south end -of the valley, forming magnificent cascades; and we -noticed that in three places they had worn water-courses<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_137" id="Page_137">[137]</a></span> -for themselves, over which there now -trickled only a feeble stream. There were also two -deep pits filled with water, that appeared to have -been hollowed out by the waterfalls which in the -spring empty themselves into them. It was a -beautiful day, and the fragrant birch reminded me of -many a glorious ramble in North West America. -Here we bivouacked, and cooked our lamb to a -turn, under the supervision of our lady friend, and -after enjoying the meal we shouted ourselves almost -hoarse in awakening the echoes which probably had -slumbered for years in the old grey cliffs, so it was -not until ten in the evening that we started on our -homeward journey. Right well and bravely did our -lady ride, in spite of the fatigue which she had -undergone, over rough ground and smooth.</p> - -<p>We stayed at a small farm called Geîtar Staðir -(goats’ farm) for coffee and a drink of goat’s milk, -and arrived at Húsavík at 6 <span class="fs70">A.M.</span> The exploring -party we found, with the exception of Mr. Tennant -and Mr. Baldwin, were about to start for the Dettifoss, -intending to take Ásberg in the way; so I -passed a convivial evening with my host, but was not -sorry to turn in rather early. I was, however, soon -awakened abruptly by two voices which seemed -familiar enough, calling me to get up again. My -early visitors proved to be Mr. Slimond and Mr.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_138" id="Page_138">[138]</a></span> -Wight, of Leith, whose acquaintance I had the -pleasure of making in the previous spring, giving me -warning that the steamer Buda had arrived and was -lying in Húsavík bay. On hearing that, I hastily -dressed, and having given orders to Paul to take the -best horses and start forthwith, bearing a note to -Capt. Burton and his party, with the letters which -had arrived for them, I proceeded with all haste to -the Buda, to ask my newly-arrived friends to breakfast -with me.</p> - -<p>Upon nearing the ship, Mr. Slimond called out -that they were just off to Borðeyri, and asked if I -would join them. The steps were just about to be -hauled up the ship’s side, but I accepted his offer, and -in five minutes we were steaming out of the Bay of -Skjálfandi and sitting down to a genuine English -breakfast. After rounding the island of Flatey, -which lies at the mouth of the Skjálfandi, we obtained -a beautiful view of the mountainous coast of -the north of the island. The weather was delightful, -and the pleasant society of old acquaintances, with -the interesting occupation of looking through the -latest news from England, made the twenty-four -hours pass with amazing rapidity; so in fact I felt -quite sorry when the next morning found us steaming -up the Húnaflói upon the S.W. extremity of -which Borðeyri is situated. Here Capt. Cockle,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_139" id="Page_139">[139]</a></span> -whose acquaintance I had previously made, had -been waiting a whole fortnight with some 300 Icelandic -ponies, the delay having been occasioned by -the break-down of the engine of the Fifeshire, which -Mr. Slimond had first chartered for his Icelandic trip. -Mr. Slimond, I must explain, entirely commands the -Icelandic horse trade, and has done more towards developing -that branch of commerce in Iceland than -any other man. During the time he has been in -connexion with it, it is stated that he has spent over -£50,000 in the country. This amount has wonderfully -helped many of the Icelanders to improve their -dwellings, and it cannot fail to have exercised a very -beneficial influence in stimulating Icelandic trade as -well as assisting the development of other branches -of industry.</p> - -<p>The horses were at last all penned <ins class="corr" title="Transcriber's Note—Original text: 'into a karal'">into a corral</ins>, -and by the time the Buda was fairly anchored in the -Húnaflói, the obstreperous cargo was ready for shipment—a -rather difficult matter, for the horses had to -be conveyed to the ship in small boats, and as their -respective ages varied from two to five years, as may -be expected, the trouble of getting them all conveyed -to the ship, hoisted on board, and stowed away can -scarcely be described. While the process of loading -was going on I took a walk on shore, in the company -of Mrs. Slimond, her sister, and Mr. Wight, and I<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_140" id="Page_140">[140]</a></span> -must say we neither of us received a very favourable -impression either of the place or the people.</p> - -<p>Borðeyri itself is uninteresting in the extreme, as -most of the more fertile parts of Iceland are; it -is neither barren enough to exhibit the desolate -grandeur of many other portions of the island through -which I had travelled during the two previous -months, nor fertile enough to be pleasant to the eye. -By dint of great labour on the part of Mr. Slimond, -Captain Cockle, and some of the ship’s crew, together -with the tardy assistance of some of the inhabitants -of the place, the animals were at length -stowed away, the Buda steamed out of the Húnaflói, -and we arrived at Húsavík the following morning. -Here the Sulphur Company came on board -with all their belongings; Mr. Locke, however, -remained, as he had some further business to -transact at Húsavík and Reykjavík; so I took leave -of Mr. Slimond and his party with many thanks -for his hospitality, and, having shaken hands -with the other members of the company, we -parted with mutual good wishes for our respective -journeys.</p> - -<p>Accompanied by Mr. Locke, I climbed into the -little boat that was waiting for us, and returned to -our kind host, Herra Guðmundson, while the good -ship Buda sped on her way to Scotland. Mr. Locke,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_141" id="Page_141">[141]</a></span> -Herra Guðmundson, and his sister were bound for -Reykjavík, but I intended to <ins class="corr" title="Transcriber's Note—Original text: 'cross the Sprengrtandr'">cross the Sprengisandr</ins>, -and pay a visit to the Skaptar Jökull. We -therefore agreed to journey part of the way together, -and I was easily persuaded to accompany them as -far as Akreyri, as I wished to see the place—town -it can scarcely be called—of second importance in -Iceland. The next day, therefore, Mr. Locke, Herra -Guðmundson, his wife, his sister, his little son, and a -servant, Paul, Olgi, and myself, all set out first for -Mývatn, where I inspected the solfatara I had cleared -of its sulphur about three weeks before, and found it -had quite a yellow tinge, although there was no appreciable -fresh deposit of sulphur. From Mývatn -we advanced towards Akreyri, and crossing the -river Skjálfandifljót (quivering flood), we turned to -the N.W., to view the waterfall of Godafoss. This -waterfall is but a tame affair after Dettifoss, and -the fall is about thirty-five feet; but the Skjálfandi -is a much smaller river than the Jökulsá. There -is, however, a finer waterfall higher up, upon the -Skjálfandifljót, a distance of about a day-and-a-half’s -journey. We halted at the farm of Ljósavatn, -and next day took the road past the Lake of -Ljósavatn (Lake of Light) for Arkeyri, but at -the lake Mrs. Guðmundson, her son, and servant -left us, and we rode briskly on, up the pass of<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_142" id="Page_142">[142]</a></span> -Ljósavatnskarð. In clear weather this must be a -beautiful pass, but the clouds were hanging so low -upon the hills they obscured the view, and deprived -us of what otherwise would, no doubt, have been -a grand prospect. We soon reached the church -and parsonage of Háls, and thence descended into -a valley, Fnjóskádalr, in which there is the finest -growth of birch, next to that in the valley of Ásberg, -which had as yet come under my notice. -We next crossed the river of Fnjóská, and forthwith -commenced to ascend the heights of Vaðlaheiði, -a mountainous ridge upon the opposite -side of the Eyjafjörð to Akreyri. The summit of -these heights was so enveloped in mist that all hope -of benefitting by the view which such an altitude, -viz. 2,118 feet, must of necessity command, was -quite out of the question, we therefore descended -straight away to Akreyri, which we reached by fording -the mouth of the Eyjafjarðará, which can only -be done at low tide. Here we put up at the inn, -where several friends soon made their appearance, -and a jolly time we had of it.</p> - -<p>Although Akreyri is not so extensive a settlement -as Reykjavík, it possesses a much better harbour, -being shut in upon the east by the Vaðlaheiði, and -upon the west by the hills of Súlur and the outlying -mountains of the Vindheima Jökull, which<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_143" id="Page_143">[143]</a></span> -rise in some places to the height of 3000 feet. The -town is situated at the south end of the Eyjafjörð -(island firth), taking its name from the little -island of Hrísey which lies in its mouth. The trade -of this small place does not equal that of its sister -settlement, owing, perhaps, to the numerous stores -situated in various fjords in the north of Iceland, -whereas Reykjavík and Eyrarbakki command the -trade of the greater part of the south, in consequence -of the iron-bound nature of its coast. Arkeyri -is composed of two streets of wooden frame-houses, -one of which runs so close to the sea shore as -to be occasionally flooded, and it has a renown of its -own, from the largest trees in the whole island growing -there. These however, are merely two or -three mountain-ash trees, about 25 to 30 feet in -height, flourishing in front of a house facing -the fjord, belonging to one of the principal store -keepers!</p> - -<p>The luxuriance of their growth is the more remarkable, -as all the attempts which have hitherto -been made to grow trees in Reykjavík have failed, -although its mean temperature is much higher than -that of Akreyri. The explanation of this probably -is that Akreyri is one of the most sheltered spots in -the island, while Reykjavík is exposed to the full -fury of the east and west winds.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_144" id="Page_144">[144]</a></span></p> - -<p>A short distance to the north of the town we found -a cluster of black sheds, the filthy smell from which -informed us at once of the odoriferous business carried -on there, which was at full swing. I had often -smelt from afar this same disgusting effluvium, and -found it to arise from the profitable but revolting -work of extracting oil from sharks’ livers. Accompanied -by Paul, I determined to inspect this manufacture, -so, passing through an avenue of vats full -of sharks’ putrid livers, reeking and sweltering in -the sun, we thrust our pocket-handkerchiefs into our -mouths and plunged into the boiling-house. Here -about half-a-dozen cauldrons of sharks’ livers were -simmering, and slowly “frying out” the filthy but -valuable shark-oil, exhaling the foulest stench -imaginable. Three grimy oleaginous men and a -boy, who seemed to thrive amid their abominable -surroundings, were engaged in stoking the fires, -stirring up the stewing livers and baling out the -oil, as it accumulated, into a long trough, which -discharged itself into a large iron tank outside, -whence it was drawn off again into barrels ready for -shipment to the various parts of the world where -there is a demand for such a very unpleasant -lubricator. The men seemed quite surprised that -we found anything disagreeable in the smell of the -oil, and seemed quite to enjoy giving the cauldrons<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_145" id="Page_145">[145]</a></span> -an extra stir on our account, which was a pleasure -we could have dispensed with.</p> - -<p>In the evening we paid a visit to the apothecary, -whose house seemed to be the rendezvous of all the -captains whose ships were lying in the harbour, and -there we arranged to depart the next day.</p> - -<p>Here I may as well observe there are two -ways from the north to the south of Iceland, the -shortest being, however, the most difficult road, -which lies across the Sprengisandr, and the longest, -but easiest, across the Stórisandr. Mr. Locke, with -Herra Guðmundson and his sister, had resolved to -go by the Stórisandr to Reykjavík, and I wished to -go by the Sprengisandr to the east, so that I might -visit the Skaptar Jökull. Although I intended to -have left early, it was night before we got away from -Akreyri, for leave-taking always occupies an indefinite -time in inverse proportion to the size of the -place. Re-crossing Vaðlaheiði, we reached Ljósavatn -(where I had left my baggage and baggage-horses) -with the daylight, from whence we proceeded along -the Skjálfandifljót to Stóruvellir. The river Skjálfandifljót -runs down a broad fertile valley shut -in by hills of basalt, which rise in some places -as much as 1300 feet above the level of the -river. From thence a broad stretch of grass-land, -extending some 25 miles long, brought us to Stóruvellir,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_146" id="Page_146">[146]</a></span> -a flourishing farm surrounded by grass-lands. -The people, we found, were all busy hay-making; so -I ascended the hills behind the farm to look at the -surrounding country, but before I could reach the -summit it had clouded over, and I could see but a -very short distance. Early next morning a man -brought word that a fresh eruption had broken out -in the Mývatns Örœfí. This was news indeed, and -as it was Sunday, when some of the more distant -population would be assembled at the neighbouring -church, I despatched Paul to ascertain from them -the accuracy of the news. In the meanwhile, however, -accompanied by the farmer’s son, I ascended -the hills to reconnoitre, and when about half-way up -I espied a tall dense column of white smoke in the -east, which announced the correctness of the intelligence -we had received. On arriving at the summit -I looked again, and then perceived six smaller -columns in a line with the larger one, rising to about -half its height. These columns of smoke had evidently -originated in the Mývatns Örœfí, and rose in -perpendicular columns, which spread out at the apex -like phantoms of giant palm trees in the calm -atmosphere of that early autumn Sabbath morning! -The position I occupied commanded a magnificent -view of the Dyngjufjöll mountains and the Kverkfjöll, -both of which volcanoes lie south of the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_147" id="Page_147">[147]</a></span> -Mývatns Örœfí; neither of these, however, seemed -to be particularly disturbed, but the mushroom-shaped -cloud of smoke which had been there all the -summer still hovered over the Dyngjufjöll. There -appeared, however, no increase in the three thin -columns of vapour I had before observed rising from -the Kverkfjöll. Looking in another direction I -found the country to the east obscured by what -seemed to be a fog, which was, probably, vapour and -ashes from the fresh eruption drifting slowly towards -the Vatna Jökull. Presently the large volume of -smoke from the Mývatns Orœfí disappeared, leaving -in its place a cloud of thin black vapour, but before -many seconds had elapsed it again sprang up in -three distinct bursts to more than its former height. -Hastily descending, I ordered the horses to be -saddled, and at once we rode away at full gallop -towards the seat of the new eruption.</p> - -<p>By evening we reached the farm of Grœnavatn, -where I had the pleasure of again seeing Thorlákur -and his brother-in-law, and I forthwith made preparations -for visiting the point of volcanic activity -the following morning, but my plans were frustrated -by a violent storm of rain, wind, and snow, which -made it a matter of impossibility to cross the hills; -so, chafing at the delay, I was compelled to postpone -my expedition. During the previous night a man<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_148" id="Page_148">[148]</a></span> -had arrived from Grímstaðir, upon the eastern side -of the Mývatns Örœfí, and reported that between -ten and eleven o’clock on Sunday morning, August -15th, a smart shock of earthquake was felt at that -place, travelling from north-east to south-west, -while almost simultaneously columns of smoke were -seen upon the plain of Mývatns Örœfí, and forthwith -an eruption commenced from the same place -as in the previous spring. Upon the 17th the -storm had sufficiently abated, so, accompanied -by Jón, who had been my guide to Fremri-Námur, -I set out for the eruption. Upon entering a -valley in the mountains of Mývatn, by which we -intended to gain access to the Mývatns Örœfí, a few -columns of smoke in the distance warned us that the -eruption lay before us, and as we emerged from the -glen, a line of some twenty columns of smoke burst -upon our view, while at the north end lay two -clusters of black mounds in close proximity. From -the most southerly of these sprung up two columns -of dense black smoke, which struggling to ascend, -were beaten back to earth again by the wind in a -foul heavy mist that spread itself out for miles -over the lava streams, both old and new, which lay -to eastward, clinging to the higher crags in dark, -ominous-looking masses, and obscuring large patches -of the more level plain. From its neighbour to the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_149" id="Page_149">[149]</a></span> -north a high column of stones, ashes, and dust -proclaimed the principal volcanic vent, and as we -gazed upon the scene, suddenly, with a roar, every -particle seemed on fire, while explosion after explosion -hurled the larger fragments to a height beyond -our view in the dense canopy of vapour which hung -over us, making the ground upon which we stood -and the rocks around us tremble. While the lava -sloped over the most northerly side, the large -column of fire sank, and only stones and cinders were -ejected. This column of <em>débris</em> I noticed continually -varied both in size and volume, sometimes clustering -like a large swarm of bees in the smoke, apparently -scarcely a hundred feet above the crater, while at -other times it shot up into a tall column with -explosive violence, the masses of scoriæ shrieking in -their passage through the air. This was followed -by a calm, and then again by a rending sound, as a -new crater opened on the north side of the mound, -which ejected a stream of white hot lava that tumbled -in a cascade of fiery froth upon the old lava stream -of the previous spring. At this point a dense smoke -and the sound of splitting rocks marked its progress -till it oozed in bright red viscous masses through the -interstices of the older lava, forming pools beyond the -limit of the elder stream, which glowed for a moment -only and then turned black. As we looked on these<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_150" id="Page_150">[150]</a></span> -wonderful changes of the face of nature, a dim -twilight supervened, although only six <span class="fs70">P.M.</span>, so we -stopped upon a patch of wild oats which grew profusely -upon many parts of these sands, and here we -left our horses to feed while we took our evening -meal upon a sand-bank commanding a full view of -the eruption, which was rather more than a mile -away. The scene was grand, but our horses did not -appear to be particularly frightened at the eruption, -for after standing some time looking at it, they -quietly went on grazing.</p> - -<p>On approaching the volcano as closely as the -heated lava would allow, I found it to consist of a -cluster of black mounds, describing together an -irregular cone, from the centre of which, and -probably towards the termination of the spring-eruption, -a large crater had been formed, apparently -little more than half-a-mile in circumference; -its northern wall had now evidently been -broken down, while from the centre rose the conical -walls of the crater then erupting. There was a -breach also in the north side, from which the lava -poured at intervals, while numerous cracks in the -walls of the cone caused the glow from the intense -burning within to shine through with such brilliancy -as to give the summit the appearance of being -wrapped in flames. As I intently examined this,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_151" id="Page_151">[151]</a></span> -two smaller craters became suddenly visible, one -in the north base of the erupting mound and -the other some little distance further north, in the -lava itself. Both these were burning with a brilliant -white light, and emitted a rending, crushing sound, -although erupting with little violence. From these -two craters the principal lava streams were advancing -with considerable rapidity, encircling from time -to time patches of ancient lava and sand which -formed the plain, and finally overwhelming them in -its fiery embrace. As night closed in, the heated -lava and the noxious gases arising from it prevented -me from getting nearer than within a few hundred -yards of the volcano, so I lit my pipe at the nearest -lava <i lang="fr" xml:lang="fr">coulée</i> and returned to camp. There again, -while sitting by my tent, upon a high bank of volcanic -sand, I gazed for a long time upon the mighty -fountains of volcanic fire, which in one continuous -stream assailed the sky with a glorious display of -natural pyrotechnics. All through the dark hours -of the night the volcano burned and roared, followed -by explosion after explosion, which shook the desolate -waste around to its very foundation. When -I rose at midnight to take another look at this -grand and terrible spectacle, it was still energetically -erupting with a grandeur the equal of which I may -never have another opportunity of witnessing; for -the grim sands and lava fields of the Mývatns Örœfí<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_152" id="Page_152">[152]</a></span> -were bathed in an unwonted light which reddened -the lurid sky and deepened the shadows amongst -the weird crags of lava, rendering them still more -unearthly in that fire-blasted wilderness in the -midst of which we were encamped. The wind still -blew freely from the north-west, from which quarter, -fortunately, it had been blowing all the evening, -so that I was enabled to reach a neck of land -almost encircled with lava within about two hundred -yards of the crater which was erupting. From -this coign <i lang="fr" xml:lang="fr">d’avantage</i> I was able to examine -minutely the progress of the eruption; but the heat -was very great even at this distance, while my field -glass shewed me that the fiery column seemed to -be made up of myriads of molten atoms. The whole -scene was, in fact, utterly indescribable, yet I could -not but reflect how meagre and insignificant was -even that glorious display in comparison with those -mighty fires which have been occasionally let loose -from such mountains as the Vatna and Skaptar -Jökulls, and how terrible! how utterly unapproachable -must have been their outburst! Yes, that -is the unsatisfactory part about them; when -they are in full working order there is no getting -near them, and at other times one can only -climb, shudder and freeze over their temporary -tombs.</p> - -<p>However, nothing daunted, at 6 <span class="fs70">A.M.</span> I started to<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_153" id="Page_153">[153]</a></span> -examine the line of smoking mounds which marked -the course of the great fissure or gjá (chasm). As -mentioned before, this fissure was formed in the -early spring, and re-opened on the 15th August, -1875, to give vent to the volcanic fires which have -rifted and contorted the surrounding plain. The -erupting mound had grown about 50 or 60 feet in -the night, but the eruption itself, as I saw it, was -evidently upon the wane. The next cluster of mounds -towards the south contained three craters, but the -largest was covered with whitish yellow sublimations, -probably sulphur and sal-ammoniac. This was tranquilly -steaming and had evidently not been disturbed -during the recent outburst; in fact, all along the -fissure there occurred mounds at intervals, and some -were smoking violently, while many other smaller -lateral cracks and fissures were likewise smoking, -but not to the same extent. These fissures, I noticed, -were entirely environed with hot lava, apparently -of recent production, and a depression in some -places of 50 feet in depth had sunk around them, -varying from two to about four miles in breadth, -while numerous deep chasms crevassed the adjacent -plain. They were mostly parallel to the principal -line of disturbance, and as they approached the -depression they increased in size and depth, while -those in close proximity to it ran into one another<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_154" id="Page_154">[154]</a></span> -where the ground was upheaved by a general chaotic -dislocation. The whole line of smoking fissures -appeared to me to have erupted lava both during the -spring and at the eruption in August; the fissures -terminated in a series of cracks, the edges of which -were in many places covered with sublimations of -sulphur and sal-ammoniac.</p> - -<p>Aided by a strong north-westerly wind, which -had fortunately been blowing throughout my visit -to this remarkable spot, and a strong pair of leather -boots, I succeeded at one point in traversing the still -hot lava, till I reached the principal fissure about -half-a-mile from its southern termination. In many -places I found it was four or five feet wide, in some -places choked with solid lava; and in others -gaping widely open, but at some points it was -spanned with cinders and lava, encrusted with -various sublimations, which showed that there had -been no recent outburst in that particular spot. In -some places, however, similar accumulations had been -scattered around by the recent disturbances, in fragments -so variously encrusted that at first sight I -was led to suppose the fissure had cast out great -quantities of party-coloured cinders; at all events, at -all points where the eruption had been particularly -violent circles of cinders and clinkers had formed -varying from one or two to many feet in height,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_155" id="Page_155">[155]</a></span> -bridging over the fissure and forming conical mounds -wherever the outburst had continued for any -lengthened period. This struck me as being rather -remarkable, as I should almost have expected to find -the clinkers, etc., piled up in banks upon each side of -the fissure, instead of assuming, as they did, such -regular shapes, often at right-angles with the fissures -producing them; but where the fissure was not blocked -up it steamed violently, emitting nauseous smells -and making hoarse choking sounds. Its depth I -could not ascertain, as the emanations which arose -from the lava I was standing upon compelled me -to beat a hasty retreat, and indeed they made me -feel dizzy for the remainder of the day. This gjá is -situated in the Mývatns Örœfí, in a line parallel with -Lake Mývatn, at the height of a little less than -1000 feet above sea level; its direction is N.N.E. to -S.S.W. The length of the fissure is about twelve -English miles, and from it has issued a lava stream -of about fourteen English miles in length and perhaps -three-and-a-half broad upon an average, though -it is much narrower at some points than at others, -especially towards its southern extremity. This -recent lava, both of the spring and autumn, had -flowed over the ancient lava and sand, rendering -so large a portion of the Mývatns Örœfí a useless -desert; while it had particularly overflowed an<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_156" id="Page_156">[156]</a></span> -ancient lava stream, produced by a vent in the west -portion of the Mývatns Örœfí, called Svínagjá. The -new lava appeared to differ from the old only in this -respect, viz., that the ancient lava contained olivine, -which the closest microscopic examination failed to -discover in the more recent production. I also found -that no pumice had been ejected from this fissure up -to last August; lava, stones, cinders and ashes only -having been thrown up. This spot may be regarded -as the northern centre of recent volcanic activity, -and the Öskjugjá as the southern, both occurring -in the same rectilinear bearing, N.N.E. and S.S.W., -and so coinciding with the great fissure which it -has been presumed bisects the island from N.E. -to S.W.</p> - -<p>Carefully taking the bearings of the neighbouring -mountains from the south end of the fissure, I made -two or three dashes over the hot lava to look into -the grim jaws of a chasm which had been erupting -with especial violence, where the various heights of -the conical mounds gauged the violence and the -extent of the eruption; but a very short distance -farther north the heated lava became too broad to -permit of such excursions with any degree of safety, -so I ascended some elevated ground to the west, in -order to obtain a bird’s-eye view of the seat of eruption.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_157" id="Page_157">[157]</a></span></p> - -<p>This fissure, as I have before said, extends through -a recently-formed depression, in the direction N.N.E. -to S.S.W., extending from about one mile north of -the road from Grímstaðir to Reikjahlíð to a point -bearing Jörundr 19° N., Búrfell 349° N.W. It had -erupted in seven places with great violence, and had -formed there conical hills, containing several craters. -After inspecting these, I turned my back upon the -line of steaming vents, having seen all that could -be seen, and I was well contented with my little -expedition. After a while we reached our horses by -a short cut over the ancient lava, which had flowed -partly from the Svínagjá and partly from the -Mývatn hills, then returning to Grœnavatn, and proceeded -thence to Stóruvellir the next day.</p> - -<p>We left Stóruvellir amid a heavy gale and were -accompanied by the farmer as far as Halldórstaðir -where the priest, who spoke a little English, would -not hear of our leaving without partaking of coffee, -chocolate, or schnapps. We took leave here of the -bóndi of Stóruvellir, who had treated us hospitably -and had charged very moderately.</p> - -<p>Leaving here we next made our way to Mýri, -where lived an old man whose father was the first -to cross the Sprengisandr, in 1810, as the south of -Iceland previously had been always reached by -crossing the Stórisandr. This old man was pleased<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_158" id="Page_158">[158]</a></span> -to see me, and gladly gave me an account of the -road, written by his father, to guide future travellers, -and my informant I found was eighty-three years of -age. Before leaving my new acquaintance I purchased -a spoon of him said to be fifty years old. -This was quite an ingenious novelty, for when -unscrewed it divided into fifteen different pieces; -I also bought a wooden roller which used to serve -the purpose of a mangle a few centuries back, and a -rude representation of the crucifixion in needlework -upon green wadmal (Icelandic homespun cloth), which -the old man told me had been worked by the nuns of -an Icelandic convent long, long ago,—he could not -say how long, but he knew that the banner was -“eld gamalt” (very old). He also informed me -that when he first went to Reykjavík for stock-fish -no ships came to the north of Iceland, and that in -Reykjavík coffee and sugar cost five marks (about -1<em>s.</em> 10½<em>d.</em>) per pound, while they could only obtain -fifteen skillings (3½<em>d.</em>) per pound for their wool. -The present price of these commodities, I may remark, -is—coffee, three marks (1<em>s.</em> 1½<em>d.</em>), sugar, thirty-two -to thirty-four skillings (6<em>d.</em> to 8<em>d.</em>) per pound—while -they are now able to sell their wool at 1<em>s.</em> 1½<em>d.</em> -per pound.</p> - -<p>I sent Paul and Olgi on with the baggage -while I, accompanied by the old man’s son, went a<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_159" id="Page_159">[159]</a></span> -little out of the way to visit the waterfall of Alderjufoss, -where the river Skjálfandifljót pours into -a rift in an ancient lava stream, about forty-five -feet deep. This sight is well worth going out of -the way to see, as it is a much finer fall than the -Godafoss.</p> - -<p>The most remarkable feature about these falls, -however, is the wall of rock over which they descend, -the bottom of the wall being composed of perpendicular -basaltic columns, overlaid by a compact basaltic lava -of a very crystalline nature, while the columns themselves -are of a compact stony basaltic lava, but in -neither of the specimens I broke off could I find a -single crystal. I am, however, inclined to think -that both lavas are of identical composition, and of -contemporaneous production.</p> - -<p>Having satisfied my curiosity here I left the -Alderjufoss behind, and rode quickly after Paul -and Olgi, overtaking them not far from the lake of -Ísholtsvatn, from whence a short ride brought us to -the farm of Ísholt, which was inhabited by a bachelor -brother and his three sisters. Here we enjoyed a -good supper of char and potatoes (for the latter were -now of an edible size), and a good night’s rest, preparatory -to our journey across the Sprengisandr.</p> - -<p>Although there are no fish in the Skjálfandifljót, -there are plenty in Ísholtsvatn and the Fiskiá, which<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_160" id="Page_160">[160]</a></span> -flows out of it into the Skjálfandifljót. I suppose -this is on account of the turbid nature of the water -in the latter, which is purely a glacial stream.</p> - -<p>After resting a while here I left Ísholt in company -with the farmer, and commenced our journey southwards, -there being at the time a severe storm of -wind from the N.W., bearing with it clouds of sand. -On our way we paid a visit to the brother of the -old man of Mýri, from whom I obtained some more -curiosities in the shape of ancient spoons, one of -which, like the other, could be separated into fifteen -different pieces, and an old Prayer-book, printed at -Hólar in 1742. This man lived at the farm of Mjófidalr -(narrow valley) and had the reputation of being -a good herb doctor. I found him pleased to see us, -and before we left he treated us to a compound of -schnapps and angelica root which was very refreshing. -A fierce gale was blowing at the time from -the S.W., and the sand was intolerable, even penetrating -through the gauze of our snow spectacles, and -almost blinding us; while at times the sand storm -was so heavy that we were unable to see one another -even when within touching distance. Our poor -horses felt it very much, the eyes of some being -completely closed up, so that when we reached to -the grass hills to the north of Kiðagil, we were -compelled to halt and bathe their eyes with water.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_161" id="Page_161">[161]</a></span> -As the road here lay over a series of stony hills, -grown over in many places with moss and scanty -grass, the dust became less troublesome, and therefore -we were glad to alight in the evening at the -song-famed Kiðagil (goats’ valley). The last grass -to be found upon the north side of the Sprengisandr -is in this valley, and it takes several -hours’ hard riding before the next grass is -reached.</p> - -<p>This valley is fertilized by the river Kiðagilsá -which runs through it, and empties itself into the -Skjálfandifljót at this spot. The weather cleared -beautifully in the evening, so I climbed to the -summit of Kiðagilshnukur, which commands an -extensive view towards the snowy heights of Arnarfells, -the Tungufells, and the white slopes of the -Vatna Jökull, with their black cones and buttresses -protruding through the snow. To the N.E. stretched -the country to the north of the Vatna Jökull, with -the well-remembered mountains which I had traversed -with so much interest, and the desert plains -over which I had trudged for many a weary hour, -sore-footed and tired. The wind had sunk to rest -with the sun, and the serrated outline of the Dyngjufjöll -grew darker and darker, beneath the heavy -canopy of smoke which still hovered over them, -while the neighbouring mountains grew more indistinct<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_162" id="Page_162">[162]</a></span> -and shadowy as the light faded from -the west.</p> - -<p>My tent had been pitched in the valley below, -the autumn nights had now commenced, and the -fitful gleam of the aurora told me my summer -work was almost ended. On looking around upon -those old familiar scenes—it might be for the last -time—my emotion was so great that my tongue, -in its endeavours to give audible expression to the -sentiments that filled my breast, exclaimed with all -the enthusiasm my nature was capable of, “Farewell, -farewell, dear old Northernland! I came to your -rugged and barren shores an enthusiastic traveller, -anxious and resolved to seek out the wonderful -things hidden in your frozen casket; and having -enjoyed your simple and honest hospitalities and -gratified my ambitious curiosity, I must now bid you -adieu, bearing with me an affectionate remembrance -of your craters and geysers, your mountains of eternal -snow, and, above all, of the kind and faithful services -rendered me by your hardy and generous sons and -daughters.”</p> - -<p>Having relieved my emotion by this crude expression -of my feelings, I took one more fond look -and then turned in to rest for the night, feeling -amid my regret at leaving old Iceland, something -akin to an inward pride, to think that although so<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_163" id="Page_163">[163]</a></span> -humble a member of the Alpine Club, I had been -enabled to accomplish so much, and that, too, notwithstanding -the doubts of my friends, and the -opinion of Mr. Forbes, who seems to have formed -very erroneous notions as to the Vatna Jökull, or of -the determination and endurance a member of the -Alpine Club is capable of if once he sets his mind -upon exploring a mountain.</p> - -<p>To return to my narrative. Soon after day-break -my men and I were again astir and in our saddles; -but I was sorry to perceive that the weather had -changed for the worst, which was a serious thing for -us, seeing that we had a long, bad road before us, as -well as a tiring journey to perform under various difficulties, -enough to daunt the sturdiest of us. To add -to our misery the clouds above were black as ravens’ -wings, and a fierce wind blew in such piercing gushes -that we could scarcely stand against them, as they -came bursting on straight into our very teeth. As -I shuddered beneath the blast, I consoled myself -with the thought that such a parting with Iceland -was, after all, quite characteristic; and soon one -poetic notion after another took such possession of -me that by the time I had got thoroughly awake I -began to find myself growing quite warm with excitement, -and of course less sensible to the real -severities of the storm. True to his kindly nature,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_164" id="Page_164">[164]</a></span> -and well sustaining the character of his countrymen, -my old friend the bóndi of Ísholt resolved to see me -part of the way on my journey; and although unwilling -to trouble him, I must certainly acknowledge -the extreme pleasure this trifling act of courtesy and -kindness afforded me. And when at last the hour -arrived for us to separate, we shook each other -heartily by the hand, and cheered ourselves in a -parting cup which drained the last of my schnapps. -“God speed” having been expressed on both sides, -I resolutely turned my back upon the fascination -of the distant mountains, and faced the driving -storm of wind and sand to thread my way southward.</p> - -<p>Our route at first lay over a series of low terraced -hills, and presently a wet tedious ride brought us -to a cluster of small stone cairns, round which -were collected a number of horses’ bones, not a -very cheering sight to our own animals, and they -seemed rather shy of the ghastly remains of their -ill-fated brethren.</p> - -<p>While looking on this sad sight, Paul told me it -was often the custom to write a verse, and leave it in -a bone upon such a mound as this for the next traveller, -and, accordingly, I wished to do so too, but -could not find one suitable, and so we felt ourselves -relieved from the responsibility of keeping up the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_165" id="Page_165">[165]</a></span> -“old custom.” It would have been all the same, -however, if we had desired to do so, for the cheerless -prospect of fog and rain, with the apparently boundless -Sprengisandr around us, varied only by an occasional -glimpse of some snowy Jökull, would have -been sufficient to freeze the most gushing of poetical -ideas.</p> - -<p>Wishing to quit this spot without delay, we determined -upon taking the route known as the Arnarfells-vegr -upon the west bank of the Thjórsá rather than -follow the track upon the east, as by doing so we -should be able to cross the numerous smaller rivers -whose confluent waters form the Thjórsá, one by -one, instead of having to wait perhaps a day or so, -until the waters of the Thjórsá should be sufficiently -low to enable us to ford them.</p> - -<p>In the course of our journey we passed between -Arnarfells Jökull and Tungufells Jökull, and thence -bearing to the west, we got as close to the former as -possible in order that we might cross these smaller -arms at their source. Some of these arms, I imagine, -must be very difficult in warm weather, for even -upon this cold and stormy day they were in many -places over our horses’ girths.</p> - -<p>Arnarfell, upon the N.E., rises from a band of -glaciers, from which steep slopes of snow sweep up -to the black peaks of Arnarfell-hið-Mikla which<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_166" id="Page_166">[166]</a></span> -must be of considerable altitude, a little more than -a Danish mile away from the termination of the -glacier. The nature of the ground we were traversing -precluded the possibility of quick riding, -hence it took us five hours more to reach Arnarfell-hið-Mikla, -which was to be our destination for the night. -This elevation is a cluster of eminences formed of -agglomerate, which has been weathered into peaks -of considerable height, and these are traversed by -several dykes and intruded masses of basaltic lava. -Here we found a good patch of grass and angelica, -extending along the sides of Arnarfell-hið-Mikla, as -well as along the banks of the river washing its -eastern base.</p> - -<p>Our arrival at this part disturbed a bevy of swans, -which at this season of the year (August) lose the -feathers of their wings, of course preventing their -flight. Taking advantage of this, chase was immediately -given, and four of their number very soon -captured.</p> - -<p>I am glad to say the next morning showed us a -more cheery prospect, for a stiff breeze blew from -the N.W., and although the clouds hung upon the -mountains, the sun occasionally broke through, -encouraging us to put some of our wet things out -to dry. While this was being done I ascended the -Arnarfell-hið-Mikla, and was well repaid for my<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_167" id="Page_167">[167]</a></span> -trouble, for the clouds were lifting from the adjacent -mountains, which gave me a peep at the Vatna -Jökull, as well as the more western hills, over the -broad plain lying between it and the Arnarfells -Jökull. The Sprengisandr is here cut up by a network -of rivers and streams, which upon our side of -the Sprengisandr all flowed into the Thjórsá. We -now pursued our way with a bright sun shining -upon us; the ground was in most places covered -with swampy moss, which was much better travelling -than the stones of the preceding day. Many -streams with quicksands had to be crossed, whose -waters were all the deeper for the fine weather we -were enjoying. Turning thence directly southwards -we struck the main stream of the Thjórsá. Travellers -to the south who take the eastern route -generally cross this stream at this point, but they -are sometimes detained for days in consequence of -freshets, which may occur at any season of the year; -therefore the west side of the Thjórsá, though a little -longer, is found to be much the surer road. Here -we saw a number of sheep grazing upon the opposite -bank, belonging to farmers in the south; and as -may be well imagined, we hailed their appearance -as the first sign of the “Suðurland” we were -approaching.</p> - -<p>After a short enjoyable halt here, we continued our<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_168" id="Page_168">[168]</a></span> -journey to a point between the rivers Kisá and -Miklilœkr, where we encamped. On continuing our -journey, an uninteresting ride over an undulating -and gradually descending moor, which in fine weather -commands a good <ins class="corr" title="Transcriber's Note—Original text: 'view of Hecla'">view of Hekla</ins>, brought us to an -ancient lava stream which had flowed from the -Rauðu Kambar, an old volcano lying to the west of -the road, and here again we found ourselves amongst -lava, pumice and black sand.</p> - -<p>I will not weary my readers any longer by continuing -a description of the monotonous dreary -scenery met with at this stage of my journey, and -in fact as I trudged along dreamily, recalling to -mind the many incidents that had crowded themselves -upon me since I had been on the island, my -eyes had been as it were blind to the surroundings -to such an extent that more than once I was only -recalled to them by the stumbling of my faithful -horse, the rolling of a boulder, or an extra fierce gust -of blinding wind; and then, once more reminded of -the fact that I was still a traveller, I gazed around -like a wanderer amongst the sepulchres of a past -race, awe-struck with the lifeless condition of the -place, while my mind wandered back from the -silent scene to the one or two living giants -(Öskjugjá, &c.) that still existed, lonely examples -of the activity and power of an age so far removed<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_169" id="Page_169">[169]</a></span> -from the world’s history as to be lost in -antiquity, and yet still so vigorous as to fulfil the -important and wonderful mission of connecting -the present with the most primitive ages of the -world.</p> - -<p>Well, after trudging along several miles in this -dreamy mood we at last arrived at the Skriðufell -farm, but here, I regret to say, we found no welcome, -for the farmer was a noted churl, and instead of offering -us the same generous hospitality as all others had, -he positively refused the smallest assistance, even -going so far as to object to let us put our horses -under the old roof of an outhouse. My companions -pleaded in his behalf that he could not help it, as he -had had the misfortune to be crossed in love! -which I was very sorry to hear, and sincerely trust -no similar calamity might happen to spoil the other -inhabitants.</p> - -<p>However, being compelled to push on again by -this unpleasant contretemps, we made as much haste -as we could, and were soon pleased to find ourselves in -front of a poor little homestead, where we were glad -to find a generous welcome, plenty of good milk and -other necessaries, of which we availed ourselves, being -made truly welcome. After this brief halt we again -pushed on to the Hagafell along the banks of the -Hagafjall, with Hekla full in sight, its summit being,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_170" id="Page_170">[170]</a></span> -as usual, enveloped in clouds. Here we obtained -a good night’s rest, and wishing to obtain some -specimens from the Great Geysir, I decided to -reach Reykjavík <em>viâ</em> Geysir and Thingvellir, although -it was the longest route, and accordingly -in the morning we made our way towards Hruni, -upon the banks of the Kálfá. I next turned -a little out of my way to examine a white -buttress of rock protruding from a grassy hill upon -our right hand. This proved to be a ridge of intruded -trachytic lava, extending a considerable -distance; I mention this as it was the only instance -of purely trachytic lava which I had met with, -excepting in a pumiceous form. Here we were -most cordially and hospitably received by the priest -of Hruni, who would not allow us to depart without -bringing out a bottle of his best port wine, and -hearing an account of our experience. It was late -in the night before we arrived at Great Geysir. -One of the principal objects of my visit to this part -was to seek a box of minerals I had entrusted to -the care of the farmer of Haukadalr to take to -Reykjavík in the previous year, but which had -never come to hand, though he protested that he -had delivered them according to my directions, -however, I set about collecting fresh specimens, -which was no very serious trouble.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_171" id="Page_171">[171]</a></span></p> - -<p>Great Geysir did not favour us with an eruption, -as we had wished, so we stirred up Stroker with the -usual meal of turf, which caused it to spout, but -scarcely to the same height as when I witnessed its -performance in 1874. In the evening we left for -Thingvellir, but as we did not arrive there till one <span class="fs70">A.M.</span> -we did not awake our friend the priest, who, on rising, -found us lying asleep, with the tent covered over -us, upon the grass just outside his door. This good -gentleman upbraided us for not waking him up, -brought out everything of his best, and gave us a -hearty breakfast, for we were old friends. Five -hours’ hard riding later on brought us to Reykjavík, -where I again put up at the house of friend Oddr -Gíslasson, who had two Scotch ladies staying with -him. These I found to be Miss Oswald and Miss -Menzies, who had been making a prolonged tour in -the island—a plucky undertaking, which perhaps -may encourage other ladies to seek health and -amusement amongst the wild rocks of salubrious -Iceland, undeterred by the fear of having no other -escort than an Icelander.</p> - -<p>Upon the arrival of the Post ship, I was amused -to receive an extract from the “Evening Echo” of -August giving a most deplorable account of my health -and personal appearance after crossing the Vatna -Jökull. Though it amused us all at Reykjavík, I felt<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_172" id="Page_172">[172]</a></span> -sorry to think of the unnecessary distress and anxiety -it might cause to my friends at home. If such were -the motive of the writer, it may gratify him to learn -that he succeeded admirably. However, any one of -the Sulphur Company would at once have pronounced -the statement to be false.</p> - -<p>I rejoiced in the possession of two pairs of Alpine -boots, but I preferred wearing Icelandic mocassins, -they being easier to walk in. I had also two coats, -but always preferred wearing a tight knitted jersey -and waistcoat, which were much more convenient -for movement, while I generally prefer a knitted -cap instead of a hat, for a cap draws down about the -ears and keep them warm, and is less at the mercy of -sudden gusts of wind. It seemed curious how such -a worthless little piece of pure imagination could -gain access to London newspapers. The simple -facts are, I sent a carefully written letter, giving a -succinct account of my journey across the Vatna -Jökull and my visit to Öskjugjá, the effects of which -volcano were creating much discussion in England -at the time. This letter Capt. Burton kindly forwarded -for me to the “Times,” and it was set up in -type (as the proof came into my hand on my return), -but for some reason or another, best known to the -editor, it subsided into the waste paper basket, -while a more lengthy letter I afterwards wrote to the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_173" id="Page_173">[173]</a></span> -same journal, giving an account of the eruption in -the Mývatns Örœfí, appeared in full. There are -anomalies in the civilized world which confound one -even more than the idiosyncracies of nature.</p> - -<p>With the Post ship came several tourists who -were bent on making a few days’ excursion in the -island. We therefore made up a party, including -Miss Oswald, Miss Menzies, Mr. Young, of Edinburgh, -and myself, to pay a visit with Oddr -Gíslasson to some solfataras belonging to him at -Cape Reykjanes, and a very pleasant trip it was, -though the way was extremely monotonous, being -as usual over a series of lava streams flowing from -the Krísuvík mountains. The part of the S.W. -peninsular we were traversing was called the Vatns-leysuströnd, -or waterless strand; here there is no -fresh water to be obtained except upon the beach -where the lava streams terminate. These can often -only be reached at low water, and then, as may -be imagined, the water is brackish. Two days’ -journeying brought us to Kirkjuvogr, where Oddr -Gíslasson’s mother and brothers-in-law lived. It is one -of the best homesteads in the south, besides having -about the largest piece of grass land on this peninsular. -It is also a fishing station of some importance, lying -as it does upon the south bank of a little boot-shaped -creek named Oscar. We were very kindly received,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_174" id="Page_174">[174]</a></span> -and the next day rode on to the solfataras of Reykjanes -at the extremity of the peninsular. The day -was miserable, and we were unable to get a satisfactory -view. These solfataras, however, are remarkable, -as the acid and heated vapours have here, as in other -places, formed extensive pools of calcareo-siliceous -mud, hardened in some instances into almost a semi-opal, -coloured and streaked with blood-red stains -from the ferruginous nature of the rocks which have -been decomposed, but the sublimations of sulphur -were very insignificant.</p> - -<p>The most remarkable feature of the locality -occurred where the lava was not much decomposed -by the erosive action of the vapours, and upon -splitting such masses of the partially decomposed -rock, scarlet vapours could be seen issuing from -crevices beneath, coating any surface that was partially -exposed to the air with a film of iron pyrites. -Further up the side of the old volcano, at the base of -which these curiosities are to be found, are pools -and pits of blue, red, and green boiling clay. While -in this locality the rain continued and the fog -became more dense, and as it would have been anything -but pleasant to be caught in a thick fog amongst -the lava and solfataras of Reykjanes, we curtailed -our visit, and returned with all speed to Kirkjuvogr.</p> - -<p>The next day, wishing to avoid the tedious road<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_175" id="Page_175">[175]</a></span> -over the lava by which we came, we rode to Njarðvík, -where we hired a sailing boat, and returned -by sea to Reykjavík. Here I found that Captain -Cockle and Mr. Slimond had returned by the Post-ship -with the welcome intelligence that the steamer -“Queen” would arrive in about a week, and sail -almost as soon as the old tub “Diana.” This was -indeed good news to us all, for we had determined to -return by a small sailing ship belonging to a horse-trader, -Mr. Ascham, rather than subject ourselves to -the floating purgatory of the Diana.</p> - -<p>In due time the “Queen” arrived, and I bade -Iceland and Icelandic friends farewell, feeling satisfied -with my summer’s work, and consoling myself -with the thought that I had accomplished the little -piece of “utter folly” I had thrice undertaken. I -resignedly committed myself to the evils of sea-sickness, -from which I had scarcely recovered when -we arrived at Edinburgh, two days before the Diana, -which had sailed from Reykjavík a day before the -Queen. Here I accepted the hospitality of Mr. -Slimond, of Leith, and greatly enjoyed British fare -and a relapse into civilization.</p> - -<p>“Ah!” my reader may say with a smile, “after all -the toil and trouble undertaken the wonders seen -could not have been worth the toil and privation.” -My readers, like myself, must by this time have<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_176" id="Page_176">[176]</a></span> -grown somewhat weary of the eternal repetition of -lava, pumice, &c., &c., and therefore we will mutually -congratulate ourselves upon being able to vary the -subject with reference to scenes and subjects more -lively and civilized; but I must most respectfully -demur to that conclusion, for if the general aspect -of nature throughout Iceland be dreary and wild, -there is also plenty to reward a man of scientific and -athletic inclinations. Indeed the same tiresome -pumice and lava and sand, when placed beneath the -power of the microscope, is found to possess such -wonders and exquisite beauty of form, that the -beholder is struck with admiration and astonishment -to find so much perfection treasured up in such rough -settings, giving material for many an hour of patient -study and enjoyment which has alone fully compensated -for the hardships of the journey across the -Vatna Jökull.</p> - -<p class="p4" /> - - - <div class="chapter"></div> - -<hr class="chap" /> -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_177" id="Page_177">[177]</a></span></p> -<p class="p4" /> - -<h2 class="no-brk fs150 lsp2">APPENDIX.</h2> - -<hr class="r20" /> - -<p class="noindent">It may now be as well to take a retrospective view -of Iceland to determine the opinion we have formed -of the Icelanders themselves, and sum up the leading -physical features and characteristics of the country. -Iceland, apart from its historical and literary fame, -which it is not our purpose to consider, is of especial -interest to the geologist and the physical geographer. -It lies almost at the northern extremity -of the great volcanic line which skirts the extreme -west of the Old World, extending from the island of -Jan-Mayen in the Arctic Ocean, through Iceland, -the Faroe Isles, Great Britain, the Madeiras, the -Azores, the Canaries, along the west coast of Africa, -right away down to the Antarctic island of Tristan -d’Acunha; and its equal as a centre of volcanic -activity can alone be found amongst the islands of -the Pacific Ocean. The peculiar manner in which -we here find ice and snow mixed up with the igneous -productions of its volcanoes imparts a grim beauty -to its scenery, that I can well imagine we might -travel the whole world over without seeing surpassed. -A very short sojourn amongst the weird rocks of<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_178" id="Page_178">[178]</a></span> -Iceland arouses that latent superstition which will -lurk in the minds of even the most materialistic, and -while we laugh at the mythological credulity of the -ancient Icelanders, we cannot help acknowledging -that a more fitting place to create an implicit belief -in wraiths and demons could not possibly be found, -all the way from the elf and pixy dancing amongst -the timid flowers, whose bright eyes peep from -sheltered rocks in ancient lava streams, to the hobgoblin -and the ghoul, moaning and shrieking and -performing their nameless deeds upon blasted peaks -and barren mountain-tops, where fire strives with -frost.</p> - -<p>This remarkable little island was colonized 1002 -years ago by Norwegians, though its earliest settlement -is involved in some obscurity. It afterwards -became subject to Denmark, until the year before -last, when it received its legislative freedom. The -Icelanders are upon the whole a harmless, struggling -race, and like most other nations that have been -unable to draw upon the arteries of other countries -for renewed vitality, are encumbered with that contentment -which, however conducive it may be to -domestic ease, is fatal to advancement. The last -twelve months, however, have introduced the element -of enterprise which before was only conspicuous by -its absence. This may result from their newly-acquired<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_179" id="Page_179">[179]</a></span> -liberties or the reflective influence of emigration; -at any rate it augurs well for Iceland, -whose emigrants have already shown that the Icelander -contains a good deal of the right sort of stuff -in his composition, and the determined pluck of -those who accompanied me across the Vatna Jökull -shows us that the spirit of their Viking forefathers, -who visited both Greenland and America long before -the birth of Columbus, is not yet extinct. Pre-eminently -perhaps in the Icelanders’ character stands -love for his country. It is a remarkable fact that -the more barren and unfruitful a country is, the -stronger seems to be the attachment and love of the -sons of its soil. This trait appears very strongly in -the Icelanders’ national song, the first stanza of -which runs thus—</p> - -<div class="poetry-container"><div class="poetry"> -<p class="verseq">“World old Iceland, beloved fosterland,</p> -<p class="verse0">As long as the ocean girds our shores,</p> -<p class="verse0">As long as lovers for their sweethearts sigh,</p> -<p class="verse0">As long as the sun shines upon our mountains,</p> -<p class="verse0">Thy sons shall love thee.”</p> -</div></div> - -<p>There is great room for improvement in the home -industries of the country, especially in the art of -cheese-making, for the milk is rich and excellent, -and there is no reason why cheese should not be -produced in Iceland that would find a ready sale in -European markets. The Icelandic wool, which is<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_180" id="Page_180">[180]</a></span> -unsurpassed, might be likewise worked at home -during the winter to a much better advantage; for -many choice woollen productions which would command -a high price have long ceased to be manufactured. -There is also room for improvement in the -breeding of stock, and much valuable grass-land -might be reclaimed by proper drainage.</p> - -<p>The climate of Iceland is very uncertain, but it is -much milder than might be expected from its -latitude. This is doubtless owing to its insular position, -and the influence of the Gulf Stream, one arm -of which touches its southern shore. The summer -begins in June and ends in September, and during -those months the climate is very similar to that of -the north of Scotland. The rainfall, especially in -the south of Iceland, is very great during the -summer, but thunderstorms seldom occur except in -the winter. Upon the mountains the climate is still -more variable, and I have sometimes experienced a -variation of sixty degrees between day and night -upon the snows of the Vatna Jökull, at the height of -some 4,000 feet above sea level. But few vegetables -can now be grown in Iceland—a modicum of potatoes, -turnips, radishes, and cabbages alone eking out a -struggling existence against an adverse climate, and -seldom attaining to what we should consider maturity. -The trees of Iceland are mere bushes of birch, willow,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_181" id="Page_181">[181]</a></span> -and a little ash, and even these are but rarely met -with. The chief exports of the country are fish, oil, -tallow, wool, horses, sheep, and Iceland spar, but it -is to be hoped (now the sulphur mines in the north -of Iceland are about to be worked) that in the -course of a year sulphur may be added to these. The -imports are some of the luxuries and a good many -of the necessaries of life. So much for Iceland -itself; we will pass by its history, people, exports or -imports, and forthwith consider its physical characteristics; -these may be defined as the volcanoes of -Iceland and their products, the hot springs, the -Jökulls, or ice mountains, and their effects upon the -climate. Iceland contains no less than twenty-two -mountains that have been witnessed in active eruption -during historical times. The best known volcano is -Hekla. This remarkable mountain rises directly from -a plain that has been devastated by its repeated eruptions. -As the mountain is approached from the north-west -its form appears to be that of an oblong cone; -it is about twenty miles in circumference, and 5,000 -feet in height; it is capped by three smaller cones, -the product of recent eruptions. Its craters are -all upon the west and south-west sides, and most of -its lava streams have flowed in that direction.</p> - -<p>The next best known of the Icelandic volcanoes is -perhaps Kötlugiá, which has erupted no less than<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_182" id="Page_182">[182]</a></span> -fifteen times since the year 900. It now presents -nothing but a deep valley filled with snow, cutting -into the very heart of Myrdals Jökull; it is one of -the largest examples of breached craters in the -world. The principal phenomena attending eruptions -of this volcano are stupendous floods of heated -water and the prodigious quantities of sand ejected. -It has, I believe, never been known to produce lava, -but upon the base of the mountain I found numerous -ancient lava streams, proving that at one time -Kötlugiá was no exception to its neighbouring -volcanoes. The floods from Kötlugiá during eruptions -have often submerged a district of 280 square -miles, continuing sometimes for days, in spite of the -rapid outflow to the sea. These floods are produced -not only by the melting of the snow at the time of -eruption, but in all probability by the bursting of -large cavities in and beneath the mountain, in which -water might have been for years accumulating. -This aqueous phenomenon is, however, by no means -peculiar to Kötlugiá, although it occurs on the -largest scale, for during the 13th and 14th centuries -all the volcanoes in the south of Iceland erupted -water. The most extensive eruption that ever -occurred in Europe during historic times proceeded -from the south-west portion of the Vatna, named -the Skaptar Jökull. This volcano has only been<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_183" id="Page_183">[183]</a></span> -known to have erupted upon that occasion, viz., <span class="fs70">A.D.</span> -1783, when it produced two of the most extensive -lava streams in Europe. The highest volcano in -Iceland is Örœfa Jökull, which reaches the height -of 5927 feet.</p> - -<p>The volcanoes which erupted so violently in the -spring of 1875, and one of which wrought such -damage in the north of Iceland, are—the Öskjugjá -(or the chasm of the oval casket), situated in the -Dyngjufjöll mountains upon the north of the Vatna, -and a chasm some twelve miles in length, which -opened in the Mývatns Örœfí (or sandy desert -of Mývatns), but as these have already been -described at some length I need only casually mention -them.</p> - -<p>Having briefly enumerated the more important -volcanoes of Iceland, we will now consider their -products. First there are the agglomerates, which -form such an important feature in the geology of -Iceland, formed either directly by debacles at periods -of eruption, or indirectly by streams and atmospheric -influences. Secondly we come to the lavas; these -occur either as stony streams that have flowed from -the volcanoes, or as pumice which has been hurled -high into the air and fallen in a destructive shower -of vesicular cinders. Another class of lavas we -must likewise mention, namely, the glassy, but we<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_184" id="Page_184">[184]</a></span> -must for the present confine ourselves more particularly -to the physical geology of Iceland, leaving -the character of the Icelandic rocks for other consideration. -Of the stony streams of lava we have -two very good examples; first, the huge lava streams -which flowed from Skaptar Jökull in 1783, being -50 miles long and 15 wide; and the other 40 miles -in length and seven broad, being in some places 500 -feet in depth. It has been computed that the entire -mass exceeds in bulk that of Mont Blanc. This lava -is basaltic and highly ferruginous, and impregnates -very strongly the waters of the river Eldvatn, which -flows through it. The second example is the lava -stream which has flowed into the far-famed valley -of Thingvellir, wherein the Althing, or Parliament, -of Iceland used to hold their meetings, and the -wonderful rifts of the Almanna-gjá and the Raven’s-gjá -occur. At some remote period of the geological -history of Iceland a large river of lava flowed from -Mount Skjaldbreið, which is about thirty miles distant, -into the valley of Thingvellir; a crust, of course, -soon formed on the surface, and upon the cessation -of the eruption, the still liquid lava at the bottom of -the stream continued to flow into the deeper parts -of the lake which occupies the south-east end of the -valley of Thingvellir, leaving the unsupported crust, -which was now of great thickness, to sink down to<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_185" id="Page_185">[185]</a></span> -the present level of the valley, occasioning lateral -rifts upon either side of the stream, viz., the Almanna-gjá -on one side, and the Raven’s rift upon the other. -The valley of Thingvellir is likewise traversed by -many smaller fissures and crevasses, which in many -instances enclose and <ins class="corr" title="Transcriber's Note—Original text: 'almost insoculate'">almost inosculate</ins> large masses -of lava; the Lögberg, or “hill of laws,” is such -an island of rock, and is rendered inaccessible, except -at one point, by deep yawning crevasses. It was on -account of these natural fortifications that it was -chosen as a forum for the ancient court of Althing, -which assembled there once a year. Such are the -monuments of Iceland, which take the place of the -ruined castles and abbeys of other countries, simply -the rude rocks of nature ennobled by brave deeds of -history or some touching romance of love.</p> - -<p>We now come to the hot springs of Iceland. The -chief of these, <i lang="fr" xml:lang="fr">par excellence</i>, is, of course, the Great -Geysir; it has been so often described and re-described -that it scarcely needs a remark from me. -Professor Forbes calculated its age, from the thickness -of the siliceous sinter which surrounds its basin, -at 1000 years. The Great Geysir is surrounded by -numerous other springs of all temperatures and sizes, -whose deposits differ according to the character of -the rocks through which they pass. There are -numerous hot springs scattered about in various<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_186" id="Page_186">[186]</a></span> -parts of Iceland, some of which owe their existence to -earthquakes, which instantaneously called them into -being—in 1339 a hot spring sixty feet in diameter -suddenly opened at Mosfell—and during the earthquakes -which preceded the great eruption of Skaptar -Jökull in 1783, no less than thirty-five new hot -springs made their appearance. We may not dwell -longer upon these interesting phenomena, but we -will turn our attention to the huge ice mountains -or Jökulls of Iceland, which constitute such an -important feature in the physical geography of the -country. The principle ones are the Vatna, Arnarfells, -Hofs, Lang, Myrdals, Godalands, Eyjafjalla, -Dránga, and Glámu Jökulls. Of these remarkable -features in the physical geography of Iceland we -could not find a better example than the Vatna -Jökull, which has formed the principal subject of -this little book: until recently it was almost a <i lang="la" xml:lang="la">terra -incognita</i>, and until this year had resisted all attempts -to cross it.</p> - -<p>The Vatna Jökull is a vast accumulation of -volcanoes, ice, and snow, comprising an area of over -3000 square miles. It is for the most part surrounded -by a wilderness, formed by the destructive -outbursts of its volcanoes, and the constant drifting -of the glacial torrents which flow from its melting -snows. The Vatna Jökull and its immediate surroundings<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_187" id="Page_187">[187]</a></span> -constitute the most lofty portions of -Iceland, and I believe the oldest, for we find lava -streams which have flowed from its volcanoes in a -state of ruin and decay unequalled in any other part -of the country; and, again, we find it bounded upon -the south by sea cliffs that were washed by pre-historic -oceans when many other parts of the island -must necessarily have been under water, unless very -serious depressions have taken place since the waters -which washed the south outlying hills of the Vatna -receded to their present limit. The Vatna Jökull -comprises by far the most important mountain -section in Iceland, and a far greater area is covered by -its snows than could be occupied by the sum of all the -remaining snow-clad mountains in Iceland. As may -be supposed, perhaps half the river water of Iceland -flows either directly or indirectly from the Vatna -Jökull, either issuing in torrents from the extremity -of its glaciers, or, after filtering for long distances -through the loose and cavernous ground, appearing -as land springs at a lower elevation. The rocks of -the Vatna, as far as I have had an opportunity of -judging, are purely and simply the product of this -very remarkable cluster of volcanoes, which have piled -up layer after layer of ash, sand, and agglomerate, -until a mountain heap was formed of such a height that -it allowed snow and ice to accumulate upon it to such<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_188" id="Page_188">[188]</a></span> -an extent as to render the summer’s warmth quite -inadequate to remove it. This vast snow pile then -grew of its own accord, and glaciers commenced to -creep down the sides of the barren mountains upon -which it rested. Volcanoes continued to erupt, but -the effect of their fires upon the accumulating -snow must have been purely local and limited in -the extreme; for volcanic productions are the worst -possible conductors of heat, and I should imagine -that a lava stream, unless it be of gigantic proportions, -conducts itself beneath the profound -snows of the Vatna much as a lava stream would -beneath the sea, without producing any very violent -commotion. Thus this vast mountain mass was -accumulated, growing with each succeeding winter -and each eruption. The Vatna Jökull rises by a very -gradual slope upon the south, and it is not until -more than thirty miles of snow fields have been -traversed that the highest part of the Vatna, viz., -6,150 feet, can be reached from that direction. I -have at present omitted any mention of the snow -line in Iceland; this is on account of its variable -nature, incidental to local causes. Thus upon the -Vatna we have the snow line much lower upon its -southern than northern slopes, the cause of which we -will consider presently. Of late years the volcanic -forces of Iceland appear to have retreated to the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_189" id="Page_189">[189]</a></span> -Vatna Jökull and its immediate neighbourhood, and -volcanic eruptions have been witnessed in force in -several directions. The Kverkfjall we found to be -smoking and Öskjugjá can only be regarded as a -lateral crater of the Vatna, and, I doubt not, had we -been favoured with better weather, we should have -found many other eruptive vents; but so rapid is the -accumulation of snow upon the Vatna, and so bad a -conductor of heat are all volcanic eruptions, that -the traces of them are very soon obliterated. As -may be supposed, such a prodigious accumulation -of ice and snow as the Vatna Jökull produces a very -sensible and marked effect upon the climate of certain -parts of Iceland. It has this effect—it deluges -the country to the south of it with rain, and gives -to those districts which lie to the north of it a happier -climate than they would otherwise possess. The -snowy heights of the Vatna attract to themselves -the aqueous vapours which travel northwards from -more southern latitudes, depositing them upon their -broad shoulders in the form of snow and hail, and refrigerating -and drying the vapours which travel -across their snows, thus rendering the south wind a -wet one in the country to the south of the Vatna and -the north wind a dry one, whilst in those districts -which lie to the north of it the reverse is the case. -And since by far the greater part of the aqueous<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_190" id="Page_190">[190]</a></span> -vapours which reach Iceland are borne thither from -the more readily evaporating waters of southern -oceans by that bugbear to travellers in the south of -Iceland, the southerly wind, we see at once why -the snow line is lower upon the south than the north -of the Vatna Jökull. When we inspect the glaciers -which fringe the south of the Vatna Jökull, we find -they have decidedly advanced; indeed, at one point -so much so as to almost destroy communication along -that part of the south shore. Upon the north we -find that a huge tongue of glacier has flowed down -full ten or twelve miles beyond the utmost limit assigned -to it <ins class="corr" title="Transcriber's Note—Original text: 'by Gunlaugson some'">by Gunnlaugsson some</ins> forty years ago, while -the route traversed by that enterprising man is completely -overrun by the ice, and the traditionary road -of the Vatna Jökull’s <ins class="corr" title="Transcriber's Note—Original text: 'vergr is now'">verge is now</ins> amongst the high -snows of the Vatna. Icelanders, as a rule, are loth -to admit the advance of their glaciers, and vainly -appeal to striated rocks at much lower altitudes than -most of the Icelandic glaciers of the present day, and -to moraines stranded upon the plains beneath some -of the principal mountain sections; but since it is impossible -to say when these rocks were scratched, or -even whether the very rocks to whose striæ they so -confidently point were not erupted long before -Northern Europe and America disappeared beneath -the ice and snow of the earlier glacial period, what<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_191" id="Page_191">[191]</a></span> -is the use of such evidence? The very moraines may -have been produced by the glaciers which have -strewn even our own country with erratic boulders -and glacial <em>débris</em>. Again, it is no uncommon thing -in Iceland for huge masses of glaciers to slide down -the mountain side during periods of eruption, -scratching the harder and furrowing the softer rocks -in their progress, and leaving heaps of <em>débris</em> in no -way distinguishable from terminal moraines. These -facts are rather startling. True, the glaciers of Iceland -may, and, no doubt, do ebb and flow, but they -gain upon the whole, and never would increase to this -extent was not the annual accumulation vastly in excess -of the waste. It may be said this is due to a -cycle of unpropitious seasons. Possibly; but we -find this advance of northern glaciers is not peculiar -to Iceland. Dr. Nordenskjöld has proved a considerable -advance in the glaciers of Spitzbergen; -Greenland gives us the same intelligence. This -seems to point to something more than a local advance, -compensated for by a retreat in other places. -It is too rapid an advance to be accounted for by -astronomical causes; but cannot we suggest some -comparatively slight physical changes which may -account for it? Granted that above a certain latitude -the earth only receives as much heat during the -summer as it does during the winter, and that in one<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_192" id="Page_192">[192]</a></span> -winter it will accumulate just as much snow and ice -as the summer’s heat will suffice to melt, if it were -all employed for that purpose. Now we are perfectly -aware that snow and ice having once accumulated, -a greater part of the succeeding summer’s heat would -be reflected back into space and not employed in melting -them, while the aqueous vapours condensing above -it would screen the snow from solar influence. Thus -a new glacial period would creep upon us, heralding -its approach by an advance band of low temperature -of its own production were it not for the warm -oceanic and atmospheric currents, for the beneficial -influence of which we have only to look at the -varying temperature of many localities in similar -latitudes to appreciate. A great alteration in temperature -and climate would certainly take place -supposing any variation should occur in the direction -of these currents—in the Gulf Stream, for instance. -Supposing that its waters, instead of reaching so far -north, were deflected southwards, then not only -would Arctic climates and Arctic ice be less affected -by it, but the deflected stream would heighten the -temperature of the waters of lower latitudes, and -cause an increased evaporation; consequently there -would be an increased condensation upon northern -mountains and Polar shores, and an increased reflection -of the succeeding summer’s sun. It is rather<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_193" id="Page_193">[193]</a></span> -a curious fact that less American driftwood has been -brought to the northern shores of Iceland during -late years, and an increased amount has been cast -upon its southern coast. This little fact of course -proves nothing in itself; but when we see northern -glaciers advancing to the extent they have done one -naturally asks the reason. Astronomical causes we -must put on one side, for the glacial advance is too -rapid to admit of that solution. But if northern -glaciers continue to advance, it will be a matter of -some interest if we could ascertain whether those -mysterious forces which give birth to the earthquake -and the volcano have wrought any alteration in the -flow of that guardian angel of the north—the Gulf -Stream.</p> - -<p>We will now pass on to the volcanic rocks of -which Iceland is constituted. The foundation of -Iceland is palagonitic tuff of sub-aqueous origin, disturbed -and at times metamorphosed by enormous -masses of amygdaloidal basaltic lava whose cavities -abound with zeolites, being traversed by dykes and -layers of interjected basaltic and trachytic lava -at all times dislocated and confused by the various -earthquakes which from time to time have shaken -Iceland to its nethermost stone. These rocks are -overlaid by lava streams of sub-ærial origin, -pumiceous tuffs and agglomerates that have been<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_194" id="Page_194">[194]</a></span> -formed by debacles and atmospheric influences. -Concerning the strike and dip of the various layers of -trap and basalt there is no general inclination, no -uniformity—all is confusion. The loose soil of Iceland -is entirely composed of disintegrated and -decomposed volcanic rocks and decayed vegetable -matter, and would be very fruitful if it were in a -lower latitude. The vast period of time which it -must have taken to decompose the huge lava streams -that we find almost entirely converted into humus -may be appreciated when we look upon pre-historic -lava fields, grey with lichens, like that of Thingvellir, -while the actual decomposition of its surface -scarcely amounts to half-an-inch. We may divide -the lavas of Iceland, like those of most other volcanic -districts, into two classes; first, the basalts passing -into dolerites, and secondly, the trachytic lavas. The -more ancient basalts occur most frequently as intruded -masses of amygdaloidal character; the doleritic -lavas of Iceland are the more recent products of its -volcanoes, varying only in this respect, that the earlier -erupted lavas contain crystals of olivine, in addition -to the felspar and augite which occur in most of the -lavas of our own time.</p> - -<p>Trachytic lava occurs but sparingly in the parts -of Iceland that I have visited. It has for a long -time been assumed that a trachytic band was disposed<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_195" id="Page_195">[195]</a></span> -upon a fissure which bisected Iceland from -N.E. to S.W., namely from Cape Langanes to -Reykjanes upon which the principal centres of -eruption were supposed to be situated. This, however, -is a presumption unwarranted by investigation. -A glance at the map will show us that there are -many other centres of volcanic activity which do not -occur in this imaginary trachytic band. True most -of the more recently active volcanoes occur upon this -rectilinear, but there are Myrdals Jökull, Eyjafjalla -and Örœfa Jökull, all volcanoes that have erupted -comparatively recently, and a host of more ancient -volcanoes distributed over other portions of the island, -which might lead us to surmise that there were a -dozen instead of one great fissure in the superficial -rocks of Iceland.</p> - -<p>Trachytes, principally I believe in an altered condition, -have been found around and between Hekla -and the Geysers, and notably at the volcano of -Rauðarkamb. I was informed, however, that we -must look for the greater part of the trachyte of -Iceland other than in a pumiceous form upon the -peninsulars of Snæfells Jökull. Certainly I found that -trachytic lava almost died out upon the north side of -the Vatna Jökull, or else it is so covered up with recent -volcanic productions as to be undiscernible. The -obsidians of Iceland, which are found so universally<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_196" id="Page_196">[196]</a></span> -distributed in fragmentary forms upon the sides of -the volcanoes are seldom to be met with <i lang="la" xml:lang="la">in situ</i>, -indeed the only instance that I have met with of -obsidian <i lang="la" xml:lang="la">in situ</i> was at Mount Paul, in the heart -of the Vatna Jökull. That mountain, as we have -already seen, is entirely composed of obsidian, varying -from the vitreous to the grey stony variety.</p> - -<p>The obsidians of Iceland seldom contain the -beautiful felspar crystals, so characteristic of the -Arran pitch-stones, but some of them are of a -porphyritic nature, showing under the microscope -crystals of quartz much fissured and split about, no -doubt during the process of cooling. We must also -regard the greater part of the pumice which was -ejected last year from the Öskjugjá as an obsidian, in -spite of its remarkably vesicular character. The -fine dust which was carried to Norway during the -eruption of last Easter-day resembled powdered glass, -and led geologists there to come to the conclusion -that the mountain which was erupting must have -been pouring out great quantities of obsidian. As -compared with the lavas of Vesuvius, I cannot help -suggesting that many of the more ancient lavas in -both instances are of a more trachytic and porphyritic -character. In the Vesuvian lavas especially, -the crystals contained by the older rocks have crystallized -out of the uncrystalline or semi-crystalline<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_197" id="Page_197">[197]</a></span> -mass. A prevalent mineral in the older Vesuvian -lavas is leucite, which corresponds to the olivine -that occurs so frequently in the older erupted lavas -of Iceland, while those minerals are seldom to be -met with in the more recent lavas of either Iceland -or Italy.</p> - -<p>I must now bring these few pages to a close. I -dare say they contain a great deal of what is not -worth reading; but as they give the only account of -the Vatna Jökull and the part of the Ódáðahraun -which I traversed, I trust those that may take the -trouble to read them, will accept them as the best -and the most accurate account of those districts that -I am able to give.</p> - -<p class="p4" /> - - - <div class="chapter"></div> - -<hr class="chap" /> -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_198" id="Page_198">[198]</a></span><br /> - <span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_199" id="Page_199">[199]</a></span></p> -<p class="p4" /> - -<h2 class="no-brk fs150 font-tall">INDEX.</h2> - -<hr class="r20" /> - - -<div class="fs90"> -<table border="0" cellpadding="4" cellspacing="0" width="80%" summary=""> -<tr><td class="tdl"></td><td class="tdr fs70">PAGE.</td></tr> -<tr><td class="tdl">Agglomerates</td><td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_183">183</a></td></tr> -<tr><td class="tdl">Akreyri</td><td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_143">143</a></td></tr> -<tr><td class="tdl">Alderjufoss</td><td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_159">159</a></td></tr> -<tr><td class="tdl">Arnarfell-hið-Mikla</td><td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_166">166</a></td></tr> -<tr><td class="tdl">Ásberg</td><td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_136">136</a></td></tr> -<tr><td class="tdl">Askja, plain of</td><td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_86">86</a></td></tr> -<tr><td> </td></tr> -<tr><td class="tdl">Birch-tree</td><td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_20">20</a></td></tr> -<tr><td class="tdl">Borðeyri</td><td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_138">138</a></td></tr> -<tr><td class="tdl">Breiðamerkr Glacier</td><td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_17">17</a>, <a href="#Page_24">24</a></td></tr> -<tr><td class="tdl"> ” ” <span class="pad2">Sandr</span></td><td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_23">23</a></td></tr> -<tr><td> </td></tr> -<tr><td class="tdl">Climate</td><td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_180">180</a></td></tr> -<tr><td class="tdl">Crater Lakes</td><td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_122">122</a></td></tr> -<tr><td> </td></tr> -<tr><td class="tdl">Dettifoss</td><td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_119">119</a></td></tr> -<tr><td class="tdl">Dyngjufjöll</td><td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_83">83</a></td></tr> -<tr><td class="tdl"> ” <span class="pad3">ascent of</span></td><td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_101">101</a></td></tr> -<tr><td> </td></tr> -<tr><td class="tdl">Equipment</td><td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_28">28</a></td></tr> -<tr><td class="tdl">Eyrarbakki</td><td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_8">8</a></td></tr> -<tr><td> </td></tr> -<tr><td class="tdl">Glaciers</td><td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_190">190</a></td></tr> -<tr><td class="tdl"><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_200" id="Page_200">[200]</a></span> - Grafalandá River</td><td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_76">76</a></td></tr> -<tr><td class="tdl">Grímstaðir</td><td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_70">70</a></td></tr> -<tr><td> </td></tr> -<tr><td class="tdl">Heiði</td><td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_11">11</a></td></tr> -<tr><td class="tdl">Hekla</td><td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_181">181</a></td></tr> -<tr><td class="tdl">Hengill, volcano of</td><td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_6">6</a></td></tr> -<tr><td class="tdl">Herðubreið</td><td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_65">65</a>, <a href="#Page_103">103</a></td></tr> -<tr><td class="tdl">Hot Springs</td><td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_185">185</a></td></tr> -<tr><td class="tdl">Hraun</td><td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_7">7</a></td></tr> -<tr><td class="tdl">Hrossaberg</td><td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_75">75</a></td></tr> -<tr><td class="tdl">Húsavík</td><td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_133">133</a></td></tr> -<tr><td> </td></tr> -<tr><td class="tdl">Iron Pyrites, sublimation of</td><td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_174">174</a></td></tr> -<tr><td> </td></tr> -<tr><td class="tdl">Jökulls</td><td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_186">186</a></td></tr> -<tr><td class="tdl">Jökulsá-á-fjöllum</td><td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_61">61</a></td></tr> -<tr><td> </td></tr> -<tr><td class="tdl">Kaldbakkr</td><td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_14">14</a></td></tr> -<tr><td class="tdl">Kálfafellsfjall</td><td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_30">30</a></td></tr> -<tr><td class="tdl">Kálfafellstaðr</td><td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_25">25</a></td></tr> -<tr><td class="tdl">Kiðagil</td><td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_160">160</a></td></tr> -<tr><td class="tdl">Kistufell</td><td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_54">54</a></td></tr> -<tr><td class="tdl">Kötlugiá</td><td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_181">181</a></td></tr> -<tr><td class="tdl">Krafla</td><td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_123">123</a></td></tr> -<tr><td> </td></tr> -<tr><td class="tdl">Lœkjarbotn</td><td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_5">5</a></td></tr> -<tr><td class="tdl">Lake Grœnavatn</td><td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_126">126</a></td></tr> -<tr><td class="tdl"> ”<span class="pad1">Mývatn</span></td><td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_111">111</a></td></tr> -<tr><td class="tdl">Lavas of Iceland</td><td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_183">183</a>, <a href="#Page_193">193</a></td></tr> -<tr><td class="tdl"> ” ”<span class="pad1">Mývatns Orœfí</span></td><td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_108">108</a>, <a href="#Page_155">155</a></td></tr> -<tr><td class="tdl"><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_201" id="Page_201">[201]</a></span> - Laxá River</td><td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_131">131</a></td></tr> -<tr><td class="tdl">Lindá River</td><td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_77">77</a></td></tr> -<tr><td class="tdl">Lómagnúpar</td><td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_19">19</a></td></tr> -<tr><td> </td></tr> -<tr><td class="tdl">Mount Paul</td><td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_36">36</a></td></tr> -<tr><td class="tdl">Mud-pools</td><td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_115">115</a></td></tr> -<tr><td class="tdl">Mývatns Orœfí, eruption of</td><td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_146">146</a></td></tr> -<tr><td> </td></tr> -<tr><td class="tdl">Námufjall</td><td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_113">113</a></td></tr> -<tr><td class="tdl">Núpstað</td><td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_15">15</a></td></tr> -<tr><td class="tdl">Núpstaða-skógr</td><td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_21">21</a></td></tr> -<tr><td class="tdl">Núpsvatn River</td><td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_18">18</a></td></tr> -<tr><td> </td></tr> -<tr><td class="tdl">Obsidian</td><td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_36">36</a>, <a href="#Page_124">124</a></td></tr> -<tr><td class="tdl">Ódáðahraun</td><td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_95">95</a></td></tr> -<tr><td class="tdl">Ölfusá, river of</td><td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_8">8</a></td></tr> -<tr><td class="tdl">Öskjugjá, crater of</td><td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_88">88</a></td></tr> -<tr><td class="tdl"> ” <span class="pad2">volcano of</span></td><td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_84">84</a></td></tr> -<tr><td> </td></tr> -<tr><td class="tdl">Pemmican, preparation of</td><td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_26">26</a></td></tr> -<tr><td class="tdl">Perlite</td><td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_38">38</a></td></tr> -<tr><td class="tdl">Provisions</td><td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_29">29</a></td></tr> -<tr><td class="tdl">Pumice</td><td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_63">63</a>, <a href="#Page_78">78</a></td></tr> -<tr><td> </td></tr> -<tr><td class="tdl">Querkfjall</td><td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_63">63</a></td></tr> -<tr><td> </td></tr> -<tr><td class="tdl">Reykjahlíð</td><td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_112">112</a></td></tr> -<tr><td class="tdl">Rivers, diversion of</td><td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_57">57</a></td></tr> -<tr><td> </td></tr> -<tr><td class="tdl">Seljalandsfoss</td><td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_13">13</a></td></tr> -<tr><td class="tdl"><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_202" id="Page_202">[202]</a></span> - Shark-liver oil</td><td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_144">144</a></td></tr> -<tr><td class="tdl">Skeiðarár Sandr</td><td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_18">18</a></td></tr> -<tr><td class="tdl">Skjaldbreið, ascent of</td><td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_83">83</a>, <a href="#Page_96">96</a></td></tr> -<tr><td class="tdl">Skjálfandifljót</td><td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_145">145</a></td></tr> -<tr><td class="tdl">Skógarfoss</td><td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_11">11</a></td></tr> -<tr><td class="tdl">Snow, camping in</td><td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_32">32</a></td></tr> -<tr><td class="tdl">Solfataras</td><td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_174">174</a></td></tr> -<tr><td class="tdl">Spherulite</td><td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_38">38</a></td></tr> -<tr><td class="tdl">Sprengisandr</td><td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_165">165</a></td></tr> -<tr><td class="tdl">Storms on the Vatna</td><td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_46">46</a></td></tr> -<tr><td class="tdl">Sulphur mines</td><td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_112">112</a>, <a href="#Page_129">129</a></td></tr> -<tr><td class="tdl">Svartfugl</td><td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_23">23</a>, <a href="#Page_25">25</a></td></tr> -<tr><td class="tdl">Swans</td><td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_13">13</a></td></tr> -<tr><td> </td></tr> -<tr><td class="tdl">Thjórsá</td><td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_10">10</a>, <a href="#Page_167">167</a></td></tr> -<tr><td class="tdl">The “Great Kettle”</td><td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_129">129</a></td></tr> -<tr><td class="tdl">Trachytic lava</td><td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_170">170</a></td></tr> -<tr><td> </td></tr> -<tr><td class="tdl">Vaðalda Hills</td><td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_61">61</a></td></tr> -<tr><td class="tdl">Vatna Jökull</td><td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_32">32</a>, <a href="#Page_186">186</a></td></tr> -<tr><td class="tdl"> ” ” <span class="pad1">Housie</span></td><td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_41">41</a></td></tr> -<tr><td class="tdl">Volcanic mud</td><td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_84">84</a>, <a href="#Page_88">88</a>, <a href="#Page_92">92</a></td></tr> -<tr><td> </td></tr> -<tr><td class="tdl">Water, eruption of</td><td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_89">89</a></td></tr> -</table></div> - - -<div class="footnotes pg-brk"> -<h2 class="fs120">FOOTNOTES:</h2> - -<div class="footnote"> - -<p><a name="Footnote_1_1" id="Footnote_1_1"></a><a href="#FNanchor_1_1"><span class="label">[1]</span></a> So called from a particular kind of bird, called Lómi, which -frequents this mountain.</p></div> - -<div class="footnote"> - -<p><a name="Footnote_2_2" id="Footnote_2_2"></a><a href="#FNanchor_2_2"><span class="label">[2]</span></a> Not marked on the map.</p></div></div> - - -<div class="transnote pg-brk"> -<a name="TN" id="TN"></a> -<p><strong>TRANSCRIBER’S NOTE</strong></p> - -<p>For consistency all occurrences of a.m. and p.m. have been changed to -<span class="fs70">A.M.</span> and <span class="fs70">P.M.</span></p> - -<p>Icelandic names often have accents and hyphens, but they are applied -inconsistently in the original text. Names in the etext have -been adjusted to be consistent and follow the most common variant in -the text. For example Reykjahlid, Reykjahlið, Reykjahlíð, have all been -rendered as Reykjahlíð.</p> - -<p>Five occurrences of Öskjagjá have been changed to Öskjugjá.<br /> -Eight occurrences of Dyngjufjall have been changed to Dyngjufjöll.<br /> -Seven occurrences of Reykjahlaíð have been changed to Reykjahlíð.</p> - -<p>Obvious typographical errors and punctuation errors have been -corrected after careful comparison with other occurrences within -the text and consultation of external sources.</p> - -<p>Except for those changes noted below, all misspellings in the text, -and inconsistent or archaic usage, have been retained: for example, -sandbank, sand-bank; mid-day, midday; grass land, grass-land; -under weigh; negociated; felspar; enwrapped; indurated; coign.</p> - -<p> -<a href="#Page_3">Pg 3</a>: ‘Oddr Gíslason upon’ replaced by ‘Oddr Gíslasson upon’.<br /> -<a href="#Page_14">Pg 14</a>: ‘named Eyólfr; he’ replaced by ‘named Eyólfur; he’.<br /> -<a href="#Page_27">Pg 27</a>: ‘and Eyólfr, from’ replaced by ‘and Eyólfur, from’.<br /> -<a href="#Page_28">Pg 28</a>: ‘accomodate six’ replaced by ‘accommodate six’.<br /> -<a href="#Page_37">Pg 37</a>: ‘known as spherolites’ replaced by ‘known as spherulites’.<br /> -<a href="#Page_38">Pg 38</a>: ‘pearlite and obsidian’ replaced by ‘perlite and obsidian’.<br /> -<a href="#Page_38">Pg 38</a>: ‘spherolites cemented’ replaced by ‘spherulites cemented’.<br /> -<a href="#Page_52">Pg 52</a>: ‘reached the the height’ replaced by ‘reached the height’.<br /> -<a href="#Page_66">Pg 66</a>: ‘to develope into’ replaced by ‘to develop into’.<br /> -<a href="#Page_70">Pg 70</a>: ‘baleing and rowing’ replaced by ‘bailing and rowing’.<br /> -<a href="#Page_70">Pg 70</a>: ‘Ha had passed’ replaced by ‘He had passed’.<br /> -<a href="#Page_74">Pg 74</a>: ‘and Eyolpur, while’ replaced by ‘and Eyólfur, while’.<br /> -<a href="#Page_82">Pg 82</a>: ‘The circumtances’ replaced by ‘The circumstances’.<br /> -<a href="#Page_92">Pg 92</a>: ‘again begining to’ replaced by ‘again beginning to’.<br /> -<a href="#Page_111">Pg 111</a>: ‘wady near the’ replaced by ‘wadi near the’.<br /> -<a href="#Page_114">Pg 114</a>: ‘which upon eastern’ replaced by ‘which upon the eastern’.<br /> -<a href="#Page_127">Pg 127</a>: ‘at the the time of’ replaced by ‘at the time of’.<br /> -<a href="#Page_128">Pg 128</a>: ‘the commencment of’ replaced by ‘the commencement of’.<br /> -<a href="#Page_136">Pg 136</a>: ‘north, insoculating’ replaced by ‘north, inosculating’.<br /> -<a href="#Page_139">Pg 139</a>: ‘into a karal’ replaced by ‘into a corral’.<br /> -<a href="#Page_139">Pg 139</a>: ‘the obstreporous cargo’ replaced by ‘the obstreperous cargo’.<br /> -<a href="#Page_141">Pg 141</a>: ‘cross the Sprengrtandr’ replaced by ‘cross the Sprengisandr’.<br /> -<a href="#Page_168">Pg 168</a>: ‘view of Hecla’ replaced by ‘view of Hekla’.<br /> -<a href="#Page_185">Pg 185</a>: ‘almost insoculate’ replaced by ‘almost inosculate’.<br /> -<a href="#Page_190">Pg 190</a>: ‘by Gunlaugson some’ replaced by ‘by Gunnlaugsson some’.<br /> -<a href="#Page_190">Pg 190</a>: ‘vergr is now’ replaced by ‘verge is now’.<br /> -<br /> -Index. ‘Dyngjafjöll’ replaced by ‘Dyngjufjöll’.<br /> -Index. ‘Lake Grænavatn’ replaced by ‘Lake Grœnavatn’.<br /> -Index. ‘Myvatus’ replaced by ‘Mývatns’.<br /> -Index. ‘Námurfjall’ replaced by ‘Námufjall’.<br /> -Index. ‘Núpsvatu’ replaced by ‘Núpsvatn’.<br /> -Index. ‘Querkfjöll’ replaced by ‘Querkfjall’.<br /> -</p> -</div> - - - - - - - - - -<pre> - - - - - -End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of Across the Vatna Jökull; or Scenes i - Iceland, by William Lord Watts - -*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK SCENES IN ICELAND *** - -***** This file should be named 62282-h.htm or 62282-h.zip ***** -This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: - http://www.gutenberg.org/6/2/2/8/62282/ - -Produced by MFR, John Campbell, Gísli Valgeirsson and the -Online Distributed Proofreading Team at https://www.pgdp.net -(This file was produced from images generously made -available by The Internet Archive) - - -Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions will -be renamed. - -Creating the works from print editions not protected by U.S. copyright -law means that no one owns a United States copyright in these works, -so the Foundation (and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United -States without permission and without paying copyright -royalties. 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