CHAP. VIII.

On the 15th of September, after spending about an hour and a half in the company of the clergyman’s wife at Hollt, who could not sufficiently regret the absence of her husband, I proceeded round the hill to Fell, where I was kindly received by the Dean, Sira Thord Bryniolfson. As this gentleman had only been recently invested with the office of Dean, it was not in his power to give me an exact idea of the actual state of the people within his bounds relative to the Holy Scriptures; yet he was of opinion that not many copies of the entire Bible were to be met with, but that several copies of the New Testament, published in 1807, had found their way thither. He engaged to exert himself to the p. 325 utmost in ascertaining what number of copies would be wanted; to write to his clergy, requesting them to notify the arrival of the Scriptures to their congregations; and after he had learned the result, to transmit it to Reykiavik, in order to secure the requisite supply.

About ten o’clock the Dean dressed, and accompanied me to Solheima. Excepting a small tract to the west of Fell, which consists for the most part of stones and sand, and is intersected by floods from the Yökul, the road lay over hills that were completely covered with rich grass; and as no cliffs or breaks were visible, the landscape reminded me of some familiar lawns in the Lowlands of Scotland, while the herds that were browsing on it apprised me of the wealthy circumstances of the Solheima farmers. On our arrival at West Solheima, where there is a church and several houses of a superior appearance, we were instantly shewn by the peasant into a large room well furnished with books, among which I was happy to observe a folio Bible; and as his wife was from home, he set to work himself with the coffee‐mill, and prepared for us an excellent dish of that expensive article of foreign luxury.

The Dean now returned, after having committed me to the care of the peasant, who undertook to guide me across the dangerous Yökul river on Solheima‐sand. This river, which forms the division between the eastern and southern Fiordungar, was originally only a small streamlet, p. 326 but was increased to such a degree by the revolution that took place in the Yökul about the year 900, that it inundated the plain, and washed away the whole of its soil. The phenomena were so novel to those who had fixed their habitations in the vicinity, that the frequency with which it changed its course was ascribed to the influence of magic.1 It was called Fulalæk, or the foetid torrent, on account of the sulphureous smell of its water, a property the river still has, and which shews that a quantity of sulphur must exist in the bowels of the Yökul in which it originates. It has gradually deepened its channel in the sand; and the eastern bank, towards which the most of the water inclines, is from thirty to fifty feet in height. The whole breadth of the channel may be about a quarter of a mile. On our arrival at the margin, we had at once a full view of the mighty waters, hastening, with resistless fury, down the sloping descent to the ocean, which received them at no great distance. We here stopped while the peasant descended into the river, but after several venturesome attempts, he was obliged to return; and, riding a little farther down, we entered it where its waters were more spread, and found it nearly as formidable as that on Breidamark sand, only we were unmolested by masses of ice. Owing to the breadth and rapidity of the current, the traveller p. 327 is apt to become giddy in passing these rivers; and instances have been known, of persons who, by that means, have fallen off their horses and perished.

I have the greater reason to be thankful for the distinguishing goodness of God in preserving me from danger on the present occasion, as I have since been informed, that only a few days after I forded this dangerous river, two travellers, in attempting to cross it, were carried away by the stream, one of whom was never more seen, and the other was found the same day, almost half dead, on a small sand‐bank in the middle of the river! The horse of the former shared the same fate with his master; and the latter owed his ultimate escape to his horse being on the same sand‐bank on which he was lying, as it would otherwise have been impossible to discover him.

The Solheima Yökul stretches here along the north side of the sand, and is relieved on the east by Myrdal’s Yökul and Kötlugiâ, and on the west by the lofty Eyafialla Yökul, which is about 5,500 feet in height, and is more than half covered with snow and ice. It is this ice mountain which is generally first discovered by those who sail for the southern ports of the island, to whom it is known by the name of the Eastern Yökul, in distinction from that of the Snæfell, which they call the Western Yökul. Both the Eyafialla and Solheima are volcanic mountains; and it was most probably one of them that emitted fire p. 328 in 1717, of which mention is made in the annals of the country, where it is indefinitely termed Austur‐Yökul. It is remarkable, that the last eruption of Kötlugiâ threw the Solheima Yökul into such violent convulsions, that it rose and fell by turns, and was at last raised so high that it appeared double its former size.2 As the most of it was shrouded in mist, I was denied a sight of the superior regions, but I had a fine view of a magnificent glacier, which descends into the plain at the egress of the river.

From this place, the road runs past the two farms of Skogar, close by the more westerly of which, is the most beautiful water‐fall on the island. The river descends between high ledges of broken rock till it reaches a perpendicular precipice, over which it is thrown in one unbroken sheet, measuring at least fifteen feet in breadth, and about forty in height. Crossing the Cataract river, I came to a mountain called Hrutafell, which is extremely narrow, but stretches about two miles in a westerly direction. It is composed of a rough species of tuffa, and has been terribly rent and disrupted by the earthquakes which are so common in this quarter. Masses, several hundred square feet in size, have been dislodged on the plain; and at one place in particular, nearly the half of the mountain appears to have been overthrown, while the remainder assumes the most impending attitude. Yet p. 329 in this situation, perilous as it may appear, several farmers have raised their habitations, and turned the disrupted masses of rock to their advantage, by converting the large caves, which are contained in them, into sheep‐cotes, stables, and hay‐lofts. One of these I entered on passing, and found it nearly full of hay, together with harness, and other implements of husbandry, which were hanging around the walls; but am sorry that the hay prevented me from discovering the entrance to what, I have since been apprised, forms the most remarkable thing about the cave—a vast apartment, measuring seventy‐two feet in length, by twenty‐four in breadth, and twelve in height, within which is a smaller room, serving for a bed‐chamber, which is fifteen feet long, and nine in breadth. Both places are said to have been cut out by people in former times; and, according to a tradition, current in the neighbourhood, it was inhabited by a champion named Hrutur; who retiring into this stronghold, set his enemies at defiance, till at last they dug through the roof of this cave and killed him.3

At the western termination of this mountain, the plain runs back between the mountains forming the base of the Eyafialla Yökul; and, though the tract be of no great breadth, I question if there be a spot in Iceland that is better inhabited. At one view, I counted not fewer than twenty‐five p. 330 farm houses and two or three churches. The ground is rather marshy, but yields a considerable quantity of hay. Having scrambled over the bogs, which were greatly softened by the heavy rain that had fallen the most of the day, I reached the base of the long, precipitous, and rugged ridge of sand‐stone cliffs in front of the Yökul; and passing through Steinar, a village consisting of seven families, and the first I had seen since leaving Zealand, I arrived, about seven in the evening, at a farm called Varmahlid, and tented on a dry sloping ground to the east of the houses. The rain now began to pour down in torrents, and for some time prevented me from obtaining the rest I so much needed, and to which I instantly repaired after having enjoyed my evening repast.

Next morning, before I got fully dressed, I was surprised by the peasant, who, drawing aside the cloth of my tent‐door, presented me with a large bowl of excellent coffee. It was in vain I remonstrated against the trouble to which they had put themselves; he courteously replied, that I was so uncommon a guest, that centuries might elapse ere another such traveller came to Varmahlid, and the object of my journey being so noble, it was their duty to contribute the little that lay in their power to my accommodation and comfort. I had no sooner left my tent, than I was invited into the house, where I found a mahogany table, furnished with a delicious dish of hashed fish, after which, skyr and cream were p. 331 served up. I had also the pleasure of eating ryebread, baked in the Icelandic manner. The rites of hospitality were performed by an elderly female, step‐mother to the peasant, who was dressed in her Sunday clothes, and presented a very respectable appearance. Every thing about the room looked neat and clean; and the small library was adorned with a well‐bound copy of the quarto Bible.

From this place, as the morning was clear, I had a magnificent prospect of the Vestmanna islands, which lie at the distance of about fifteen miles from the coast, and take their name from the Irish slaves, who, as has already been mentioned, fled thither for refuge in the year 875. These islands are fourteen in number, but consist entirely of barren vitrified rocks, except four, on which there is a scanty supply of pasture. Only one of them is inhabited; and from that circumstance is called Heimaey, or Home‐Island. It is defended by high cliffs on all sides; and its surface is diversified by a considerable quantity of lava, and several low volcanic hills, which are said to have been in action at no very remote period.4 There is a harbour here, within a high perpendicular rock, which receives the breakers as they fall upon it, and renders the water behind perfectly smooth. The trade is considerable, and consists chiefly of fish and the feathers of the birds that inhabit the cliffs. These the p. 332 people catch in abundance, being wonderfully expert in climbing the most hideous precipices, and descending by ropes to the roosts of the fowls. They not only use their flesh for food, but convert it, after it has been properly dried, into fuel, the smell of which renders their hovels, otherwise disagreeable, absolutely intolerable to strangers.

The Vestmanna islands have a separate Sysselmand and two clergymen, who both officiate in the same church, which was rebuilt of stone, at the royal expense, in the year 1774, and is said to be one of the best belonging to Iceland. It is worthy of notice, that the tithes are still raised here according to the Norwegian mode, which is ascribed to their having been bequeathed by one of the Skalholt bishops, before the Reformation, to the monastery of St. Michael in Bergen.

Fortified as the inhabitants are, both by their poverty, and the steepness of their native cliffs, they have, nevertheless, been twice exposed to the outrageous depredations of merciless pirates. The first time they were attacked was in 1614, when the crew of an English vessel landed here, under the command of one John, commonly called Gentleman, from the softness of his manners, maltreated the persons of the inhabitants, and pillaged the church and other houses on the island. On their return to England, they were detected and punished, and the church‐property was restored three years afterwards by order of King James. A more direful calamity, however, p. 333 overtook them in the year 1627. A number of Algerine pirates, after having committed several acts of rapine and cruelty, both in the southern and eastern quarters of Iceland, arrived at Heymaey, took most of the inhabitants captive, and bound them with fetters on board the corsair, and pillaged and burnt the church, and other houses on the island. One of the clergymen, Jon Thorsteinson, the first translator of the Psalms of David into Icelandic verse, and who also translated the book of Genesis and other parts of Scripture in a similar manner, was basely murdered by one of his own countrymen who had embarked in the expedition, and he has on that account obtained the name of martyr. The other clergyman, Olafr Egilson, was carried, with his wife and children, and near four hundred of his countrymen, into a state of wretched captivity, to Algiers, whence he was released two years afterwards, and wrote an account of their miseries, which was afterwards published in Danish. Only thirty‐seven survived their calamities, having been released at the royal expense in 1636; yet even of that number, not more than thirteen persons regained their native island.5

Leaving Varmahlid, I proceeded on to the church and parsonage of Hollt; on my arrival at p. 334 which, I discovered that the clergyman, Sira Bryniolfr Sivertson, was the same individual who had long officiated in Reykiavik, and had only left it for this place a few weeks before I came to the island. It was cause of mutual regret that I had not spent the night with him, especially as the exchange of a few words convinced us that we were “of one mind,” relative to the importance and value of the Gospel of Christ. After spending about an hour and a half with him and his interesting lady, who kindly prepared coffee for me, I again left Hollt, accompanied by Sira B. who proceeded till within a little of the termination of the Eyafialla mountains, and expressed the most lively joy on hearing of the mighty triumphs of divine revelation. A little before we parted, we stopped a few minutes to survey a curious cascade on the brow of the mountain, at least eight hundred feet high. What rendered it peculiarly interesting was the circumstance, that though the quantity of water precipitated over the rocks was by no means inconsiderable, yet it was prevented from falling by a strong current of air ascending from the foot of the mountain, which converted the whole column into spray, and carrying it up like a cloud into the atmosphere: nothing could more exactly resemble the column of steam arising from the hot springs. I was told by the clergyman that this cascade serves as a mark to the fishermen, who repair from the main‐land to the Vestmanna Islands, as its falling p. 335 in an unbroken sheet to the base of the precipice is a proof that there is but little wind sweeping along the coast; but when it is borne up in the manner just described, they are then certain that the beach is inaccessible. It is called Drifanda Foss, or “The Driving Cascade.” The fishermen have a similar mark at the islands, by which they know whether they may proceed with safety from the shore or not.

Almost close to the termination of the long range of mountains, forming the base of the Eyafialla Yökul, flows the Markarfliot, a broad river, which receives its waters from the Yökuls, and, dividing into a number of considerable streams, previous to its junction with the sea, it forms several islands that are inhabited chiefly by fishermen. Like similar Yökul rivers, which flow through sandy plains, it does not always keep the same course, and is frequently unfordable near the coast; in which case, travellers are obliged to go round by Hlidarenda, which lies farther back on the opposite side of the valley, and is famous for its having been the abode of Gunnar, who occupies so conspicuous a place in the Saga of Niál Thorgeirson. Its inhabitants have always been people of the first respectability; and at present it is occupied by the Sysselmand, Cancellieraad Thorarinson, who is connected with the best families on the island.

Fording the river, which, notwithstanding its breadth, was accomplished without much difficulty, I entered the tract called Fliotshlid, which p. 336 is for the most part low and swampy, but gets more fertile towards the hills on the eastern side of the plain. As I rode along, I was entertained by the interesting conversation of a peasant, who was travelling to Reykiavik in order to dispose of his country produce. The knowledge he discovered of the geography and politics of Britain quite astonished me. He gave me a long detail of the events that transpired during the usurpation of Cromwell, and proposed several questions relative to the Thames, Toy, Forth, &c. His acquaintance with these things he has chiefly derived from Danish books; and having lately fallen in with an interesting work in German, he has begun to learn that language, in order to make himself master of its contents. I could not help smiling when he told me, in as grave and positive a tone as if he had been versed in all the learning of the schools, that the late Dr. Jonson of Skalholt, was profoundly skilled, not only in theology, but also in philosophy. This last word he pronounced with an emphasis and an air which indicated a conviction of his having said something big with important meaning. As a proof that he had not read the Scriptures without reflection, I may mention his being somewhat at a loss to account for the term wrath being ascribed to God in the Bible; and it was not till I had explained to him the difference between holy and reasonable anger, and that which is unreasonable and malicious, and shewn him that the expression, as applied to the Divine p. 337 Being, signified his disapprobation of every species of iniquity, and was ultimately resolvable into his love of righteousness, that he declared himself satisfied on the subject.

As the road to Oddè, where I intended stopping all night, was distinctly visible, being well trod, and lying across a tract covered with volcanic sand, I left the men to bring on the baggage at their leisure, and proceeded forward by myself, in order to call on the conrector of the late school at Skalholt, whose house lay directly in my way. Fording the Thverâ, which was in some places so deep that my horse swam with me, I encountered a pretty extensive tract of swampy ground, in which I completely missed the road; and it was not till I had made considerable progress in the vast plain before Mount Hekla, that I found the path I was following led into the division, called Hreppar. I therefore struck off to the left, and after riding about an hour, I reached the bank of the Eastern Rângâ, where I fell in with two lads belonging to the conrector, who put me into the tract leading to his house. This aged gentleman I found to be a zealous lover of sacred literature; and, what is of still greater importance, a sincere friend to vital and practical religion. Having spent about two hours with him, he favoured me with a man to conduct me through the river to Oddè, where I arrived a little past nine o’clock.

On entering the house, it gave me pain to think I had come so late, as most of the family p. 338 were gone to bed, but I had not spent many minutes in admiring the neatness and modern style of a room into which I was shewn, when the Dean, Sira Steingrimr Jonson, made his appearance, and in the frankest and most affectionate manner, bade me welcome to Iceland and to his house. In this gentleman, my expectations, which had been raised to no ordinary pitch by what I had read in Sir George Mackenzie’s Travels, were fully met, and even exceeded; and I can only, with that traveller and his companions regret, that I did not enjoy more of his company. With his extensive classical acquirements, he unites great urbanity of manners; and is deservedly held in the highest esteem and repute by his countrymen. After finishing his studies at the University of Copenhagen, he acted for some time as secretary to the late Bishop Finnson, and having been appointed Lector Theologiae in the school of Bessastad, he continued to fill that office with great credit and ability till the year 1810, when he received the Deanery of Rângârvalla Syssel.

In a short time, his lady, the relict of the Bishop just mentioned, came into the room, and very politely served up an excellent supper of rice and milk. About midnight I was shewn into a sleeping‐room, where there was an excellent bed, which I could not but conclude, from every appendage, to have belonged to the episcopal see; and not having slept in a house since leaving Berufiord, which was now upwards of p. 339 a fortnight, I was the more sensible of the luxury of my accommodation.

It frequently happens, that places which have been rendered famous by the celebrity of their possessors, fall in the course of time into other hands, and scarcely retain a single vestige of their former lustre. It is, however, very different at the present day with respect to Oddè. Its present occupant is a worthy successor of Sæmund Sigfusson, Jon Loptson, and other distinguished characters who have flourished here during the earlier and more interesting periods of Icelandic literature. Sæmund, commonly surnamed Frodè, or The Learned, who had spent several years at the most renowned Universities of Germany and France, and would, in all probability, have been lost to his country, had it not been for the interposition of his relation Jon Ogmundson, entered into holy orders on his return to Iceland, and established, at Oddè, a seminary for the education of youth. He likewise applied himself to the composition of several literary works, none of which, however, have reached our times, except the poetic part of those valuable remnants of Scandinavian antiquity, comprehended under the general name of The Edda; and, from this circumstance, intituled Sæmund’s Edda, to distinguish it from the prosaic part which is generally ascribed to Snorro Sturluson. For a further account of this famous work, the reader is referred to the Appendix; p. 340 and I would only further observe here, that, as Snorro spent sixteen years at Oddè, under the tuition of Jon Loptson, the grandson of Sæmund, he had an opportunity of acquiring a knowledge, not only of the Eddaic poetry itself, but also of the sources from which it had been derived. The Oddè Annals have also been ascribed to Sæmund; but Bishop Jonson shews, them to be the production of a more recent age.6

Oddè is situated on the south‐east side of a number of low hills, which are completely overgrown with grass, and form a very extensive tun. On the morning of the 17th, the Dean accompanied me to the top of the highest, from which I had a fine view of the surrounding plain. It is perhaps the most extensive that is to be met with on the island, being not less than twenty miles in every direction; and as the volcanic ashes and sand, which compose its foundation, are in most places covered with a pretty thick soil, it affords uncommonly rich pasturage. I had, at the same time, a magnificent view of Mount Hekla, which reared its snow‐capped summits to the clouds, and, by calling to mind the desolations it has spread upon the adjacent country, inspired the mind with a temporary melancholy and gloom. Were it not for this circumstance, combined with the number of its recorded p. 341 eruptions, there is little in the appearance of Hekla to attract the notice of the traveller, even supposing him never to have seen any other mountains but those in the vicinity. The Trehyrning, or Three Horned Mountain, between Hekla and the Eyafialla Yökul, has a far nobler and more picturesque appearance. Having been accustomed to hear of this volcano as rivalling Vesuvius and Etna, a strong prejudice in favour of its magnitude and grandeur had rooted itself in my mind, and I had formed the idea that the very sight of it must be replete with gratification. Now, however, when I had it direct before me, at the distance of about four‐and‐twenty miles, it sunk into comparative insignificance; nor do I conceive there is any thing about Hekla that is calculated to make an indelible impression on the memory, except an actual eruption, which, of course, must present a spectacle never to be forgotten.

Hekla is situated about thirty miles back from the coast, and is estimated at somewhat near 4000 feet in height. Its summit is divided into three peaks, the middle of which is the highest. The craters form vast hollows on the sides of these peaks, and, according to the last accounts, are partially filled with snow. The mountain itself consists for the most part of sand and slags; the lava being confined to the lower regions, and forming an immensely rugged and vitrified wall around its base. From this circumstance it has been concluded, p. 342 that the lava has not proceeded from the craters at the summit of Hekla, but from apertures at no great elevation on its sides. There was very little snow on it at this time; and, indeed, the Dean informed me, that there has been a considerably less quantity than usual observed these last three years, which is most probably owing to an increase of heat in the interior of the mountain, and, taken in connection with the long interval which has now elapsed since its last eruption, has naturally given rise to the apprehension that some new explosion is at no great distance. Sir George Mackenzie, Dr. Holland, and Mr. Bright, are the last travellers who have ascended Mount Hekla. On the 3d of August, 1810, they gained its summit, at which time they observed the vapour of water ascending from several parts of the middle peak, and the heat in the mountain was so intense, that on removing a few of the slags from the surface, they found those below too hot to be handled; and on placing a thermometer amongst them, it rose to 144°.7

This famous volcano is supposed to have emitted lava previous to the occupation of the island; but, subsequent to that period, twenty‐three eruptions are recorded, of which the dates, and the intervals that existed between them, are as follows: p. 343

From these dates it will appear, that sometimes a considerable period intervenes between the eruptions, and that nearly fifty years have now elapsed since the last time the volcano was in action. The dates are taken from the original of Von Troil’s Letters;8 in which they are stated to be founded on the accounts of Jacobsen, Olafsen, and Povelsen, and others. The latter gentlemen, p. 344 after regretting the inaccuracy of the annals on this subject, mention their firm conviction, that twenty‐two eruptions had taken place > previous to the time they wrote, independent of the irregularity of the records. It is to be observed, however, that these eruptions have differed greatly, both in point of magnitude and duration. Some of them have only lasted a few days, others for months, and some have continued more than a year.

The surrounding country was formerly inhabited almost close to the mountain, and is said to have been uncommonly beautiful and fertile; but the successive inundations of lava have entombed the farms; and the verdant meadows have been almost entirely covered with sand and pumice. The circumjacent farms suffered considerably in the eruption of 1766; but the principal damage was done to the districts in the north of Iceland, by the ashes that were carried by the wind to that quarter.

The population of Rângârvalla‐Syssel, of which Sira Steingrimr is Dean, consists of 3,999 souls; few of the families are in possession of the Scriptures; and not more than the half are able to purchase copies of the present edition, notwithstanding the low price at which they are sold. Sira S. had already matured a plan for their distribution, and he assured me they would be received with the utmost gratitude and joy.

After spending the forenoon in a very interesting conversation, which embraced various literary p. 345 topics, and especially those connected with sacred learning, I left Oddè about twelve o’clock, and was accompanied by the Dean across the Western Rângâ, and the extensive marshy waste which lies between Oddè and the Thiorsâ ferry. Having given his boy directions to proceed with me to Eyrarbacka, and seen me into the boat, the Dean returned, and we immediately launched into the stream, which at this place is very broad; and being extremely shallow towards the opposite side, we were obliged to land on a sand‐bank, a little past the middle, where we mounted our horses, and forded the remainder of the river. The road now lay through a level tract, the soil of which was wet, but, being supported by lava, at no great depth, we crossed it with great ease; and arriving at the sea, we proceeded along the beach to Eyrarbacka, which we reached about eight o’clock in the evening. I was here hospitably received by my friend Kammer‐Assessor Thorlacius, who had only arrived with his family a few days before me; as also by the merchant to whom the trading‐station belongs, Mr. Lambasson, in whose vessel a considerable quantity of New Testaments had arrived from Copenhagen.

Eyrarbacka is the first harbour on the south coast of Iceland, the beach being inaccessible along the whole of the intermediate space between this place and Berufiord, owing to the heavy swell in the sea, and its being entirely without shelter, either from rocks or islands. p. 346 There is here a number of blind volcanic rocks a short way out from the shore, by which the swell is in a great measure broken. Owing, however, to the same reason, the entrance is very crooked and dangerous; and, even when a vessel has got in, she is obliged to be fastened by four or five strong cables, which, at great expense, are made fast to large iron rings, soldered into the surrounding rocks. As the beach on which the dwelling‐house and warehouses stand is low, the sea breaks completely over it in winter, and has more than once inundated the houses, though a formidable barrier of stones has been raised in front, for the purpose of defending them against the fury of that turbulent element.

Having letters to write to Copenhagen, I did not leave Eyrarbacka before the afternoon of the 19th, when proceeding about a mile to the north‐west, I came to the ferry over the Ölfus‐â, a mighty river, nearly half a mile in breadth, which is formed by the confluence of the Sog, and the Bruarâr‐vatn, together with a number of inferior rivers, with the Hvitâ, which I had passed, near its egress, on my way to the north, and which even then wore a formidable appearance. As the adjacent country lies very low, it is frequently overflowed, especially in spring, when a thaw happens to take place on the mountains before the river has been cleared of the masses of ice that had collected in it during the winter. From the ferry, I proceeded nearly two miles p. 347 along the west side of the river, and after crossing a rugged stream of lava, arrived a little after dark at Breidabolstad, the last farm on the south side of the mountains, where I pitched my tent, and was treated with the usual Icelandic hospitality.

On Tuesday, the 20th of September, I started at an early hour, in order to finish the last stage of my journey for the present season. From Breidabolstad, the road runs in a northerly direction, and leads, all at once, into one of the most gloomy and inhospitable regions I had yet traversed. It forms part of the long range of irregular and shapeless mountains, which stretches the whole way from Thingvallavatn to Cape Reykianess; and which, partly owes its origin to the awful effects of subterraneous fire, and has partly been overturned during subsequent convulsions. Beds of lava lie scattered here in every direction; and I found it no easy matter to elude the cracks and fissures which every now and then opened into the road. Having traversed the lava for some time, my attention was attracted by a number of craters to the right, which are known by the name of Trölladyngiar, or “Magic Heaps.” They are mostly of a conic form, and hollow within, and are covered with red slag, the last effects of subterraneous heat. It was from this tract that the famous eruption of A. D. 1000 proceeded; while the national assembly was deliberating whether the Christian religion should be adopted or not, and which gave rise p. 348 to the well known argument of Snorri Godi.9 According to the statement of Bishop Gisle Oddson, in his Collect. MSS. ad Hist. Nat. another eruption took place in 1340;10 and, indeed the place bears every mark of reiterated devastation.

Just before leaving this singularly wild desert, I was surprised by a fine flock of rein‐deer, marching slowly down the side of a mountain close bedside me. They were more than fifty in number, and were under the guidance of a noble stag, who led the van, and every now and then turned round to look at me, and inspect the state of his troops.

“Nor yet appear his care and conduct small; “From rank to rank he moves and orders all. “The stately ram thus measures o’er the ground, “And, master of the flocks, surveys them round.”

What is said of the wild ass, may equally apply to the stag: “Whose house I have made the wilderness, and the barren land his dwellings. The range of the mountains is his pasture, and he searcheth after every green thing.” Job, xxxviii. 6, 8. It was in these mountains, that three rein‐deer were introduced from Lapland, in the year 1770, and they have now multiplied to that degree, that they form numerous herds, and subsist on the moss, which grows plentifully in this quarter. It is but seldom that any of p. 349 them are killed, the inhabitants suffering them to remain in quiet possession of these desolate regions. They appeared much tamer than I should have supposed, and allowed me to ride within half a gun‐shot of them, before they mended their pace.

At the termination of the lava I descended by a very precipitous path into a deep gulley, the bottom of which was covered with slags and volcanic sand, and, extricating myself by a pass, the sides of which exhibited huge masses of tuffa, I entered a vast plain entirely overrun with lavas, the various ages of which were not only visible from the streams which had successively been heaped above each other, but also from their colour, and the greater or less quantity of soil which is here and there attached to their surface. After a very fatiguing ride, I came to the Trölla‐börn, or “Giants’ Children,” a number of minute, but singularly interesting volcanic chimnies, which have been formed by the cooling of the lava. They are from five to eight feet in height, and the largest may be twenty feet around the base. They are all hollow within; most of them domed, and presenting more or less of a lateral opening through which the melted substances have obtained a fresh vent. The lava is strongly vitrified, and its colour varies from a black to a light green. The outside of the dome exhibits a slaty appearance, resembling the scales of a fish, while it is hung within with the most beautiful stalactites. Some of p. 350 these craters serve for sheep‐pens; and in one of them I discovered a hard bed of lava, which is used by those who traverse this tract in winter. I had no sooner quitted this interesting spot than I recognised the Esian and other mountains to the north‐east of Reykiavik. I now applied for the last time to my stock of provisions, and leaving my servant to bring up the baggage horses at his leisure, I rode on to Reykiavik, where I arrived about five o’clock in the afternoon, after an absence of fifty‐eight days, and performing a journey of more than 1200 British miles.

1. Olafsen og Povelsen, p. 845. Landnâmabok, Part. IV. cap. v.

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2. Olafsen og Povelsen p. 763.

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3. Olafsen og Povelsen, p. 927.

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4. Olafsen og Povelsen, p. 857.

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5. Hist. Eccles. Island, tom. iii. p. 80—83. At p. 138 of the same work, is inserted a most pitiable letter from the captives, dated Algiers, 1635.

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6. Hist. Eccles. Island. Tom. I. p. 199. Note.

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7. Travels in Iceland, p. 218.

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8. Upsala 1777, 8vo. p. 235.

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9. P. 29.

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10. Olafsen og Povelsen, p. 74.

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