The Home of the Eddas. ... With a chapter on the Sprengisandr by ... C. Le N. Foster

Front matter

"a home EVERYWHERE." Every traveller should, if possible, be provided with a Tent. Pitched with but small trouble, and with no loss of" time, on any favourable spot, the CANVAS HOUSE is an immediate shelter from the vicissitudes of climate. Without a Tent innumerable inconveniences must be borne before the sheher ofa roof can be obtained ; and the comfortless, unhealthy cabin into which at length the wanderers crowd, forms a wretched contrast to the commodious, water-tight, warm, vet well-ventilated Tent which, at a small cost, should form the most important part of a traveller s outfit A Catalogue and all particulars of Tents, may be had by applying to BENJAMIN EDGINGTON, Marquee, Tent, Flag, and Rick Cloth Manufacturer, 2, DUKE STREET, SOUTHWARK, Foot of London Bridge, S.E. STEAM BETWEEN LEITH AND ICELAND.

NOTICE TO TOURISTS, ANGLERS, AND SPORTSMEN. The First-Class Steam-Ship " CAMOENS," 1054 Tons register, 170 Horse-power, will leave Leith for Iceland once a fortnight, going round the Island, commencing end of June ; calling at the Faro<; Islands if required. Thus affording Tourists, Anglers, and Sportsmen an ex cellent opportunity of visiting that Interesting Country, its Burning Mountains, Geysers, Salmon Rivers, Shootings, &c. The S.S. "CAMOENS" is a Full-Powered Fast Steamer, with superior Passenger Accommodation ; has spacious Saloon on deck. The State-rooms are lofty and well-ventilated, and situated quite apart from Dining Saloon. For further particulars apply to R. & D. SLIMON, LEITH. STEAK BETWEEN LEITH, FAROE ISLES, & ICELAND, The Royal Mail Steam-Ship " PHŒNIX," is intended to sail during the Season of 1879, as under: — FROM LEITH TO ICELAND FROM ICELAND TO LEITH I. Westmannoe Islands will be called at on each voyage, weather permittin: 2.

After arrival at Reykjavik, the Steamer will on each voyage, make a trip to Havnefjord. 1. Children between 2 and 12 years years, free. inclusive pay half-fare ; Children under 2 2. Passengers are allowed to carry ioo lbs. Luggage free ; and for each Child 5olbs Luggage allowed. Over-weight of Luggage to be paid for at the rate of gt/. per iolbs. 3. Provisions on board, during the Passage (without Wine and Beer) : ist Cabin — Adults, $s. $d. per diem ; Children, $s. 2nd Cabin — Adults, 2s. $d. per diem ; Children, is. 6d. r Leith ... GEO. V. TURNBULL & CO. AGENTSi Revkjavik: O. FINSEN. (Thorshavn SVSSELMAND H. MULLER. Copenhagen, Feb., 1879. UNITED STEAM SHIP CO. Earliest Departure from FAROE ISLES (Thorshavn). Ordinary day of Arrival at REYKJAVIK. LEITII. 5th March. 2 1st April. 31st May. nth July. 2 1st August. 30th September. 1 2th November. 7th March. 23rd April. 2nd June. 13th July. 23rd August. 2nd October. 14th November. 15th March. 29th April. 8th June. 1 8th July. 28th August. 1 1 th October. 22nd November.

Chapter I

Introductory i — 5 The Eddas, what are they — their true home — hiatus in previous works on Iceland — reasons for writing the present volume -its special features and objects.

Chapter II

Our Expedition 6 — 36 The voyage — floating pumicemidnight sun — the pony question — start at last for the sulphur diggings — a midnight ride and its consequences — K. and the terns — a plague of midges — K. in a brimstone pit — to the new craters — the terns again — K.'s adventure with a falcon — camp in the Holy Valley — Petr repentant — lost, stolen, or strayed — " condemned " military tents — snow-storm and fog — the secret of the word "guide" — Kite or Falcon? — two climates in Iceland— Divine service postponed sine die — Josias, the son of the Raven — the Surtar brandr or lignite formation — " agates " — spoils ofthe chase — a "juicy " day— K.'s notions of sport — hakarl and how we liked it — a novel observatory — catching a crab — a drunken visitor — seals — Watts on the Vatnajokull— the spread of the Icelandic glaciers denied — rambles about the Laxwater — wild-fowl— the Shivering-flood — simplicity and hospitality of the peasants— ptarmigan in the lava beds — potatoes — found drowned— the church, the service, and the congregation mementoes of earthquakes— short commons— pony-steamers — the Blue shaw—shaw-thrushes—lava rifts and natural bridges— the Tumbling force and river scenery — the gods'-rock— notes on fishing and shooting.

Chapter III

Gallop with a Lady across the Stoursand .... 37—57 Our cavalcade — native sculptures — the best farm-house in Iceland— pony-chasing— sleep in a hay-yard— Midge-lake scenery— an altar picture—the guide's guide— the Gods' force— a leap and a dive—"her ring-bone" architecture— fording a firth— a missing steed— a church in chains— an al fresco night on the hills— bad rivers— an inn— the church at Silverstead— quicksands and fog —winter wells—mushrooms fording the river Blend— eagles and swans— are they outlaws?— the PAGE Stoursand — where a hero's head was hidden — the Bone Carline — lampooning, past and present — the devil's writing-paper — a bishop's monument in the desert — cold camp by the Fish-lakes — the outlaws' den — an ostrich in the wilderness — Skuli's scamper — the Cold-dale — prehistoric moraines — smelling out a farm — how we stowed away for the night — lovely climate— how to travel.

Chapter IV

Hekla and Geysir 58 — 72 Mineral-water springs — ferrying the Olfuss-water — Einar the Drunkard — night in a bog — turf causeways — first view of Hekla — Njall's country — ferrying the Bull-water— good quarters — our Maid of the Horse — ascent of Hekla — snow-storm near the summit — edict con cerning Sunday travel — salmon streams — fording the White-water — why do salmon fishers neglect Iceland ? — river scenes — the Golden force — peculiarity of Icelandic water-falls — beautiful landscape — Geysir's sulkiness — an emetic for the Churn — a bridge in mid-stream — wild-fowl and midges — the rifts in the Thingfield and their origin — lodgings in a church loft — what came of changing my trousers - the Law-rock and other classic scenes — a lady bathes in the "bottomless pit" — a road in a river — Dr. Hjaltalin's sanatorium— homeward bound.

Chapter V

Spring features : up the Whale-firth y, go The s.s. Arcturus— His Majesty of Denmark's mails — the Shetlands likened to Iceland — Norse and Icelandic attachment to the water regular mail-boats ! — the capital of the Færoes — a ruined monastery — Darwin out-Darwined — Thorshavn library — its defences — the en gineer's mistake — adrift in mid-ocean — the " ocean river " the West men's Islands — outlook in the Mane-firth — hunting for beds — scaveng ing ponies — the pack-ice and its consequences — how we arrange the journey — modern degeneracy — limestone quarries — Spring fare bird life— Sir Thorvaldr at Rowanfields — the Elves' stool — fevers and their cause — pulling a house down to ventilate it— Iceland spar — ascent of the Pillars — clouds spoil the view — desperate walking— curious water fall and canon— Redhead the man-whale — egg-gathering on the Gare fowl skerries — the end of an Elfin amour — an unpleasant wade sail down the firth — a euphonious name — hints for tourists.

Chapter VI

Through Flood and Fen Monotonous ride — calcedonies— the Passheath way — grove-worship — the mettle of the Vikings not yet extinct — clerical peccadilloes Snorri's bath— site for excavation— the Tongue-cauldron— the plug out of the ferry-boat— rheumatism— a novel drying-ground— an ancient graveyard— salmons' tastes— price of salmonsalmon-fishers' Utopia PAGE — water-fowl — manuring the home-field — ponies their own grooms — sleeping with the guide — soul-houses — the scene of an ancient tragedy — a greedy bonder— the packhorses swim for it — firth scenery — another inn and what it provided — one way of observing temperatures — some thing for antiquaries —the bestowal of local names — epilepsy — a vendor of "night-gains" — a swan's nest — a noble breakfast — Finnbogi's stronghold — the Iceland raven — caim-breaking — attentive bed-fellows — buying a horse — ferrying the Blend river — the horse country — a lunatic's bath — the blessings of skyr — Icelandic beauty — a ddni — a good guide — Grettir's last refuge — the exterior of a parsonage — no ford — crossing a flood — confirmed rumours of the pack-ice — the Bear in a bog — making a ford — only a woman — a bridge gone — neck or nothing — a puzzling name— walrus tail — horses give up.

Chapter VII

Life at the Diggings 120 — 140 The seventh week of summer — public auctions — a night on the grass —encounter with a reindeer — waning provisions — learning the language — the "man with the dirty ears" — a snowy owl — our hut at the diggings — Stepi the Small— gold and silver in volcanoes — an ill-fated chemical box — waiting for a steamer that never came — taking a short cut — July weather — genealogy ofthe midge — something about foxes — the Governor's visit — Icelandic newspapers — advertisements — the most northerly printing-press in the world — Icelandic moss— edible berries of Iceland and Greenland — the Bear's birthday — Icelandic wrestling other sports — Big Peter of Reeky-ledge — history of a bottle of rum — modern lampoons — a great man ridiculed.

Chapter VIII

A Scamper to Seethe-firth 141 — 165 No grass— lunar rainbow — Surtr and Loki— lava usurps the road — ■ Dr. Foster on palagonite — analysis of palagonite — how not to do it — pony-searching in the dark — the finest farm in Iceland — the Rights season — Scotch fee-chapmen — the eruptions of 1875 — beautiful dresses— a well-mounted party — remarks on shields — bridges — pumice-showers — analysis of pumice— its effects on the crops — the Glacier-dale — a fee-market — my anxiety relieved — a dark ride — crossing a narrow bridge — glacial remains— the Log-flood — the farm and farmer of Wastes — a reverend farrier — reindeer in the desert — why reindeer do not prosper in Iceland — how Companies' business is mis managed.

Chapter IX

Six Months' Winter 166 — 235 Icelandic chronometry — when weeks were not — the ancient and modern months — days reckoned by nights — the Gore-month — Marrow fiends — winter provision — passion for tobacco — what I disinterred at the apothecary's — an epidemic of mumps — a Provost and a Rapesteerer — how the Wallacks take care of the priest — Sir B. K. chevies the cook — modern parsons and ancient Bearsarks — winter dress — " two- X PAGE menning " over a river— snow-shoes— the Vaadle-heath— an honest carl —a cool and airy bed-room— Swainbear the Wader— surnames in Ice land and in England— the Shivering-flood again -a challenge accepted —winter thunder is the world's wonder— sprawling across an ice-bridge —etiquette in calling— our day's walk— glorious sky-scapes— fishermen from Grimsey— chess-players— jaundice— the schoolmaster abroad- English for the Icelanders -earthquakes— a hurricane— shooting pro spects—ptarmigan—winter birds— Guillemots or " Blackbirds "—libels on Reynard — we set out again for the capital— woollen boots — breakfast then and now— winter travel— thirst caused by the dry cold— a vanquished enemy — anomalies in freezing— a novel stable — svell — arduous travelling — a montagne russe—the local mail service — etymology of Yule -history of the feast— Twelfth-night— Yule ale, Yule logs, and Yule-gifts — the Yule-swains — importance of Yule— Christmas dinner — dancing-costumes— consequences of a late start — unfrozen bogs — frozen toes— the "house-lesson" — more earthquakes — a com mercial storm — I am sold up — the pleasures of serving a Company — adieu to Hiisavik — a narrow escape — a stout cavalier — the Cold-cheek — sleighing — sleep with my host and hostess — a capsize— finding a farm by the stars — "He was out!" — Icelandic architecture in the past — origin of an English custom — the "fire-house" — the forefathers of windows — "Ye may be aye sticking in a tree " — modern dwellings — the bath-room— lamps — an interior— its inmates and their occupations — promiscuous bed-fellows — my scholars — stumbling-blocks in pro nunciation — an M.P. in the recess — priestly failings— immorality — fecundity — drunkenness — Olave the Lazy — dysentery — the library — fishing through the ice — the emigration question — want of labour—playwrights and theatricals — Aurora and meteors— meteorological observa tions — features of the winter — the pack-ice — Iceland compared with the East — milk diet — the position of the women.

Chapter X

Twelve Days with the Pony Express 236 — 262 A late mail — we get off at last — the postal programme — " Happy is the man who expecteth nothing " — a cow in a bed-room — an entomo phagous crone — a dreaded pass — living on our belts — anecdotes of dogs — troublesome rivers — the Blend river impassable — three in a bed — trying the ferry — bed-ice— over at last — wild swans— a swim for it — an abandoned mail bag — riding on the Hope — a modern love affair — sun versus frost — a modern geographer— a desperate task — a farm to be avoided — Jon Doni — shall we catch the steamer? — a filthy hovel — no hay — anotherducking — hold a council of war — new mounts — fording the White-river — curiosities ungratified — aromatic furniture — sea-weed pas tures — "squeezing" the foreigner — Little Reekie again — the new guest-house — hunting for letters— the long-dreamed-of puddings — parting words.

CHAPTER XL

Across the Bursting-sand in 1876, by Dr. C. Le Neve Foster, B.A., F.G.S., &c 263-2S1 PAGE " How are we to get home?" — rival routes — preparations for crossing the Sprengisandr — they will go wrong — an Icelander's idea of London — an early visit — what a late start entailed — the deserts of Iceland and Arabia — geological notes — ponies that will not eat corn — an execution — the Erne-fell glacier — quicksands — swan-hopping on horseback — good camping-ground — natural stone pavement — the Bull-water and its tributaries— volcanic and glacial monuments — the first farm south of the desert — a strange sheep-fold — spongy bogs — defunct geysirs — the steamer arrived — how pony-steamers are navigated — is the Sprengi sandr as bad as it is painted ? — scarcity of guides — Icelandic glaciers, past and present.

Chapter XII

A Review reviewed 282 — 2S8 Illegitimate criticism — fanciful spelling of local names — a reviewer's standard — mutilations, marriages, and mis-spellings — ignorance a pass port to criticism — who is the charlatan ?

Appendix

A. Explanation of Icelandic Words and Names occurring in the Journal 289 — 302 The letters of the alphabet — their pronunciation — translations, ex planations, and comparisons of about one hundred and fifty native names and words, especially jbkull, tiiri, hart, hraun, ds, stdeir, 6dd?&a, lilfr, bær, gd& (giCo"), hbrgr, sel, sandr, b'rn, biffi, borg, iafSstofa, Hekla, Dimon, Geysir, laug, dlfr, Sira, kaupstaftr, mSt, hShn-ganga, viking r, bdndi, vopn, Heb'iti, hreppr, eldr, pallr, gestr, hlutr, and bol.

APPENDIX.

B. What the Tourist wants to know 303 — 331 Mail-steamers — fares — pony-boats and other trading vessels — maps and charts — time for visit — guides — horses — saddles — bridles — spurs — shoes — hobbles — packsaddles— etceteras — boxes and loads — tents — Silver's canteen — beds and bedding — clothing — meats and drinks — toilette and other vanities — inns and guesting — corn — presents — shooting — fishing — ornithology — exploration — overland mail routes — fourteen pages of sketch routes (including four ways across the island, and all the interesting tours that can be made in it), stating times, distances, accommodation, and the fishing, shooting, scenery, and interesting sites or remains met with en route. Index to Local Names 333 General Index 343 Map showing Author's Routes faeing p. ERRATA. Page 32, line 15, for foss read force — 41, — 17, for The Gods'. foss read The Gods'-foree — 41, — 24, for Goat-foss read Goat-force

Chapter I. Introductory

My way is to begin with the beginning. — Don Juan. The " Home of the Eddas," — but who or what are the Eddas ? Are they an obscure race of autochthones like the Todas, or are they some curious specimens of the lower animal or vege table creations ? They are neither. The primary significa tion of the word edda is a great-grandmother, but that will not help us much, as we cannot fix upon any country as being the home especially of great-grandmothers ; moreover, the noun is no longer used in that sense. It survives only as the proper name of two literary works, the finest and greatest classics ofthe Gothic, or, if you will, Teutonic races of men. The elder Edda, the Edda, par excellence, is occupied chiefly with Skald-ship-figures and forms the Ars Poetica of the old Norse tongue. The younger Edda contains the heathen mythology of Scandinavia, which has spread throughout the members of the Teutonic family, and equals in beauty and interest, and in some respects excels, that of Ancient Greece and Rome.

A study of the details of this mythology lies altogether beyond the province of this volume, and even a cursory notice of its most striking features would be out of place here ; but now that our teachers and instructors have at last recognized the existence of such a thing as a Scandi navian infusion in our mother-tongue, and seeing how closely the early history of these islands is entwined in that of the B kings and peoples of the Scandinavian peninsula, has not the time arrived when the gods of our northern ancestors should hold as high a place in modern education as the unchaste deities from the Mediterranean, and might not some of the hours so fruitlessly spent in misinterpreting incomprehensible Horace be more fitly devoted to the classics of Northern Europe ? But we are wandering from the point.

Having settled what the Eddas are, we have now to determine their homes. There is every probability that the Eddas originated in the minds of the inhabitants of Continental Scandinavia, and that they were current in the mouth of the people in very early times ; but those were stormy, troublous days, and writing was as yet unborn, being but an unweaned babe when the avarice of fair-haired Harold of Norway sent that early edition of the Pilgrim Fathers across the main to Iceland. In this lonely island, difficult to reach, and not worth the cost of conquest, the Colonists possessed for a time just the quietness that was needed to cherish the growth of the arts of peace, while enough of fight and adventure remained to fire the poetical spirit of the people. Under these conditions the Eddas, which had only floated hazily in the memories of the conti nentals, were arranged and committed to paper by the more independent islanders.

The Home of the Eddas, the spot where, and where only, they took definite shape and form, and waxed perfect as we now see them, is — Iceland. After all, then, this is only another book on Iceland. You thought it was going to be something new ! If you will be patient, I will try to convince you that in spite of the mass of interesting literature which English tourists — to speak of no others— visiting Iceland have bequeathed to us, it is still possible to write about that island and at the same time say something new. In the first place, it has been the rule with these tourists to confine their tours to the summer months, and to this rule there are only two exceptions : the missionary Henderson in 1814-5, and (then) Hon. A. Dillon in 1834. Much of what these travellers— especially the former saw Introductory. 3 and described is altogether changed now, and their works are valuable chiefly for instituting comparisons between the past and the present.

Since then no one has recounted his experiences of a winter sojourn in the island. Having resided there for twelve full months, making many excursions and twice crossing the island during the thaws of early spring, I can at least say that I had the usual opportunities for making observations — in fact my only regret is that I lack the facile pen for picturing with adequate truth all that I saw and learnt during my novel season of housekeeping on the very verge of the Arctic Circle. In other respects my training was of the kind generally denied to passing tourists. Circumstances compelled me for the most part to shun the principal cheapsteads, such as Reykjavik and Akureyri, where the life and the people are half Danish, half Icelandic, and threw me among the pure blooded bonder and peasant classes.

By them I was received as one of themselves, and necessarily saw much of the vie intime. This forced upon me the necessity for learning the language, as Danish was almost as wholly unknown to the people with whom I was most in contact as to myself, and Latin is not only very unsuited to express the vulgar needs of us moderns, but all save a very few priests are utterly incapable of carrying on a conversation in it. Probably my wits were sharpened by an unexpected event, which made my daily bread depend upon a pretty thorough acquaintance with the colloquial speech. Availing myself of the knowledge thus gained, and drawing upon that rich mine, the Cleasby Dic tionary, when information failed me, I have adopted a rule of appending the English signification to every local name occurring in the journal, supplementing it in many instances by short remarks, especially etymological, which I have gathered into an Appendix.

This plan I have followed, not without due consideration, and I preferred it to footnotes for several reasons. The latter are always printed in smaller type, which leads many readers to pass them over altogether as too tiring to the eyes ; they greatly interfere with the B symmetry of a book and with the thread 'of the narrative, whereas notes arranged numerically in the form of an Appen dix may be set in readable type, and may be conveniently read when the story has concluded. As this Appendix is not addressed to philologers, but rather to readers who wish to see a little deeper into their own language than they are able to do under ordinary conditions of schooling, I have thought it unnecessary to quote synonyms showing the relationship of High or Low German or the modern dialects of Scandinavia.

Another feature of novelty in the present volume is the chapter on the Sprengisandr. For this I have to thank a singularly happy accident and the kindly liberality of a generous and talented friend. Disappointed by the non-arrival of a steamer that was expected to call for him at a northern port of Iceland, Dr. Clement Le Neve Foster, H.M. Inspector of Mines in Cornwall, was compelled to gallop across the island in order to catch a later boat. Everything pointed to the Sprengisandr way as the best suited to his purpose, and thus it happened that the route, promising the greatest attrac tion to a geologist, was trodden by one whose sound and scientific training is acknowledged on all hands. Regretting the unmerited limbo to which the island, full of thrilling interest to Englishmen, has been consigned by the guide-book makers, I have endeavoured to remove a part of the slur thus cast upon the land that offered me a happy home, and have concluded these pages with a chaos of information which, aided by a four-sheet map, may serve the turn of the tourist till Murray or Bædeker awake from their lethargy and give to Ultima Thule its due.

Finally, actuated by a belief that the public manifests a desire, and a very natural desire, to go to the bottom of everything, I have begun my journal at the beginning. The third, fourth, and eighth chapters refer in some measure to what has been already written about, but an explanation of the native names may help to beguile the monotony of repetition. If I may be permitted the liberty of modifying a Introductory. 5 homely simile, I will end these remarks by reminding the reader that to be born " with a pen in the hand " is the lot of the fortunate few among whom I cannot count myself ; there fore, I have not essayed any attempt at fine writing, but have endeavoured in a humble way to help fill the hiatus now existing in literature concerning Iceland.

Chapter II. Our Expedition

To the little isle of Iceland, Place of perpetual snow, A few of England's learned sons Determined to go. One Month in Iceland (Anonymous). The expedition to explore the brimstone diggings situated in Parliament County, Iceland, set sail from Granton on the 6th July, 1875, in a Scotch steamer, the "Fifeshire," chartered by an Edinburgh merchant, to bring home ponies. It will be unnecessary to name my companions, nor need I refer at length to the two inebriated Caledonian passengers — one a friend of the pony-dealer, the other under a delusion that he was bound for the Canary islands — whose unrefined company we could not escape. For three and a half days there was nought to beguile the monotony of the voyage, save the reckless burning of cart ridges by K. in his efforts to bag sea-birds. On the morning of the 10th, however, land was sighted, and at 7 a.m. we could distinguish Orœfajokull (1) ' (Wilderness glacier), the king of Icelandic mountains, thrusting his glistening, snow and ice covered peaks over 6000 feet into the sky, and presenting a grand and characteristic sight.

Almost at the same moment we were reminded of the anomalous nature of Snowland's hills, of that wonderful assemblage of volcano and glacier cheek by jowl, by floating patches of pumice, which had been borne by tempest and torrent from the scene of the recent (May) eruptions in the north-eastern part of the island. All day we ran up the coast, at too great a distance, how- 1 See Appendix A., p. 290. ever, to enjoy anything ofthe scenery and, at eventide, passed Langanes, distant about eight miles. The " Long-ness " is a low, pointed headland, with an abrupt face about 200 feet high, and is the resort of immense numbers of sea-fowl ; the neighbouring country bears a flat and desolate appearance, — a hut or two scattered about, and a few curious natives on the cliffs were the only signs that the place was habited.

Infected with the dissipation of a sun that does not go to bed at all for about a fortnight, some of us employed the night in preparing home letters for despatch with the pony cargo. At 6.30. a.m. on Sunday we were in the Skjdlfandi (Shiver ing) bay, and some hours later found us in one of the three wooden houses which compose the trading station of Husavik (Housewick), the base of our future operations. Local farms being unable to supply us with the necessary number of mounts, two of our party continued the voyage to Akureyri, where we knew the horse-dealer's agent was collecting. Having brought with us a supply of provisions, camp-beds, &c, and having engaged the services of the ship's steward and the cabin boy, the shelter afforded by the empty house was all that was needed to make us quite comfortable.

Little delay was made in despatching C. to carry out his surveys for roads and tramways, then each of us remaining proceeded to kill time as best we might till horses should arrive. Some prospected the neighbouringZct,i-st (2) (Lax — [salmon] water), others the Botnsvatn (3) (Bottoms water), while K. and I went on a shooting excursion. The sport met with has already been described elsewhere," but I have thought it well to add some notes on our " bags " at the end of this chapter. In our rambles we came upon a pony-cart, a plough, and two wheel barrows, none of them in a flourishing state certainly, but the possession of even the remains of such signs of civilization must be the envy of less favoured " towns." Anon we scrambled up the Husavikurfjall (House-wick-mountain) from Vide The Field, June 16 and 23, 1S77. whose summit, about 1 300 feet above the sea, a good view was obtained ofthe surrounding country.

The pony question nearly distracted us: if twelve were promised six came, and these six quickly strayed home again, thanks to the man we hired at high wages to look after them, and who showed his sense of duty by forthwith getting blind drunk and lying in some ditch till the pure air had removed the effects of vile liquor. Presently, however, the foraging party returned from Akureyri with a relay of seventeen mounts, aged variously from two to twenty years, which, pitched unceremoniously overboard in the bay, landed at diverse spots after their long swim to shore, and rendered hungry by their bath, called forth the best of our stock driving qualities. They were at last mustered and we loaded up at once for the seven hours' ride to Reykjalilffi (4) (Reeky-slope), so that at 4.20. p.m. four of our party, accompanied by the steward and three Icelanders, trotted merrily off, driving the packhorses before us.