ceived. As we descended by this rude but
natural staircase, the sides, which were perpendicular,
became proportionably higher,
till, winding round some huge fallen pieces
of rock, we entered the great chasm. A
grassy bottom of considerable width, and extending
as far as we could see, afforded a
sufficient, though not a very luxuriant, pasture
for our horses ; and this determined me
to have our tents fixed here, that we might
remain all night in this remarkable spot,
some idea of the ichnography of which I
have endeavored to convey by means of the
annexed engraving, which, however, represents
it so imperfectly that I omitted it in
the first edition of this Tour, and am fearful
my readers may think I might as well have
done so in the present. On the left of the
entrance to my tent, rose a perpendicular
hommes grimpent, et mènent leurs chevaux, qui montent
ces degrés, en faisant des sauts qui ne les avancent
pas toujours.”—Povelsen and Olafsen, § 863.—I presume,
by the word taillés, Messrs. Povelsen and Olafsen
do not mean to imply cut by art ; for I certainly could
not perceive that any artificial means had been employed,
nor could they have been so to advantage,
without more powerful engines than, the Icelanders are
possessed of.