arriving at the opposite side of the chasm,
we found ourselves in a somewhat better
track, but, as our friends from Heiderbag
and Xhingevalle were not thoroughly acquainted
with this country, it was recommended
to us to call at a peasant’s house,
which was but little out of the way, where
we might procure something to apply to the
leg of the wounded horse, and at the same
time might inquire after a guide, who would
be able to direct us to some remarkable caves
in the neighborhood. We were disappointed,
on reaching the cottage, to find there was
only an old woman at home, who, nevertheless,
made us welcome* and immediately
produced some excellent milk for our refreshment,
and some syre, or sour whey,
which answered both for washing the horse’s'
wounds, and for drink to our guides. In the
absence of the male part of the family, the
woman undertook to be our conductor, and,
without either shoes or stockings on her
legs and feet, with extraordinary agility,
sprung cross-legs upon a spare horse that
we had, though destitute of saddle and
bridle, and^ook the lead of our little caval-
CRde. She pointed out to us the entrances
to several large caves, one of which in particular,
called Undergrandur, is said to penetrate
a considerable way into the gtound.
We alighted from our horses, and went in as
far as we thought it prudent without lights.
The entrance was about ten or twelve feet
high, and about twice O * that width, but both
the height and width increased as we advanced.
For some way in, the snow had
been drifted, and still lay unmelted, intermixed
with ice. Beyond this, vast black
pieces of rock, of an enormous size, covered
the bottom, and similar ones hung suspended
from the roof, which seemed to threaten
every minute to add to the number of those
below. We climbed over the heap upon
the ground, and groped our way, till we
almost lost sight of the light at the entrance.
Darkness prevented our proceeding farther,
and the coldness of the place, and dampness
owing to the constant dripping from the
roof, made us glad to return to the open air.
We looked into two or three other caves,
but attempted nothing more; as their appearance
presented nothing particularly interesting,
or likely to repay the trouble and
hazard of investigation, they being mostly