purpose of being converted into snuff-boxes.
These are prettily ornamented with silver,
variously disposed in fillagree work, and are
used by people of rank, particularly by the
ladies. Of such snuff-boxes the contents are
inhaled in the same way, as of those noticed
in the early part of this
journal; but, as their shape
is different, and I was so
fortunate as to preserve (together
with my Icelandic
dress) one of them which
was given me by the Etats-
roed’s lady, I have thought
it deserving of being figured.
After crossing the four parallel
rivers, of which we
had so fine a prospect on
our descent from Skard-
sheidi, we entered Reyk-
holts-dalr, or the vale of
smoke; a name the place
well deserves from the number of columns
of steam that are to be seen rising on both
sides of the Reykiadals-aa *. Just at the
* The river of the reeking valley.
mouth of this valley we stopped to rest
our horses, near a hill from which five or six
fountains were gushing forth, and forming
a number of streamlets that poured down
along every side of the eminence. These I
had already crossed with the help of a stout
pair of shoes, and was standing by one of
the apertures, when a little English dog,
that had accompanied me on this excursion,
came running towards me through the scalding
fluid, unconscious of the heat of the
water. His howling soon made known the
pain the poor animal suffered, and so alarmed
was he ever after at the sight of water, that
it was with the greatest difficulty he could
be induced to cross a cold river, nor would
he do it till we had gone so far that he was
fearful of being lost; so that, for some time
subsequent to this accident, we were obliged
to carry him over the numerous torrents we
had to pass. From these springs, which
seem to be what are described in the Voyage
en Islande, under the name of Tungu-
hver *, we passed on to those of Aahver,
* Two of the springs ofTungu-hver have been ascertained
by Sir George Mackenzie to throw up their
waters alternately in a very remarkable manner. Of