dark brown color, but whitened in places by
the dung of the immense quantity of birds
which constantly frequent them. In the af-r
ternoon, we saw other Jokuls, which were
covered with snow, and extended^in uninterrupted
lines almost as far as our si©ght could
reach. Hence, we bore a little more to the
southward, in order to double a dang©erous
chain of rocks running out from the southeast
corner of Iceland, and called the Fugle
Skiers. We soon lost sight of our snow
mountains, and, instead of feasting our eyes
with these wonders of the northern regions,
had to encounter three days of almost incessant
squalls, sleet, rain, and a most boisterous
sea. When, at length, we supposed we had
sailed far beyond the outermost rock (for we
gave it a birth of twenty-five miles), we
steered to the northward, and reckoned the
next morning upon entering the great bav of
Faxa-fiord. We were all thrown into confusion,
however, by Mr. Jorgensen’s accidentally
looking out a-head, and discovering,
within a few minutes sail, some breakers
dashing over a sunken rock directly in our
course. He immediately gave orders for putting
the vessel about, and flew himself, with
the greatest alertness, from one part of the
deck to another, to assist, by his own exertions,
where fear or hurry prevented the common
sailors from doing their duty. Although
it blew a gale of wind, so that, in getting
about, our decks were completely washed bv
the seas, yet, it was done so rapidly, that no
one, except Mr. Jorgensen, knew the extent
of the danger, till we had escaped from it.
Unfortunately, almost at the same time the
wind shifted, and we were obliged to beat
about to the southward for two da v s,, before
we could get round this dangerous reef,
which was not laid down in any of our
T ucsdav, charts. At length, with more favor-
une20’ able weather, on the 20th we entered
Faxa-fiord, and steered pretty nearly due
east, to get into Reikevig Bay. On our right
was a long flat extent of land, which is called
Guldbringue Syssel, or District: from it,
rose several insulated mountains, and one of
a remarkably conical figure, but none of any
Wednesday, gieat height. Early on the follow-
June 21. • . ing morning, as we continued our
course, other larger mountains came in view,
on the mist’s clearing away; and, after an interval
of several hours from the time of our
firing the signal, we saw a boat, with some