cottages, which, on account of their being
covered with turf, were not easily distinguishable
from the ground they stood upon,
and, sometimes, only by the superior luxuriance
of vegetation. Another boat was now
seen coming from the shore, in which were
Mr. Savigniac, an agent for Mr. Phelps, who
had spent the winter there, and a Mr. Be-
trej> ers, a Danish Merchant, who could speak
a little English. Wbile these gentlemen were
talk i ng over commercial affairs below, I kept
upon deck, watching, with my telescope, every
little object as it came in view. The house of
the physician, Doctor Clog (pronounced Clo)>
a neat white building, covered with boards,
was pleasantly situated upon a flat grassy peninsula,
and, a little beyond it, we discovered
the small town of Reikevig. The most conspicuous
feature in this town was a pretty
large white building, roofed with boards,
which, I concluded, was the residence of the
governor, but was surprised on being told it
was the work-house, or house of correction.
On drawing nearer, however, it was not such
a comfortable place as it appeared in the
distance, and the houses in the town, which
we had a good view of, as we came to an
anchor in the harbor, exhibited a more favorable
exterior. A long line of buildings,
principally warehouses, and all made of
wood, fronted the sea. The church was distinguished
by its being of stone, and covered
with tiles, and by having a small steeple, or
little square wooden tower, for its two bells.
On each side of these buildings, among the
rocks, which on every side surround the
town, were scattered miserable huts, but little
raised above the level of the ground,
although none of them are really formed
under ground, nor, indeed, are any in the
island so, as has been generally supposed.
About three in the afternoon, we came to an
anchor at a short distance from the town,
close by the Orion, and, at four, we went on
shore, landing upon a beach wholly formed
of decomposed lava, of a black color, and, in
some places, almost as fine as sand: here, a
sort of moveable jetty, made of fir planks,
was pushed a little way into the sea, that we
might not wet ourselves, and, at least, a hundred
natives, principally women, welcomed us
to their island, and shouted on our landing.
These good folks did not gaze on us with
v o l . 1 . c