deter me. With a great deal of difficulty
did I at last persuade a brave old man, who
had been born in this district, to accompany
me to the mountains, at least as far as the
place whence it was said that the eastern
stream of lava had its source. It now only
remained for us to consult from what place
such a journey might most conveniently be
undertaken. From Fliotsverfet it was impossible
on account of the impassable mountains,
especially the ice-mountain, Sidu or
Skaptar-Jokul; and moreover the new lava-
tract passes in that direction, as well as the
Hverfisfliot, which is quite choaked up with
lava. From Skaptartungen on the western
side it was likewise impracticable to proceed,
as the Skaptaa and the other two great rivers
Efn and Sydn-Ofaera, which had been filled
up with lava, impeded the progress in this
direction. It was therefore necessary that
the journey should be commenced from
Sida, and with this view we procured two
horses to convey the two boring instruments
( an earth and a mountain-shaft), with
some provisions and a small tent. To these
were added six riding-horses for myself, my
companion, and servant, which latter was to
assist in making experiments with the shafts
as well as to take care of the horses.
§ XVII.
Journey to the In the morning of the l 6th of
mountains. July, at four o’clock, I proceeded
on my route towards the mountains,
and on advancing near the moors, north of
Prestbacke and Mordtunga, upon Sida (for
my tent was pitched between these two
farms), I was greatly astonished at the
miserable appearance of the pastures. Even
here, where many farmers from Sida were
in the habit of sending cattle in summer, for
the sake of the excellent grass, every thing
was evidently quite burned up by the falling
of hot ashes and sand; excepting only in
those places where an enormous mass of volcanic
ashes and gravel had formed a deep
black0 covering, and thus wholly concealed
the surface of the earth. The farther we
advanced towards the mountains, the thicker
lay the ashes, reaching in some places even
to the thickness of four or five inches: yet
even here in a few spots some half-withered
herbs and blades of grass were beginning