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168 EFSTEDALR PARSONAGE, [Chap. V.
roof. In one of these rooms the family reside and
eat, in another they all sle ep ; another is the
kitchen, another a general store-room for all kinds
of lumber, clothes, and provisions; another the
smith}', besides two or three little out-houses, consisting
of a shed for horses, another for coavs, and
a third for sheep, these being generally behind in a
sort of inclosure.
At the back of the parson’s dAvelling at Efstedalr
there Avere three or four fresh stacks of hay
which had only just been collected together.
Indeed the peasantry, Avhere Ave met Avith any,
seemed to be everywhere busy in getting in their
hay, the crops of Avhich on this extensive plain
Avere abundant, and appeared to me fully equal
to any I had seen in Norway. The site of the
houses, Avhether of the clergy or the farmers,
is generally so chosen, that a considerable space
of good grass-land is contiguous to them, and
receives all the manure collected about the cattle-
yard : this space, or a small part of it, is often
rudely inclosed Avith stone Avails, and I believe
bears the name of the tooii; hence, probably, the
Dutch tuin, a garden, and our town, from beino-
anciently surrounded Avith a Avail of mud or stone.
We selected a snug spot for our tent at the end of
the roAv of huts, and close to the hay-stacks, as
affording shelter from a strong wind which blew
during the night. We strewed the inside Avith
Chap. V.] EFSTEDALR. 169
hay, A A 'h ich Ave found to be a far more comfortable
bed than the hard and damp floor of the little
church of Thingvalla, bnt Ave Avere terribly tormented
Avith whole swarms of small flies.
The priest Avas probably not at home, at least
Ave saAV nothing of him, but his Avife shoAved us
great attention, and provided us Avith milk, butter,
and coffee. The butter Avas, as I aRvays found it
to be ill Iceland, of a white and tallow-like appearance,
owing to its being partially, and often wholly,
made from sheep’s milk : it has no 'disagreeable
taste or flavour, but is not made in a cleanly manner,
being generally full of hairs, the sight of Avhich
is enough to render it A'cry unpleasant to the eye.
The Icelanders are said to he as fond of rancid
butter as the Italians are of rancid oil, and they
keep it for many years hard pressed down in
barrels; but in such a country as this, where
there is no market for it, the practice may probably
be one of necessity. We have hitherto been fortunate
enough to procure it fresh.
From Efstedalr Ave obtained a fine clear vicAv
of the three-coned Hecla, Avhich Ave first discovered
faintly soon after leaving Thingvalla. From
the very remarkable clearness of the atmosphere,
and the loftiness of the mountain, I should have
gvipposed it to be distant about tvAenty miles,
but it was near forty, which is eqiial to two
days’ journey : its black sides, supporting a covering
of pure AA’hite snow, in which full oneÌr
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