r
.f'f
time through this labyrinth of lava, the blocks of
which increased in size, and looked more horrible
as we advanced, we came at length upon Haime-
fiord, a little port that is situated at the foot of one
of the highest and most compact ridges which
completely protects it from the north, and over
which the tops of the houses are first seen just
peeping above the black and bleak summits.
It was broad day-light when we arrived, after
a ride of about two hours. Mr. Thompson kindly
gave me a bed at his house which, like the rest
of the Danish houses on the island, was constructed
of wood, and in all respects comfortably
fitted up, and furnished in good taste. There
were three other Danish houses in this little secluded
spot, and a cluster of huts similar to those
near the beach at Reikiavik. The whole population
was stated at about one hundred persons. The
natives are partly employed by the merchants and
partly subsist by the fisheries. There were at this
time two brigs at anchor in the bay, and a few
small craft.
I was not sorry, on our arrival, to solicit a little
repose, and the less so, as it was our intention to
rise at an early hour on the following day, in order
to enable us to reach Erusivik, where I wished
to examine the Sulphur Mountains. I was the
only one of our party on' board< the ya«M who
feh disposeci to undbvfake this joWrney, and as it
turned out, as far as the Sulphur Mountains
tt.
Chap. V I I .]
are concerned, I might as well have remained on
board. As ill luck would have it, it was discovered
in the morning that one of Mr. Thompson’s
horses had strayed away during the night, or, as
he suspected, had been borrowed to assist in the
performance of some journey — the practice of
taking another person’s horse for such a puipose,
and quietly returning it Avhen done with, without
saying anything about the matter, is not unusual in
this friendly country.
After a fruitless search among the Rvistings and
turnings of the blocks of lava, the horse was
nowhere to be found, and we were therefore obliged
to give up the projected journey, for that day at
any rate, hoping to be able to proceed on the following
day, by which time another horse could be
procured; but to niy great mortification the next
day proved so unfavourable, such torrents of rain
fell, and the mountains over which it was necessary
for us to cross were so enveloped in thick clouds,
that Mr. Thompson assured me it would not only
be useless, but dangerous, to attempt to go to
Krusivik on such a day, as we should be sure to
meet with nothing but pouring and incessant rain the
whole way; and that the mines, even in the finest
weather, were wet and swampy, and generally enveloped
in mist and sulphurous vapours.
To make up in some degree for this disappointment,
and having a good horse at my disposal, I
determined to visit the only public school I may