the proposal with Benners, Crawford, and Caldin.
We therefore got into the boat in which Mr. Baine
also came on shore; as he intends to measure the
mountain geometrically. The parts of the shore
where we landed, and a considerable way west, is
composed of very regular basaltic columns, generally
of five sides, some presenting their ends to
us, others standing perpendicular, while others are
inclined in every possible direction. Stappen is a
village consisting of only a few houses. Mr. Staidey
had letters from Professor Thorkeim to Mr.
Hialten, a merchant, the principal man in the place.
While we were conversing with Mr. Hialten,
the villagers all crowded round : we were invited
into his house, one of the best in Iceland, introduced
to his wife, a very handsome young woman ;
and while horses he had ordered for us were getting
ready, we were treated with good claret, mutton,
coffee, cakes, &c., Mrs. Hialten doing the honours
very gracefully and lady-like. We had poles, into
one end of which Mr. Hialten directed a servant
to fix nails, with the heads broken off, that we might
walk with more safety over the snows. We took
one of onr Dollond’s barometers with us, in case
we should have the good fortune to reach the
summit, an event we had thought very improbable,
and we counted on not being able to do more than
reach the snow line, for the inhabitants gave us
a fearful account of the dangers to be encountered
near the summit. We Avere told that after a tAVO
hours’ ride to the snoAV, Ave should only have gained
half the height of the mountain, and that then Ave
should meet Avith rents and chasms, &c., many
impassable ; also that no person had ascended the
mountain since Olafsen, about thirty years ago,
and that he had made tAA O unsuccessful attempts,
and had never quite reached the top. They
added, that îaa'o English sailors once tried the
ascent, but failed, and in returning, a fog came on,
which made them lose their Avay, one perishing in
consequence, and the other with great difficulty
joining his companions. But Ave AA'ere not to be
frightened, and five horses being ready for us, Ave
set off at 8h. 5m. p. m ., after I had taken the
height of the mercury in the barometer placed at
the merchant’s door.
“ We Avere attended by a guide, by Will Campbell,
one of our sailors, and by the Danish carpenter,
Avho carried the barometer. We first rode
along a stream of lava by the base of a singular
hill, a slender pyramid or cone sharply pointed, on
which there is A'ery little if any A'egetation. At
half-past ten Ave got to the edge of the perpetual
snoAv ; here I again took the height of the mercury
in the barometer, and the thermometer stood at
32°—freezing point.
“ A consultation Avas noAv held, Avhether Ave
should return, or attempt the further ascent.
CraAvford, Caldin, and I Avere from the beginning
determined to go as far as Avas possible, but Air.
N
m \ ï Iik i f4ti -11 M‘Bl i , f %( .