CHAPTER V.
JO U R N E Y TO T H E GEYSERS.
Preparations— Pack-horses— S a d d le -h o r s e s -G u id e s -d e so la te aspect
o f the Country— tameness of Birds—Lava— Chasm of A l-
ma7i7iagaiaa— \\AiQiial\ down the Chasm— River Oxer-aa—
Church and Parsonage o f sleep in the Church—
Chasm of Flossagaiaa— Prospect—silver Ornaments made
by the Peasantry— ardent Spirits, quantity consumed— Effects
of on a Clergyman— Thicket o f dwarf Birch-trees—supposed
change o f Climate—Trees found in Peat-bogs—
where fo u n d -V e g e ta tio n in high Latitudes in N o rw a y -
valla-valn, or Lake—Swans, melodious singing of— third Chasm
o f Hrafnagaiaa, or of the Ravens— volcanic Cones and Craters
-w h o l e Fields o fL a v a -L a u g e r f e llH ills -C h u r c h a n d Parsonage
of E f s ia d a lr -H a y -m -d km g— Appearance of Hecla— Peasantry—
River Bruer-aa— first sight o f the Geysers.
Our preparations for a journey to the Geysers
having been at length completed, we left Reikiavik
on the morning of the 1st of August. Our cavalcade
consisted of six-and-twenty horses, twelve of
which had been sent onwards to serve as relays.
Our party was composed of Mr. Smith, Mr
Hutchinson, Mr. Broder Knudtzon, his servant,
who was a Norwegian, and myself; besides which
were two guides and a boy, making eight in
all. Of the Iwenty-six horses, sixteen were appropriated
as saddle-horses, including eight as
reliefs, and ten were set apart as baggage-horses,
five being loaded at a time, and the other five reserved
as reliefs. To each of us was appropriated
a small wooden box or chest, which was to contain
the few articles of clothing that we might require
during our absence. These were slung across the
horse’s back, one on each side, in the manner
represented in the engraving.
A n Icelandic Pack-horse.
In order to prevent the backs of the animals from
chafing, or the packages galling their sides, two
pieces of turf or sods are placed across for their
protection. They appeared to me to consist more
of matted grass than earth, which indeed would
soon shake to pieces, and Avere no doubt the fibrous
roots of that plant which Dr. Hooker has described