Chap. V .]
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ridge of rugged and porous lava that crossed the
chasm was full of holes, into any of which should
the animal place his foot the rider would have a
very fair chance of being tossed into the deep abyss,
the width of the path not being more than three
feet. This natural bridge, if it may be so called,
must have been formed by a rapid flowing of lava
just at the time that the rent of the earth was
taking place, otheiAvise it is not easy to conceive how
it found its way across the gap.
Looking back from hence I was rather surprised
to see rising, as it were out of the earth, a long
continued dark-looking wall stretching to the
northward on the side of a ridge of hills or
inferior mountains, which I soon recognised to
he a portion of the long-extended rock, forming
the loftier side of the chasm of Almannagaiaa.
The bridle-road over which we had hitherto passed
was occasionally better than we found it generally,
so th a t w'e sometimes ventured upon a trot, and
proceeded even to a canter, but we soon found that
the old proverb of—“ the more haste the less
speed,” might be well applied to us on these occasions
; for, when going at this speed, the baggage
horses would so jostle one another in the narrow
paths, that in every ten minutes on an average, we
were under the necessity of halting to fasten some
of the goods and chattels which had broken loose,
and were tumbling off the horses’ backs. There
was besides another objection against going at
such a speed : w'e sometimes found ourselves in the
midst of the baggage-horses, owing to some of them
lagging behind; and as the guides drove these
onwards by hallooing and shouting at a furious
rate, in increasing their pace they would pass close
to us at a rapid trot, to the great danger of our
legs, which must have suffered materially from the
sharp corners of the boxes, if we had not kept a
very good look out. We used to derive much
amusement by seeing the guides, every now and
then, at a full gallop over the lava after some of
the horses which w'ere straying from the others,
particularly the light relief horses which took the
lead and Avere entirely loose. Like the Norwegian
horses, those of Iceland are fond of rolling
themselves in the sand, and one of our baggage-
horses this day, taking the opportunity, threw himself
down, and Avith the boxes on his back commenced
a series of rolls, in Avhich the others would
certainly have joined, if the guides had not ridden
up in time to prevent them.
As Ave travelled along aa'C observed some of the
common heaths in full flow'er, and large patches of
the wild thyme, which strongly scented the air;
hut the most remarkable plant which, from its
. profusion, gave a character to this part of the
country, Avas the tricostomum canescens, Avhose
siLery light grey colour enlivened the surface, and
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