Travels in the Island of Iceland

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated.1811 Excerpt: ... Chap. n. JOURNAL OP SECOND EXCURSION. The object of our second journey in Iceland, was to explore the peninsula on the western side of the island, which is terminated by the remarkable mountain called Snaefell Jokul. We were assisted in fixing our route, by the Chief Justice Stephenson, who was well acquainted with the district called the Borgarfiord Syssel, and by Mr Clausen, a Danish merchant, settled at Olafsvik, not far from the extremity of the peninsula. This gentlemanj who came over to Reikiavik soon after our return from the Guldbringe Syssel, we found to be remarkably intelligent. We received from him every necessary direction as to our route, and also some account of the natural curiosities we should meet with in the tract of country through which we were to pass. Having purchased five more horses, and hired two men, Gwylfr and Gudmundr by name, to attend our cavalcade, we made preparations proportioned to the length of the journey we were about to undertake, which we calculated to be between three and four hundred miles. Our baggage-horses cost from eight to ten rixdollars each; and those we intended for our own use, about twelve. They were by no means of the best description of riding-horses; but sufficiently good for the rough work they had to encounter. An exceedingly good horse may be procured for twenty or thirty dollars; a sum, according to the rate of exchange at this time, equivalent to two or three guineas. All our cattle were rather lean; and they had not yet lost their rough winter coats. Our servants professed to be well acquainted with the country we wished to examine; and, being young and stout, we flattered ourselves that we should have little occasion to reproach them with laziness; but we soon found that, like all their countryme...