The North-West Peninsula of Iceland; Being the Journal of a Tour in Iceland in the Spring and Summer of L862 - Softcover

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. 1867. Excerpt: ... CHAPTER III. ULFSVATN TO HRUTA-FJORBR. Startfrom Ulfsvatn--Nupsh--A misfortune--Inhospitality--Efri-ntipr--Icelandic churches--StaSr--Hruta-f/ortr--Dead sea fowl--Storm--BorS-eyri--Prest-bakki--Gu¥-latigsvik--Icelandic winters--Habits of the people--Hay harvest. Our thoughts were now turned towards the northwest peninsula, a part of the island, as far as we knew, hitherto untraversed by strangers. The Missionary, Henderson, nearly fifty years ago, had extended his travels to the extreme west of the peninsula, but the northern and eastern parts of it were still unexplored regions to any but the natives. This peninsula is partially divided by the large fjorSr, called Tsa-fjardar-djup, on the eastern side of which was Dranga-jokull, and on the western, Glamu-jokull. To visit these two ice-mountains and the country around them, was now our wish. We looked forward to bad and tiresome roads and to all manner of inclemencies of weather; but for these we were prepared. The only real difficulty we expected to meet, was a lack of provender for our ponies. It was our plan to spend a month in the peninsula, to return to the mainland, and cross the northern part of the island to Akreyri and,My-vatn, which latter place we hoped to reach by the middle of July; then to cross the Sprengi-sandr to the Skapta-jokull, and return home by Hecla and the south. Very early in the morning we were aroused by a terrible pattering of rain, which the violence of the wind was driving through the tent sides. The tent itself shivered and lurched in a very unpleasant manner. It required no little energy to creep out from under our warm blankets; but we found Olavur insisting on an immediate start. Although a little man and a good guide, he had one failing--he rejoiced in showing a to...