After a passage of fourteen days from England in the screw yacht “Fox,”
we arrived, on the 3rd August, at Thorshaven, the capital of the
Færöes. It contains about 900 inhabitants.
On the day following, Colonel Shaffner, Lieutenant Von Zeilau (Danish
Commissioner), and myself, accompanied by two Faröese as guides,
commenced a journey over Stromöe, our destination being Haldervig, a
village near the northern extremity of that island.
Our course for the first two miles was W.N.W., over the shoulder of a
hill (named Klubbin), the height of which about fifty feet below its
summit was 1048 feet; we then turned more to the northward until we
reached the high land immediately south of Kalbakfiord, 1408 feet above
the sea level. The walking round the head of this fiord was fatiguing
in consequence of the unfinished state of the path. At the end of five
hours we reached the top of the pass overlooking Kallefiord, having
an altitude of 1179 feet. When we descended to the valley, we took up
our night’s quarters at the house of Mr. Dam, a farmer, who gave us a
hospitable welcome, and provided us with a good dinner of fish, dried
mutton, ham, cheese, butter, milk, cream, and coffee.
Next morning I ascended a hill named Skarling, said to be the highest
on Stromöe. Strong squalls of wind, with heavy rain changing into snow
as we neared the summit, made the climbing difficult. The barometer
indicated a height of 2506 feet. The Colonel had in the mean time
travelled along the path a distance of five miles, to the house of J.
C. Jacobson, where we joined him. We were again hospitably entertained,
and after remaining an hour we resumed our journey.
Our active guides led us by the shortest but the most difficult of two
routes, the highest point of which was 1711 feet above the sea. We
arrived in the afternoon at Qualvig, a village having 132 inhabitants,
where we passed the night.
Next morning we traced back the more level but longer route between
Qualvig and Kallefiord. We found its highest point to be 1275 feet at
2-1/4 miles distance from Qualvig. The hill is not too steep for loaded
ponies. We hired some of these excellent little animals for the purpose
of testing their qualities. They were strong, sure footed, and carried
with ease a man weighing over fifteen stone.
From Qualvig to Haldervig the distance is nine miles, and the path,
lies close to the shore all the way. We found the “Fox” at Haldervig.
The formation of the Island of Stromöe is almost wholly basaltic, with
an occasional thin stratum of red tuffa. Opals are found in the hills
north of Kollefiord.
No difficulties of importance present themselves to the placing of a
telegraph line over the route examined, which is about twenty-seven
miles in length. At three points of the line some expense would
necessarily be incurred in improving the paths, so as to make them more
easy for loaded ponies to travel over. These places are, the ascent
of the high grounds north and south of Kalbakfiord, the descent to
Kollefiord, and the height between Kollefiord and Qualvig.
The inhabitants generally appear to be well educated and religious, and
so fully aware of the advantages they would derive from a telegraph
being carried through their island, that they would use their best
efforts to protect it from injury.
Labour is comparatively cheap, the average day’s wages being about
1_s._ 4_d._ sterling. Our guides, were well pleased to receive 2_s._
each per day.
The climate is not well suited for the growth of grain, but small
quantities of barley and oats are raised, and a few potatoes, turnips,
and other vegetables are cultivated. The live stock of the farmers are
sheep, horned cattle, and ponies, sheep being the principal and most
valuable productive source. The population of Stromöe is upwards of
2600. The chief exports are wool, woollen goods, eider-down, fish,
ponies, and oil. The inland transport is, principally, by pack-horses.
Two small bays, the one a short distance to the south of Thorshaven,
the other at Haldervig, having been examined by Captain Allen Young,
were found well adapted for the landing of a telegraph cable; and the
route examined by me overland forms the connection of the projected
telegraph.
The sound separating Stromöe from Osteröe offers great facilities
for the transport of materials, as it is navigable throughout the
whole length, with the exception of about 100 yards near Qualvig, for
vessels of ordinary size. The arms of this sound, namely, Kalbakfiord,
Kollefiord, and Qualvig Bay, afford good anchorages and approach at
three points to within a quarter of a mile of the projected route.