The “Fox” reached Berufiord, on the east coast of Iceland, on the
afternoon of the 12th, and anchored in the harbour of Djupivogr, near
the entrance of the fiord. From this place the Land Expedition resumed
its labours to travel across the island to Reikiavik. About fourteen
horses, and two men, to act as guides and pony-drivers, were required.
We had two very zealous auxiliaries in the persons of Mr. Weywadt, the
Danish merchant, and Lieut. Von Zeilau, both of whom exerted themselves
to procure the necessary assistance and accommodations for the journey.
Only eight ponies, exclusive of those of the guides, could be obtained
at prices varying from 2_l._ 12_s._ to 5_l._ 10_s._ Hoping to complete
our number of ponies on the way, we left Djupivogr on the afternoon
of the 15th. With the exception of the guides, our party was the same
as that when travelling across Stromöe. Our path ran along the south
shore of Berufiord, and was rough and stony.
It was getting late when we reached the head of the fiord, a distance
of only nine-and-a-half miles in a straight line; so we proceeded to
the pastor’s house, which we made our home for the night. This worthy
man, Sira Hosias, who had been to Djupivogr, overtook us as we were
dismounting at his door and gave us a hearty welcome.
It was difficult to make an early morning’s start. Our horse-drivers
were active and willing enough, yet we could seldom get away before
eight or nine o’clock. A lamb was bought for 2_s._ 3_d._ sterling.
After taking an observation with the barometer we resumed our
journey--and ascended to the tableland west of Berufiord by a series of
four steps. The path which is formed among stones, gravel, and earth,
might be much improved by a very little labour. Two observations for
altitude were obtained. The first about halfway up, giving 891 feet,
the last, near the top, 1282 feet, at which the latitude 64° 49′ 3″ N.
was also observed.
From this point our path lay nearly due north, for 8 miles, to a small
lake 426 feet above the sea level. After travelling 7 miles farther in
the same direction we arrived at Thingmuli and took up our quarters in
the church, where we found ourselves very comfortable. The clergyman
Sira Biarni was a kind and good man. A strong horse suitable for either
pack or riding, was bought here for 3_l._ 8_s._
Our course for five miles was north, along the slope of a hill. We
then travelled west until crossing the ridge, when we turned to the
south-west, and reached in a short time Hallormstadr on the banks of
Lagar Fliot. Hitherto we had been surrounded by a dense fog, which we
emerged from on descending the hill. We here allowed our horses to feed
for an hour, and an observation with the barometer gave the altitude
of our position 528 feet, that of the river which was upwards of a
quarter of a mile distant being 90 feet lower. This river has its
source in the Vatna Jökull, and the muddy and white colour of its water
indicate its glacier origin. As far as we could see to the northward
the river widens into the form of a narrow lake having little or no
current. This was the case we were told for 30 miles or more. As we
rode to the southward along the stream we passed through a grove of
small birch trees, many of which were from 16 to 18 feet in height. At
four miles above Hallormstadr the lake-like river ends, and four miles
further up we came to the ferry. The river was here about 170 yards
wide, the current strong, and the water so deep from the recent rains
that the horses had to swim when crossing. The ferry-boat carried us
all over with the baggage at two trips. We walked to the parsonage of
Valthiofstadr, 2 miles distant, and met with a most kind reception
from Sira Pietra. Taking the direct route to Valthiofstadr, it may
be reached in one day from Berufiord, as the distance is about 26
geographical miles, and we learned that the road was not bad.
The morning of the 18th was very beautiful. Our horses having strayed
during the night, we were detained some hours. We here bought another
horse for 2_l._ 14_s._
After riding eight miles along a fine level path, we turned to the N.
W., and commenced the ascent of a steep hill, up which we had not gone
half way before we were in a thick fog. Fortunately we had engaged a
guide, otherwise it would have been difficult to have kept the proper
track.
It was half-past nine, and very dark, when we arrived opposite to Bru,
where we had to cross a river on one of those curious swing-bridges,
before reaching the house. This conveyance was about 2 feet 6 inches
long, 2 feet wide, and 2 feet deep, suspended by pullies to two ropes,
which stretch over the river at a height of thirty feet above the
stream, which is about seventy feet wide.
Our day’s ride had been long and fatiguing, but there were only two
parts of the road by any means difficult. The first being the ascent of
the hill in the early part of the day already mentioned, and the other
where we descended to a small stream, about seven miles distant from
Bru. In both instances the ground is of such a nature, that the paths
are capable of easy improvement. The heavy rains had made a portion of
the road rather swampy.
Sunday, 19th.--Taking with us a guide we started for Mödrudalr. For
twelve miles our course was north, we then turned to the westward,
which we kept all the way to Mödrudalr, where we arrived at half-past
six. The roads were good throughout the day’s journey and we passed
great quantities of dwarf willow,--at eight miles from Mödrudalr we
traversed a perfectly desert plain flat as a bowling green, and covered
with black sand and gravel, the débris of lava. Sigurder Jonsson, the
owner of the comfortable farm-house gave us a most hearty welcome.
The farm is extensive, and produces an excellent crop of grass and
quantities of dwarf willow, which, when cut and dried, furnishes
excellent fodder for both sheep and cattle. Mr. Jonsson possesses 600
of the former, three or four of the latter, and a number of horses.
Mödrudalr is situated in a beautiful plain extending to a long distance
north and south. Far to the south, at least forty-five miles off, you
see one of the peaks of Vatna Jökull, having a deep snow filled cleft
in the centre. Within fifteen miles to the south-west is Herdubreid,
one of the highest mountains in Iceland.
20th.--In company with a Mr. Skulason, who was going in the same
direction as ourselves, we left Mödrudalr at nine A.M.
Our course during the whole day’s travel was north with a very little
westing. The road was good, and we arrived at Grimstadr, twenty-five
miles distant, at half-past two, P.M.
21st.--Mr. Skulason still gave us the advantage of his company. We
arrived at the ferry on the Jökulsa Axarfiordr at 9·15 A.M., which is
four miles from Grimstadr. The river is 150 yards wide, the water deep,
and the current very strong. The horses had to swim about half the way.
We crossed in a boat. The banks of the river are of fine black sand.
The water was white and muddy, bearing the characteristics of a river
that has its source from a jökull, or glacier. Its west bank is 951
feet above the sea-level. When we had ridden sixteen miles from the
river, we arrived at an immense bed of very rugged lava in a valley to
our left, and in one place there was an appearance as if it had filled
up the bed of a river. We rode for seven miles along this lava, and
then turned aside to visit a number of boiling mud-springs.
Before reaching Reikialith we had ridden among or close to the most
recent lava we had seen. The only object I could compare the rough lava
beds to, except in colour, was a field of ice that had been floated
at high water to a low flat beach, covered with large boulder-rocks,
which, when the tide ebbed, broke up the ice into all sorts of forms.
Reikialith is situated on the shores of Myvatn (Lake), which is very
irregular in form, and studded with rugged lava islands. Our course
to-day was nearly west, and the distance travelled fully thirty miles.
22nd.--The first portion of the route was crooked, to avoid holes in
the lava which were overgrown with moss and grass. A ride of six and a
half hours, including an hour of stoppage to graze horses, brought us
to the ford of Arndisarstadr, on the Skialfandafliot. It was about 100
yards wide, two feet deep, the current strong, and the water white and
muddy. We reached the house of the worthy pastor (Sira Pallson) at Hals
in the evening.
Hals is in lat. 65° 44′ N., and was the farthest north point reached by
us. I learned that, during the winter, snow occasionally falls to great
depth, and is blown into deep drifts. The cold is not usually severe,
the lowest temperature being 20° or 21° below zero of Reaumur, equal to
13° or 15° below zero of Fahrenheit, and this occurs but rarely.
Thursday, 23rd.--We resumed our journey, having with us Mr. Eggerd
Olafsson, a young student, who most obligingly offered his services
as guide. After travelling south two miles along the small river that
flows northward past Hals, we forded the stream. We crossed to the
west the ridge of hills about 1900 feet high, that lies between Hals
and Akreyri. This last-named place is next in size to Reikiavik. As
soon as we appeared from under the fog on the hill side, the twelve
vessels at anchor in the harbour hoisted their colours. Akreyri is
built at the head and on the west shore of Eyjafiord. Its harbour is
sheltered by a spit of land that runs half way across the fiord where
its width is about a mile. From the beginning of November to the end
of March or April, the navigation is usually closed by ice; but during
the summer months there is considerable trade at this place. The valley
is one extensive and productive grass meadow running southward for
nearly thirty miles, on which a great number of persons were occupied
haymaking. The river I found to be navigable for boats drawing about
two feet of water, to the distance of twenty-five or thirty miles. Its
width varies from twenty-five to eighty yards. The path was good and
level, fitted for a waggon in summer, or for a sledge in winter.
Early in the evening we came to Saurbær, and were most cordially
welcomed by Sira Thorlacius--a clergyman distinguished for his goodness
and learning. We here made our arrangements for the next three days’
journey, which lay through an uninhabited part of the country. The
guide lived at some distance, and our young student rode to his house
and engaged him.
24th.--From Holar, the path led us south for four miles along the east
bank of the stream, we then commenced an ascent of the high grounds in
a south-west direction. The hill was 2868 feet in height, being the
greatest altitude we had yet passed over. We reached the top in an
hour and a half; although the road was now pretty level, and many of
the larger stones had been removed to one side, the path was not good
enough to permit us to ride fast.
We made many detours so as to avoid the rougher portions of the ground,
but the general direction of our travel was to W.S.W. In the evening a
thick fog came on, and as the cairns of stone set up as marks became
less frequent, the guide lost his way, and I had to put him right by
the compass. About half-past eight we pitched our tent on the bank of
a small stream, where there was a little grass for our tired horses.
Generally speaking, when travelling over Iceland, sufficient dry
willows and willow roots can be picked up for cooking, but here none
could be found, so we had recourse to an “Etna” and some alcohol we had
carried with us, for the preparation of our coffee.
25th.--Our position by computation was in latitude 65° 8′ N., longitude
18° 53′ W. Height by observation above sea, 2385 feet. The fog still
continued this morning, but not very thick. We had to put back a short
distance to recover the proper route; we then crossed a small white
water stream, very rapid and stony, named Jökulsa Eystri. Our course
was generally S.W. by W., marked by little heaps of stones. As usual,
we stopped twice to-day to grass the horses, near some lakes, where
several swans were seen. We would have made a long journey to-day,
but fog again came on in the evening, notwithstanding which our guide
insisted that he could find the way. His confidence in himself was
misplaced.
Two observations for height were obtained to-day. One at Pollar,
latitude 65° 5′ N., 19° 2′ W., gave altitude 2368 feet; the other, 6
miles S.W. of Pollar, 2463 feet. Both these places afford good grass
and water for horses. In latitude 64° 45′ we crossed nearly two miles
of very rough lava, extremely difficult to travel over. A small amount
of labour would remedy this evil. Further on we passed quagmires of
very adhesive clay. These by a little care can be easily avoided.
Between the latitudes of 65° and 64° 45′ N., and in long. 19° 20′ W.,
we crossed a number of rivers, very rapid and some of them two feet
deep, flowing from Hofsjökull, which lay to our left. Many of these
streams appear to change their beds, or to spread out to considerable
extent during thaws or rainy weather, and could be crossed with
difficulty by a telegraph wire, were it not that I noticed that at some
points the water was kept within bounds on both sides by solid barriers
of rock or lava, generally not more than 20 yards apart.
26th.--Our position by account was in lat. 64° 40′ N., long. 19° 33′
W., and height above sea 1983 feet. It was ten o’clock before we got
away. Our road was better than for the past two days, and we went ahead
faster. About half-past three P.M., we arrived at the Hvita River, a
mile or two below its source from Hvitarvatn, having come twenty-two
miles, down hill, the incline being very gradual. The altitude here was
1580 feet.
The river, which is 120 yards wide, could be forded by the horses, but
they were very nearly swimming; so to save our baggage from getting
wet, we had a boat brought across, and were ferried over. After
permitting the horses to feed for an hour and a half, we travelled
westward for five miles round the base of the craggy and lofty Blafell.
We now passed over a ridge 400 feet higher than the ferry on the Hvita.
From this point we had a very extensive view of more than fifty miles
down the valley of the Hvita, with its numerous lakes and boiling
springs, the clouds of white vapour from the latter indicating their
positions. We now made a south course, and at the end of seven miles
again came to the banks of the Hvita, along which we found an excellent
path, over which we trotted at a great rate until late, when the guide
again lost his way, and left us at a good grazing place to search for a
house in the neighbourhood.
27th.--After waiting until half-past eleven, in vain, for the return
of our truant guide, we unpacked our tent, and lay under it, having no
poles to pitch it with. The guide joined us at five in the morning. He
said he had wandered about all night in search of his friend’s house,
which was within less than ten minutes’ ride of where we were. We
reached Haukadalr at a little before six, and took up our quarters in
the church, where we had a good and substantial breakfast.
We then rode forward to the Geysers where we found Lord Milton
encamped. We collected specimens, and sounded the Geyser, obtaining
seventy-eight feet depth. The barometer gave the height of the position
626 feet above the sea in latitude by observation 64° 18′ 16″ N.
Our breakfast at Haukadalr had not been so superior as to prevent
us enjoying the good things that Lord Milton most kindly invited us
to join him in partaking of, and after a parting glass of champagne
with his lordship, we rode for sixteen miles further on our way to
Reikiavik, and then took up our night’s quarters at Laugarvatn. Near
this house are several boiling springs of very pure water, which are
used for cooking.
We arrived at Reikiavik at eight o’clock on the morning of the 29th
August, all well, but our horses very much used up by a journey of
nearly 450 statute miles.
The results of this journey went to prove that there would be no
serious difficulty in carrying a telegraph across Iceland by the route
travelled over. Doubtless considerable expense would be incurred in
repairing the old paths, so as to make them more easy for loaded
pack-horses, and in making new ones to shorten distances; but this work
will be materially facilitated, as the Icelandic Diet has appropriated
a considerable amount of money to be paid annually for this purpose.
The six largest rivers that we crossed had high well defined banks,
that showed no indication of ice action or of changing their position.
A shorter, and in every respects a better route across Iceland for
telegraphic purposes than the one described, is that marked on the
chart in a dotted line. This route, from Berufiord as far as Mödrudalr,
in lat. 65° 17′ N., long. 16° W., is nearly the same as that followed
by us. From this point, instead of running northward, it strikes nearly
west for 45 miles, over what is said to be not a difficult country, to
Isholl, a farm on the Skialfanda river. Following up the west bank of
this stream to near its source, you cross the centre of Iceland in a
south-westerly direction, by the Sprengisandr road, until you fall upon
the head waters of the Thorsa. Trace this stream to south-west, keeping
on its left bank, to avoid the numerous jokul streams that enter it
on the right, until reaching lat. 64° 20′, where the river would be
crossed. The course then would be west to the Hvita and the Geysers.
On nearly fifty miles of this route there is little or no grass, but
depôts of hay can be established. Having measured on the charts four
different routes from Berufiord to Reikiavik, the distances are about
as follows:--
Geographical
Miles.
Route travelled over, cutting off several unnecessary detours 310
By contemplated telegraph route, _viâ_ Sprengisandr 250
In a straight line, keeping north of Vatna Jökull 210
Along south shore of Ireland 260
The modes of transport through Iceland are by pack-horses, waggons,
and in winter on sledges. Of these the pack-horse is by far the most
general. These little animals are remarkably sure-footed, and so strong
that they can carry a load of 200 or 250 lbs. with apparent ease. They
are easily kept in condition with no other food than grass or hay.
Their prices vary from 2_l._ to 3_l._, those for riding being more
expensive. The pack-saddle in general use is an extremely primitive
affair, the pads employed to protect the back from being injured being
composed of turf which has been well dried, and a portion of the mould
beat out of it. Boats might be used with advantage on some of the
rivers.
The population of Iceland amounts at present to some 60,000; at one
time it is said to have been as high as 100,000, but the ravages of
epidemic diseases and other causes reduced the numbers to less than
those at present on the island.
The masses of the people are able and active, harmless and honest.
Wherever we went, we were received with much kindness and hospitality,
and even at the poorest cottages, milk, coffee, and brandy were handed
to us. All classes seem more or less educated, and the Lutheran
religion prevails. The chief occupations of the people are fishing and
farming, both being combined when the farms are near the sea. The women
spin, knit woollens, and weave cloth for home consumption. The farm
live stock consists of sheep, ponies, and horned cattle; the two last
are of small size. Of these, the sheep are the chief source of wealth.
A farmer having 800 or 1000 sheep is considered wealthy. The usual food
is mutton, fish (fresh and dried), rye-bread, butter, cheese, milk, one
preparation of which, named _skuer_, is much used.
The price of labour varies from 1_s._ 2_d._ to 2_s._ 8_d._ per day,
according to the season. During the haymaking, in the months of July,
August, and September, it is highest.
Reikiavik, the capital of Iceland (a town of 1500 inhabitants), has
been so often described by others that it is needless for me to say
anything on the subject. A little thin ice forms along shore near
Reikiavik during calm weather in the winter time, but the first breeze
of wind disperses it.