PHYSICAL GEOGRAPHY 241 



The surface of the interior plateau, with the exception of the 

 glacier-covered areas, consists of deserts of stones, lava, gravel and 

 blown sand. Where the underlying rock is basalt, the surface of 

 the plateau is usually strewn with angular blocks of basalt, often 

 in irregular heaps. Occasionally ridges are found, covered with 

 gravel and blocks of glacial origin, but blocks split by frost are 

 decidedly the more frequent upon these ridges. On the plateaus 

 above the fjord districts of East Iceland, extensive areas are covered 

 with aneular blocks of basalt, but usuallv this laver of loose blocks 



v v 



is relatively thin. Similar conditions are met with in the north- 

 western peninsula and on the mountains of North Iceland; but in 

 the interior of the country glacial materials and the more recent 

 formations preponderate. In that part, therefore, the greater part 

 of the area consists of ice-striated ridges of dolerite, post-Glacial 

 lavas, old bottom moraines and blown sand. Ice-striated streams 

 of old dolerite-lava occupy vast areas in the interior. North of the 

 great Jokulls the dolerite lavas may be traced continuously from 

 Arnarvatn in the west to Snsefell in the east. Here and there the 

 dolerite is covered with recent lava, and the closer the Jokulls are 

 approached the thicker becomes the surface-layer of glacial gravel. 

 As already mentioned, these monotonous, bluish-grey, stony deserts 

 present an extremely desolate appearance. The only points upon 

 which the eye can linger are scattered snow-drifts and large erratic 

 blocks lying scattered upon the ridges. The landscape has undoubtedly 

 remained for centuries unaltered in appearance; it must have looked 

 as it does now, immediately after the snow-fields of the Ice Age 

 had retired. There is no sign of life, and deep silence reigns over 

 the land. The dolerite ridges, as has been already said, are covered 

 with blocks rent by frost between which ice-striated domes protrude 

 here and there. All the upper faces of the stones are dully polished 

 and seamed by wind-abrasion. For days the traveller may see 

 nothing else but gravel and ridges of rocks in endless succession 

 like waves upon the sea; while as regards plants, only at intervals 

 of 10 to 20 metres may a few stunted specimens of Armeria mari- 

 tima, Salix herbacea and Cerastium alpinum be met with; the first- 

 mentioned plant occurs most frequently. Here and there partially 

 dried-up water courses and river-beds are found which are filled 

 during the thaws of spring; and pools and small lakes are also 

 occasionally met with hidden away in the low-lying ground be- 

 tween the ridges. In the immediate neighbourhood of the Jokulls, 



