42 ICELAND. 



at full speed, like a native, across ground bristling with 

 countless stones that razor-like project from the surface, 

 ready to mutilate him grievously if he fall upon them. 



The only roads are mere tracks, under two feet broad, 

 made by the various generations of ponies, and left 

 entirely to the care of snow-drift and glacier. These, 

 partly covered with stones, wind zig-zag between the 

 greater rock-masses, and ford innumerable bridgeless 

 rivers, that in short but fierce courses roll down " pale 

 from the glaciers " to lake or sea. Wherever there :s 

 soil the path eats its way into the ground, and thus a 

 high turf bank stands up on either side, thickly studded 

 with rough stones ; and in avoiding contact with such 

 fracturing and dislocating agencies, feats of horsemanship 

 have to be performed which leave most unpleasant 

 impressions on bone and muscle when repose is sought 

 after your ten hours' scamper. 



The ponies are so diminutive, and the traveller is 

 generally so enveloped in coats, plaids, and capes, that 

 the moving mass appears at a little distance all man and 

 no pony. When things look ugly, the only alternative is 

 to shut the eyes and hold the breath, and if the reins are 

 left loose, your intelligent bearer will soon extricate you 

 from all difficulty. 



Each traveller has two ponies for his own use, and two 

 for each guide and load of baggage, so that the number of 

 animals accompanying even a small party is very con- 

 siderable. The relays are driven by lash and cry, in a 

 wild surging wave before ; and as the flying column windf 



