0» the Glaciers and Climate of Iceland. 131 



has manifested itself; the mistake into which people fall 

 in endeavouring, from their preconceived opinions, to ex- 

 plain phenomena by means of uninpe hypotheses, whilst 

 the road of exact deliberate observation, if first trodden, 

 would have led of itself to sure ground, and, at length, to a 

 tenable theory. 



Although the geognostic condition of Iceland is not every- 

 where so suitable as that of Scandinavia, to preserve for ages 

 such effects of the action of ice ; yet, in all parts of the island, 

 particularly along the coasts, where solid, and especially 

 tabular basaltic rocks lie freely exposed to view, the above- 

 mentioned smoothed surfaces and striae are frequently found.* 

 By more careful searching, they may be observed at various 

 levels from the sea-beach to an elevation of from two to 

 three thousand feet ; at which great elevation they are met 

 with, in unusual beauty, on a mountain pass in the eastern 

 counti'y between Dalhus-Baer and Eskifiords Kaufstadt. 



On the whole, the directions of these striae correspond with 

 those of the valleys and of the boundaries of the Fiords. 

 This, for example, is very characteristically exhibited at the 

 Hvalfiorderstrand. The smoothed surfaces are there exhibited 

 on the almost horizontal tabular masses of trap rocks, at a 

 height of from four to five metres (thirteen to sixteen feet) 

 above the mean water-level. It is also worthy of remark, 

 that in the same place the sides of the rocks lying freely 

 exposed towards the sea, are worked out as if by filing, and 

 appear fluted from below in the manner of architectural 

 mouldings. 



Furrows cut several inches deep into the rocks frequently 

 occur. These arise from the union of several separate 

 scratches, which, clearly marked at both sides, usually ter- 

 minate the deepest incision. Not less frequently are these 



* At the very commencement of our stay in Iceland our travelling com- 

 panion, Ilerr von Mathieson, directed attention to a place close to the sea-shore 

 in the neighbourhood of Reykjavik, where smoothed or rubbed trap rocks are 

 to be seen. In many other places, during the continuation of our journey, we 

 observed the like exhibited in much greater extent and distinctness, at various 

 elevations above the level of the sea, which w<! occasionally determined by 

 barometrical measurements. 



