CHAP, ii.] THE CRUISE OF THE 'LIGHTNING? 61 



which almost constantly envelopes them. Towards 

 mid-day the weather improved a little, and as we 

 threaded among the islands towards the little harbour 

 of Thorshavn we greatly enjoyed our first view of 

 their fantastic outlines, partly shrouded in their veil 

 of mist ; their soft green and brown colouring ren 

 dered still softer by the subdued sub-arctic light, and 

 the streams and cascades embroidering the gentle 

 slopes of the hills and falling over the cliffs like 

 silver threads and tassels. 



The Pseroe Islands are basaltic ; terrace over 

 terrace of soft easily decomposed anamesite probably 

 of Miocene tertiary age. This uniform structure, 

 and the absence of trees or any prominent form of 

 vegetation, gives a singular sameness of effect. The 

 scattered habitations are usually sad-coloured and 

 roofed with growing turf, so that they are actually 

 invisible at a little distance. We were greatly struck 

 sometimes by the difficulty of estimating distance 

 and height ; from the total want of familiar objects 

 for comparison it was sometimes difficult to tell, 

 passing among the islands and looking at them 

 through the moist transparent air, whether the 

 ridge was 500 feet high, or double or four times that 

 height. The intermediate height is usually nearest 

 the truth. 



Thorshavn, the capital of Fseroe, is a strange little 

 place. The land shelves down rather abruptly to a 

 little bay, round the head of which the town is built ; 

 and the habitations are perched among the rocks on 

 such flat spaces as may be found for their reception. 

 The result is irregular and picturesque ; and very 

 peculiar, for something like a scramble is necessary 



