CHAPTER XVII 



Iceland — Salmon Fishing — A French Sportsman — Ryper — 



Gerfalcons. 



It may be that Fate will give me life and leave to row once more — 

 Set some strong man free for fighting as I take awhile his oar. 

 But to-day I leave the galley. Shall I curse her service, then ? 

 God be thanked — whate'er comes after, I have lived and toiled with 

 Men! 



RuDYARD Kipling. 



I NOW come to my last trip — to Iceland, in 

 H.M.S. Bellona, commanded by my friend 

 Captain Grant Dalton, with whom I had 

 been so many weeks in bygone years on the 

 West Coast of Africa. 



We called in at Leith on our way from Ports- 

 mouth, and next morning sailed for Reykjavik, 

 the capital of Iceland. There we were boarded 

 by Mr. Vidalin, an Icelander, who was the 

 British Consul. He was generosity itself, and 

 provided ponies for anybody who wanted one, 

 in fact, was at the beck and call of all 

 hands. 



Grant Dalton was given the fishing in the 

 Ellardaa River, which is owned by an English- 

 man, a little stream swarming with salmon and 



sea trout, not very big salmon — twelve pounds 



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