ICELAND 55 



good-natured creature, and so well-read, that I fear 

 we rather spoilt him, and let him talk and guide us 

 whilst Geoff and I drove the ponies, packed boxes, 

 erected tents and did the cooking. But these 

 shortcomings and love of a dolce far niente existence 

 were very venial faults, for when his services were 

 really required, such as in the somewhat dangerous 

 crossings of glacier torrents, in guiding, and in 

 making things generally more comfortable and safe 

 for my sister, he was an admirable helper, and all 

 that we could desire. 



Reykavick does not contain much of interest to 

 the traveller. There was the usual shambling 

 mass of wooden structures, the same as in all 

 Norwegian sea villages, and after gazing for a few 

 minutes in awe and admiration at the only police- 

 man in Iceland, we felt that we had done the sights 

 of the place, so took a boat and went off to see some 

 bird life on the Island of Engay. Here we found 

 nice little colonies of Arctic Terns and Eiders, 

 whilst graceful little Red-necked Phalaropes flitted 

 everywhere. 



That night we steamed away north to Stickisholm, 

 passing hundreds of beautiful little islands where 

 Black Guillemots and Kittiwakes perched on all 

 the pinnacles. Majestic, snow-covered glaciers hung 

 in the distant clouds far inland, and the glassy sea 

 was broken only by the rising pollock and saithe. 

 Occasionally an old female Eider, with her young as 

 deck passengers, swam out of the way of the steamer, 

 and seemed nervous whenever the marauding Great 

 Black-backs put in an appearance. Noisy Arctic 

 Terns (here called Kria) floated like little grey 

 fairies round the ship, or dropped into the still 



