ICELAND 85 



We had some difficulty in crossing the fiord 

 next morning without getting soaked, as the water 

 almost reached the ponies' withers, and Geoff was 

 in fear and trembling lest it should reach his be- 

 loved camera and plates. Nowadays photographers 

 have many advantages in using lighter materials 

 and better films; but when my brother took the 

 photos that appear in this book he had many 

 difficulties to contend with, both in the packing of 

 glass plates and in their subsequent development, 

 all of which was done on the spot. So when we 

 crossed the somewhat dangerous rivers of the north 

 it was amusing to see Geoff herding, and breaking 

 the water for his precious pack-pony as if all the 

 treasures of the Golcondas were resting on its 

 back. 



However, " old Longlegs," the treasure-bearer, 

 got across all right this time, though I believe he 

 did have to swim a few strokes, and we continued 

 our journey to the north-west for ten miles, and 

 then branched off into high mountains, and event- 

 ually towards the south-west, so as to cross the 

 island. The following entry in my diary next day 

 is fairly typical of Icelandic travel — 



" July 10th. — To-day along a great valley to the 

 farmhouse of Silver Stadt, where we found a cow 

 and two sheep grazing on the roof. A black dog 

 sat on the chimney-stack, and resented our advent. 

 About eight in the evening we had to cross a small 

 glacier river going at a considerable speed. The 

 pack- ponies thought they knew the way across 

 better than our guide, and before we could stop 

 them they charged right in and were immediately 



