xxviii BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES 



giving an account of himself and company. He looks as well as 

 ever. 



Captain Cook desires his best compliments to you ; he expressed 

 himself in the most friendly manner towards you that could be ; he 

 said, "Nothing could have added to the satisfaction he has had in 

 making this tour, but having had your company." He has some 

 birds in spr. v. [spirits of wine] for you, etc. etc. 



Thus baulked of their design, Banks and Solander set out 

 on a scientific expedition to Iceland in a vessel specially 

 chartered for them at a cost of 100 a month. They sailed 

 on the 12th July 1772, and on the way Banks carried 

 out an intention he had formed to visit Staffa, to which he 

 was the first to draw the attention of scientific men, sending 

 a complete description, with drawings and measurements, 

 to Thomas Pennant, who inserted it in his Tour to the 

 Highlands of Scotland. They spent a month in Iceland, 

 exploring Mount Hecla, the geysers, and other remarkable 

 features of the island. Banks made copious observations, 

 which Dr. Troil, one of the party, and afterwards Arch- 

 bishop of Upsala, included in his interesting account of the 

 island, without, however, according to Barrow, doing full 

 justice to the exertions of Banks and his companions, whom 

 he dismisses with a too vague and general eulogium. Banks 

 also afterwards placed his MS. journal at the disposal of 

 Sir William Hooker, whom he had advised to visit the 

 island for scientific purposes, and who made copious use of 

 it, with due acknowledgment, in his Tour in Iceland. 



Banks always continued to take a keen interest in the 

 Icelanders, and his humanity " was of signal service to these 

 poor creatures ; for when, some years afterwards, they were 

 in a state of famine, the benevolence and powerful interest 

 of this kind-hearted man brought about the adoption of 

 measures which absolutely saved the inhabitants from star- 

 vation. "We were at war with Denmark, and had captured 

 the Danish ships, and no provisions could be received into 

 Iceland. Clausen, a merchant, was sent to England to 

 implore the granting of licences for ships to enter the island, 

 and through the active intervention of Sir Joseph, who, as 



