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FAKOE ISLANDS. 

 By Kev. F. A. Walkeb, D.D., F.L.S., &c. 



The long mountain ranges of the Faroe Islands in full view, 

 with a bank of snowy clouds resting along its whole extent. On 

 nearer approach the islands present a succession of many peaks, 

 some near the sea, others more in the background, with grassy 

 slopes and table land intervening in front. The cliffs of Oster 

 (East) Island wear a majestic appearance, 2200 feet in perpen- 

 dicular height above the sea that laves their base, and the slopes 

 of shale that have fallen from their weather-beaten surface. 

 Westmanhavn, where our vessel is to make a brief stay, is 

 situate on another island, that of Stromoe. There are also 

 inland cliffs sideways to the sea, some 1600 feet in height, 

 covered from top to bottom with short grass, but presenting too 

 steep a gradient ever to be climbed, and a singular aspect, as 

 cliffs of their steepness are usually bare, with the exception of 

 some grassy ledges. The highest elevation in the Faroes is, I am 

 told, 2800 feet. " Splendid nature ! " said the mate of our 

 vessel, as I stood chatting with him on the prospect this 

 beautiful morning ; and I heartily concur with him. The cliffs 

 and hills look green after those of Iceland, being clothed with 

 turf up to their very summits ; and there is a chasm on the 

 brink of one of them 1000 feet deep, communicating by a narrow 

 fissure on the sea level with the waves. We are now passing 

 between Oster and Stromoe islands, through a very narrow strait, 

 dangerous in stormy weather. Sea caves that can only be 

 approached by water are as numerous on one side of this strait 

 as are watercourses trickling down the slopes on the other. 



The church and dwelling houses of Westmanhavn are all 

 built of wood as in Iceland, and there are numerous crops of 

 vegetables on the grassy slopes around, and some patches of 

 barley here, whereas no cereal is seen there. The potatoes, now 

 in full blossom, look remarkably flourishing, as the climate is 

 particularly warm and sheltered round these land-locked fjords, 

 very different from that we have just quitted. I imagine that 

 one cause of the diversity of the temperature is to be found in 

 the great altitude of the Alpine heights environing the Icelandic 

 fjords, and keeping off the sun altogether in the dark days 

 of winter. Here the verdant hills are sufficiently high to 

 shelter the borders of the fjord, but not perpendicular and lofty 

 enough to cast a gloom over it, and retard its products. 



Another great cause of the milder climate is no doubt 

 to be attributed to the Gulf Stream. I captured two specimens 

 of Nebria brevicollis, and observed our ordinary Tipula oleracea 

 once more ; also the plants Narthecium ossifragum and Scabiosa 



