46 



Thorshavn, Faroe Islands 



A misty, cool day and the few trees or cultivated flowers made 

 us feel as if we were getting rather far north. Perhaps the many 

 rocks and high winds discouraged farming or else fishing was a 

 more profitable industry ; at any rate the season was late and 

 probably short, although the friendly fisherwomen declared 

 they did not have a cold winter, and that it frequently was no 

 colder than the day we were there. Grass was luxuriant on the 

 sodded roofs of many of the tiny houses of the very picturesque 

 little settlement, and some of the spring flowers were still in bloom 

 — such as buttercups, marigold, forget-me-not, daisy, Viscaria vul- 

 garis, and a pink stone crop. A species of Sorbus, broad leaved 

 willow, mountain ash, alder, hawthorn, and maple, grew behind 

 buildings, and in the yards were rhubarb, potatoes, and goose- 

 berries. Some people who had gone niland came back with 

 orchids, somewhat like the English Orchis pyramidalis, in their 

 button-holes, which showed that a walk on those bare hills 

 might lead to interesting discoveries. All the inhabitants turned 

 out to receive us and were so cordial and clean, that in spite of 

 the difficulties of speaking Danish we would have been tempted 

 to remain for a few days had it been possible. 



On leaving Thorshavn our course took us through our first 

 fiord, between Stromoe and Osteroe, and it was all the more im- 

 pressive because unexpected. High terraces of bare rocks gave 

 way to mountains with sides so sheer that the sheep seemed cling- 

 ing to precipices, and multitudes of sea birds rose in whirring 

 clouds from the deep fissures, startled by the unaccustomed 

 sound of our whistle. The hills crowded in upon the waters 

 until we could toss a biscuit ashore on either side ; clouds hung 

 low, lifting momentarily to reveal higher peaks beyond ; the 

 wind caught in such narrow valleys howled in the rigging, and 

 as we had a glimpse of open sea through two majestic, jagged 

 guardians of this gloomy passage, all the blasts of Boreas at once 

 bore down upon us, and threatened rough waters outside — but 

 instead the waves were not ruffled, the sun came out and the 

 wind went as abruptly as it had come, while we went on our 

 way to Iceland awed by such a strange farewell from those vol- 

 canic islands. 



