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216 GEOLOGICAL FACTS OBSERVED 



ings, huddled together on a narrow tongue of land jutting 

 into a bay, and forming two very commodious harbours. The 

 country in the vicinity, though by no means flat, comprehends 

 the greatest tract of comparatively low land to be met with 

 in any of the islands ; but it is exceedingly bleak and bare. 



There are, in a few places, valleys of very small extent ; the 

 separation of the mountains being for the most part narrow 

 glens, and, in many instances, merely the breadth of a small 

 stream. 



The soil, in almost every part of the islands, is chiefly peat. 

 No trees are to be seen, excepting one or two stunted moun- 

 tain-ashes in the governor's garden. This deficiency of trees 

 may be attributed, perhaps, more to the wetness of the soil 

 than to the climate. The whole country abounds in springs ; 

 no part of the soil being naturally dry, while, at the same time, 

 it is very shallow. 



There are two lakes of considerable size in the island of 

 Vaagoe. One, called Sorvaags Vatn, is about three miles long, 

 and about half a mile broad. The waters of this lake approach 

 very near the coast, which is lofty and precipitous ; and, after a 

 short course, fall into the sea, forming a magnificent cascade 

 about eighty feet high. The other lake is on the north-west 

 side of the island, and is about a mile long, and a quarter of a 

 mile broad. It is not named on the chart, nor by Landt. 



In Stromoe there are several small lakes, the most consider- 

 able being that near the village of Leinum. 



There are but few in Osteroe ; the only one of note is 

 that called Tofte Vatn, at the south-east end. 



The streams are in general merely brooks ; that which is- 

 sues from the lake of Leinum being the only one which can 

 be considered as a small river. The variety of cascades which 

 these streams form, is endless : and some of them, when 



swollen 



