I 



IN THE FAROE ISLANDS. 217 



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swollen by rain, are exceedingly picturesque. Many of them 

 fall from such a vast height, that they are completely disper- 

 sed into fine spray long before they reach half-way down the 

 precipice. 



The mountains present a variety of forms, but tend chiefly 

 to assume that of a cone at their summits, which are often very 

 sharp and rugged. The Northern Islands, Kalsoe, Kunoe, Bor- 

 doe, and Videroe, consist of long sharp ridges, the summits being 

 broken into many fantastic shapes. The highest land is in Stro- 

 moe and Osteroe, which are separated by a narrow channel, 

 which in one place is scarcely a quarter of a mile broad. 

 The state of the weather prevented our ascending the highest 

 mountain, called Skellingfell, in Stromoe : but we succeed- 

 ed in reaching the summit of one of the highest mountains 

 in Osteroe, called Slatturtind, near the village of Eyde. By 

 barometrical observation, tjhis appeared to be 2825 feet above 

 the sea. Skellingfell * cannot be less than 3000 feet high, 

 and is probably somewhat more. 



The western coast of Stromoe presents an extent of twelve 

 miles of the most sublime rock-scenery that can be conceived. 

 Every part of the Faroe group has its romantic beauties ; and 

 there is scarcely a promontory which does not exhibit a scene 

 calculated to excite the most lively admiration. The general 

 elevation of the precipices on the west side of Stromoe, varies 

 from 1000 to 2000 feet. There is a cliff called Kodlen, form- 

 ing the north-west promontory of Osteroe, which did not strike 

 us so much by its elevation, (for it sunk far beneath the neigh- 

 bouring rocks of Stromoe), as by the circumstance of its being 

 exactly perpendicular. Mr Allan measured its height by 



Vol. VII. E e means 



* The name of this mountain, and some other names, are variously spell. 

 ed ; but the mode adopted in this memoir conveys the pronunciation. 



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