240 ACCOUNT OF THE MINERALOGY 



Next morning Wagoe was obscured in heavy clouds of thick 

 mist. When the tide served, we left Midvaag, on our return 

 to Thorshavn ; but had no sooner fairly quitted the shores of 

 this island, when, emerging as it were from darkness, we had 

 a view of Skeeling, and the other mountains of Stromoe, with 

 the islands of Hestoe, Kolter, Sandoe and Suderoe, none of 

 which had been visible as we passed them before. 



It very frequently happens, that one island is enveloped in 

 fog, while the next is quite clear of it. The clouds take their 

 partial stations with inconceivable tenacity ; and, according to 

 the direction of the wind, it was usually known what sort 

 of atmosphere was enjoyed in the remote quarters of -the 

 group. 



From Thorshavn we proceeded on a second tour, to Eide, a 

 small village situated at the farther extremity of Osteroe. The 

 channel which divides the two principal islands is very narrow 

 in some places, and cannot be passed at all times of tide, even 

 in the small craft of the country, being traversed by a reef of 

 rocks near the middle. The hills are generally tame on both 

 sides of this passage, excepting at Zellatrae, where there is a 

 magnificent bed of columnar greenstone. 



At Eide we remained some time ; but our proceedings were 

 still sadly impeded by the weather ; we, however, had an op- 

 portunity of ascending Slattertint, a neighbouring mountain, 

 apparently not much lower than Skeeling. 



According to Captain Born, the last-mentioned is only 2400 

 feet high. From the very excellent chart constructed by that 

 gentleman, after an accurate survey of the islands, in which 

 even the shading of the mountains is executed with great or- 

 rectness, we ought to state with diffidence, that our measure- 

 ment of Slattertint, by means of a barometer, indicated an 

 elevation of 2825 feet ; from its summit we could discern, 



that 



