EXPEDITION TO THE NORTH OF ICELAND. 409 



fells-foss, neither of which appear to be marked on recent maps. At 

 this spot it is clearly to be seen that the valley of the Skjalfandafljot has 

 been formed as the result of a mighty subsidence, snapping off here, 

 and forming vast, jagged, and inaccessible cliffs. At the base, and 

 extending far down the valley, there is a vast mass of debris of basaltic 

 rock, the lumps varying from some hundreds of tons weight down- 

 wards ; all in wild confusion. Amongst this, which abounds in 

 treacherous quick-sands, the two arms of the river flow in numerous 

 rapid and dangerous channels, eventually forming one river again. It 

 was in and out amongst these channels that the native had to guide 

 our horses with the utmost caution, and in a bewildering manner, 

 giving the strictest instructions not to diverge a single foot from the 

 track of his leading horse. Eventually he brought us on to the top of 

 the cliffs. From here, to the point of bifurcation of the river, the land 

 forms a great and long triangular-shaped island, clothed with the 

 richest of vegetation. In the middle of this island there is a great 

 space covered with black sand, and strewn with masses of black lava. 

 This is the breeding haunt of Anser cinereus. It is in such an exposed 

 position that the sitting birds can see the approach of an enemy long 

 before one is within gun-range — even of a 4-bore — and take to flight. 

 The eggs are placed on the sand, without any nest, and can be very 

 easily seen. They are systematically taken by the farmer, and I was 

 most positively assured that all the Wild Goose eggs which have been 

 sent out from the North of Iceland were procured from this spot, this 

 assertion being subsequently confirmed to my complete satisfaction. 

 My guide was assured by the farmer that I was the first Englishman — 

 Englander — he had ever seen in those parts. 



I saw two considerable flocks of the birds — they were all Greylags 

 — but the bulk of them had finished breeding, and were scattered 

 lower down the river. These birds performed marvellous feats in the 

 water, upon the edge of the mighty falls, which absolutely astounded 

 me, and which I could not have credited had I not seen them. After 

 about seven hours' chasing — the adults were in the moulting stage — 

 I brought one party to bay on the edge of the cliffs. It was a dan- 

 gerous spot, but afforded the only chance I should probably ever get. 

 Scrambling down on to a narrow ledge, where there was only just 

 room to stand, my faithful guide following and approaching as near as 

 he could, with outstretched hands to receive me in case I was over- 

 balanced by the recoil of the gun, I shouldered the ponderous 4-bore, 

 and, to my delight, killed four birds at one shot — two adults and two 

 young covered with yellow down. I recovered the two adults, but, 

 alas ! the two young, which I should have prized most, toppled over 



