74 



OLAFSEN AND POVELSENS 



thus find hi-s way back. Other weak-minded people endeavoured 

 to dissuade us from our project, by relating various fables of 

 gnomes and other phantoms, but without success; for all they 

 said, only contributed to augment our cariosity; besides which, we 

 took pleasure in making an attempt that might cure these good 

 people of their prejudices. The 30th of June, the barometer 

 began to ascend: the weather was fine, and the clouds dispersed; 

 while the thermometer proved, that the cold had diminished. 



On the 1st of July, in the afternoon, we set off with every pre- 

 paration for our journey. Our instruments consisted of a com- 

 pass, a Fahrenheit's thermometer, and a barometer. Our shoes 

 were like those worn in the country, having very thin soles* as 

 being best adapted for walking on the ice. We ateo had some 

 strong ropes for assisting such of the party as might fall into holes 

 or crevices, which are very numerous about the neck of the gla- 

 cier. We likewise took the precaution of providing black crape, 

 to put over our faces in case the light should be too strong, as 

 well as a sponge and vinegar to respire it, if the an should become 

 too rarified. 



W r e had a tedious journey from mountain to mountain, before 

 we reached the glacier. Our barometer embarrassed us considera- 

 bly, and we were often obliged to descend from our horses, in order 

 to convey it on foot. In short, four hours had elapsed before we 

 gained the summit of the highest mountain, which forms, as it 

 were, the base or seat of the glacier; and here we found the cold 

 very severe, as water froze, and the ground was covered with ice. 



A little farther we reached the Geldingafell, a higher moun- 

 tain than any of the others that form the support of the glacier. 

 W r e saw scarcely any snow on its summit, and ascended it on the 

 side where it touches the glacier; because the ice descends so far 

 on the right and left as to project- to a considerable distance 

 beyond the mountain itself. We remarked on the north and west, 

 where the ice forms a bank, a quantity of stones, which had been 

 regraded by water; though, to the north of these strata of ice, we 

 only observed one small river, or rivulet, and, to the south, a few 

 others; which, if taken together, appear to form only a small 

 portion of the water, which must be produced by so considerable 

 a mountain and such a quantity of ice and snow, from which we 

 concluded, that the glacier must have a cavity at its base, that 

 ingulphs the. rest. Hence we should not consider as altogether 

 fabulous, the account related of the plain to the west, which are 

 said to have formerly contained such extensive rivers, that mer- 

 chants' ships could ascend by them to the very foot of the moun- 

 tain, where may still be seen the remains of houses reported to 

 have formed the magazines of the Irish merchants. 



The land which surrounds the glacier is on all sides covered 



