ANDERSON : THE VOLCANOES OF ICELAND. 
165 
it is here that most of the great rivers draining the desert interior of 
the island, and especially the glacier streams proceeding from the 
Myrdals, Skapta, and Vatna Jokuls discharge themselves into the 
sea. They constitute, in this district at any rate, a most serious 
hindrance and occasionally a positive danger to the traveller. Most 
of the worst are broad and swift rather than very deep, a common 
size being a quarter of a mile or more wide, the depth in the fordable 
parts perhaps four feet, and the rapidity sufficient to make the icy 
cold water surge and foam up against the traveller's saddle and water 
boots. It is no wonder that a stream of these dimensions, flowing 
over a sandy and gravelly bottom, constantly shifts its course, and 
that quicksands are common. A place may be safely fordable to-day, 
and deep water next week. Hence the necessity of always taking a 
local guide from the nearest farm. Where the river comes from a 
lake the water will be pretty clear, so that the bottom is partly visible; 
but if from a glacier it will be loaded with mud, which prevents a view 
of the bottom, and this with its icy coldness adds greatly to the 
difficulty and danger of crossing. Deaths occur not infrequently from 
horse and rider being carried away. Sometimes a river spreads itself 
out into many parallel arms, and the guide in search of a ford seeks 
by preference such a part. If the river is not fordable at present he 
must seek a ferry at a narrow part where the banks are good. This 
is always a tedious undertaking. First the ferryman must be found, 
which is sometimes difficult even if he lives on the near side of the 
river, but the difficulty is much worse if he and the boat are on the 
opposite. Then all the horses are unsaddled, and the saddles, pack 
boxes, and gear are put into the rickety boat, and the horses, with 
much shouting and cracking of whips, are driven unwillingly into the 
stream. As soon as they are well swimming and too far out to turn 
back, the travellers and guides hurry across in the boats as quickly as 
possible. By the time they are across the horses have all landed, and 
feeling cold have started off at a canter. A guide runs after them, 
and with some trouble catches one which he mounts and pursues the 
others, and eventually drives them all back to the ferry. Then the 
whole cavalcade has to be resaddled and the packs adjusted, so that 
before the caravan is fairly on its way again at least an hour, but 
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