» 134 Notice regarding the Island of Grimscy. 
young man perished in this occupation, a fragment of rock 
which had been detached, having fallen upon his head. The 
body of this unfortunate person was deposited, according to cus- 
tom, in the church. It was here where Mr Faber lodged, and 
the presence of such a companion rendered still more disagree- 
able his residence in this cold and damp place. He according- 
ly determined to return to Iceland on the 20th June; but not 
without having previously obtained specimens of the different 
birds which breed upon the island. 
It is to be regretted, that the author has not given more de- 
tails regarding this island, interesting as it is, both as the abode 
of human beings, and as the resort of so many species of birds, 
more especially, as there is little probability of its being soon vi- 
sited again by any intelligent traveller. With regard to the 
latter subject, we cannot supply the deficiency from imagination, 
as it is wholly excluded from the circuit of physical science ; but 
in regard to the former, we may be permitted to indulge in con- 
templating the hard lot of so many fellow creatures. W e can 
picture to ourselves a rock in the polar seas, covered with a deep 
coating of snow and ice, washed over by the spray of a tempes- 
tuous ocean, enveloped in the gloom of tumultuous clouds ; or 
we can fancy it surrounded by masses of ice, on which the po- 
lar bear, which is sometimes carried even to the coasts of Ice- 
land, has come to spread terror among the inhabitants. We 
can feel part of the misery which famine produces, in a country 
where the resources are so few, — where the occasional protrac- 
tion of the cold season has exhausted the scanty store of provi- 
sions, and delayed the arrival of the birds ; but we cannot en- 
ter into the details of the picture, for we have not experienced 
the cold reality of scenes where human existence has verged up- 
on the extreme limits of animal life. On the other hand, we 
rejoice to feel that there are scenes of joy even here ; that the 
season of hope returns, when the sun-beam dances upon the 
blue waters around, and the air is filled with the mingling 
screams of the sea-birds, which have now revisited their usual 
haunts, when the ocean teems with fish, and the cliffs are cover- 
ed with eggs. Even in Grimsey, bleak and desolate, and se- 
cluded as it is, contentment is not a stranger ; and the warmest 
emotions of the heart may be equally developed and cherished 
