38 
LETTERS FROM HIGH LATITUDES. 
inhabitants speak English, and one or two French, but 
in default of either of these, your only chance is Latin. 
At first I found great difficulty in brushing up anything 
sufficiently conversational, more especially as it was 
necessary to broaden out the vowels in the high Roman 
fashion ; but a little practice soon made me more fluent, 
and I got at last to brandish my “ Pergratum est,” &c. 
in the face of a new acquaintance, without any mis¬ 
givings. On this occasion I thought it more prudent to 
let Sigurdr make the necessary arrangements for our 
journey, and in a few minutes I had the satisfaction of 
learning that I had become the proprietor of twenty-six 
horses, as many bridles and pack-saddles, and three 
guides. 
There being no roads in Iceland, all the traffic of 
the country is conducted by means of horses, along the 
bridletracks which centuries of travel have worn in the 
lava plains. As but little hay is to be had, the winter 
is a season of fasting for all cattle, and it is not until 
spring is well advanced, and the horses have had time 
to grow a little fat on the young grass, that you can go 
a journey. I was a good deal taken aback when the 
number of my stud was announced to me; but it 
