100 
FIRST ASCENT OF THE ORiEFA JOKULL. 
May, 1892. 
A few minutes later we stopped for a second breakfast 
(3,600 feet, 8 15). A long line of fleecy clouds hung lazily 
over the Atlantic, apparently some distance beneath us. 
Someone got the meat tin open, Jon filled the kettle at 
a little stream that issued from a great snow-bank, and soon 
the steaming chocolate was ready. How fresh and sweet 
these mountain meals! Soon after 9 we left, and at 10 
the last bit of rock was reached. Here we roped. Taking 
first place myself, I put Pall second ; my friend, Mr. T. 
Coulthard, jun., of Preston, next; while Thorlakur and Jon 
brought up the rear. And then, after a word of prayer to 
Him who “ giveth snow like wool,” in which our guides 
joined in spirit, if not in word, we moved off. Icelanders 
possess alpenstocks of a heavy kind, and crampons, and 
are accustomed to the glaciers at ordinary levels, over 
which they venture to hills where their sheep may have 
strayed or where moss may be gathered, but for the work now 
lying before us it was evident that previous mountain expe¬ 
rience would be more valuable than local knowledge. 
Of true Iceland moss there appears to be little or none on 
the Oraefa, though it occurs plentifully further north on the 
spurs connecting it with the Vatna Jokull. At 10 30, shortly 
after passing the 4,000ft. level, my friend declared that he 
found himself unable to maintain the pace, and, as it was 
absolutely necessary for us to be off the icefields before dark, 
it was decided that he should return, Jon Sigurdsson 
accompanying him. Almost immediately our troubles began. 
As we advanced, crevasse after crevasse, running north and 
south at right angles to our course, compelled constant 
deviations, so that an hour’s work only gave us 800ft. of 
elevation. 
About 1 o’clock we gave up the attempt to proceed 
directly towards the Knappr, and struck north-east, making 
for the top of the ridge which forms the backbone of the 
mountain. The temperature was rapidly falling, and we 
found the surface of the snow-field covered with innumerable 
ice-crystals, all pointing towards the wind, which blew freshly 
in our faces. The surface was honeycombed by the alternate 
action of sun and frost, and these crystals were attached to 
the upper edges of the congealed snow, upon which they had 
evidently been formed by the freezing of passing mist on to 
projecting points. They crackled merrily under our feet as 
we hurried on. Now and then we refreshed ourselves with a 
bit of kola candy, or a meat lozenge, until I discovered that 
the best plan of all was to take a bit of the candy together 
with a lozenge and a crystal or two. The combination was a 
perfect success, providing as it did an iced drink of a most 
