168 RETURN FROM THE GEYSERS. 
around us, but which at the same time increased 
the' apparent size of the objects, added to the 
gloominess and horror of the scenery. We tra¬ 
velled continually among the great masses of rock 
that lie strewed in the wildest possible disorder 
about the chasms which they once served to fill 
up, and frequently as we went on, were we de¬ 
ceived by the imaginary sight of houses in this 
solitude, which, on a nearer approach, proved to 
be only huge rocks, torn from their natural situa¬ 
tion by the shock of an earthquake, or some 
terrible convulsion of nature. To meet with tra¬ 
vellers in a country like this, where the track, 
whenever it appears, affords room for only one 
horse, is indeed unpleasant, and seldom happens 
except at this season, when the natives are return¬ 
ing from the mart at Reikevig, or from some fish¬ 
ing station on the coast, bringing with them their 
supply of fish, and of other articles necessary for 
their subsistence or convenience. Such a party, 
loaded with planks for building, we here heard at 
some distance before us, urging their fatigued 
beasts to quicken their pace, and their toil was 
increased by their being obliged to pass us in a 
place where the excessive inequality of the sur¬ 
face would effectually have stopped the progress of 
any but Icelandic horses. Soon after this we ap¬ 
proached a rocky mountain, at the south-east end 
of Thingevalle-vatn, and, shortly after, came to 
