RETURN FROM THE GEYSERS. 
mountain. On our nearer approach to Reikevig, 
we saw numerous parties of natives with their 
tents and horses, giving an appearance of life and 
population, which alone could make the rest of 
our journey in the least interesting. Wheresoever 
a green spot presented itself, tents were pitched, 
and the horses suffered to graze, whilst the owners 
were reposing themselves after a journey which 
had been made during the night, according to 
the general custom of the Icelanders at this season 
of the year. These people were on their road 
either to or from Reikevig; in the former case 
conveying the produce of their flocks or wild 
animals; in the latter, Danish articles of manu¬ 
facture, or, as is most usual, fish for their winter’s 
supply. Among those returning from the mart, 
I recognized my young friend, the son of the 
priest of Thingevalle, who had been disposing of 
a cargo of butter and wool for his father. In 
passing by such a collection of Icelanders, amount¬ 
ing to many hundreds, (a number which, for the 
space of a month in July or August, is almost 
always to be seen in the immediate vicinity of 
Reikevig,) I could not help reflecting on the 
singular situation of our little party of English¬ 
men, not exceeding in all five or six and twenty 
persons, removed from all possibility of succour, 
enemies to the sovereign of the country, and hav¬ 
ing, moreover, made the governor prisoner and 
