238 
BORGAFIORD. 
though many lofty mountains were in sight. In 
such a place vegetation was of course more abun¬ 
dant than among the rocky and hilly tracts, houses 
also were more frequent than I had elsewhere 
the cultivation of corn, it is observed in the Voyage en 
Islande, “ La metairie de Reykholt est le seul endroit dans 
f ‘ l’interieur du Breedefiord, , dont 1’auteur du Sturlunga-Saga 
“ (1 B. cap. 13) parle aussi avantageusement, en disant que 
les semailles reussissaient toujours, et que l’on pouvait en 
<c tout temps se procurer des farines fraiches dont les habi- 
tans se faisaient un regal. Cet historien ne fixe pas pre- 
cisement le lieu oil se faisaient ces ensemencages, mais il 
“ parait que c’etait prbs de la metairie ou le terrain conservait 
cc toujours beaucoup de chaleur par rapport aux feux sou- 
“ terains, puisqu’il existe ici des sources chaudes et des veines 
d’eau de meme nature, dont les vapeurs communiquent en 
<e ete aux plantes une humidite fertilisante, et les garantissent 
“ en hiver du froid.” ( v . ii. p. 33—34.)—If such were really 
to be the effect arising from the vicinity of hot springs, either 
the quantity of corn cultivated must have been very small, or 
the boiling fountains extremely numerous. But, as the his¬ 
torian has not informed us that this was the reason of the cul¬ 
tivation of corn having been attended with success in his 
days, it may not unjustly be doubted, whether the circum¬ 
stance is ascribable to such a cause: for of moisture there 
certainly seems to be no want in Iceland, and the sudden vi¬ 
cissitudes from heat to cold, which would necessarily arise 
from a variation in the wind, must, undoubtedly, be preju¬ 
dicial to plants, which are not capable of bearing the extremes 
of either. With regard to some of the native vegetables,, in¬ 
deed, a situation like this is not inimical to their existence, 
but even appears to bring certain species to a greater state 
of perfection, whilst others are materially injured by it. Of 
