264 
RETURN TO REIKEVIG. 
of Faxafiord, a large three-masted vessel, which 
the Tatsroed supposed might be an American 
that was expected to arrive with provisions. 
Saturday, My luggage and horses having, as 
Au 3 ubt 5. a | [)0ve men tioned, been previously sent 
to Reikevig by land, the Tatsroed, the Ampt- 
man, the sysselman,. and myself, accompanied 
by the eldest sons of the two former, embarked 
on board a six-oared boat to cross the bay for 
the same place. In conformity with a custom 
generally prevalent in Iceland, previously to 
making an aquatic excursion, all the crew took 
off their hats and rested a few moments upon 
their oars, while they offered up a silent ejacula¬ 
tion to heaven for a prosperous voyage. A light 
breeze, assisted by the oars, soon carried us 
away from the she re, and we enjoyed, as we 
passed along, a fine view of the mountains at 
the head of Hval-fiord, and even a distant glimpse 
of Geitland-Jokul. At one time, a large shark rose 
so near the boat as to cause some little alarm, but 
the Tatsroed, who was at the helm, quickly made 
signal to the boatmen to pull more briskly, by 
which means we soon saw the animal astern of 
our vessel, where he continued some time in 
sight, alternately plunging and rising to the sur¬ 
face of the water. A pleasant passage of about 
twenty miles from Inderholme brought us to th^ 
