New-York tribune., 1874-08-27

receded. The lake brOadened the mountains gre"
higher, the sun sank lower behind u.s. and stiii we
rode on t1ast. the foremost ponies disappeared
as il the earth had swallowed them up; there was
low stony ridge in front, which we had scarcely
needed. A few PAGES more, and we looked down
into the Allmannagja.
The plateau terminates in sheer volcanic ram
part lSO feet in hight but split into such strange,
weird. topping masses that it is difficult to make
picture of the scene There is diagonal cleft
which furnishes the only descent to Thngvalla. and
this is called the Allmannagja Chasm of the Peo-
ple" Under us lay the valley, only three or four
hundred yards in breadth, green peaceful, watered
by bright river, and hemmed in by the shattered
sides of an enormous lava-ield. Southwark, toward
the lake, stood little black church upon
mound, and an encampment of tents in front
of it denoted the Kings resting-place for
the night. We descended tho cleft, which Is not
so grand in proportion it is uncanny and devIlish
in aspect. The black rocks seem to sway and grln
and threaten when you look up to them. like those
In Faust's "Walpurgis-Night." Eyvlndur shouted,
but there was not much of an echO In much less
time than anticipated wo were at the foot. ram
was rapidly coming up, so we rode past the church
to the PARSONS turfrOOfed byre behind it, and Mag
nilsson. who that worthy mans friend, asked
where might pitch our tent.
In the hay-f there was q rocky caldron, hled
with water 80 clear and cold that it was rather
liGud ice The parsOn in dress and appearance
farmer, approached me. and pointing to tho sod,
said: "Planus est locus" / managed to reply
" Planus et bonus Domino !'-but was greatly re-
Ieved that our classical conversation proceeded no
further. The Kings scarlet-cOated lackeys were
cooking in corner of the stone wall, there were
gimpses of porcelain and silver in open chests, and
we dared keep the good parson from his rarer ana
higher duty. All gave their hands to the work OF
pitching the tent, for the rain was by this time last
and steady. The cook discovered natural flre-
place among the rocks the sod was covered with
rubber cloth, our chests were opened, and the
CLEAN of our tin could not be distinguished, IN the
twilight. from that of the royal silver.
1t was q confused and-tO be candid-not a very
comfortable blvouac that night. The spOrsmen came
in an hour later, with seventeen plover the Royal
party arrived about the same time. and mixed
Danish, Russian and Hungarian company who lodged
in the church paid us visits of curiosity but all was
wet outside of our tent, and all was WEAKNESS within
Good store of blankets kept us from suffering with
cold but ina CINE none slept very soundly Most
of our party visited the famous Hill of the Law"
and had much to say of its grand gloomy and pecu-
liar character but thought would keep until our
return from the Geysers. In the morning the sky
promised better weather. There had been no dark
ness in our tent tho whole night. and when we
turned out at o'clock it seemed to be g. The
King strOde away with his gun but brought nothing
back. saw him aftcrward. in the lane before the
church. shaking hands with the people over the top
of q stone wall. AS we rode past the camp on leay-
ing he was breakfasting in the open air, and replied
to our salutations with piece of bread and meat in
one hand
We left our friend MagnGsson and several pro-
vision chests at Thngvalla and set Oft early for the
Geysers, in order to keep out of the way Of the
greater and more important caravan. The wonder
full plOver-stew which an Arctic explorer and a
Cincinnati editor had employed two Jealous hours
in producing had recruited our strength; we were
not yet so damp to be disagreeable, and so COM
menced the ride of As miles in cheerful spirits. A
mile up the valley. after passing little farm called
Skyrcot we struck to the eastward into braun, or
lava-feld torn and cOnvulsed beyond anything we
had previously seen. In the holes and gaps where
soil had gradually accumulated there grew stunted
willows and brches, rarely more than three or four
feet in hight This is called the Thingvalla Forest!
1t apparently covers eight or ten square miles, and,
miserable as it seems is able to supply the few farms
in the neighborhoOd with sufficient fuel.
1t is a question whether Iceland was ever wooded,
as some Of the sagas Indicate No large tree trunks
have been found in the beds, aud there are no
local traditions of woodland. l am convinced that
the harder trees such as BIRCH Scotch fir mountain
ASH and alder might be raised in sheltered places,
with little care Yet almost the only tree in Ice
land is mountain ash, about % feet high, at
Akureyri, on the north coast. Neither temperature
nor the prevailing winds are sufficient to prevent
the growth of TIMBER it is more probable that the
people never seriously thought of trying the expert
ment.
The lava-feld was at least five miles in BREADTH
sloping southwark from group of dark, scorched
mountains whence the eruption had evidently
flowed. The sides of long ridge in front were
marked with distinct fssures, many miles in length
showing how enormous must have been the mass
thrown ont. The regularly curved mountain of
Brethi- Skiold BROAD Shield, streaked with snow
closed the northern vista of the valley. The first
ssure we reached is called the HrafhaGd, Ravens
Cleft; it is about 100 feet deep. and astOnishngy
Jagged and distorted A natural bridge formed by
the falling together of the edges, leads across it,
after which O further climb of quarter of a mile
brought us to the level of an upper hraun, wilder
and more desolate than that of Thingvalla.
Here must close for the present. But as the re-
mainder will probably reach you by the same mail,
it makes little difference whether leave the reader
on lava or grassland. B.T.
NATIONAL FESTIVAL AT THINGVALLA.
A WILD VALLEY TRANsFoRMED-THE KING RECEIVED
WITH CHEERS AND FLOwERs-THE MEETING
PLACE OF THE "ALTHING" "a JAGGED AND
AWFUL MOUNT-THE KINGS POPULARITY-GRAND
SONGS AND FINE SPEECHES.
[rRox A REGULAR CORRESPONDENT OF THE rRmuNE.l
REJXIAvIK, Aug s.-The notes of our trip to the
Geysers must be deferred until have reported the
National IcelaHdic Festival which took place at
Thingvala yesterday; for it has been decided that
we leave for Scotland tomorrow morning. and the
weather forebodes sea too rough for much writing.