, 1874-09-06
THE CEYSERS.
Another Interesting Account Of Ice
landic Experiences.

Another Interesting Account Of Ice.
landic Experiences.
Bayurd ruylor's Letter to the .ytu York Tribune.
TA1SevALLA, Aug. T.
Our caravan had already fallen into Al orderly
manner OF travel. Eyvindur and Jon rode ahead,
taking charge of the baggage and loose ponies.
While the latter kept to the track the guides
sang melancholy native songs. or passed the
horn Of anun from one nose to another. Thla
implement. like an old-fashoned po~dor-horn,
has mock which holds the proper ehsrge; the
man throws his head back with 3 sudden jerk
applies the horn to his nostrl, and receives the
contents. The process is repeated at least
dozen times day, and the result is an upper lip
which only the most reckless passion could toler-
ate as tho agent OF kiss.
THE EoY GE1n
roda beside me-, eager to learn something moro
Of world he had never seen. When puzzled to
understand some English word, or at loss to
find tho one he wanted, he would generally ASK
''What is it in Latin7" Presently he surprised
me by tho qnestlon. "What do you think Of
Byron as poot?" He is one Of the very first
in the modern English literature" answered
" Is not the song Of the spirits, in Manfred,
considered very fne?" Ger asked again ~
Like it verv much
Happening to mention German. the boy began
to talk the language with about as much iuency
as English He had read Schlllers ballad and
''The Robbers" which latter seemed to have made
great impression upon his mind; but he was
most dosirous to hear something of tho works
with which he was still nnscquninted- II hare
heard that Goethe's Faust is very difficult to
understand" he said; SO have not yet tried
to ,ead it, but hope to be able in t. year
or two more Shalka-apey-arr"-ao he pro-
recscd him. aluays properly aftorward--" shaks-
pcare is also difficult, but hare read King Lear
and mean to read al the other plaEs: Is Faust
anything like Shakespeare in styio?" And this
was poor, fashorlcsa boy OF II, with an Ice
landic education! Modest, swee:-temne1ed.
warm With = treless eaGernesH Tor knowledge,
not one OF OH party could help loving GER, and
feeling the sincorest interest in hiH fortunes.
In spite OF the tremendous desoIaton OF the
scenery, it was far naoro varied and grand than
that between Dejkiav,k and ThinEval]a. The
sky cleared as we reached the farther end Of the
iava feid tt the corner OF mo68y mountain
with bare, black summit, vhers the path do
scealed through q rocky 1avloe to 3 stretch OF
green meadow-land below. Far to the east. 50
or ca miles away. tho horizon WAS bounded py
long uuH OF 6Q0T-[Oppeu OuunsalU8.
''HExLA !"
cried Egvindur, pointing to \ broad. humpy
mass OF Bnow which roAe considerably abore the
general level. Tie summit wax still hidden, but
the mantle (heldu means !" ! mantle" in Ice
laadic) OF SNOW SO uubrokeu and extended
80 far down the sides that tho perfect quiet Of
the volcano Was manifest. There has been no
eruption since 1915.
As we approached tho mountain the eastern
range, including Hekla. which had been hidden
for tgo hours. again cams into yl3w, 4nd this
time froo from cloud. ''Wo don't often sec
Hekla so clear as he ia now," said the guide. It
Vas lonely but surprItin sly peaceful and pas-
toral landscape From tho height where ws rodo
nc overlooked grassy plain, some 20 miles in
breadth. sparkling hera and there With little
it were low, aof:ly-undu' ating hills, oyer which
Hcki, touered-or rather heaved-broai. heavy
in outline, aud only beautiful beca:lse the sun
made golden gleam Of it's eno~. Toward tho
Eea soma blue, scattered peaks rose like islands
1.r to the north, where the great PLAIN eame
de,wu on the very hea1t Of Iceland. there wero
gimpses OF remnter SHOWS and glaciers. Eut
out on the green level. ii miles away, there sud
denly shot silyery column OF steam, at loast
hundred feet in height: - The geysera!" some
oae cr1ed; but. 6o! it was great boiling
spring. or ca1dron, Eyvindur said, which nercr
sends up jots OF water. It was the only thing
in tho vast vien which resemble1 \ sign of
human Lfe-and was really menace against
life.
It was o'clock, tl,e pale. 'erel light slowly
ting to oe- vretc.,ed!y weary. when another
corner was turned aud over the plain,
at the foot OF dark, isolated bill, about miles
OF, rosc do=ou tail columns OF steam.
THE 0EySEEs, At LAST!
Il 1t is sroutiug!" cried Jon, II one jet shot
higher than the others.
There is q tyre, or farrnste.d. at the foot OF
the llI the hot springs lie just beyond. along
the eastern base, and not much above the level
OF the plain. 4 space 400 yards in length by 100
aad about twenty smaller springs. Me rode be-
tween the latter. which we're simply boiling and
roaring from holes in bed Of siiicious rock.
Beyond them came the Ssrokr, larger and
more fuTiouY pit, then patch Of green turt, on
which the tcuts we're nlreaoy pitched for the
rovnl party, and beyond it low. crater-llke elc-
walton, ha[f-veIcd in steam. which WAS rather
reluctant to recognize IS the Great GcFaer. But
there other caldron beyond; half d dozen
mcu were standing about the br1m-yet it looked
so natural aud harmless!
I slept soundly, but sono members Of our
party wera excited and restless. Toward morn
lug, there we're several mysterious underground
thunlps, which seht them posting to the geyscr's
hrlm !; but Onlv dcnsec steam and q heavier over
flow OF water followed. The sceuc in the morn
ing was curious. We took our toilet articles,
aud went half dressed, to tho hollow between
the geyser and the spring, whero the surplus
overflow is shallow and lukewarm. It was al
ready occupied ; royal chamberlain wAs SCOOP
ing up water in his hands. Admiral was DIP
ping his tooth. brush into the stream. Copen-
hagen professor was laboriously shaving himself
by the aid OF a looking glass stuck in crack OF
tho crater, ana tho King, neat aud fresh IS il At
home. stood on tbs bank and amused hinsaH
with the sight. The quality OF the water
Is EXQUISITE;
it il like down and velvet TO the skin: soap be-
comes a finer substance in it, and the refresl-
ment given to the hands and faca seems to per-
meate the whole body. II one could have COM
plcts ba:hi A days labor would make pool
sufficient therefor, yet the idea has never &C
CURED to single soul, natiye or foreign!
did not dare to venture a quarter ot mile
away from the gecscr during the whole day
We all fell into condition OF nervous expect
4ncv which could not be escaped. comica] as
were some OF its features. There was pile Of
a cart load-bos!de the StroT.
which lay just below onr tent, aud We we're told
thai the caldron would be compelled to spout
FOR the King as soon he had finished lis