The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1874-09-22

beautiful, the abrupt outlines produced
by volcanic upheaval alternating with
long, level ridges, like those Of tte old
Alleghanies. Grass nowhere seemed to
grow above height Of 1000 feet, after
which the soil showed coating Of silvcry
moss. | have seen landscapes of the same
bare, bleak character in other parts of
the world but none that so repcllod the
efforts of human life to plant itself there.
Our ponies knew perfectly well what
was required of ,hom, ani we had no
trouble beyond the shifting of uncvcny
balanced packs. The loose ami mails some
times strayed aside, but n dash of Eyyin.
du and shout Of "llo ho!" generally
recalled them TO the track. We climbed
a ridge whence there was backward
glimpse Of the harbor Of Rcjkiavik, with
new steamer entering This could be
none other than the Wicklow. chartered
by party Of English tourists aLd due
in Iceland before the Sunday celebration.
Pushing forward, we passed two cold
lakes, another windy height, and then de-
sccndcd in SoIjedal. lovely, grassy val.
ley, threaded by a winding stream. This
is the usual haltng. g.place between Rejki.
avik and Thingvala, because it is nearly
half way, and i; is the only spot where
the ponies can Craze. We had now been
four hours in the saddle. our legs were
chilled from splashing through the icy
streams, and rest and relrcshment were
never welcomcr. Dismounting, we threw
our bridle.reins upon tho grass. This is
u sign to the pony that he will be wanted
anon, md consequently he does not wan.
der far away; il the rens are left upon
his neck, he considers himself free to
scamrer at will We all lunchcd togeth.
er on :hc meadow. Jon. Eyyindu and GER
coming NJ like free men to take their
share with Us Here, in Iceland, the olj
Gothic sense OF equality maaifcsts itself
just as in Spain, and the stranger who re-.
spects it will rarely have cause to com.
plain of the people 1t is strange how
the two furthest branches Of one original
race have retained so many of the same
primitive characteristics
The afternoons ride was monotenous
and weary We rose out of Solodal.
skirted an isolated mountain, and issued
upon broad drcGry, upland, where our
course was marked, far in advance. 10y
high cairns OF stone erected to guide the
traveller during the SHOWS oi winter.
Plovcr and cur'ow pipcd their melan.
choly notes from the damp hollows
sprinkled here and there, and presently
DR., Hapcs and Mr.. Gladstone yielded to
the temptation. took their guns and rode
away from the path. We soon lost sight
of them, but took the prccaution to leave
Gcir behind AZ Il guide. Gradually as.
ccnding, We came upon divide whence
l'axa Fiord was visible in the rcar and n
distant sheet oi blue water in front The
latter could be none other than the Thing.
vala lake; and away beyond it, to the
northeast, another valley opened into the
heart Of Iceland. New mountains an.
pearcd the landscape increased in
breadth and sublmity, and we urged our
ponies forward confident of soon reaching
our destination But it was Il vain hope {;
the country fell in broad. barren terraces.
each OF which concealed the succeeding
one from view, so that We seemed to be
approaching brink which continually
rocodcd The lake broadencd. the noun.
tains grew higher, the sun sank lower be.
hind US, and still we rode on At last
the foremost ponies disappeared, as if the
earth had swallowed them up there was
u low stony ridge in front, which we had
scarcely needed. \ few PAGES more, and
we looked down into the Allmannagia.
The plateau terminates in sheer vol.
canic rampant $50 feet in height but
split into such strange, weird. toppling
masses that it is difllcult to make pic
turc of the scene. There is diagonal
cleft which furnishes the only descent to
Thingvalla, and this is called the All.
mannagia, or "Chasm OF the People.
Under us lay the valley, only three OF
four hundred yards in breadth, green
peaceful, watered by bright river, and
hemmed in by the shattered sides oil ar
enormous lava field Southwark. toward
the lake, stood little black church upor
mound aud an cncsmpmcn' Of tents il
,loas c'r ,I.n . ,.;'L, a." ~as 10y 'ts,'.e ~
n,as, ,,h;ah ~ ".na "s ,.1 t.'.u"u," ~ .;"' ;"'
VS. !, :, noa,n ,'"' ~ al auI n;i; ~ p''pO. W.
Tha ti.oi' j. S raa,. on'.I ra '''''s. :" A,Pev'
md ,hrco,an ~hon ,ro I,aI.o1 ~ aIJ ~ ~. ~ 60 So.
like those in Faust, "Wolpurgis- Night
-, So "o' ''u'
an,;';na,nI co.. ,,o''.., .t , ''4'' ,"'"
'na "''' i;1' 'l';,' W. ".'' ~ ''' ''''' - raw
,hn ','Irat "'1' '''l"s .h w, ~ W. 'I''' ~
NV -" 'N' 'A''o" 'ur' '''''''
.y. u."'"N - ','' ,,'f"u'N''"' ""' W.
"', "J'."' "'"" '''''' WIZ
'"'e"' f'''' ''' ''"''
IN the hay,he'd there waN % rocky cal
| dron' liied with water So clear rLd col
: that IT was rather hquid i"r. The par
SON. IN dress and appearance farmer