The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1874-08-29

and found 1t very fair when one Is thirsty; but,
then, the streams are so abundant and the water
so clear and cold that one has no need to go
thirsty long.
CHARMING VALLEY.
We had a very warm day after we got ont OF the
drizzling rain OF the coast. We soon took of our
waterprooIs and then our overc0ats, and, after
winding along over rugged hills, along the borders
OF gurglng steams, about the bases OF great,
rugged mountains, we came into y grassy plain,
then waded river, and, coming TO a halt turned
the horses loose to iced, and enjoyed cold lunch
with astonishing appetite.
The scene in this sun-illumined valley was most
magnificent The mountains rose up all about US;
their outlines were picturesque; their dark color
was relieved by particles OF snow. but they were
bathed in sunshine, and as We rolled about on
the sun-neated grass l think the misgivines with
which some II not all OF us had set out in the rain
in the morning vanished. and we really enjoyed
ourselves in the midst or strange. wild scenery
such as Is hardly to be found Q ELSEWHERE
From an hour to an hour and half being given
to lunch, our tired ponies were exchanged ior the
ones that had been running at liberty all the
morning. The journalist rode horse with coat
OF different color from that which had carried
him in the morning
A FOWL DINNER.
With cheerful Zip, hip hurrah!" we followed
the stream Tor q little way; then. leaving the val
ley, we came out upon pain, clothed with soft
moss and lew birch bushes. Here great many
plover and wimble were discovered Mr. Glad
stone and myself unwr raped our guns, and before
the days Journey was over bagged enough to make
us good dinner.
l Will not attempt to describe this afternoon
journey. 1t WAS but repetition OF the morning.
The vegetation was little richer in places as we
got further In from the coast.
LAKE AMONG THE MOUNTAINS.
We rode onward, up steep activities, over great
plains OF moss and tuited grass and heather,
along narrow whining shelves, cut or worn oy
travel In the sides OF mountains until we came out
on the long dreary lava PLAIN from which we first
caught sight of the clear and beautiful and noun
tain girdled Thlngvalla Lake. Then we descended
by the breakneck pathway through the great
Almana gja, already described In my last letter,
into the Plain OF Thingvalla. and. by this time
thoroughly worn out with th!rtysix to forty miles
OF travel None OF US mad been accustomed to
travel OF this kind and we were not sorry 10 see
the tents already pitched and some signs OF pre-
paralOn for meal going on.
Some OF US. although weary enough to rest,
could not restrain our curiosity until we had wan
dered over the Logborg and by the Oxara River,
and had stood on the Isle oil Battle.
ARRIVAL OF THE KING.
The King, led by Zoega. and followed by his
Chamberlain and Vice Chamberlain and Marshal
and Minister and physician and other court dig.
nitaries, came few hours later, looking drOopv
enough. 1t was an exceedingly picturesque sight
from our camp to see them ding out from the DARK
mysterious and shadowy obscurlty OF the Almana
gja down the narrow winding slope to the river
through which they splashed on with wet ieet to
their tents. The King was the only one saw who
his rP
of no small dexteriry in fording an Iceland river
The camp Of the King was already pitched.
kitchen had been extemporlzed. and great prep
arations were making by cook or dinner. and
several assistants who seemed by their actions to
be lar gone lunacy for they had nothing to cook
with but an alcohol furnace. which was doing duty
most shameiully, and birch bushes which were
very wet. Yet there were plenty OF tables and
plenty of dishes and pots and pans scattered
about, and all else but the grog seemed ready Tor
the royal banquet.
HOW THE KING DINED.
had already visited the royal tent, and was
courteously shown the dinner table OF the King,
set for six persons, with a clean white cloth and
fresh napkins and chairs and all that was need
full BESIDES including sundry bottles OF wine, un-
der the very modest folds Of new white canvas
tent. that had barely ten foot spread. II | had
my command think should have dined In larger
quarters; but when reflected that my dinner had
been taken In the open air from the top OF a dirty
box, that my stew had been eaten from tin plate,
my smoky tea drunk from tin cup, and that
there were no napkins ana no wine, thought how
great thing 1t was to be o king and have q tent
even ten feet across, and be tucked to bed in
another tent a foot above the ground In mat
tressed bed and not be condemned to the shivers
and rheumatic pains on the damp sod.
NIGHT VIGIL
When all was still went 10 the Logborg ana
looked do wn into the dark creek in the lava bed
which surrounds it, The night was then moder-
ately clear and could make out to read ar twelve
O'Clock, but the shadows cast by the L1gborg cliffs
upon the still waters at their base were dark and
almost fearful there in the perfect stiffness OF the
night The water could only here and there be
distinguished, so transparent was 1t, and the
absolutely perpendicular walls Of the clln rejected
in the CLASSY, undlstngushabe surface gave the
impression that the wall was OF unlimited depth.
and that the Logborg noated in some Internal sea.
When I did get back to camp with few flowers
and specimen of the lava for souvenirs and got
stretched on the damp sod, slept the sleep OF
WEAKNESS for four good hours, when, waking up
with the sudden CONSCIOUSNESS that the correct
thing was something hot on the inside. l fol.
lowed MIR. Il to hunt up something to make
fire. We discovered some wet bushes some wet
straw and some wet paper, and managed to get
cup OF tea; but the art by which Mr.. Il man.
aged to get fire to burn with all this wetness,
and that, too, hot enough to boil water and
afterward cook stew has always been to me q
mystery and Will remain so to my dying day. For,
be it known, somebody had to cook a breakfast
besides the professional of that name. He was
the only one Of the party whose legs bore any
reasonable proportion to the size Of his steed Of
the day BEFORE and the cook, poor easy man,
found those little legs OF his, legs, utterly use.
less for business purposes when the morning
came.
What happened on our way to the Geysers. will
tell you in my next. !. l. HAYES.
A FEARFUL ACC IDENT.
As the Norwich train, which is due at New Lon