Butthetemperaturewasmuchlower.Iwascoldandmorehungrythancold.Welcomewasthesightofthebo‘rwhichwashospitablyopenedtoreceiveus.
Itwasapeasant'shouse,butinpointofhospitalityitwasequaltoaking's.Onourarrivalthemastercamewithoutstretchedhands,andwithoutmoreceremonyhebeckonedustofollowhim.
Toaccompanyhimdownthelong,narrow,darkpassage,wouldhavebeenimpossible.Therefore,wefollowed,ashebidus.
Thebuildingwasconstructedofroughlysquaredtimbers,withroomsonbothsides,fourinnumber,allopeningoutintotheonepassage:thesewerethekitchen,theweavingshop,thebadstofa,orfamilysleeping–room,andthevisitors'room,whichwasthebestofall.
Myuncle,whoseheighthadnotbeenthoughtofinbuildingthehouse,ofcoursehithisheadseveraltimesagainstthebeamsthatprojectedfromtheceilings.
Wewereintroducedintoourapartment,alargeroomwithafloorofearthstampedharddown,andlightedbyawindow,thepanesofwhichwereformedofsheep'sbladder,notadmittingtoomuchlight.
Thesleepingaccommodationconsistedofdrylitter,thrownintotwowoodenframespaintedred,andornamentedwithIcelandicsentences.
Iwashardlyexpectingsomuchcomfort;theonlydiscomfortproceededfromthestrongodourofdriedfish,hungmeat,andsourmilk,ofwhichmynosemadebittercomplaints.
Whenwehadlaidasideourtravellingwrapsthevoiceofthehostwasheardinvitingustothekitchen,theonlyroomwhereafirewaslightedevenintheseverestcold.
Thekitchenchimneywasconstructedontheancientpattern;inthemiddleoftheroomwasastoneforahearth,overitintheroofaholetoletthesmokeescape.Thekitchenwasalsoadining–room.
Atourentrancethehost,asifhehadneverseenus,greeteduswiththeword"Saellvertu,"whichmeans"behappy,"andcameandkissedusonthecheek.
Afterhimhiswifepronouncedthesamewords,accompaniedwiththesameceremonial;thenthetwoplacingtheirhandsupontheirhearts,inclinedprofoundlybeforeus.
IhastentoinformthereaderthatthisIcelandicladywasthemotherofnineteenchildren,all,bigandlittle,swarminginthemidstofthedensewreathsofsmokewithwhichthefireonthehearthfilledthechamber.
EverymomentInoticedafair–hairedandrathermelancholyfacepeepingoutoftherollingvolumesofsmoke–theywereaperfectclusterofunwashedangels.
MyuncleandItreatedthislittletribewithkindness;andinaveryshorttimeweeachhadthreeorfourofthesebratsonourshoulders,asmanyonourlaps,andtherestbetweenourknees.
Thosewhocouldspeakkeptrepeating"Saellvertu,"ineveryconceivabletone;thosethatcouldnotspeakmadeupforthatwantbyshrillcries.
Atthatmomentourhunterreturned,whohadbeenseeinghishorsesprovidedfor;thatistosay,hehadeconomicallyletthemlooseinthefields,wherethepoorbeastshadtocontentthemselveswiththescantymosstheycouldpullofftherocksandafewmeagreseaweeds,andthenextdaytheywouldnotfailtocomeofthemselvesandresumethelaboursofthepreviousday.
Thisceremonyover,wesatattable,twenty–fourinnumber,andthereforeoneuponanother.Theluckiesthadonlytwourchinsupontheirknees.
Butsilencereignedinallthislittleworldatthearrivalofthesoup,andthenationaltaciturnityresumeditsempireevenoverthechildren.
Thehostservedouttousasoupmadeoflichenandbynomeansunpleasant,thenanimmensepieceofdriedfishfloatinginbutterrancidwithtwentyyears'keeping,and,therefore,accordingtoIcelandicgastronomy,muchpreferabletofreshbutter.
Alongwiththis,wehad'skye,'asortofclottedmilk,withbiscuits,andaliquidpreparedfromjuniperberries;forbeveragewehadathinmilkmixedwithwater,calledinthiscountry'blanda.'
Itisnotformetodecidewhetherthisdietiswholesomeornot;allIcansayis,thatIwasdesperatelyhungry,andthatatdessertIswallowedtotheverylastgulpofathickbrothmadefrombuckwheat.
Assoonasthemealwasoverthechildrendisappeared,andtheireldersgatheredroundthepeatfire,whichalsoburntsuchmiscellaneousfuelasbriars,cow–dung,andfishbones.
Ourhostesshospitablyofferedusherassistanceinundressing,accordingtoIcelandicusage;butonourgracefullydeclining,sheinsistednolonger,andIwasableatlasttocurlmyselfupinmymossybed.
Atfivenextmorningwebadeourhostfarewell,myunclewithdifficultypersuadinghimtoacceptaproperremuneration;andHanssignalledthestart.
Onourrightthechainofmountainswasindefinitelyprolongedlikeanimmensesystemofnaturalfortifications,ofwhichwewerefollowingthecounter–scarporlessersteep;oftenweweremetbystreams,whichwehadtofordwithgreatcare,nottowetourpackages.
Thedesertbecamewiderandmorehideous;yetfromtimetotimeweseemedtodescryahumanfigurethatfledatourapproach,sometimesasharpturnwouldbringussuddenlywithinashortdistanceofoneofthesespectres,andIwasfilledwithloathingatthesightofahugedeformedhead,theskinshiningandhairless,andrepulsivesoresvisiblethroughthegapsinthepoorcreature'swretchedrags.
Theunhappybeingforboretoapproachusandofferhismisshapenhand.Hefledaway,butnotbeforeHanshadsalutedhimwiththecustomary"Saellvertu."
Thiswordproducedarepulsiveeffect.ThehorriblediseaseofleprosyistoocommoninIceland;itisnotcontagious,buthereditary,andlepersareforbiddentomarry.
Sometimeswecouldseeahawkbalancinghimselfonhiswingsunderthegreycloud,andthendartingawaysouthwithrapidflight.
Ifeltmelancholyunderthissavageaspectofnature,andmythoughtswentawaytothecheerfulscenesIhadleftinthefarsouth.
Wehadtocrossafewnarrowfiords,andatlastquiteawidegulf;thetide,thenhigh,allowedustopassoverwithoutdelay,andtoreachthehamletofAlftanes,onemilebeyond.
Thatevening,afterhavingfordedtworiversfulloftroutandpike,calledAlfaandHeta,wewereobligedtospendthenightinadesertedbuildingworthytobehauntedbyalltheelfinsofScandinavia.
Noparticulareventmarkedthenextday.Bogs,deadlevels,melancholydeserttracks,whereverwetravelled.Bynightfallwehadaccomplishedhalfourjourney,andwelayatKrösolbt.
Onthe19thofJune,foraboutamile,thatisanIcelandicmile,wewalkeduponhardenedlava;thisgroundiscalledinthecountry'hraun';thewrithensurfacepresentedtheappearanceofdistorted,twistedcables,sometimesstretchedinlength,sometimescontortedtogether;animmensetorrent,onceliquid,nowsolid,ranfromthenearestmountains,nowextinctvolcanoes,buttheruinsaroundrevealedtheviolenceofthepasteruptions.
Ourroutenowlaywestward;wehadturnedthegreatbayofFaxa,andthetwinpeaksofSnaefellrosewhiteintothecloudyskyatthedistanceofatleastfivemiles.
June20.Atsixp.m.wereachedBüdir,avillageontheseashore;andtheguidethereclaiminghisdue,myunclesettledwithhim.
ItwasHans'ownfamily,thatis,hisunclesandcousins,whogaveushospitality;wewerekindlyreceived,andwithouttaxingtoomuchthegoodnessofthesefolks,Iwouldwillinglyhavetarriedheretorecruitaftermyfatigues.
Share this article to
FINISH