Additional articles were stowed
away here and there among the boxes. The last instructions
were given by Sigurdr to the guides, and everything was
declared ready for a start. With the air of an equestrian
star, descending into the arena of Astley's Amphitheatre,
the cook then stepped forward, made me a superb bow, and
was assisted into the saddle. My little cabin-boy
accompanied him as aide-de-camp.
The jovial Wilson rides with us tomorrow. Unless we get
his head round during the night, he will have to sit
facing his horse's tail, in order to see before him.
We do not seem to run any danger of falling short of
provisions, as by all accounts there are birds enough in
the interior of the country to feed an Israelitish
emigration.
LETTER VII.
KISSES - WILSON ON HORSEBACK - A LAVA PLATEAU - THINGVALLA -
ALMANNAGIA - RABNAGIA - OUR TENT - THE SHIVERED PLAIN -
WITCH-DROWNING - A PARLIAMENTARY DEBATE, A. D. 1000 -
THANGBRAND THE MISSIONARY - A GERMAN GNAT-CATCHER - THE
MYSTICAL MOUNTAINS - SIR OLAF - HECKLA - SKAPTA JOKUL - THE
FIRE DELUGE OF 1783 - WE REACH THE GEYSIR - STROKR - FITZ'S
BONNE FORTUNE - MORE KISSES - AN ERUPTION - PRINCE NAPOLEON
- RETURN - TRADE - POPULATION - A MUTINY - THE REINE
HORTENSE - THE SEVEN DUTCHMEN - A BALL - LOW DRESSES -
NORTHWARD HO!
