My object in this further excursion was to visit the
very remarkable cavern of Surthellir, distant a good thirty-three
miles from this place. The clergyman was again kind enough to make
the necessary arrangements for me, and even to act as my Mentor on
the journey.
Though we were only three strong, we departed with a retinue of
seven horses, and for nearly ten miles rode back the same way by
which I had come from Reikholt on the preceding morning; then we
turned off to the left, and crossing hills and acclivities, reached
other valleys, which were partly traversed by beautiful streams of
lava, and partly interspersed with forests - FORESTS, as I have
already said, according to Icelandic notions. The separate stems
were certainly slightly higher than those in the valley of
Thingvalla.
At Kalmannstunga we left the spare horses, and took with us a man to
serve as guide in the cavern, from which we were now still some
seven miles distant. The great valley in which this cavern lies is
reckoned among the most remarkable in Iceland. It is a most perfect
picture of volcanic devastation. The most beautiful masses of lava,
in the most varied and picturesque forms, occupy the whole
immeasurable valley. Lava is to be seen there in a rough glassy
state, forming exquisite flames and arabesques; and in immense
slabs, lying sometimes scattered, sometimes piled in strata one
above the other, as though they had been cast there by a flood.
Among these, again, lie mighty isolated streams, which must have
been frozen in the midst of their course. From the different
colours of the lava, and their transitions from light grey to black,
we can judge of the eruptions which have taken place at different
periods. The mountains surrounding this valley are mostly of a
sombre hue; some are even black, forming a striking contrast to the
neighbouring jokuls, which, in their large expanse, present the
appearance almost of a sea of ice. I found one of these jokuls of a
remarkable size; its shining expanse extended far down into the
valley, and its upper surface was almost immeasurable.
The other mountains were all smooth, as though polished by art; in
the foreground I only noticed one which was covered with wonderful
forms of dried lava. A deathlike silence weighed on the whole
country round, on hill and on valley alike. Every thing seemed
dead, all round was barren and desert, so that the effect was truly
Icelandic. The greater portion of Iceland might be with justice
designated the "Northern Desert."
The cavern of Surthellir lies on a slightly elevated extended plain,
where it would certainly not be sought for, as we are accustomed to
see natural phenomena of this description only in the bowels of
rocks. It is, therefore, with no little surprise that the traveller
sees suddenly opening before him a large round basin about fifteen
fathoms in diameter, and four in depth. It was with a feeling of
awe that I looked downwards on the countless blocks of rock piled
one upon the other, extending on one side to the edge of the hollow,
across which the road led to the dark ravines farther on.
We were compelled to scramble forward on our hands and knees, until
we reached a long broad passage, which led us at first imperceptibly
downwards, and then ran underneath the plain, which formed a rocky
cavern above our heads. I estimated the different heights of this
roof at not less than from eighteen to sixty feet; but it seldom
reached a greater elevation than the latter. Both roof and walls
are in some places very pointed and rough: a circumstance to be
ascribed to the stalactites which adhere to them, without, however,
forming figures or long sharp points.
From this principal path several smaller ones lead far into the
interior of this stony region; but they do not communicate with each
other, and one is compelled to return from each side-path into the
main road. Some of these by-paths are short, narrow, and low;
others, on the contrary, are long, broad, and lofty.
In one of the most retired of these by-paths I was shewn a great
number of bones, which, I was told, were those of slaughtered sheep
and other animals. I could gather, from the account given by the
priest of the legend concerning them, that, in days of yore, this
cave was the resort of a mighty band of robbers. This must have
been a long, long time ago, as this is related as a legend or a
fable.
For my part, I could not tell what robbers had to do in Iceland.
Pirates had often come to the island; but for these gentry this
cavern was too far from the sea. I cannot even imagine beasts of
prey to have been there; for the whole country round about is desert
and uninhabited, so that they could have found nothing to prey upon.
In fact, I turned over in my mind every probability, and can only
say that it appeared to me a most remarkable circumstance to find in
this desert place, so far from any living thing, a number of bones,
which, moreover, looked as fresh as if the poor animals to whom they
once belonged had been eaten but a short time ago. Unfortunately I
could obtain no satisfactory information on this point.
It is difficult to imagine any thing more laborious than to wander
about in this cavern. As the road had shewed itself at the entrance
of the cavern, so it continued throughout its whole extent. The
path consisted entirely of loose fragments of lava heaped one upon
the other, over which we had to clamber with great labour. None of
us could afford to help the others; each one was fully occupied with
himself.
