It contains the greatest
contrasts. Here are charming fields covered with a rich green
carpet of softest grass, and there again hills of black, shining
lava; even the fertile plains are traversed by streams of lava and
spots of sand. Mount Hecla notoriously has the blackest lava and
the blackest sand; and it may be imagined how the country looks in
its immediate neighbourhood. One hill only to the left of Hecla is
reddish brown, and covered with sand and stones of a similar colour.
The centre is much depressed, and seems to form a large crater.
Mount Hecla is directly united with the lava-mountains piled round
it, and seems from the plain only as a higher point. It is
surrounded by several glaciers, whose dazzling fields of snow
descend far down, and whose brilliant plains have probably never
been trod by human feet; several of its sides were also covered with
snow. To the left of the valley near Salsun, and at the foot of a
lava-hill, lies a lovely lake, on whose shores a numerous flock of
sheep were grazing. Near it rises another beautiful hill, so
solitary and isolated, that it looks as if it had been cast out by
its neighbours and banished hither. Indeed, the whole landscape
here is so peculiarly Icelandic, so strange and remarkable, that it
will ever remain impressed on my memory.
Salsun lies at the foot of Mount Hecla, but is not seen before one
reaches it.
Arrived at Salsun, our first care was to seek a guide, and to
bargain for every thing requisite for the ascension of the mountain.
The guide was to procure a horse for me, and to take me and my
former guide to the summit of Hecla. He demanded five thaler and
two marks (about fifteen shillings), a most exorbitant sum, on which
he could live for a month. But what could we do? He knew very well
that there was no other guide to be had, and so I was forced to
acquiesce. When all was arranged, my kind companion left me,
wishing me success on my arduous expedition.
I now looked out for a place in which I could spend the night, and a
filthy hole fell to my lot. A bench, rather shorter that my body,
was put into it, to serve as my bed; beside it hung a decayed fish,
which had infected the whole room with its smell. I could scarcely
breathe; and as there was no other outlet, I was obliged to open the
door, and thus receive the visits of the numerous and amiable
inhabitants. What a strengthening and invigorating preparation for
the morrow's expedition!
At the foot of Mount Hecla, and especially in this village, every
thing seems to be undermined. Nowhere, not even on Mount Vesuvius,
had I heard such hollow, droning sounds as here, - the echoes of the
heavy footsteps of the peasants. These sounds made a very awful
impression on me as I lay all night alone in that dark hole.
My Hecla guide, as I shall call him to distinguish him from my other
guide, advised me to start at two o'clock in the morning, to which I
assented, well knowing, however, that we should not have mounted our
horses before five o'clock.
As I had anticipated, so it happened. At half-past five we were
quite prepared and ready for departure. Besides bread and cheese, a
bottle of water for myself, and one of brandy for my guides, we were
also provided with long sticks, tipped with iron points to sound the
depth of the snow, and to lean upon.
We were favoured by a fine warm sunny morning, and galloped briskly
over the fields and the adjoining plains of sand. My guide
considered the fine weather a very lucky omen, and told me that M.
Geimard, the before-mentioned French scholar, had been compelled to
wait three days for fine weather. Nine years had elapsed, and no
one had ascended the mountain since then. A prince of Denmark, who
travelled through Iceland some years before, had been there, but had
returned without effecting his purpose.
Our road at first led us through beautiful fields, and then over
plains of black sand enclosed on all sides by streams, hillocks, and
mountains of piled-up lava. Closer and closer these fearful masses
approach, and scarcely permit a passage through a narrow cleft; we
had to climb over blocks and hills of lava, where it is difficult to
find a firm resting-place for the foot. The lava rolled beside and
behind us, and we had to proceed carefully not to fall or be hit by
the rolling lava. But most dangerous were the chasms filled with
snow over which we had to pass; the snow had been softened by the
warmth of the season, so that we sank into it nearly every step, or,
what was worse, slipped back more than we had advanced. I scarcely
think there can be another mountain whose ascent offers so many
difficulties.
After a labour of about three hours and a half we neared the summit
of the mountain, where we were obliged to leave our horses. I
should, indeed, have preferred to do so long before, as I was
apprehensive of the poor animals falling as they climbed over these
precipices - one might almost call them rolling mountains - but my
guide would not permit it. Sometimes we came to spots where they
were useful, and then he maintained that I must ride as far as
possible to reserve my strength for the remaining difficulties. And
he was right; I scarcely believe I should have been able to go
through it on foot, for when I thought we were near the top, hills
of lava again rose between us, and we seemed farther from our
journey's end than before.
