The temperature, however, was very much lower than I expected. I was cold, but even that did not affect me so much as ravenous2 hunger. Welcome indeed, therefore, was the hut which hospitably3 opened its doors to us.
It was merely the house of a peasant, but in the matter of hospitality, it was worthy5 of being the palace of a king. As we alighted at the door the master of the house came forward, held out his hand, and without any further ceremony, signaled to us to follow him.
We followed him, for to accompany him was impossible. A long, narrow, gloomy passage led into the interior of this habitation, made from beams roughly squared by the ax. This passage gave ingress to every room. The chambers6 were four in number—the kitchen, the workshop, where the weaving was carried on, the general sleeping chamber7 of the family, and the best room, to which strangers were especially invited. My uncle, whose lofty stature8 had not been taken into consideration when the house was built, contrived9 to knock his head against the beams of the roof.
We were introduced into our chamber, a kind of large room with a hard earthen floor, and lighted by a window, the panes10 of which were made of a sort of parchment from the intestines11 of sheep—very far from transparent12.
The bedding was composed of dry hay thrown into two long red wooden boxes, ornamented13 with sentences painted in Icelandic. I really had no idea that we should be made so comfortable. There was one objection to the house, and that was, the very powerful odor of dried fish, of macerated meat, and of sour milk, which three fragrances14 combined did not at all suit my olfactory15 nerves.
As soon as we had freed ourselves from our heavy traveling costume, the voice of our host was heard calling to us to come into the kitchen, the only room in which the Icelanders ever make any fire, no matter how cold it may be.
The kitchen chimney was made on an antique model. A large stone standing18 in the middle of the room was the fireplace; above, in the roof, was a hole for the smoke to pass through. This apartment was kitchen, parlor19 and dining room all in one.
On our entrance, our worthy host, as if he had not seen us before, advanced ceremoniously, uttered a word which means "be happy," and then kissed both of us on the cheek.
His wife followed, pronounced the same word, with the same ceremonial, then the husband and wife, placing their right hands upon their hearts, bowed profoundly.
This excellent Icelandic woman was the mother of nineteen children, who, little and big, rolled, crawled, and walked about in the midst of volumes of smoke arising from the angular fireplace in the middle of the room. Every now and then I could see a fresh white head, and a slightly melancholy20 expression of countenance21, peering at me through the vapor22.
Both my uncle and myself, however, were very friendly with the whole party, and before we were aware of it, there were three or four of these little ones on our shoulders, as many on our boxes, and the rest hanging about our legs. Those who could speak kept crying out saellvertu in every possible and impossible key. Those who did not speak only made all the more noise.
This concert was interrupted by the announcement of supper. At this moment our worthy guide, the eider-duck hunter, came in after seeing to the feeding and stabling of the horses—which consisted in letting them loose to browse23 on the stunted24 green of the Icelandic prairies. There was little for them to eat, but moss25 and some very dry and innutritious grass; next day they were ready before the door, some time before we were.
"Welcome," said Hans.
Then tranquilly26, with the air of an automaton27, without any more expression in one kiss than another, he embraced the host and hostess and their nineteen children.
This ceremony concluded to the satisfaction of all parties, we all sat down to table, that is twenty-four of us, somewhat crowded. Those who were best off had only two juveniles28 on their knees.
As soon, however, as the inevitable29 soup was placed on the table, the natural taciturnity, common even to Icelandic babies, prevailed over all else. Our host filled our plates with a portion of lichen30 soup of Iceland moss, of by no means disagreeable flavor, an enormous lump of fish floating in sour butter. After that there came some skyr, a kind of curds31 and whey, served with biscuits and juniper-berry juice. To drink, we had blanda, skimmed milk with water. I was hungry, so hungry, that by way of dessert I finished up with a basin of thick oaten porridge.
As soon as the meal was over, the children disappeared, whilst the grown people sat around the fireplace, on which was placed turf, heather, cow dung and dried fish-bones. As soon as everybody was sufficiently32 warm, a general dispersion took place, all retiring to their respective couches. Our hostess offered to pull off our stockings and trousers, according to the custom of the country, but as we graciously declined to be so honored, she left us to our bed of dry fodder33.
Next day, at five in the morning, we took our leave of these hospitable peasants. My uncle had great difficulty in making them accept a sufficient and proper remuneration.
Hans then gave the signal to start.
We had scarcely got a hundred yards from Gardar, when the character of the country changed. The soil began to be marshy34 and boggy35, and less favorable to progress. To the right, the range of mountains was prolonged indefinitely like a great system of natural fortifications, of which we skirted the glacis. We met with numerous streams and rivulets36 which it was necessary to ford37, and that without wetting our baggage. As we advanced, the deserted38 appearance increased, and yet now and then we could see human shadows flitting in the distance. When a sudden turn of the track brought us within easy reach of one of these specters, I felt a sudden impulse of disgust at the sight of a swollen39 head, with shining skin, utterly40 without hair, and whose repulsive41 and revolting wounds could be seen through his rags. The unhappy wretches42 never came forward to beg; on the contrary, they ran away; not so quick, however, but that Hans was able to salute43 them with the universal saellvertu.
"Spetelsk," said he.
"A leper," explained my uncle.
The very sound of such a word caused a feeling of repulsion. The horrible affliction known as leprosy, which has almost vanished before the effects of modern science, is common in Iceland. It is not contagious44 but hereditary45, so that marriage is strictly46 prohibited to these unfortunate creatures.
These poor lepers did not tend to enliven our journey, the scene of which was inexpressibly sad and lonely. The very last tufts of grassy47 vegetation appeared to die at our feet. Not a tree was to be seen, except a few stunted willows48 about as big as blackberry bushes. Now and then we watched a falcon49 soaring in the grey and misty50 air, taking his flight towards warmer and sunnier regions. I could not help feeling a sense of melancholy come over me. I sighed for my own Native Land, and wished to be back with Gretchen.
We were compelled to cross several little fjords, and at last came to a real gulf51. The tide was at its height, and we were able to go over at once, and reach the hamlet of Alftanes, about a mile farther.
That evening, after fording the Alfa and the Heta, two rivers rich in trout52 and pike, we were compelled to pass the night in a deserted house, worthy of being haunted by all the fays of Scandinavian mythology53. The King of Cold had taken up his residence there, and made us feel his presence all night.
The following day was remarkable54 by its lack of any particular incidents. Always the same damp and swampy55 soil; the same dreary56 uniformity; the same sad and monotonous57 aspect of scenery. In the evening, having accomplished58 the half of our projected journey, we slept at the Annexia of Krosolbt.
For a whole mile we had under our feet nothing but lava59. This disposition60 of the soil is called hraun: the crumbled61 lava on the surface was in some instances like ship cables stretched out horizontally, in others coiled up in heaps; an immense field of lava came from the neighboring mountains, all extinct volcanoes, but whose remains62 showed what once they had been. Here and there could be made out the steam from hot water springs.
There was no time, however, for us to take more than a cursory63 view of these phenomena64. We had to go forward with what speed we might. Soon the soft and swampy soil again appeared under the feet of our horses, while at every hundred yards we came upon one or more small lakes. Our journey was now in a westerly direction; we had, in fact, swept round the great bay of Faxa, and the twin white summits of Sneffels rose to the clouds at a distance of less than five miles.
The horses now advanced rapidly. The accidents and difficulties of the soil no longer checked them. I confess that fatigue65 began to tell severely66 upon me; but my uncle was as firm and as hard as he had been on the first day. I could not help admiring both the excellent Professor and the worthy guide; for they appeared to regard this rugged67 expedition as a mere4 walk!
On Saturday, the 20th June, at six o'clock in the evening, we reached Budir, a small town picturesquely68 situated69 on the shore of the ocean; and here the guide asked for his money. My uncle settled with him immediately. It was now the family of Hans himself, that is to say, his uncles, his cousins—german, who offered us hospitality. We were exceedingly well received, and without taking too much advantage of the goodness of these worthy people, I should have liked very much to have rested with them after the fatigues70 of the journey. But my uncle, who did not require rest, had no idea of anything of the kind; and despite the fact that next day was Sunday, I was compelled once more to mount my steed.
The soil was again affected71 by the neighborhood of the mountains, whose granite72 peered out of the ground like tops of an old oak. We were skirting the enormous base of the mighty73 volcano. My uncle never took his eyes from off it; he could not keep from gesticulating, and looking at it with a kind of sullen74 defiance75 as much as to say "That is the giant I have made up my mind to conquer."
After four hours of steady traveling, the horses stopped of themselves before the door of the presbytery of Stapi.
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1
latitude
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| n.纬度，行动或言论的自由(范围)，(pl.)地区 | |
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ravenous
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| adj.极饿的，贪婪的 | |
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hospitably
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| 亲切地，招待周到地，善于款待地 | |
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mere
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| adj.纯粹的；仅仅，只不过 | |
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worthy
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| adj.(of)值得的，配得上的；有价值的 | |
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6
chambers
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| n.房间( chamber的名词复数 )；（议会的）议院；卧室；会议厅 | |
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chamber
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| n.房间，寝室；会议厅；议院；会所 | |
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stature
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| n.（高度）水平，（高度）境界，身高，身材 | |
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contrived
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| adj.不自然的，做作的；虚构的 | |
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panes
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| 窗玻璃( pane的名词复数 ) | |
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intestines
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| n.肠( intestine的名词复数 ) | |
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transparent
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| adj.明显的，无疑的；透明的 | |
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ornamented
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| adj.花式字体的v.装饰，点缀，美化( ornament的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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14
fragrances
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| n.芳香，香味( fragrance的名词复数 )；香水 | |
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olfactory
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| adj.嗅觉的 | |
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loath
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| adj.不愿意的；勉强的 | |
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hospitable
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| adj.好客的；宽容的；有利的，适宜的 | |
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standing
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| n.持续，地位；adj.永久的，不动的，直立的，不流动的 | |
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19
parlor
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| n.店铺，营业室；会客室，客厅 | |
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20
melancholy
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| n.忧郁，愁思；adj.令人感伤（沮丧）的，忧郁的 | |
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21
countenance
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| n.脸色，面容；面部表情；vt.支持，赞同 | |
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vapor
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| n.蒸汽，雾气 | |
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23
browse
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| vi.随意翻阅，浏览；(牛、羊等)吃草 | |
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24
stunted
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| adj.矮小的；发育迟缓的 | |
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moss
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| n.苔，藓，地衣 | |
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tranquilly
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| adv. 宁静地 | |
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automaton
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| n.自动机器，机器人 | |
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28
juveniles
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| n.青少年( juvenile的名词复数 )；扮演少年角色的演员；未成年人 | |
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29
inevitable
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| adj.不可避免的，必然发生的 | |
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lichen
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| n.地衣, 青苔 | |
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31
curds
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| n.凝乳( curd的名词复数 ) | |
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32
sufficiently
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| adv.足够地，充分地 | |
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fodder
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| n.草料；炮灰 | |
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marshy
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| adj.沼泽的 | |
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boggy
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| adj.沼泽多的 | |
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36
rivulets
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| n.小河，小溪( rivulet的名词复数 ) | |
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Ford
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| n.浅滩，水浅可涉处；v.涉水，涉过 | |
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38
deserted
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| adj.荒芜的，荒废的，无人的，被遗弃的 | |
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39
swollen
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| adj.肿大的，水涨的；v.使变大，肿胀 | |
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40
utterly
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| adv.完全地，绝对地 | |
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41
repulsive
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| adj.排斥的，使人反感的 | |
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42
wretches
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| n.不幸的人( wretch的名词复数 )；可怜的人；恶棍；坏蛋 | |
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43
salute
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| vi.行礼，致意，问候，放礼炮；vt.向…致意，迎接，赞扬；n.招呼，敬礼，礼炮 | |
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44
contagious
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| adj.传染性的，有感染力的 | |
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45
hereditary
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| adj.遗传的，遗传性的，可继承的，世袭的 | |
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46
strictly
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| adv.严厉地，严格地；严密地 | |
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47
grassy
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| adj.盖满草的；长满草的 | |
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48
willows
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| n.柳树( willow的名词复数 )；柳木 | |
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49
falcon
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| n.隼，猎鹰 | |
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50
misty
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| adj.雾蒙蒙的，有雾的 | |
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51
gulf
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| n.海湾；深渊，鸿沟；分歧，隔阂 | |
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52
trout
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| n.鳟鱼；鲑鱼(属) | |
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53
mythology
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| n.神话，神话学，神话集 | |
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54
remarkable
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| adj.显著的，异常的，非凡的，值得注意的 | |
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55
swampy
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| adj.沼泽的，湿地的 | |
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56
dreary
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| adj.令人沮丧的，沉闷的，单调乏味的 | |
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57
monotonous
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| adj.单调的，一成不变的，使人厌倦的 | |
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58
accomplished
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| adj.有才艺的；有造诣的；达到了的 | |
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59
lava
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| n.熔岩，火山岩 | |
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60
disposition
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| n.性情，性格；意向，倾向；排列，部署 | |
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61
crumbled
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| （把…）弄碎， （使）碎成细屑( crumble的过去式和过去分词 )； 衰落； 坍塌； 损坏 | |
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62
remains
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| n.剩余物，残留物；遗体，遗迹 | |
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63
cursory
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| adj.粗略的；草率的；匆促的 | |
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64
phenomena
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| n.现象 | |
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fatigue
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| n.疲劳，劳累 | |
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severely
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| adv.严格地；严厉地；非常恶劣地 | |
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rugged
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| adj.高低不平的，粗糙的，粗壮的，强健的 | |
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68
picturesquely
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69
situated
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| adj.坐落在...的，处于某种境地的 | |
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70
fatigues
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| n.疲劳( fatigue的名词复数 )；杂役；厌倦；（士兵穿的）工作服 | |
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71
affected
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| adj.不自然的，假装的 | |
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72
granite
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| adj.花岗岩，花岗石 | |
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73
mighty
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| adj.强有力的；巨大的 | |
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74
sullen
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| adj.愠怒的，闷闷不乐的，(天气等)阴沉的 | |
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75
defiance
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| n.挑战，挑衅，蔑视，违抗 | |
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