Chapter 14 - Page 2

smelling. But we had to be content. The rectordid not to go in for antique hospitality. Very far from it. Beforethe day was over I saw that we had to do with a blacksmith, afisherman, a hunter, a joiner, but not at all with a minister of theGospel. To be sure, it was a week-day; perhaps on a Sunday he madeamends.

I don't mean to say anything against these poor priests, who afterall are very wretched. They receive from the Danish Government aridiculously small pittance, and they get from the parish the fourthpart of the tithe, which does not come to sixty marks a year (about£4). Hence the necessity to work for their livelihood; but afterfishing, hunting, and shoeing horses for any length of time, one soongets into the ways and manners of fishermen, hunters, and farriers,and other rather rude and uncultivated people; and that evening Ifound out that temperance was not among the virtues thatdistinguished my host.

My uncle soon discovered what sort of a man he had to do with;instead of a good and learned man he found a rude and coarse peasant.He therefore resolved to commence the grand expedition at once, andto leave this inhospitable parsonage. He cared nothing about fatigue,and resolved to spend some days upon the mountain.

The preparations for our departure were therefore made the very dayafter our arrival at Stapi. Hans hired the services of threeIcelanders to do the duty of the horses in the transport of theburdens; but as soon as we had arrived at the crater these nativeswere to turn back and leave us to our own devices. This was to beclearly understood.

My uncle now took the opportunity to explain to Hans that it was hisintention to explore the interior of the volcano to its farthestlimits.

Hans merely nodded. There or elsewhere, down in the bowels of theearth, or anywhere on the surface, all was alike to him. For my ownpart the incidents of the journey had hitherto kept me amused, andmade me forgetful of coming evils; but now my fears again werebeginning to get the better of me. But what could I do? The place toresist the Professor would have been Hamburg, not the foot of Snæfell.

One thought, above all others, harassed and alarmed me; it was onecalculated to shake firmer nerves than mine.

Now, thought I, here we are, about to climb Snæfell. Very good. Wewill explore the crater. Very good, too, others have done as muchwithout dying for it. But that is not all. If there is a way topenetrate into the very bowels of the island, if that ill-advisedSaknussemm has told a true tale, we shall lose our way amidst thedeep subterranean passages of this volcano. Now, there is no proofthat Snæfell is extinct. Who can assure us that an eruption is notbrewing at this very moment? Does it follow that because the monsterhas slept since 1229 he must therefore never awake again? And if hewakes up presently, where shall we be?

It was worth while