The polar and tropical worlds : a description of man and nature in the polar and equatorial regions of the globe . cribes the general aspect of the coast of Iceland : Nothing could surpass the desolate grandeur of the coast as we approachedthe point of Reykjaness. It Avas of an almost infernal blackness. The wholecountry seemed uptorn, i-ifted, shattered, and scattered about in a vast chaosof ruin. Huge cliffs of lava split down to their bases toppled over the of every conceivable shape, scorched and blasted with fire, wrestedfrom the main and hurled into the sea, battled with the w
The polar and tropical worlds : a description of man and nature in the polar and equatorial regions of the globe . cribes the general aspect of the coast of Iceland : Nothing could surpass the desolate grandeur of the coast as we approachedthe point of Reykjaness. It Avas of an almost infernal blackness. The wholecountry seemed uptorn, i-ifted, shattered, and scattered about in a vast chaosof ruin. Huge cliffs of lava split down to their bases toppled over the of every conceivable shape, scorched and blasted with fire, wrestedfrom the main and hurled into the sea, battled with the waves, their blackscraggy points piercing the mist like giant hands upthrown to smite or sink ina fierce death-struggle. The wild havoc wuought in the conflict of elementswas appalling. Birds screamed over the fearful wreck of matter. The surffrom the imolling waves broke against the charred and shattered desert of ruinwith a terrific roar. Columns of spray shot up over the blackened fragmentsof lava, while in every opening the lashed waters, discolored by the collision,seethed and surged as in a huge WESTMAN ISLES. -^S^-, Of the Westman Islands, he says: Towards noon we made the West-man Isles, a small rocky group some ten miles distant from the main fishing and trading establishment, owned by a company of Danes, is located 116 THE POLAR WOHLD. on one of these islands. The Arcturus touches twice a year to deliver and le-ceive a mail. On the occasion of our visit, a boat came out with a hardy-look-ing crew of Danes to receive the mail-bag. It was doubtless a matter of greatrejoicing to them to obtain news from lionie. I had barely time to make arough outline of the islands as we lay off the settlement. The chief interest at-tache<l to the Westman group is, that it is supposed to have been visited byColumbus in 147V, fifteen years prior to his voyage of discovery to the shoresof America. The putlin, or the screeching sea-mew, seem the only inhabitants for wh
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Keywords: ., bookcentury1800, bookdecade1870, books, booksubjectnaturalhistory
