She marched on so sturdily before me, that I was obliged to incite my little horse to greater speed with my riding-whip.
At first the road lay between masses of lava, where it certainly was not easy to ride; then over flats and small acclivities, from whence we could descry the immense plain in which are situated Havenfiord, Bassastadt, Reikjavik, and other places.

Bassastadt, a town built on a promontory jutting out into the sea, contains one of the principal schools, a church built of masonry, and a few cottages.

The town of Reikjavik cannot be seen, as it is hidden behind a hill.

The other places consist chiefly of a few cottages, and only meet the eye of the traveller when he approaches them nearly.

Several chains of mountains, towering one above the other, and sundry "Jokuls," or glaciers, which lay still sparkling in their wintry garb, surround this interminable plain, which is only open at one end, towards the sea.