The path consisted entirely of loose fragments of lava heaped one upon the other, over which we had to clamber with great labour.

None of us could afford to help the others; each one was fully occupied with himself.

There was not a single spot to be seen on which we could have stood without holding fast at the same time with our hands.

We were sometimes obliged to seat ourselves on a stone, and so to slide down; at others, to take hands and pull one another to the top of high blocks of stone.
We came to several immense basins, or craters, which opened above our heads, but were inaccessible, the sides being too steep for us to climb.
The light which entered through these openings was scarcely enough to illumine the principal path, much less the numerous by-paths.
At Kalmannstunga I had endeavoured to procure torches, but was obliged to consider myself fortunate in getting a few tapers.

It is necessary to provide oneself with torches at Reikjavik.
The parts of the cavern beneath the open craters were still covered with a considerable quantity of snow, by which our progress was rendered very dangerous.