What a strengthening and invigorating preparation for the morrow's expedition! At the foot of Mount Hecla, and especially in this village, every thing seems to be undermined.

Nowhere, not even on Mount Vesuvius, had I heard such hollow, droning sounds as here,--the echoes of the heavy footsteps of the peasants.

These sounds made a very awful impression on me as I lay all night alone in that dark hole.
My Hecla guide, as I shall call him to distinguish him from my other guide, advised me to start at two o'clock in the morning, to which I assented, well knowing, however, that we should not have mounted our horses before five o'clock.
As I had anticipated, so it happened.

At half-past five we were quite prepared and ready for departure.

Besides bread and cheese, a bottle of water for myself, and one of brandy for my guides, we were also provided with long sticks, tipped with iron points to sound the depth of the snow, and to lean upon.
We were favoured by a fine warm sunny morning, and galloped briskly over the fields and the adjoining plains of sand.