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Updated: May 14, 2025
His spirit of inquiry would scarcely have carried him to Iceland, as such an apparition would never be suspected to exist in such a country, and thus the unhappy youth would be doomed to endless wandering. June 20th. The distance from Kalmannstunga to Thingvalla is fifty-two miles, and the journey is certainly one of the most dreary and fatiguing of all that can be made in Iceland.
Already when we left Kalmannstunga, the sky began to be overcast, and the sun enlivened us with its rays only for a few minutes at a time. On our reaching the higher mountains the weather became worse; for here we encountered clouds and fog, which wreaked their vengeance upon us, and which only careered by to make room for others.
Short summary of this journey: Miles First day, from Reikjavik to 46 Thingvalla Second day, from Thingvalla to 51 Reikholt Third day, from Reikholt to the 19 different springs, and back again Fourth day, from Reikholt to 40 Surthellir, and back to Kalmannstunga Fifth day, from Kalmannstunga to 51 Thingvalla Sixth day, from Thingvalla to 46 Reikjavik Total 253
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.
The way from Kalmannstunga to Thingvalla leads over nothing but lava, and the one to-day went entirely through marshes. As soon as we had crossed one, another was before us. Lava seemed to form the soil here, for little portions of this mineral rose like islands out of the marshes. The country already grew more open, and we gradually lost sight of the glaciers.
The separate stems were certainly slightly higher than those in the valley of Thingvalla. At Kalmannstunga we left the spare horses, and took with us a man to serve as guide in the cavern, from which we were now still some seven miles distant. The great valley in which this cavern lies is reckoned among the most remarkable in Iceland. It is a most perfect picture of volcanic devastation.
We explored a portion of the chief path and several by-paths, and after a march of two hours returned heartily tired to the upper world. We then rested a quarter of an hour, and afterwards returned at a good round pace to Kalmannstunga. Unfortunately I do not possess sufficient geognostic knowledge to be able to set this cavern down as an extinct volcano.
If I am right in my conjecture, I do not know; I only speak according to my notions and my views. I was obliged to pass this night in a cottage. Kalmannstunga contains three such cottages, but no chapel. Luckily I found one of these houses somewhat larger and more cleanly than its neighbours; it could almost come under the denomination of a farm.
Not only the face, but the whole body also was covered with it; the patient was quite emaciated, and some parts of his body were covered with sores. For a surgeon this might have been an interesting sight, but I turned away in disgust. But let us turn from this picture. I would rather tell of the angel's face I saw in Kalmannstunga.
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