letters from high latitudes-第14章

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one　a　painter；　the　other　a　geologistattached　to　the　expedition　of　Prince　Napoleon。　They　informed　us　that　His　Imperial　Highness　had　reached　Reykjavik　two　days　after　we　had　left；　that　he　had　encamped　last　night　at　Thingvalla；　and　might　be　expected　here　in　about　four　hours：　they　themselves　having　come　on　in　advance　to　prepare　for　his　arrival。　My　first　care　was　to　order　coffee　for　the　tired　Frenchmen；　and　thenfeeling　that　long　residence　having　given　us　a　kind　of　proprietorship　in　the　Geysirs；　we　were　bound　to　do　the　honours　of　the　place　to　the　approaching　band　of　travellers；I　summoned　the　cook；　and　enlarging　in　a　long　speech　on　the　gravity　of　the　occasion；　gave　orders　that　he　should　make　a　holocaust　of　all　the　remaining　game；　and　get　under　way　a　plum…pudding；　whose　dimensions　should　do　himself　and　England　credit。　A　long　table　having　been　erected　within　the　tent；　Sigurdr　started　on　a　plundering　expedition　to　the　neighbouring　farm；　Fitzgerald　undertook　the　ordering　of　the　feast；　while　I　rode　on　my　pony　across　the　morass；　in　hopes　of　being　able　to　shoot　a　few　additional　plover。　In　a　couple　of　hours　afterwards；　just　as　I　was　stalking　a　duck　that　lay　innocently　basking　on　the　bosom　of　the　river；　a　cloud　of　horsemen　swept　round　the　base　of　the　distant　mountain；　and　returning　home；　I　found　the　encampment　I　had　left　so　desertedalive　and　populous　with　as　merry　a　group　of　Frenchmen　as　it　might　ever　be　one's　fortune　to　fall　in　with。　　Of　course　they　were　dressed　in　every　variety　of　costumes；　long　boots；　picturesque　brigand…looking　hats；　with　here　and　there　a　sprinkling　of　Scotch　caps　from　Aberdeen；　but　whatever　might　be　the　head…dress；　underneath　you　might　be　sure　to　find　a　kindly；　cheery　face。　My　old　friend　Count　Trampe；　who　had　accompanied　the　expedition；　at　once　presented　me　to　the　Prince；　who　was　engaged　in　sounding　the　depth　of　the　pipe　of　the　Great　Geysir；and　encouraged　by　the　gracious　reception　which　His　Imperial　Highness　accorded　me；　I　ventured　to　inform　him　that　〃there　was　a　poor　banquet　toward；〃　of　which　I　trusted　heand　as　many　of　his　officers　as　the　table　could　holdwould　condescend　to　partake。　After　a　little　hesitation；caused；　I　presume；　by　fear　of　our　being　put　to　inconvenience；he　was　kind　enough　to　signify　his　acceptance　of　my　proposal；　and　in　a　few　minutes　afterwards　with　a　cordial　frankness　I　fully　appreciated；　allowed　me　to　have　the　satisfaction　of　receiving　him　as　a　guest　within　my　tent。

Although　I　never　had　the　pleasure　of　seeing　Prince　Napoleon　before；　I　should　have　known　him　among　a　thousand；　from　his　remarkable　likeness　to　his　uncle；　the　first　Emperor。　A　stronger　resemblance；　I　conceive；　could　scarcely　exist　between　two　persons。　The　same　delicate；　sharply　cut　features；　thin　refined　mouth；　and　firm　determined　jaw。　The　Prince's　frame；　however；　is　built　altogether　on　a　larger　scale；　and　his　eyes；　instead　of　being　of　a　cold　piercing　blueare　soft　and　brown；　with　quite　a　different　expression。

Though　of　course　a　little　Barmicidal；　the　dinner　went　off　very　well；　as　every　dinner　must　do　where　such　merry　companions　are　the　convives。　We　had　some　difficulty　about　stowing　away　the　legs　of　a　tall　philosopher；　and　to　each　knife　three　individuals　were　told　off；　but　the　birds　were　not　badly　cooked；　and　the　plum…pudding　arrived　in　time　to　convert　a　questionable　success　into　an　undoubted　triumph。

On　rising　from　table；　each　one　strolled　away　in　whatever　direction　his　particular　taste　suggested。　The　painter　to　sketch；　the　geologist　to　break　stones；　the　philosopher　to　moralize；　I　presume；at　least；　he　lighted　a　cigar；and　the　rest　to　superintend　the　erection　of　the　tents　which　had　just　arrived。

In　an　hour　afterwards；　sleepthough　not　altogether　silencefor　loud　and　strong　rose　the　choral　service　intoned　to　Morpheus　from　every　sidereigned　supreme　over　the　encampment；　whose　canvas　habitations；　huddled　together　on　the　desolated　plateau；　looked　almost　Crimean。　This　last　notion；　I　suppose；　must　have　mingled　with　my　dreams；　for　not　long　afterwards　I　found　myself　in　full　swing　towards　a　Russian　battery；　that　banged　and　bellowed；　and　cannonaded　about　my　ears　in　a　fashion　frightful　to　hear。　Apparently　I　was　serving　in　the　French　attack；　for　clear　and　shrill　above　the　tempest　rose　the　cry；　〃Alerte！　alerte！　aux　armes；　Monseigneur！　aux　armes！〃　The　ground　shook；　volumes　of　smoke　rose　before　my　eyes；　and　completely　hid　the　defences　of　Sebastopol；　which　fact；　on　reflection；　I　perceived　to　be　the　less　extraordinary；　as　I　was　standing　in　my　shirt　at　the　door　of　a　tent　in　Iceland。　The　premonitory　symptoms　of　an　eruption；　which　I　had　taken　for　a　Russian　cannonading；　had　awakened　the　French　sleepers；a　universal　cry　was　pervading　the　encampment；and　the　entire　settlement　had　turned　outchiefly　in　bare　legsto　witness　the　event　which　the　reverberating　earth　and　steaming　water　seemed　to　prognosticate。　Old　Geysir；　however；　proved　less　courteous　than　we　had　begun　to　hope；　for　after　labouring　uneasily　in　his　basin　for　a　few　minutes；　he　roused　himself　on　his　hind…legsfellmade　one　more　effort；and　then　giving　it　up　as　a　bad　job；　sank　back　into　his　accustomed　inaction；　and　left　the　disappointed　assembly　to　disperse　to　their　respective　dormitories。

The　next　morning；　the　whole　encampment　was　stirring　at　an　early　hour　with　preparations　for　departure；　for　unsatisfactory　as　it　had　been；　the　French　considered　themselves　absolved　by　the　partial　performance　they　had　witnessed　from　any　longer　〃making　antechamber；〃　as　they　said；　to　so　capricious　a　functionary。　Being　very　anxious　to　have　one　more　trial　at　photographing　Strokr；　I　ventured　to　suggest　that　the　necessary　bolus　of　sods　should　be　administered　to　him。　In　a　few　minutes　two　or　three　cart…loads　of　turf　were　seething　and　wallowing　within　him。　In　the　meantime；　Fitz　seized　the　opportunity　of　the　Prince　being　at　breakfast　to　do　a　picture　of　him　seated　on　a　chair；　with　his　staff　standing　around　him；　and　looking　the　image　of　Napoleon　before　the　battle　of　Austerlitz。　A　good　twenty　minutes　had　now　elapsed　since　the　emetic　had　been　given；no　symptoms　of　any　result　had　as　yet　appeared；and　the　French　began　to　get　impatient；　inuendoes　were　hazarded　to　the　disadvantage　of　Strokr's　reputation　for　consistency；inuendoes　which　I　confess　touched　me　nearly；　and　made　me　feel　like　a　show…man　whose　dog　has　misbehaved。　At　last　the　whole　party　rode　off；　but　the　rear　horseman　had　not　disappeared　round　the　neighbouring　hill　beforesplash！　bang！fifty　feet　up　into　the　air　drove　the　dilatory　fountain；　with　a　fury　which　amply　avenged　the　affront　put　upon　it；　and　more　than　vindicated　my　good　opinion。　All　our　endeavours；　however；　to　photograph　the　eruption　proved　abortive。　We　had　already　attempted　both　Strokr　and　the　Great　Geysir；　but　in　the　case　of　the　latter　the　exhibition　was　always　concluded　before　the　plate　could　be　got　ready；　and　although；　as　far　as　Strokr　is　concerned；　you　can　tell　within　a　certain　period　when　the　performance　will　take　place；　yet　the　interval　occurring　between　the　dose　and　the　explosion　varies　so　capriciously；　that　unless　you　are　content　to　spend　many　days　upon　the　spot；　it　would　be　almost　impossible　to　hit　it　off　exactly。　　On　this　last　occasion；although　we　did　not　prepare　the　plate　until　a　good　twenty　minutes　after　the　turf　was　thrown　in；the　spring　remained　inactive　so　much　longer　than　is　usual　that　the　collodion　became　quite　insensitive；　and　the　eruption　left　no　impression　whatever　upon　it。

Of　our　return　journey　to　Reykjavik　I　think　I　have　no　very　interesting　particulars　to　give　you。　During　the　early　part　of　the　morning　there　had　been　a　slight　threatening　of　rain；　but　by　twelve　o'clock　it　had　settled　down　into　one　of　those　still　dark　days；　which　wrap　even　the　most　familiar　landscape　in　a　mantle　of　mystery。　A　heavy；　low…hung；　steel…coloured　pall　was　stretched　almost　entirely　across　the　heavens；　except　where　along　the　flat　horizon　a　broad　stripe　of　opal　atmosphere　let　the　eye　wander　into　space；　in　search　of　the　pearly　gateways　of　Paradise。　On　the　other　side　rose　the　contorted　lava　mountains；　their　bleak　heads　knocking　against　the　solid　sky　and　stained　of　an　inky　blackness；　which　changed　into　a　still　more　lurid　tint　where　the　local　reds　struggled　up　through　the　shadow　that　lay　brooding　over　the　desolate　scene。　If　within　the　domain　of　nature　such　another　region　is　to　be　found；　it　can　only　be　in　the　heart　of　those　awful　solitudes　which　science　has　unveiled　to　us　amid　the　untrodden　fastnesses　of　the　lunar　mountains。　An　hour　before　reaching　our　old　camping…ground　at　Thingvalla；　as　if　summoned　by　enchantment；　a　dull　grey　mist　closed　around　us；　and　suddenly　confounded　in　undistinguishable　ruin　the　glory　and　the　terror　of　the　panorama　we　had　traversed；　sky；　mountains；　horizon；　all　had　disappeared；　and　as　we　strained　our　eyes　from　the　edge　of　the　Rabna　Gja　across　the　monotonous　grey　level　at　our　feet；　it　was　almost　difficult　to　believe　that　there　lay　the　same　magical　plain；　the　first　sight　of　which　had　become　almost　an　epoch　in　our　lives。

I　had　sent　on　cook；　baggage；　and　guides；　some　hours　before　we　ourselves　started；　so　that　on　our　arrival　we　found　a　dry；　cosy　tent；　and　a　warm　dinner　awaiting　us。　The　rapid　transformation　of　the　aspect　of　the　country；　which　I　had　just　witnessed；　made　me　quite　understand　how　completely　the　success　of　an　expedition　in　Iceland　must　depend　on　the　weather；　and　fully　accounted　for　the　difference　I　had　observed　in　the　amount　of　enjoyment　different　travellers　seemed　to　have　derived　from　it。　It　is　one　thing　to　ride　forty　miles　a　day　through　the　most　singular　scenery　in　the　world；　when　a　radiant　sun　brings　out　every　feature　of　the　country　into　startling　distinctness；　transmuting　the　dull　tormented　earth　into　towers；　domes；　and　pinnacles　of　gleaming　metal；and　weaves　for　every　distant　summit　a　robe　of　variegated　light；　such　as　the　〃Delectable　Mountains〃　must　have　worn　for　the　rapt　gaze　of　weary　〃Christian；〃and　another　to　plod　over　the　same　forty　miles；　drenched　to　the　skin；　seeing　nothing　but　the　dim；　grey　roots　of　hills；　that　rise　you　know　not　how；　and　you　care　not　where；with　no　better　employment　than　to　look　at　your　watch；　and　wonder　when　you　shall　reach　your　journey's　end。　If；　in　addition　to　this；　you　have　to　wait；　as　very　often　must　be　the　case；　for　many　hours　after　your　own　arrival；　wet；　tired；　hungry；　until　the　baggage…train；　with　the　tents　and　food；　shall　have　come　up；　with　no　alternative　in　the　meantime　but　to　lie　shivering　inside　a　grass…roofed　church；　or　to　share　the　quarters　of　some　farmer's　family；　whose　domestic　arrangements　resemble　in　every　particular　those　which　Macaulay　describes　as　prevailing　among　the　Scottish　Highlanders　a　hundred　years　ago；　and；　if　finallyafter　vainly　waiting　for　some　days　to　see　an　eruption　which　never　takes　placeyou　journey　back　to　Reykjavik　under　the　same　melancholy　conditions；it　will　not　be　unnatural　that；　on　returning　to　your　native　land；　you　should　proclaim　Iceland；　with　her　Geysirs；　to　be　a　sham；　a　delusion；　and　a　snare！

Fortune；　however；　seemed　determined　that　of　these　bitternesses　we　should　not　taste；　for　the　next　morning；　bright　and　joyous　overhead　bent　the　blue　unclouded　heaven；　while　the　plain　lay　gleaming　at　our　feet　in　all　the　brilliancy　of　enamel。　　I　was　sorely　tempted　to　linger　another　day　in　the　neighbourhood；　but　we　have　already　spent　more　time　upon　the　Geysirs　than　I　had