ross the rugged desert of rocks and bogs, extending
for some miles back of Thorshavn, I quickly began to ascend a barren
range of hills, abounding in greenstone trap-rock and zoolites, from
the summit of which there is a magnificent view of the whole
surrounding country, with glimpses of the cloud-capped summits of the
neighboring islands. Beautiful little valleys, dotted with the
sod-covered huts of the shepherds and fishermen, sweep down to the
water's edge a thousand feet below; weird black bogs, and fields of
scoria and burned earth, lie on the slopes of the distant hills to the
right; and to the left are rugged cliffs, jutting out of the sea like
huge castles, around which myriads of birds continually hover,
piercing the air with their wild screams. The wind blew in such fierce
gusts over the bleak and desolate range of crags on which I stood that
I was glad enough to seek shelter down on the leeside.

It now occurred to me to go in search of a ruined church of which I
had read in some traveler's journal said to be within four or five
miles of Thorshavn. Some artificial piles of stones, near the ledge
upon which I had descended, indicated the existence of a trail. On my
way down, a legion of birds, about the size of puffins, began to
gather around, with fierce cries and warning motions, as if determined
to dispute my progress. They flew backward and forward within a few
feet of my head, flapping their wings furiously, and uttering the most
terrific cries of rage and alarm, so that I was sorely puzzled to know
what was the matter. It was not long before I came upon some of their
nests, which of course explained the difficulty. Having no immediate
use for eggs or feathers, I left the nests unmolested and proceeded on
my way. In about an hour I came suddenly upon a small green valley
that lay some five hundred feet below, directly on the water's edge.
By some mischance I had lost the trail, and, in order to descend, was
obliged to slide and scramble down the cliffs--an experiment that I
presently discovered would probably cost me a broken neck if persisted
in; for when there seemed to be no farther obstruction, I came all at
once upon a precipice at least sixty feet deep, without a single
foothold or other means of descent than a clear jump to the bottom.
Not disposed to follow the example of Sam Patch on dry land, I
reluctantly turned back. By dint of scrambling and climbing, and
slipping down various cliffs and slop