this great
bishop. Besides this, I saw an old embroidered stole and a simple golden
chalice, both of which are said to be relics of the age of Thorlakar.

Then we ascended into the so-called store-room, which is only separated
from the lower portion of the church by a few boards, and which extends
to the altar. Here are kept the bells and the organ, if the church
possesses one, the provisions, and a variety of tools. They opened an
immense chest for me there, which seemed to contain only large pieces of
tallow made in the form of cheeses; but under this tallow I found the
library, where I discovered an interesting treasure. This was, besides
several very old books in the Icelandic tongue, three thick folio
volumes, which I could read very easily; they were German, and contained
Luther's doctrines, letters, epistles, &c.

I had now seen all there was to be seen, and began to satisfy my physical
wants by calling for some hot water to make coffee, &c. As usual, all
the inhabitants of the place ranged themselves in and before the church,
probably to increase their knowledge of the human race by studying my
peculiarities. I soon, however, closed the door, and prepared a splendid
couch for myself. At my first entrance into the church, I had noticed a
long box, quite filled with sheep's wool. I threw my rugs over this, and
slept as comfortably as in the softest bed. In the morning I carefully
teased the wool up again, and no one could then have imagined where I had
passed the night.

Nothing amused me more, when I had lodgings of this description, than the
curiosity of the people, who would rush in every morning, as soon as I
opened the door. The first thing they said to each other was always,
"Krar hefur hun sovid" (Where can she have slept?). The good people
could not conceive how it was possible to spend a night _alone_ in a
church surrounded by a churchyard; they perhaps considered me an evil
spirit or a witch, and would too gladly have ascertained how such a
creature slept. When I saw their disappointed faces, I had to turn away
not to laugh at them.

June 29th.

Early the next morning I continued my journey. Not far from Skalholt we
came to the river Thiorsa, which is deep and rapid. We crossed in a
boat; but the horses had to swim after us. It is often very troublesome
to make the horses enter these streams; they see at once that they wi