Page:Popular Science Monthly Volume 71.djvu/306

300

might not overtake the higher ones, or whether the series represented the scattered parts of a former fall of a height equal to the added heights of each. In the former case, the process would bring about in centuries of time a resultant lofty fall, and in the latter case their separation would probably widen as the river at the upper falls wore its way backward more and more rapidly, and left in its retreat its lagging lower companions.

Some of us rejected the assistance of the ponies, and walked. We made our way over an evil road, from which we wandered promiscuously in search of the tempting flowers, observing among them the rare Pinguicula which looks so like a spurred violet, and which we had taken in Newfoundland. And we ran to and fro avariciously picking up Habenaria, Salix (the dwarf willow), Betula, Rumex, Plantago, Armeria, Polygonum, Gentiana, Ranunculus, Geranium, Parnassia, Potentilla, Epilobium, Papaver, Dryas, Pyrola and many others almost forgetting the falls.

Falls (foss) are common objects in Iceland. They have a strong family resemblance, except the Gullfoss which is unique; but then the