\"WefoundourselvesextremelyawkwardindancingwhattheladieswerepleasedtocallEnglishcountrydances。Themusic，whichcamefromasolitaryill-scrapedfiddle，accompaniedbytherumblingofthesamehalf-rottendrumthathadsummonedthehighcourtofjustice，andbythejinglingofarustytriangle，wastomeutterlyunintelligible。Theextremerapiditywithwhichitwasnecessarytogothroughmanycomplicatedevolutionsinpropertime，completelybewilderedus；andourmistakes，andfrequentcollisionswithourneighbours，affordedmuchamusementtoourfairpartners，whofounditforalongtimeimpracticabletokeepusintherighttrack。
Whenallowedtobreathealittle，wehadanopportunityofremarkingsomesingularitiesinthestateofsocietyandmannersamongtheDanesofReikjavik。Whileunengagedinthedance，themendrinkpunch，andwalkaboutwithtobacco-pipesintheirmouths，spittingplentifullyonthefloor。TheunrestrainedevacuationofsalivaseemstobeafashionalloverIceland；butwhetherthenativeslearneditfromtheDanes，ortheDanesfromthenatives，wedidnotascertain。Severalladieswhosevirtuecouldnotbearaverystrictscrutinywerepointedouttous。
\"Duringthedances，teaandcoffeewerehandedabout；andnegusandpunchwerereadyforthosewhochosetopartakeofthem。Acoldsupperwasprovided，consistingofhams，beef，cheese，&c。，andwine。Whileattable，severaloftheladiessang，andacquittedthemselvestolerablywell。ButIcouldnotenjoytheperformance，onaccountoftheincessanttalking，whichwasasfashionablearudenessinIcelandasitisnowinBritain。This，however，wasnotconsideredasintheleastunpolite。Oneofthesongswasinpraiseofthedonorsoftheentertainment；and，duringthechorus，theceremonyoftouchingeachother\'sglasseswasperformed。Aftersupper，waltzesweredanced，inastylethatremindedmeofsoldiersmarchingincadencetothedeadmarchinSaul。Thoughtherewasnoneedofartificiallight，anumberofcandleswereplacedintherooms。Whenthecompanybrokeup，aboutthreeo\'clock，thesunwashighabovethehorizon。\"
{29}Amanofeightyyearsofageisseldomseenontheisland——
Kerguelen。