Isaac Sharp and Asbjorn Kloster in the Faroe Islands (April – June 1862)
Journal of Isaac Sharp - April 28, 1862
Hosvik and Eidi
The steeping rain of yesterday is succeeded by a morning of sunshine and freshness. We left Thorshaven (Torshavn), with our trusty crew, at half-past eight, and proceeding northward up the Fiord, held a little meeting between one and two at Thorsiak (Hosvik), at which time about thirty assembled; again setting sail we reached Eide (Eidi) in the northern part of the Island of Osteroe (Eysturoy), about five in the evening. The shyness with which we were met on first landing, was abundantly cancelled by the kindness which followed. We have much to be thankful for; our quarters are clean and very comfortable. There is a neatness and cleanliness about the Faroese, so far as we have yet seen, which far exceed my expectations, and the open manner in which, for the most part, we have been received, is quite remarkable. It is very interesting to find two persons in this place able to converse in English.
Our sail along the Fiord to-day, though stern and sterile, bleak and brown, was by no means devoid of interest; waterfalls in great variety, flowing from the snowy heights above, were seen on the right hand and on the left; there was one of singular beauty. A snowy peak in the background was seen through an opening in the range of hills bounding the Fiord, through which the water descended in a double cascade, midway in its descent uniting in one, and then rushing over a rocky bed into the water below, the sun at the same time shining brightly on the spray, added greatly to the effect of the whole. Curiously situated, is this little town of Eide (Eidi) on the margin of the Fiord, the houses are clustered in a remarkable manner, and so closely that the width of the main streets would not suffice for two wheelbarrows to pass each other. Arrangements are kindly made for a meeting in the new warehouse of Frederick R. Wendel, the resident factor here, who most kindly and willingly lends us his assistance -tomorrow at nine is spoken of as a suitable time. The wind, which began to rise before we landed, continues to increase; there is no harbour, and we had to scramble on shore as best we could.
In the evening I took a walk to the heights above; to the north was seen the expanse of ocean, to the south the Fiord along which we had recently sailed, with a waterfall on either hand-a sudden squall came on - the sun shone brightly through the rain, forming a bow of great beauty, beneath which was a line of crater-like snowy summits five in number, one end of the rainbow appearing to rest, greatly enlarged in width and with much brilliancy, on the precipice rising abruptly from the ocean below - the effect of the whole was sublime.