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diff --git a/1894-h/1894-h.htm b/1894-h/1894-h.htm new file mode 100644 index 0000000..a3fc88f --- /dev/null +++ b/1894-h/1894-h.htm @@ -0,0 +1,8901 @@ +<!DOCTYPE html + PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Strict//EN" + "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-strict.dtd"> +<html> +<head> +<meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=US-ASCII" /> +<title>Visit to Iceland</title> + <style type="text/css"> +/*<![CDATA[ XML blockout */ +<!-- + P { margin-top: .75em; + margin-bottom: .75em; + } + H1, H2 { + text-align: center; + margin-top: 2em; + margin-bottom: 2em; + } + H3, H4 { + text-align: left; + margin-top: 1em; + margin-bottom: 1em; + } + BODY{margin-left: 10%; + margin-right: 10%; + } + TD { vertical-align: top; } + .blkquot {margin-left: 4em; margin-right: 4em;} /* block indent */ + + .smcap {font-variant: small-caps;} + + .pagenum {position: absolute; + left: 92%; + font-size: smaller; + text-align: right; + color: gray;} + + .citation {vertical-align: super; + font-size: .8em; + text-decoration: none;} + // --> + /* XML end ]]>*/ + </style> +</head> +<body> +<h2> +<a href="#startoftext">Visit to Iceland, by Ida Pfeiffer</a> +</h2> +<pre> +The Project Gutenberg eBook, Visit to Iceland, by Ida Pfeiffer + + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + + + + +Title: Visit to Iceland + and the Scandinavian North + + +Author: Ida Pfeiffer + + + +Release Date: May 7, 2007 [eBook #1894] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ISO-646-US (US-ASCII) + + +***START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK VISIT TO ICELAND*** +</pre> +<p><a name="startoftext"></a></p> +<p>Transcribed from the 1853 Ingram, Cooke, and Co. edition by David Price, +email ccx074@pglaf.org; second proof by Mike Ruffell.</p> +<h1>VISIT TO ICELAND<br /> +<span class="smcap">and the</span><br /> +SCANDINAVIAN NORTH</h1> +<p style="text-align: center"><span class="smcap">translated from the +german of</span><br /> +MADAME IDA PFEIFFER.</p> +<p style="text-align: center"><span class="smcap">with</span><br /> +Numerous Explanatory Notes<br /> +<span class="smcap">and</span><br /> +EIGHT TINTED ENGRAVINGS.</p> +<p style="text-align: center"><span class="smcap">to which are +added</span><br /> +AN ESSAY ON ICELANDIC POETRY,<br /> +<span class="smcap">from the french of m. bergmann</span>;<br /> +A TRANSLATION OF THE ICELANDIC POEM THE VOLUSPA;<br /> +AND A BRIEF SKETCH OF ICELANDIC HISTORY.</p> +<p style="text-align: center">Second Edition.</p> +<p style="text-align: center">LONDON:<br /> +INGRAM, COOKE, AND CO.<br /> +1853</p> +<p style="text-align: center"> +<a href="images/titleb.jpg"> +<img alt="Pictorial title page" src="images/titles.jpg" /> +</a></p> +<h2>ADVERTISEMENT TO THE FIRST EDITION</h2> +<p>The success which attended the publication in this Series of Illustrated +Works of <i>A Woman’s Journey round the World</i>, has induced the +publication of the present volume on a country so little known as Iceland, +and about which so little recent information exists.</p> +<p>The translation has been carefully made, expressly for this Series, from +the original work published at Vienna; and the Editor has added a great +many notes, wherever they seemed necessary to elucidate the text.</p> +<p>In addition to the matter which appeared in the original work, the +present volume contains a translation of a valuable Essay on Icelandic +poetry, by M. Bergmann; a translation of an Icelandic poem, the +‘Völuspâ;’ a brief sketch of Icelandic History; and +a translation of Schiller’s ballad, ‘The Diver,’ which is +prominently alluded to by Madame Pfeiffer in her description of the +Geysers. <a name="citation1"></a><a href="#footnote1" +class="citation">[1]</a></p> +<p>The Illustrations have been printed in tints, so as to make the work +uniform with the <i>Journey round the World</i>.</p> +<p>London, August 1, 1852.</p> +<h2>AUTHOR’S PREFACE</h2> +<p>“Another journey—a journey, moreover, in regions which every +one would rather avoid than seek. This woman only undertakes these +journeys to attract attention.”</p> +<p>“The first journey, for a woman <span class="smcap">alone</span>, +was certainly rather a bold proceeding. Yet in that instance she +might still have been excused. Religious motives may perhaps have +actuated her; and when this is the case, people often go through incredible +things. At present, however, we can see no just reason which could +excuse an undertaking of this description.”</p> +<p>Thus, and perhaps more harshly still, will the majority judge me. +And yet they will do me a grievous wrong. I am surely simple and +harmless enough, and should have fancied any thing in the world rather than +that it would ever be my fate to draw upon myself in any degree the notice +of the public. I will merely indicate, as briefly as may be, my +character and circumstances, and then I have no doubt my conduct will lose +its appearance of eccentricity, and seem perfectly natural.</p> +<p>When I was but a little child, I had already a strong desire to see the +world. Whenever I met a travelling-carriage, I would stop +involuntarily, and gaze after it until it had disappeared; I used even to +envy the postilion, for I thought he also must have accomplished the whole +long journey.</p> +<p>As I grew to the age of from ten to twelve years, nothing gave me so +much pleasure as the perusal of voyages and travels. I ceased, +indeed, to envy the postilions, but envied the more every navigator and +naturalist.</p> +<p>Frequently my eyes would fill with tears when, having ascended a +mountain, I saw others towering before me, and could not gain the +summit.</p> +<p>I made several journeys with my parents, and, after my marriage, with my +husband; and only settled down when it became necessary that my two boys +should visit particular schools. My husband’s affairs demanded +his entire attention, partly in Lemberg, partly in Vienna. He +therefore confided the education and culture of the two boys entirely to my +care; for he knew my firmness and perseverance in all I undertook, and +doubted not that I would be both father and mother to his children.</p> +<p>When my sons’ education had been completed, and I was living in +peaceful retirement, the dreams and aspirations of my youth gradually awoke +once more. I thought of strange manners and customs, of distant +regions, where a new sky would be above me, and new ground beneath my +feet. I pictured to myself the supreme happiness of treading the land +once hallowed by the presence of our Saviour, and at length made up my mind +to travel thither.</p> +<p>As dangers and difficulties rose before my mind, I endeavoured to wean +myself from the idea I had formed—but in vain. For privation I +cared but little; my health was good and my frame hardy: I did not fear +death. And moreover, as I was born in the last century, I could +travel <span class="smcap">alone</span>. Thus every objection was +overcome; every thing had been duly weighed and considered. I +commenced my journey to Palestine with a feeling of perfect rapture; and +behold, I returned in safety. I now feel persuaded that I am neither +tempting Providence, nor justly incurring the imputation of wishing to be +talked about, in following the bent of my inclinations, and looking still +further about me in the world I chose Iceland for my destination, because I +hoped there to find Nature in a garb such as she wears nowhere else. +I feel so completely happy, so brought into communion with my Maker, when I +contemplate sublime natural phenomena, that in my eyes no degree of toil or +difficulty is too great a price at which to purchase such perfect +enjoyment.</p> +<p>And should death overtake me sooner or later during my wanderings, I +shall await his approach in all resignation, and be deeply grateful to the +Almighty for the hours of holy beauty in which I have lived and gazed upon +His wonders.</p> +<p>And now, dear reader, I would beg thee not to be angry with me for +speaking so much of myself; it is only because this love of travelling does +not, according to established notions, seem proper for one of my sex, that +I have allowed my feelings to speak in my defence.</p> +<p>Judge me, therefore, not too harshly; but rather grant me the enjoyment +of a pleasure which hurts no one, while it makes me happy.</p> +<p style="text-align: right">THE AUTHOR.</p> +<h2>CHAPTER I</h2> +<p>In the year 1845 I undertook another journey; <a name="citation2"></a><a +href="#footnote2" class="citation">[2]</a> a journey, moreover, to the far +North. Iceland was one of those regions towards which, from the +earliest period of my consciousness, I had felt myself impelled. In +this country, stamped as it is by Nature with features so peculiar, as +probably to have no counterpart on the face of the globe, I hoped to see +things which should fill me with new and inexpressible astonishment. +How deeply grateful do I feel to Thee, O Thou that hast vouchsafed to me to +behold the fulfilment of these my cherished dreams!</p> +<p>The parting from all my dear ones had this time far less bitterness; I +had found by experience, that a woman of an energetic mind can find her way +through the world as well as a man, and that good people are to be met with +every where. To this was added the reflection, that the hardships of +my present voyage would be of short duration, and that five or six months +might see me restored to my family.</p> +<p>I left Vienna at five o’clock on the morning of the tenth of +April. As the Danube had lately caused some devastations, on which +occasion the railroad had not entirely escaped, we rode for the first four +miles, as far as Florisdorf, in an omnibus—not the most agreeable +mode of travelling. Our omnibuses are so small and narrow, that one +would suppose they were built for the exclusive accommodation of +consumptive subjects, and not for healthy, and in some cases portly +individuals, whose bulk is further increased by a goodly assemblage of +cloaks, furs, and overcoats.</p> +<p>At the barriers a new difficulty arose. We delivered up our +pass-warrants (<i>passirscheine</i>) in turn, with the exception of one +young man, who was quite astounded at the demand. He had provided +nothing but his passport and testimonials, being totally unaware that a +pass-warrant is more indispensable than all the rest. In vain did he +hasten into the bureau to expostulate with the officials,—we were +forced to continue our journey without him.</p> +<p>We were informed that he was a student, who, at the conclusion of term, +was about to make holiday for a few weeks at his parents’ house near +Prague. Alas, poor youth! he had studied so much, and yet knew so +little. He had not even an idea of the overwhelming importance of the +document in question. For this trifling omission he forfeited the +fare to Prague, which had been paid in advance.</p> +<p>But to proceed with my journey.</p> +<p>At Florisdorf a joyful surprise awaited me. I met my brother and +my son, who had, it appears, preceded me. We entered the train to +proceed in company to Stockerau, a place between twelve and thirteen miles +off; but were obliged to alight halfway, and walk a short distance. +The Embankment had given way. Luckily the weather was favourable, +inasmuch as we had only a violent storm of wind. Had it rained, we +should have been wetted to the skin, besides being compelled to wade +ankle-deep in mud. We were next obliged to remain in the open air, +awaiting the arrival of the train from Stockerau, which unloaded its +freight, and received us in exchange.</p> +<p>At Stockerau I once more took leave of my companions, and was soon +securely packed in the post-carriage for transmission.</p> +<p>In travelling this short distance, I had thus entered four carriages; a +thing sufficiently disagreeable to an unencumbered person, but infinitely +more so to one who has luggage to watch over. The only advantage I +could discover in all this was, that we had saved half an hour in coming +these seventeen miles. For this, instead of 9 fl. 26 kr. from Vienna +to Prague, we paid 10 fl. 10 kr. from Stockerau to Prague, without +reckoning expense of omnibus and railway. It was certainly a +dearly-bought half-hour. <a name="citation3"></a><a href="#footnote3" +class="citation">[3]</a></p> +<p>The little town of Znaim, with its neighbouring convent, is situated on +a large plain, extending from Vienna to Budwitz, seventeen miles beyond +Znaim; the monotony of the view is only broken here and there by low +hills.</p> +<p>Near Schelletau the scenery begins to improve. On the left the +view is bounded by a range of high hills, with a ruined castle, suggestive +of tragical tales of centuries gone by. Fir and pine forests skirt +the road, and lie scattered in picturesque groups over hill and dale.</p> +<p>April 11th.</p> +<p>Yesterday the weather had already begun to be ungracious to us. At +Znaim we found the valleys still partly covered with snow, and the fog was +at times so thick, that we could not see a hundred paces in advance; but +to-day it was incomparably worse. The mist resolved itself into a +mild rain, which, however, lost so much of its mildness as we passed from +station to station, that every thing around us was soon under water. +But not only did we ride through water, we were obliged to sit in it +also. The roof of our carriage threatened to become a perfect sieve, +and the rain poured steadily in. Had there been room for such a +proceeding, we should all have unfurled our umbrellas.</p> +<p>On occasions like these, I always silently admire the patience of my +worthy countrymen, who take every thing so good-humouredly. Were I a +man, I should pursue a different plan, and should certainly not fail to +complain of such carelessness. But as a woman, I must hold my peace; +people would only rail at my sex, and call it ill-humoured. Besides, +I thanked my guardian-angel for these discomforts, looking upon them as a +preparation for what was to befall me in the far North.</p> +<p>Passing several small towns and villages, we at length entered the +Bohemian territory, close behind Iglau. The first town which we saw +was Czaslau, with its large open square, and a few neat houses; the latter +provided with so-called arbours (or <i>verandahs</i>), which enable one to +pass round the square dry-footed, even in the most rainy weather.</p> +<p>Journeying onwards, we noticed the fine cathedral and town of +Kuttenberg, once famous for its gold and silver mines. <a +name="citation4"></a><a href="#footnote4" class="citation">[4]</a> +Next comes the great tobacco-manufactory of Sedlitz, near which we first +see the Elbe, but only for a short time, as it soon takes another +direction. Passing the small town of Collin, we are whirled close by +the battle-field where, in the year 1757, the great King Frederick paid his +score to the Austrians. An obelisk, erected a few years since to the +memory of General Daun, occupies a small eminence on the right. On +the left is the plain of Klephorcz, where the Austrian army was drawn up. +<a name="citation5"></a><a href="#footnote5" class="citation">[5]</a></p> +<p>At eleven o’clock on the same night we reached</p> +<h3>PRAGUE.</h3> +<p>As it was my intention to pursue my journey after two days, my first +walk on the following morning was to the police-office, to procure a +passport and the all-important pass-warrant; my next to the custom-house, +to take possession of a small chest, which I had delivered up five days +before my departure, and which, as the expeditor affirmed, I should find +ready for me on my arrival at Prague. <a name="citation6"></a><a +href="#footnote6" class="citation">[6]</a> Ah, Mr. Expeditor! my +chest was not there. After Saturday comes Sunday; but on Sunday the +custom-house is closed. So here was a day lost, a day in which I +might have gone to Dresden, and even visited the opera.</p> +<p>On Monday morning I once more hastened to the office in anxious +expectation; the box was not yet there. An array of loaded wagons +had, however, arrived, and in one of these it might be. Ah, how I +longed to see my darling little box, in order that I might—<i>not</i> +press it to my heart, but unpack it in presence of the excise officer!</p> +<p>I took merely a cursory glance at Prague, as I had thoroughly examined +every thing there some years before. The beautiful +“Graben” and Horse-market once more excited my +admiration. It was with a peculiar feeling that I trod the old +bridge, from which St. John of Nepomuk was cast into the Moldau for +refusing to publish the confession of King Wenceslaus’ consort. <a +name="citation7"></a><a href="#footnote7" class="citation">[7]</a> On +the opposite bank I mounted the Hradschin, and paid a visit to the +cathedral, in which a large sarcophagus, surrounded and borne by angels, +and surmounted by a canopy of crimson damask, is dedicated to the memory of +the saint. The monument is of silver, and the worth of the metal +alone is estimated at 80,000 florins. The church itself is not +spacious, but is built in the noble Gothic style; the lesser altars, +however, with their innumerable gilded wooden figures, look by contrast +extremely puny. In the chapel are many sarcophagi, on which repose +bishops and knights hewn in stone, but so much damaged, that many are +without hands and feet, while some lack heads. To the right, at the +entrance of the church, is the celebrated chapel of St. Wenceslaus, with +its walls ornamented with frescoes, of which the colours and designs are +now almost obliterated. It is further enriched with costly +stones.</p> +<p>Not far from the cathedral is situated the palace of Count Czernin, a +building particularly favoured with windows, of which it has one for every +day in the year. I was there in an ordinary year, and saw 365; how +they manage in leap-year I do not know. The view from the belvedere +of this palace well repays the observer. It takes in the old and new +town, the noble river with its two bridges (the ancient venerable-looking +stone structure, and the graceful suspension-bridge, six hundred paces +long), and the hills round about, clothed with gardens, among which appear +neat country-houses.</p> +<p>The streets of the “Kleinseite” are not particularly +attractive, being mostly tortuous, steep, and narrow. They contain, +however, several remarkable palaces, among which that of Wallenstein Duke +of Friedland stands pre-eminent. <a name="citation8"></a><a +href="#footnote8" class="citation">[8]</a></p> +<p>After visiting St. Nicholas’ Church, remarkable for the height of +its spire and its beautifully arched cupola, I betook myself to +Wimmer’s gardens, and thence to the “Bastei,” a place of +public resort with the citizens of Prague.</p> +<p>I could now observe the devastation caused by the rising of the water +shortly before my arrival. The Moldau had overstepped its banks in so +turbulent a manner, as to carry along with it several small houses, and +even a little village not far from Prague, besides damaging all the +dwellings upon its banks. The water had indeed already fallen, but +the walls of the houses were soaked through and through; the doors had been +carried away, and from the broken windows no faces looked out upon the +passers-by. The water had risen two feet more than in 1784, in which +year the Moldau had also attained an unusual height.</p> +<p>From the same tower of observation, I looked down upon the great open +space bought a few years ago, and intended to be occupied by the termini of +the Vienna and Dresden railroads. Although several houses were only +just being pulled down, and the foundations of but few buildings were laid, +I was assured that within six months every thing would be completed.</p> +<p>I have still to mention a circumstance which struck me during my morning +peregrinations, namely, the curious method in which milk, vegetables, and +other provisions are here brought to town. I could have fancied +myself transported to Lapland or Greenland, on meeting every where carts to +which two, three, or four dogs were harnessed. One pair of dogs will +drag three hundredweight on level ground; but when they encounter a hill, +the driver must lend a helping hand. These dogs are, besides, careful +guardians; and I would not advise any one to approach a car of this kind, +as it stands before the inn-door, while the proprietor is quenching his +thirst within, on the money he has just earned.</p> +<p>At five o’clock on the morning of the 15th of April I left Prague, +and rode for fourteen miles in the mail-carriage, as far as Obristwy on the +Elbe, at which place I embarked for Dresden, on board the steamer Bohemia, +of fifty-horse power, a miserable old craft, apparently a stranger to +beauty and comfort from her youth up. The price charged for this +short passage of eight or nine hours is enormously dear. The +travellers will, however, soon have their revenge on the extortionate +proprietors; a railroad is constructing, by means of which this distance +will be traversed in a much shorter time, and at a great saving of +expense.</p> +<p>But at any rate the journey by water is the more agreeable; the way lies +through very picturesque scenery, and at length through “Saxon +Switzerland” itself. The commencement of the journey is, +however, far from pleasing. On the right are naked hills, and on the +left large plains, over which, last spring, the swollen stream rolled, +partly covering the trees and the roofs of the cottages. Here I could +for the first time see the whole extent of the calamity. Many houses +had been completely torn down, and the crops, and even the loose alluvial +earth swept away; as we glided by each dreary scene of devastation, another +yet more dismal would appear in its place.</p> +<p>This continued till we reached Melnick, where the trees become higher, +and groups of houses peer forth from among the innumerable vineyards. +Opposite this little town the Moldau falls into the Elbe. On the +left, in the far distance, the traveller can descry St. George’s +Mount, from which, as the story goes, Czech took possession of all +Bohemia.</p> +<p>Below the little town of Raudnitz the hills gave place to mountains, and +as many enthusiasts can only find those regions romantic where the +mountains are crowned with half-ruined castles and strongholds, good old +Time has taken care to plant there two fine ruins, Hafenberg and Skalt, for +the delectation of such sentimental observers.</p> +<p>Near Leitmeritz, a small town with a handsome castle, and a church and +convent, the Eger flows into the Elbe, and a high-arched wooden bridge +connects the two banks. Here our poor sailors had difficult work to +lower the mast and the funnel.</p> +<p>The rather pretty village of Gross-Czernoseck is remarkable for its +gigantic cellars, hewn out of the rock. A post-carriage could easily +turn round in one of these. The vats are of course proportioned to +the cellars, particularly the barrels called the “twelve +apostles,” each of which holds between three and four thousand +gallons. It would be no more than fair to stop here awhile, to give +every hero of the bottle an opportunity to enjoy a sight of these +palace-cellars, and to offer a libation to the twelve apostles; but the +steamer passed on, and we were obliged to make the most of the descriptions +furnished by those who were more at home in these parts, and had no doubt +frequently emerged in an inspired state from the depths of the cellars in +question.</p> +<p>The view now becomes more and more charming: the mountains appear to +draw closer together, and shut in the bed of the stream; romantic groups of +rocks, with summits crowned by rains yet more romantic, tower +between. The ancient but well-preserved castle of Schreckenstein, +built on a rock rising boldly out of the Elbe, is particularly striking; +the approaches to it are by serpentine walks hewn out of the rock.</p> +<p>Near the small town of Aussig we find the most considerable coal-mines +in Bohemia. In their neighbourhood is situated the little mountain +estate Paschkal, which produces a kind of wine said to resemble +champagne.</p> +<p>The mountains now become higher and higher, but above them all towers +the gigantic Jungfernsprung (Maiden’s Leap). The beauty of this +region is only surpassed by the situation of the town and castle of +Tetschen. The castle stands on a rock, between twenty and thirty feet +high, which seems to rise out of the Elbe; it is surrounded by hot-houses +and charming gardens, shelving downwards as far as the town, which lies in +a blooming valley, near a little harbour. The valley itself, +encompassed by a chain of lofty mountains, seems quite shut out from the +rest of the world.</p> +<p>The left bank of the river is here so crowded with masses and walls of +rock, that there is only room at intervals for an isolated farm or +hut. Suddenly the tops of masts appear between the high rocks, a +phenomenon which is soon explained; a large gap in one of the rocky walls +forms a beautiful basin.</p> +<p>And now we come to Schandau, a place consisting only of a few houses; it +is a frontier town of the Saxon dominions. Custom-house officers, a +race of beings ever associated with frontier towns, here boarded our +vessel, and rummaged every thing. My daguerreotype apparatus, which I +had locked up in a small box, was looked upon with an eye of suspicion; but +upon my assertion that it was exclusively intended for my own use, I and my +apparatus were graciously dismissed.</p> +<p>In our onward journey we frequently observed rocks of peculiar shapes, +which have appropriate names, such as the “Zirkelstein,” +“Lilienstein,” &c. The Königstein is a +collection of jagged masses of rock, on which is built the fortress of the +same name, used at present as a prison for great criminals. At the +foot of the rocks lies the little town of Königstein. Not far +off, on the right bank, a huge rock, resting on others, bears a striking +resemblance to a human head. The more distant groups of rocks are +called those of “Rathen,” but are considered as belonging to +Saxon Switzerland. The “Basteien” (Bastions) of this +Switzerland, close by which we now pass, are most wonderful superpositions +of lofty and fantastically shaped rocks. Unfortunately, the steamer +whirled us so rapidly on our way, that whilst we contemplated one bank, the +beauteous scenes on the opposite side had already glided from our +view. In much too short a time we had passed the town of Pirna, +situate at the commencement of this range of mountains. The very +ancient gate of this town towers far above all the other buildings.</p> +<p>Lastly we see the great castle Sonnenstein, built on a rock, and now +used as an asylum for lunatics.</p> +<p>All the beautiful and picturesque portion of our passage is now past, +and the royal villa of Pillnitz, with its many Chinese gables, looks +insignificant enough, after the grand scenes of nature. A chain of +hills, covered with the country-houses of citizens, adjoins it; and on the +right extends a large plain, at the far end of which we can dimly descry +the Saxon metropolis. But what is that in the distance? We have +hardly time to arrange our luggage, when the anchor is let go near the fine +old Dresden Bridge.</p> +<p>This bridge had not escaped unscathed by the furious river. One of +the centre arches had given way, and the cross and watchbox which +surmounted it were precipitated into the flood. At first, carriages +still passed over the bridge; it was not until some time afterwards that +the full extent of the damage was ascertained, and the passage of carriages +over the bridge discontinued for many months.</p> +<p>As I had seen the town of Dresden several years before, and the only +building new to me was the splendid theatre, I took advantage of the few +evening hours of my stay to visit this structure.</p> +<p>Standing in the midst of the beautiful Cathedral-square, its noble +rotunda-like form at once rivets the attention. The inner theatre is +surrounded by a superb broad and lofty corridor, with fine bow-windows and +straight broad staircases, leading in different directions towards the +galleries. The interior of the theatre is not so spacious as, judging +from the exterior, one would imagine it to be, but the architecture and +decorations are truly gorgeous and striking. The boxes are all open, +being separated from each other merely by a low partition; the walls and +chairs are covered with heavy silken draperies, and the seats of the third +and fourth galleries with a mixture of silk and cotton. One single +circumstance was disagreeable to me in an acoustic point of view—I +could hear the slightest whisper of the prompter as distinctly as though +some one had been behind me reading the play. The curtain had +scarcely fallen before the whole house was empty, and yet there was no +crowding to get out. This first drew my attention to the numerous and +excellently contrived doors.</p> +<p style="text-align: right">April 16th.</p> +<p>The Dresden omnibuses may be cited as models of comfort; one is certain +of plenty of room, and there is no occasion to dread either the corpulent +persons or the furs and cloaks of fellow-passengers. A bell-pull is +fixed in the interior of the carriage, so that each individual can give the +coachman a signal when he or she wishes to alight. These omnibuses +call at the principal inns, and wait for a moment; but the traveller who is +not ready in advance is left behind.</p> +<p>At half-past five in the morning it called at our hotel. I was +ready and waiting, and drove off comfortably to the railway. The +distance from Dresden to Leipzig is reckoned at fifty-six miles, and the +journey occupied three hours.</p> +<p>The first fourteen miles are very agreeable; gardens, fields, and +meadows, pine-forests in the plain and on the hills, and between these, +villages, farms, country-houses, and solitary chapels, combine to form a +very pretty landscape. But the scene soon changes, and the town of +Meissen (famous for its porcelain manufactory), on the right hand, seems to +shut out from our view all that is picturesque and beautiful.</p> +<p>From here to Leipzig we travel through a wearisome monotonous plain, +enlivened at long intervals by villages and scattered farms. There is +nothing to see but a great tunnel, and the river Pleisse—the latter, +or rather the Elster, is rendered famous by the death of Prince +Poniatowski. <a name="citation9"></a><a href="#footnote9" +class="citation">[9]</a></p> +<p>The town of Leipzig, celebrated far and wide for its fairs, and more for +its immense publishing trade, presents an appearance of noise and bustle +proportionate to its commercial importance. I found streets, squares, +and inns alike crowded. <a name="citation10"></a><a href="#footnote10" +class="citation">[10]</a></p> +<p>Perhaps there does not exist a town with its houses, and consequently +its streets, so disfigured with announcements, in all sizes and shapes, +covering its walls, and sometimes projecting several feet, as Leipzig.</p> +<p>Among the public buildings, those which pleased me most were the +Augusteum and the Bürgerschule. The Bücherhalle (book-hall) +I should suppose indebted for its celebrity rather to its literary contents +than to its architectural beauty or its exterior. The hall itself is +indeed large, and occupies the whole length of the building, while the +lower story consists of several rooms. The hall, the chambers, and +the exterior are all plain, and without particular decoration. The +Tuchhalle (cloth-hall) is simply a large house, with spacious chambers, +containing supplies of cloth. The Theatre stands on a very large +square, and does not present a very splendid appearance, whether viewed +from within or from without. The plan of having stalls in front of +the boxes in the second and third galleries was a novelty to me. The +orchestra I could only hear, but could not discover its whereabouts; most +probably it was posted behind the scenes. On inquiry, I was told that +this was only done on extraordinary occasions, when the seats in the +orchestra were converted into stalls, as was the case on the night of my +visit. The play given was “the original Tartuffe,” a +popular piece by Gutzkow. It was capitally performed.</p> +<p>In the Leipzig theatre I had a second opportunity of observing, that as +regards the love of eating our good Saxons are not a whit behind the +much-censured Viennese. In the Dresden theatre I had admired a couple +of ladies who sat next me. They came provided with a neat bag, +containing a very sufficient supply of confectionery, to which they +perseveringly applied themselves between the acts. But at Leipzig I +found a delicate-looking mother and her son, a lad of fifteen or sixteen +years, regaling themselves with more solid provisions—white bread and +small sausages. I could not believe my eyes, and had made up my mind +that the sausages were artificially formed out of some kind of +confectionery—but alas! my nose came forward but too soon, as a +potent witness, to corroborate what I was so unwilling to believe!</p> +<p>Neither did these two episodes take place in the loftiest regions of +Thalia’s temple, but in the stalls of the second tier.</p> +<p>Beautiful alleys are planted round Leipzig. I took a walk into the +Rosenthal (Valley of Roses), which also consists of splendid avenues and +lawns. A pretty coffee-house, with a very handsome alcove, built in a +semicircular form, invites the weary traveller to rest and refreshment, +while a band of agreeable music diffuses mirth and good humour around.</p> +<p>The rest of the scenery around Leipzig presents the appearance of a vast +and monotonous plain.</p> +<p style="text-align: right">April 17th.</p> +<p>I had intended to continue my journey to Hamburgh via Berlin, but the +weather was so cold and stormy, and the rain poured down so heavily, that I +preferred the shorter way, and proceeded by rail to Magdeburg. Flying +through the dismal plain past Halle, Köthen, and other towns, of which +I could only discern groups of houses, we hurriedly recognised the Saale +and the Elbe; and towards 10 o’clock in the morning arrived at +Magdeburg, having travelled seventy miles in three hours and a quarter.</p> +<p>As the steamer for Hamburgh was not to start until 3 o’clock, I +had ample time to look at the town.</p> +<p>Magdeburg is a mixed pattern of houses of ancient, mediæval, and +modern dates. Particularly remarkable in this respect is the +principal street, the “Broadway,” which runs through the whole +of the town. Here we can see houses dating their origin from the most +ancient times; houses that have stood proof against sieges and sackings; +houses of all colours and forms; some sporting peaked gables, on which +stone figures may still be seen; others covered from roof to basement with +arabesques; and in one instance I could even detect the remains of +frescoes. In the very midst of these relics of antiquity would appear +a house built in the newest style. I do not remember ever having seen +a street which produced so remarkable an impression on me. The finest +building is unquestionably the venerable cathedral. In Italy I had +already seen numbers of the most beautiful churches; yet I remained +standing in mute admiration before this masterpiece of Gothic +architecture.</p> +<p>The monument with the twelve Apostles in this church is a worthy +memorial of the celebrated sculptor Vischer. In order to view it, it +is necessary to obtain the special permission of the commandant.</p> +<p>The cathedral square is large, symmetrical, and decorated with two +alleys of trees; it is also used as a drilling-ground for the +soldiers’ minor manoeuvres. I was particularly struck with the +number of military men to be seen here. Go where I would, I was sure +to meet soldiers and officers, frequently in large companies; in time of +war it could scarcely have been worse. This was an unmistakeable +token that I was on Prussian territory.</p> +<p>The open canals, which come from all the houses, and meander through the +streets, are a great disfigurement to the town.</p> +<p>Half-past three o’clock came only too quickly, and I betook myself +on board the steamer <i>Magdeburg</i>, of sixty-horse power, to proceed to +Hamburgh. Of the passage itself I can say nothing, except that a +journey on a river through execrable scenery is one of the most miserable +things that can well be imagined. When, in addition to this, the +weather is bad, the ship dirty, and one is obliged to pass a night on +board, the discomfort is increased. It was my lot to endure all this: +the weather was bad, the ship was dirty, the distance more than 100 miles, +so that we had the pleasant prospect of a delightful night on board the +ship. There were, moreover, so many passengers, that we were forced +to sit crowded together; so there we sat with exemplary patience, stared at +each other, and sighed bitterly. Order was entirely out of the +question; no one had time to think of such a thing. Smoking and +card-playing were perseveringly carried on all day and all night; it can +easily be imagined that things did not go so quietly as at an English +whist-party. The incessant rain rendered it impossible to leave the +cabin even for a short time. The only consolation I had was, that I +made the acquaintance of the amiable composer Lorzing, a circumstance which +delighted me the more, as I had always been an admirer of his beautiful +original music.</p> +<h2>CHAPTER II</h2> +<p>Morning dawned at length, and in a short time afterwards we reached the +great commercial city, which, half destroyed by the dreadful conflagration +of 1842, had risen grander and more majestic from its ashes. <a +name="citation11"></a><a href="#footnote11" class="citation">[11]</a> +I took up my quarters with a cousin, who is married to the Wurtemburg +consul, the merchant Schmidt, in whose house I spent a most agreeable and +happy week. My cousin-in-law was polite enough to escort me every +where himself, and to shew me the lions of Hamburgh.</p> +<p>First of all we visited the Exchange between the hours of one and two, +when it is at the fullest, and therefore best calculated to impress a +stranger with an idea of the extent and importance of the business +transacted there. The building contains a hall of great size, with +arcades and galleries, besides many large rooms, which are partly used for +consultations, partly for the sale of refreshments. The most +interesting thing of all is, however, to sit in the gallery, and looking +downwards, to observe the continually increasing crowd passing and +repassing each other in the immense hall and through the galleries and +chambers, and to listen to the hubbub and noise of the thousands of eager +voices talking at once. At half-past one o’clock the hall is at +its fullest, and the noise becomes absolutely deafening; for now they are +marking up the rates of exchange, by which the merchants regulate their +monetary transactions.</p> +<p>Leaving the Exchange, we bent our steps towards the great harbour, and +entering a small boat, cruised in and about it in all directions. I +had resolved to count only the three-masted ships; but soon gave it up, for +their number seemed overwhelming, even without reckoning the splendid +steamers, brigs, sloops, and craft. In short, I could only gaze and +wonder, for at least 900 ships lay before me.</p> +<p>Let any one fancy an excursion amidst 900 ships, great and small, which +lined both shores of the Elbe in tiers of three deep or more; the passing +to and fro of countless boats busily employed in loading or unloading these +vessels; these things, together with the shouting and singing of the +sailors, the rattling of anchors which are being weighed, and the rush and +swell of passing steamers, combine to constitute a picture not to be +surpassed in any city except in that metropolis of the world, London. <a +name="citation12"></a><a href="#footnote12" class="citation">[12]</a></p> +<p>The reason of this unusual activity in the harbour lay in the severity +of the past winter. Such a winter had not been experienced for +seventy years: the Elbe and the Baltic lay for months in icy chains, and +not a ship could traverse the frozen river, not an anchor could be weighed +or lowered. It was only a short time before my arrival that the +passage had once more become free.</p> +<p>In the neighbourhood of the harbour are situated the greater number of +the so-called “yards.” I had read concerning them that, +viewed from the exterior, they look like common houses; but that they +constitute separate communities, and contain alleys and streets, serving as +the domicile of innumerable families. I visited several of these +places, and can assure the reader that I saw nothing extraordinary in +them. Houses with two large wings, forming an alley of from eighty to +a hundred paces in length, are to be met with in every large town; and that +a number of families should inhabit such a house is not remarkable, +considering that they are all poor, and that each only possesses a single +small apartment.</p> +<p>The favourite walk in the town is the “Jungfernstieg” +(Maiden’s Walk), a broad alley, extending round a spacious and +beautiful basin of the Alster. On one side are splendid hotels, with +which Hamburgh is richly provided; on the other, a number of private +residences of equal pretensions. Other walks are, the +“Wall,” surrounding the town, and the “Botanical +Garden,” which resembles a fine park. The noblest building, +distinguished alike as regards luxury, skill, tastefulness of design, and +stability, is the Bazaar. It is truly a gigantic undertaking, and the +more to be admired from the fact that it is not built upon shares, but at +the expense of a single individual, Herr Carl Sillem; the architect’s +name is Overdick. The building itself is constructed entirely of +stone, and the walls of the great room and of the hall are inlaid with +marble. A lofty cupola and an immense glazed dome cover both the +great room and the hall; the upper staircases are ornamented with beautiful +statues. When in the evening it is brilliantly lighted with gas, and +further ornamented by a tasteful display of the richest wares, the +spectator can almost fancy himself transported to a fairy palace.</p> +<p>Altogether the shops in Hamburgh are very luxurious. The wares lie +displayed in the most tasteful manner behind huge windows of plate-glass, +which are often from five to six feet broad, and eight or ten feet high; a +single sheet frequently costs 600 florins. This plate-glass luxury is +not confined to shops, but extends to windows generally, not only in +Hamburgh, but also in Altona, and is also seen in the handsomest +country-houses of the Hamburghers. Many a pane costs eight or ten +florins; and the glass is insured in case of breakage, like houses in case +of fire.</p> +<p>This display of glass is equalled by the costliness of the furniture, +which is almost universally of mahogany; a wood which is here in such +common use, that in some of the most elegant houses the very +stair-banisters are constructed of it. Even the pilots have often +mahogany furniture.</p> +<p>The handsomest and most frequented street is the “Neue Wall” +(New Wall). I was particularly struck with the number of shops and +dwellings underground, to which one descends by a flight of six or eight +stairs; an iron railing is generally placed before the entrance, to prevent +the passers-by from falling down.</p> +<p>A very practical institution is the great slaughterhouse, in which all +cattle are killed on certain days of the week.</p> +<p>Concerning the town of Altona, I have only to observe that it appeared +to me a continuation of Hamburgh; from which town, indeed, it is only +separated by a wooden door. A very broad, handsome street, or, more +properly speaking, an elongated square, planted with a double row of large +trees, is the most remarkable thing about Altona, which belongs to the +Danish Government, and is considered, after Copenhagen, the most important +place in the kingdom.</p> +<p>It is a delicious ride to the village of Blankenese, distant nine miles +from Hamburgh; the road lies among beautiful country-houses and large +park-like gardens. Blankenese itself consists of cottages, grouped in +a picturesque manner round the Sülberg, a hill from which the +traveller enjoys a very extended view over the great plain, in which it is +the only elevated point. The course of the Elbe, as it winds at +moderate speed towards the sea, is here to be traced almost to its +embouchure at Cuxhaven.</p> +<p>The breadth of the Elbe at Blankenese exceeds two miles.</p> +<p>Another interesting excursion is to the “New Mills,” a +little village on the Elbe, not more than half a mile from Altona, and +inhabited only by fishermen and pilots. Whoever wishes to form an +idea of Dutch prettiness and cleanliness should come here.</p> +<p>The houses are mostly one story high, neatly and tastefully built; the +brightest of brass handles adorn the street-doors; the windows are kept +scrupulously clean, and furnished with white curtains.</p> +<p>In Saxony I had found many dwellings of the peasantry tidy and neat +enough, displaying at any rate more opulence than we are accustomed to find +with this class of people; but I had seen none to compete with this pretty +village.</p> +<p>Among the peasants’ costumes, I only liked that worn by the women +from the “Vierlanden.” They wear short full skirts of +black stuff, fine white chemisettes with long sleeves, and coloured +bodices, lightly fastened in front with silk cords or silver buckles. +Their straw hats have a most comical appearance; the brim of the hat is +turned up in such a manner that the crown appears to have completely sunk +in. Many pretty young girls dressed in this manner come to Hamburgh +to sell flowers, and take up their position in front of the Exchange.</p> +<p>The 26th of April, the day appointed for my departure, arrived only too +speedily. To part is the unavoidable fate of the traveller; but +sometimes we part gladly, sometimes with regret. I need not write +many pages to describe my feelings at the parting in Hamburgh. I was +leaving behind me my last relations, my last friends. Now I was going +into the wide world, and among strangers.</p> +<p>At eight o’clock in the morning I left Altona, and proceeded by +railway to Kiel.</p> +<p>I noticed with pleasure that on this railway even the third-class +carriages were securely covered in, and furnished with glass windows. +In fact, they only differed from those of the first and second class in +being painted a different colour, and having the seats uncushioned.</p> +<p>The whole distance of seventy miles was passed in three hours; a rapid +journey, but agreeable merely by its rapidity, for the whole neighbourhood +presents only widely-extended plains, turf-bogs and moorlands, sandy places +and heaths, interspersed with a little meadow or arable land. From +the nature of the soil, the water in the ditches and fields looked black as +ink.</p> +<p>Near Binneburg we notice a few stunted plantations of trees. From +Eisholm a branch-line leads to Glückstadt, and another from +Neumünster, a large place with important cloth-factories, to +Rendsburg.</p> +<p>From here there is nothing to be seen but a convent, in which many Dukes +of Holstein lie buried, and several unimportant lakes; for instance, those +of Bernsholm, Einfeld, and Schulhof. The little river Eider would +have passed unnoticed by me, had not some of my fellow-passengers made a +great feature of it. In the finest countries I have found the natives +far less enthusiastic about what was really grand and beautiful, than they +were here in praise of what was neither the one nor the other. My +neighbour, a very agreeable lady, was untiring in laudation of her +beautiful native land. In her eyes the crippled wood was a splendid +park, the waste moorland an inexhaustible field for contemplation, and +every trifle a matter of real importance. In my heart I wished her +joy of her fervid imagination; but unfortunately my colder nature would not +catch the infection.</p> +<p>Towards Kiel the plain becomes a region of low hills. Kiel itself +is prettily situated on the Baltic, which, viewed from thence, has the +appearance of a lake of middling size. The harbour is said to be +good; but there were not many ships there. <a name="citation13"></a><a +href="#footnote13" class="citation">[13]</a> Among these was the +steamer destined to carry me to Copenhagen. Little did I anticipate +the good reason I should have to remember this vessel.</p> +<p>Thanks to the affectionate forethought of my cousin Schmidt, I found one +of his relations, Herr Brauer, waiting for me at the railway. I was +immediately introduced to his family, and passed the few hours of my stay +very agreeably in their company.</p> +<p>Evening approached, and with it the hour of embarkation. My kind +friends the Brauers accompanied me to the steamer, and I took a grateful +leave of them.</p> +<p>I soon discovered the steamer <i>Christian VIII.</i>, of 180-horse +power, to be a vessel dirtier and more uncomfortable than any with which I +had become acquainted in my maritime excursions. Scrubbing and +sweeping seemed things unknown here. The approach to the cabin was by +a flight of stairs so steep, that great care was requisite to avoid +descending in an expeditious but disagreeable manner, by a fall from top to +bottom. In the fore-cabin there was no attempt at separate quarters +for ladies and gentlemen. In short, the arrangements seemed all to +have been made with a view of impressing the ship vividly on the +recollection of every traveller.</p> +<p>At nine o’clock we left Kiel. The day and the twilight are +here already longer than in the lands lying to the south and the +west. There was light enough to enable me to see, looming out of the +surrounding darkness, the fortress “Friedrichsort,” which we +passed at about ten o’clock.</p> +<p style="text-align: right">April 27th.</p> +<p>To-day I still rose with the sun; but that will soon be a difficult +matter to accomplish; for in the north the goddess of light makes amends in +spring and summer for her shortcomings during the winter. I went on +deck, and looked on the broad expanse of ocean. No land was to be +seen; but soon a coast appeared, then disappeared, and then a new and more +distant one rose out of the sea. Towards noon we reached the island +of Möen, which lies about forty <a name="citation14"></a><a +href="#footnote14" class="citation">[14]</a> miles distant from +Copenhagen. It forms a beautiful group of rocks, rising boldly from +the sea. They are white as chalk, and have a smooth and shining +appearance. The highest of these walls of rock towers 400 feet above +the level of the surrounding ocean. Soon we saw the coast of Sweden, +then the island of Malmö; and at last Copenhagen itself, where we +landed at four o’clock in the afternoon. The distance from Kiel +to Copenhagen is 136 sea-miles.</p> +<p>I remained seven days at Copenhagen, and should have had ample time to +see every thing, had the weather been more favourable. But it blew +and rained so violently, that I was obliged to give up all thoughts of +visiting the surrounding parks, and was fain to content myself with seeing +a few of the nearest walks, which I accomplished with some difficulty.</p> +<p>The first street in Copenhagen which I traversed on coming from the +harbour generally produces a great impression. It is called the +“Broad Street,” and leads from the harbour through the greater +part of the town. In addition to its breadth it is very long and +regular, and the splendid palaces and houses on either side give it a +remarkably grand appearance.</p> +<p>It is a peculiar sight, when, in the midst of this fine quarter, we come +suddenly upon a ruin, a giant building resting on huge pillars, but half +completed, and partly covered with moss and lichens. It was intended +for a splendid church, and is built entirely of marble; but the soft ground +would not bear the immense weight. The half-finished building began +to sink, and the completion of the undertaking became for ever +impossible.</p> +<p>Many other streets rival the “Broad Street” in size and +magnificence. Foremost among them comes the Amalienstrasse. The +most bustling, but by far not the finest, are the Oster and +Gotherstrasse. To walk in these is at first quite a difficult +undertaking for a stranger. On one side of the pavement, which is +raised about a foot above the carriage-way, he comes continually in contact +with stairs, leading sometimes to warehouses above, at others to +subterranean warehouses below the level of the street. The approaches +to the latter are not guarded by railings as in Hamburgh. The other +side of the pavement is bounded by a little unostentatious rivulet, called +by unpoetical people “canal,” into which tributaries equally +sweet pour from all the neighbouring houses. It is therefore +necessary to take great care, lest you should fall into the traitorous +depths on the one side, or stumble over the projecting steps on the +other. The pavement itself is covered with a row of stone slabs, a +foot and a half wide, on which one walks comfortably enough. But then +every body contends for the possession of these, to avoid the uneven and +pointed stones at the side. This, added to the dreadful crowding, +renders the street one which would scarcely be chosen for a walk, the less +so as the shops do not contain any thing handsome, the houses are neither +palace-like nor even tastefully built, and the street itself is neither of +the broadest nor of the cleanest.</p> +<p>The squares are all large and regularly built. The finest is the +Kongensnytorf (King’s New Market). Some fine mansions, the +chief guard-house, the theatre, the chief coffee-houses and inns, the +academy of the fine arts, and the building belonging to the botanical +garden, the two last commonly known by the name of +“Charlottenburg,” are among the ornaments of this magnificent +square, in the midst of which stands a beautiful monument, representing +Christian V. on horseback, and surrounded by several figures.</p> +<p>Smaller, but more beautiful in its perfect symmetry, is the +“Amalienplatz,” containing four royal palaces, built exactly +alike, and intersected by four broad streets in the form of a cross. +This square also is decorated by a monument standing in the midst, and +representing Frederick V. In another fine square, the +“Nytorf” (New Market), there is a fountain. Its little +statue sends forth very meagre jets of water, and the fountain is merely +noticeable as being the only one I could find at Copenhagen.</p> +<p>The traveller can hardly fail of being surprised by the number and +magnificence of the palaces, at sight of which he could fancy himself in +the metropolis of one of the largest kingdoms. The +“Christianensburg” is truly imperial; it was completely +destroyed by fire in the year 1794, but has since been rebuilt with +increased splendour. The chapel of this palace is very +remarkable. The interior has the appearance rather of a concert-room +than of a building devoted to purposes of worship. Tastefully +decorated boxes, among which we notice that of the king, together with +galleries, occupy the upper part of the chapel; the lower is filled with +benches covered with red velvet and silk. The pulpit and altar are so +entirely without decoration, that, on first entering, they wholly escape +notice.</p> +<p>In the “Christianensburg” is also the “Northern +Museum,” peculiarly rich in specimens of the ornaments, weapons, +musical instruments, and other mementoes of northern nations.</p> +<p>The Winter Riding-school, in which concerts are frequently given, is +large and symmetrical. I admired the stalls, and yet more the grey +horses which occupied them—descendants of the pure Arabian and wild +Norwegian breeds—creatures with long manes and tails of fine silky +hair. Every one who sees these horses, whether he be a connoisseur or +one of the uninitiated, must admire them.</p> +<p>Adjoining the “Christianensburg” is Thorwaldsen’s +Museum, a square building with fine saloons, lighted from above. When +I saw it, it was not completed; the walls were being painted in fresco by +some of the first native artists. The sculptured treasures were +there, but unfortunately yet unpacked.</p> +<p>In the midst of the courtyard Thorwaldsen’s mausoleum is being +erected. There his ashes will rest, with his exquisitely finished +lion as a gravestone above them. <a name="citation15"></a><a +href="#footnote15" class="citation">[15]</a></p> +<p>The largest among the churches is the “Woman’s +Church.” The building has no architectural beauty; the pillars, +galleries, and cupola are all of wood, covered with a mixture of sand and +plaster. But whatever may be wanting in outward splendour is +compensated by its contents, for this church contains the masterpieces of +Thorwaldsen. At the high altar stands his glorious figure of our +Saviour, in the niches of the wall his colossal twelve apostles.</p> +<p>In the contemplation of these works we forget the plainness of the +building which contains them. May the fates be prosperous, and no +conflagration reach this church, built as it is half of wood!</p> +<p>The Catholic Church is small, but tasteful beyond expression. The +late emperor of Austria presented to it a good full-toned organ, and two +oil-paintings, one by Kuppelweiser, the other by a pupil of this +master.</p> +<p>In the “Museum of Arts” I was most interested in the ancient +chair, used in days of yore by Tycho de Brahe. <a name="citation16"></a><a +href="#footnote16" class="citation">[16]</a></p> +<p>The Exchange is a curious ancient building. It is very long and +narrow, and surmounted by nine peaks, from the centre of which protrudes a +remarkable pointed tower, formed of four crocodiles’ tails +intertwined.</p> +<p>The hall itself is small, low, and dark; it contains a full-length +portrait in oil of Tycho de Brahe. Nearly all the upper part of the +building is converted into a kind of bazaar, and the lower portion contains +a number of small and dingy booths.</p> +<p>Several canals, having an outlet into the sea, give a peculiar charm to +the town. They are, in fact, so many markets; for the craft lying in +them are laden with provisions of all kinds, which are here offered for +sale.</p> +<p>The Sailors’ Town, adjoining Copenhagen, and situated near the +harbour, is singularly neat and pretty. It consists of three long, +broad, straight streets, built of houses looking so exactly alike, that on +a foggy night an accurate knowledge of the locality is requisite to know +one from the other. It looks as though, on each side of the way, +there were only one long house of a single floor, with a building one story +high in the middle. In the latter dwell the commandant and +overseers.</p> +<p>The lighting of the streets is managed in Copenhagen in the same way as +in our smaller German towns. When “moonlight” is +announced in the calendar, not a lamp is lighted. If the lady moon +chooses to hide behind dark clouds, that is her fault. It would be +insolent to attempt to supply the place of her radiance with miserable +lamps—a wise arrangement! (?)</p> +<p>Of the near walks, the garden of the “Rosenburg,” within the +town, pleased me much; as did also the “Long Line,” an alley of +beautiful trees extending parallel with the sea, and in which one can +either walk or ride. A coffee-house, in front of which there is music +in fine weather, attracts many of the loungers. The most beautiful +place of all is the “Kastell,” above the “Long +Line,” from whence one can enjoy a beautiful view. The town +lies displayed below in all its magnificence: the harbour, with its many +ships; the sparkling blue Sound, which spreads its broad expanse between +the coasts of Denmark and Sweden, and washes many a beautiful group of +islands belonging to one or the other of these countries. The +background of the picture alone is uninteresting, as there is no chain of +mountains to form a horizon, and the eye wanders over the boundless flats +of Denmark.</p> +<p>Among the vessels lying at anchor in the harbour I saw but few +three-masters, and still fewer steamers. The ships of the fleet +presented a curious appearance; at the first view they look like great +houses with flag-staves, for every ship is provided with a roof, out of +which the masts rise into the air; they are besides very high out of the +water, so that all the port-holes and the windows of the cabins appear in +two or three stories, one above the other.</p> +<p>A somewhat more distant excursion, which can be very conveniently made +in a capital omnibus, takes you to the royal chateau +“Friedrichsberg,” lying before the water-gate, two miles +distant from the town. Splendid avenues lead to this place, where are +to be found all the delights that can combine to draw a citizen into the +country. There are a tivoli, a railway, cabinets, and booths with +wax-figures, and countless other sights, besides coffee-houses, beer-rooms, +and music. The gardens are planted at the sides with a number of +small arbours, each containing a table and chairs, and all open in front, +so as to shew at one view all the visitors of these pretty natural +huts. On Sundays, when the gardens are crowded, this is a very +animated sight.</p> +<p>On the way to this “Prater” of Copenhagen, we pass many +handsome villas, each standing in a fine garden.</p> +<p style="text-align: center"> +<a href="images/p50b.jpg"> +<img alt="Copenhagen: From Frederiesbourg" src="images/p50s.jpg" /> +</a></p> +<p>The royal palace is situated on the summit of a hill, at the end of the +avenue, and is surrounded by a beautiful park; it commands a view of a +great portion of the town, with the surrounding country and the sea; still +I far prefer the prospect from the “Kastell.” The Park +contains a considerable island, which, during some part of the year, stands +in the midst of an extensive lake. This island is appropriated to the +Court, but the rest of the park is open to the public.</p> +<p>Immediately outside the water-gate stands an obelisk, remarkable neither +for its beauty nor for the skill displayed in its erection, for it consists +of various stones, and is not high, but interesting from the circumstance +to which it owes its origin. It was erected by his grateful subjects +in memory of the late king Christian VII., to commemorate the abolition of +feudal service. Surely no feeling person can contemplate without +joyful emotion a monument like this.</p> +<p>I have here given a faithful account of what I saw during my short stay +at Copenhagen. It only remains for me to describe a few peculiar +customs of the people, and so I will begin as it were at the end, with the +burial of the dead. In Denmark, as in fact in the whole of +Scandinavia, not excepting Iceland, it is customary not to bury the dead +until eight or ten days have elapsed. In winter-time this is not of +so much consequence, but in summer it is far from healthy for those under +the same roof with the corpse. I was present at Copenhagen at the +funeral of Dr. Brandis, physician to the king. Two of the +king’s carriages and a number of private equipages attended. +Nearly all these were empty, and the servants walked beside them. +Among the mourners I did not notice a single woman; I supposed that this +was only the case at the funerals of gentlemen, but on inquiry I found that +the same rule is observed at the burial of women. This consideration +for the weaker sex is carried so far, that on the day of the funeral no +woman may be seen in the house of mourning. The mourners assemble in +the house of the deceased, and partake of cold refreshments. At the +conclusion of the ceremony they are again regaled. What particularly +pleased me in Copenhagen was, that I never on any occasion saw beggars, or +even such miserably clad people as are found only too frequently in our +great cities. Here there are no doubt poor people, as there are such +every where else in the world, but one does not see them beg. I +cannot help mentioning an arrangement which certainly deserves to be +universally carried out;—I mean, the setting apart of many large +houses, partly belonging to the royal family, partly to rich private people +or to companies, for the reception of poor people, who are here lodged at a +much cheaper rate than is possible in ordinary dwellings.</p> +<p>The costumes of the peasants did not particularly please me. The +women wear dresses of green or black woollen stuff, reaching to the ankle, +and trimmed at the skirt with broad coloured woollen borders. The +seams of the spenser, and the arm-holes, are also trimmed with smaller +coloured borders. On their heads they wear a handkerchief, and over +this a kind of shade, like a bonnet. On Sundays I saw many of them in +small, pretty caps, worked with silk, with a border of lace of more than a +hand’s breadth, plaited very stiffly; at the back they have large +bows of fine riband, the ends of which reach half down to their feet. +I found nothing very remarkable in the dress of the peasants. As far +as strength and beauty were concerned, I thought these peasants were +neither more nor less gifted than those of Austria. As regards the +beauty of the fair sex, I should certainly give the preference to the +Austrians. Fair hair and blue eyes predominate.</p> +<p>I saw but few soldiers; their uniforms, particularly those worn by the +king’s life-guards, are very handsome.</p> +<p>I especially noticed the drummers; they were all little lads of ten or +twelve years old. One could almost have exclaimed, “Drum, +whither art thou carrying that boy?” To march, and to join in +fatiguing manoeuvres, carrying such a drum, and beating it bravely at the +same time, is rather cruel work for such young lads. Many a ruined +constitution may be ascribed to this custom.</p> +<p>During my stay in Copenhagen I spent many very delightful hours with +Professor Mariboe and his amiable family, and with the kind clergyman of +the embassy, Herr Zimmermann. They received me with true politeness +and hospitality, and drew me into their circle, where I soon felt myself +quite at ease. I shall never forget their friendship, and shall make +use of every opportunity to shew them my appreciation of it. Herr +Edouard Gottschalk and Herr Knudson have also my best thanks. I +applied to the first of these gentlemen to procure me a passage to Iceland, +and he was kind enough to use his interest with Herr Knudson on my +behalf.</p> +<p>Herr Knudson is one of the first general dealers in Copenhagen, and +carries on a larger and more extended commerce with Iceland than any other +house trading thither. He is already beginning to retire, as the +continual journeys are becoming irksome to him; but he still owns a number +of great and small vessels, which are partly employed in the fisheries, and +partly in bringing all kinds of articles of consumption and luxury to the +different harbours of Iceland.</p> +<p>He himself goes in one of his ships every year, and stays a few months +in Iceland to settle his affairs there. On the recommendation of Herr +Gottschalk, Herr Knudson was kind enough to give me a passage in the ship +in which he made the journey himself; a favour which I knew how to +value. It is certainly no small kindness to take a lady passenger on +such a journey. Herr Knudson knew neither my fortitude nor my +perseverance; he did not know whether I should be able to endure the +hardships of a journey to the north, whether I would bear sea-sickness +philosophically, or even if I had courage enough, in case of storms or bad +weather, to abstain from annoying the captain by my fears or complaints at +a time when he would only have too much to harass him. The kind man +allowed no such considerations to influence him. He believed me when +I promised to behave courageously come what might, and took me with +him. Indeed his kindness went so far that it is to him I owe every +comfort I enjoyed in Iceland, and every assistance in furthering the +attainment of my journey’s object. I could certainly not have +commenced a voyage under better auspices.</p> +<p>All ships visiting Iceland leave Copenhagen at the end of April, or at +the latest in the middle of May. After this time only one ship is +despatched, to carry the mails of the Danish government. This vessel +leaves Copenhagen in October, remains in Iceland during the winter months, +and returns in March. The gain or loss of this expedition is +distributed in shares among the merchants of Copenhagen.</p> +<p>Besides this, a French frigate comes to Iceland every spring, and +cruises among the different harbours until the middle of August. She +superintends the fishing vessels, which, attracted by the large profits of +the fisheries, visit these seas in great numbers during the summer. <a +name="citation17"></a><a href="#footnote17" class="citation">[17]</a></p> +<p>Opportunities of returning from Iceland occur during the summer until +the end of September, by means of the merchant-ships, which carry freights +from the island to Denmark, England, and Spain.</p> +<p>At length, on Sunday the 4th of May, a favourable wind sprung up. +Herr Knudson sent me word to be ready to embark at noon on board the fine +brig <i>John</i>.</p> +<p>I immediately proceeded on board. The anchor was weighed, and the +sails, unfolding themselves like giant wings, wafted us gently out of the +harbour of Copenhagen. No parting from children, relations, or +old-cherished friends embittered this hour. With a glad heart I bade +adieu to the city, in the joyful hope soon to see the fulfilment of my +long-expected journey.</p> +<p>The bright sky smiled above us, and a most favourable wind filled our +sails. I sat on deck and revelled in the contemplation of scenes so +new to me. Behind us lay spread the majestic town; before us the +Sound, an immense natural basin, which I could almost compare to a great +Swiss lake; on the right and left were the coasts of Sweden and Denmark, +which here approach each other so closely that they seem to oppose a +barrier to the further progress of the adventurous voyager.</p> +<p>Soon we passed the little Swedish town of Carlscrona, and the desolate +island Hveen, on which Tycho de Brahe passed the greater portion of his +life, occupied with stellar observations and calculations. Now came a +somewhat dangerous part, and one which called into action all the careful +seamanship of the captain to bring us safely through the confined sea and +the strong current,—the entrance of the Sound into the Cattegat.</p> +<p>The two coasts here approach to within a mile of each other. On +the Swedish side lies the pretty little town of Helsingborg, on the Danish +side that of Helsingör, and at the extremity of a projecting neck of +land the fortress Kronburg, which demands a toll of every passing ship, and +shews a large row of threatening cannon in case of non-compliance. +Our toll had already been paid before leaving Copenhagen; we had been +accurately signalled, and sailed fearlessly by. <a name="citation18"></a><a +href="#footnote18" class="citation">[18]</a></p> +<p>The entrance once passed, we entered the Cattegat, which already looked +more like the great ocean: the coasts retired on each side, and most of the +shifts and barques, which till now had hovered around us on all sides, bade +us “farewell.” Some bent their course towards the east, +others towards the west; and we alone, on the broad desert ocean, set sail +for the icy north. Twilight did not set in until 9 o’clock at +night; and on the coasts the flaming beacons flashed up, to warn the +benighted mariner of the proximity of dangerous rocks.</p> +<p>I now offered up my thanksgiving to Heaven for the protection hitherto +vouchsafed me, with a humble prayer for its continuance. Then I +descended to the cabin, where I found a convenient bunk (a kind of crib +fixed to the side of the ship); I laid myself down, and was soon in a deep +and refreshing sleep.</p> +<p>I awoke full of health and spirits, which, however, I enjoyed but for a +short time. During the night we had left behind us the +“Cattegat” and the “Skagerrack,” and were driving +through the stormy German Ocean. A high wind, which increased almost +to a gale, tumbled our poor ship about in such a manner, that none but a +good dancer could hope to maintain an upright position. I had +unfortunately been from my youth no votary of Terpsichore, and what was I +to do? The naiads of this stormy region seized me, and bandied me to +and fro, until they threw me into the arms of what was, according to my +experience, if not exactly after Schiller’s interpretation, +“the horrible of horrors,”—sea-sickness. At first I +took little heed of this, thinking that sea-sickness would soon be overcome +by a traveller like myself, who should be inured to every thing. But +in vain did I bear up; I became worse and worse, till I was at length +obliged to remain in my berth with but one consoling thought, namely, that +we were to-day on the open sea, where there was nothing worthy of +notice. But the following day the Norwegian coast was in sight, and +at all hazards I must see it; so I crawled on deck more dead than alive, +looked at a row of mountains of moderate elevation, their tops at this +early season still sparkling with their snowy covering, and then hurried +back, benumbed by the piercing icy wind, to my good warm feather-bed. +Those who have never experienced it can have no conception of the biting, +penetrating coldness of a gale of wind in the northern seas. The sun +shone high in the heavens; the thermometer (I always calculate according to +Reaumur) stood 3° above zero; I was dressed much more warmly than I +should have thought necessary when, in my fatherland, the thermometer was +8° or 10° <i>below</i> zero, and yet I felt chilled to the heart, +and could have fancied that I had no clothes on at all.</p> +<p>On the fourth night we sailed safely past the Shetland Islands; and on +the evening of the fifth day we passed so near the majestic rocky group of +the Feroe Islands, that we were at one time apprehensive of being cast upon +the rocks by the unceasing gale. <a name="citation19"></a><a +href="#footnote19" class="citation">[19]</a></p> +<p>Already on the seventh day we descried the coast of Iceland. Our +passage had been unprecedentedly quick; the sailors declared that a +favourable gale was to be preferred even to steam, and that on our present +voyage we should certainly have left every steamer in our wake. But +I, wretched being that I was, would gladly have dispensed with the services +both of gale and steam for the sake of a few hours’ rest. My +illness increased so much, that on the seventh day I thought I must +succumb. My limbs were bathed in a cold perspiration; I was as weak +as an infant, and my mouth felt parched and dry. I saw that I must +now either make a great effort or give up entirely; so I roused myself, and +with the assistance of the cabin-boy gained a seat, and promised to take +any and every remedy which should be recommended. They gave me +hot-water gruel with wine and sugar; but it was not enough to be obliged to +force this down, I was further compelled to swallow small pieces of raw +bacon highly peppered, and even a mouthful of rum. I need not say +what strong determination was required to make me submit to such a +regimen. I had, however, but one choice, either to conquer my +repugnance or give myself up a victim to sea-sickness; so with all patience +and resignation I received the proffered gifts, and found, after a trial of +many hours, that I could manage to retain a small dose. This +physicking was continued for two long, long days, and then I began slowly +to recover.</p> +<p>I have here circumstantially described both my illness and its cure, +because so many people are unfortunately victims to the complaint, and when +under its influence cannot summon resolution to take sustenance. I +should advise all my friends not to hold out so long as I did, but to take +food at once, and continue to do so until the system will receive it.</p> +<p>As I was now convalescent, I tried to recruit my wearied mind by a +diligent study of the mode of life and customs of the mariners of the +northern seas.</p> +<p>Our ship’s company consisted of Herr Knudson, Herr Brüge (a +merchant whom we were to land at the Westmann Islands), the captain, the +mate, and six or seven sailors. Our mode of life in the cabin was as +follows: in the morning, at seven o’clock, we took coffee, but whence +this coffee came, heaven knows! I drank it for eleven days, and could +never discover any thing which might serve as a clue in my attempt to +discover the country of its growth. At ten o’clock we had a +meal consisting of bread and butter and cheese, with cold beef or pork, all +excellent dishes for those in health; the second course of this morning +meal was “tea-water.” In Scandinavia, by the way, they +never say, “I drink <i>tea</i>,” the word “water” +is always added: “I drink <i>tea-water</i>.” Our +“tea-water” was, if possible, worse than its predecessor, the +incomparable coffee. Thus I was beaten at all points; the eatables +were too strong for me, the drinkables too—too—I can find no +appropriate epithet—probably too artificial. I consoled myself +with the prospect of dinner; but, alas, too soon this sweet vision faded +into thin air! On the sixth day I made my first appearance at the +covered table, and could not help at once remarking the cloth which had +been spread over it. At the commencement of our journey it might +perhaps have been white; now it was most certainly no longer of that snowy +hue. The continual pitching and rolling of the ship had caused each +dish to set its peculiar stamp upon the cloth. A sort of wooden +network was now laid upon it, in the interstices of which the plates and +glasses were set, and thus secured from falling. But before placing +it on the table, our worthy cabin-boy took each plate and glass separately, +and polished it on a towel which hung near, and in colour certainly rather +resembling the dingy floor of the cabin than the bight-hued rainbow. +This could still have been endured, but the article in question really did +duty <i>as a towel</i> in the morning, before extending its salutary +influence over plates and glasses for the remainder of the day.</p> +<p>On making discoveries such as these, I would merely turn away my eyes, +and try to think that perhaps <i>my glass</i> and <i>my plate</i> would be +more delicately manipulated, or probably escape altogether; and then I +would turn my whole attention to the expected dishes.</p> +<p>First came soup; but instead of gravy-soup, it was water-soup, with rice +and dried plums. This, when mingled with red wine and sugar, formed a +most exquisite dish for Danish appetites, but it certainly did not suit +mine. The second and concluding course consisted of a large piece of +beef, with which I had no fault to find, except that it was too heavy for +one in my weak state of health. At supper we had the same dishes as +at dinner, and each meal was followed by “tea-water.” At +first I could not fancy this bill of fare at all; but within a few days +after my convalesence, I had accustomed myself to it, and could bear the +sea-diet very well. <a name="citation20"></a><a href="#footnote20" +class="citation">[20]</a></p> +<p>As the rich owner of the vessel was on board, there was no lack of the +best wines, and few evenings passed on which a bowl of punch was not +emptied. There was, however, a reason found why every bottle of wine +or bowl of punch should be drunk: for instance, at our embarkation, to +drink the health of the friends we were leaving, and to hope for a quick +and prosperous voyage; then, when the wind was favourable, its health was +drunk, with the request that it would remain so; when it was contrary, with +the request that it would change; when we saw land, we saluted it with a +glass of wine, or perhaps with several, but I was too ill to count; when we +lost sight of it, we drank a farewell glass to its health: so that every +day brought with it three or four distinct and separate occasions for +drinking wine. <a name="citation21"></a><a href="#footnote21" +class="citation">[21]</a></p> +<p>The sailors drank tea-water without sugar every morning and evening, +with the addition of a glass of brandy; for dinner they had pease, beans, +barley, or potatoes, with salted cod, bacon, “or junk;” good +sea-biscuit they could get whenever they chose.</p> +<p>The diet is not the worst part of these poor people’s +hardships. Their life may be called a continual fight against the +elements; for it is precisely during the most dreadful storms, with rain +and piercing cold, that they have to be continually upon deck. I +could not sufficiently admire the coolness, or rather the cheerfulness and +alacrity with which they fulfilled their onerous duties. And what +reward have they? Scanty pay, for food the diet I have just +described, and for their sleeping-place the smallest and most inconvenient +part of the ship, a dark place frequently infested with vermin, and +smelling offensively from being likewise used as a receptacle for +oil-colours, varnish, tar, salt-fish, &c. &c.</p> +<p>To be cheerful in the midst of all this requires a very quiet and +contented mind. That the Danish sailors are contented, I had many +opportunities of observing during the voyage of which I am speaking, and on +several other occasions.</p> +<p>But after all this long description, it is high time that I should +return to the journey itself.</p> +<p>The favourable gale which had thus wafted us to the coast of Iceland +within seven days, now unfortunately changed its direction, and drove us +back. We drifted about in the storm-tost ocean, and many a Spanish +wave <a name="citation22"></a><a href="#footnote22" +class="citation">[22]</a> broke completely over our ship. Twice we +attempted to approach the Westmann Islands <a name="citation23"></a><a +href="#footnote23" class="citation">[23]</a> (a group belonging to Iceland) +to watch an opportunity of casting anchor, and setting ashore our +fellow-traveller Herr Brüge; but it was in vain, we were driven back +each time. At length, at the close of the eleventh day, we reached +Havenfiord, a very good harbour, distant nine miles from Reikjavik, the +capital of Iceland.</p> +<p>In spite of the very inopportune change in the direction of the wind, we +had had an unprecedentedly quick passage. The distance from +Copenhagen to Iceland, in a straight line, is reckoned at 1200 geographical +miles; for a sailing vessel, which must tack now and then, and must go as +much with the wind as possible, 1500 to 1600 miles. Had the strong +wind, which was at first so favourable, instead of changing on the seventh +day, held on for thirty or forty hours longer, we should have landed in +Iceland on the eighth or ninth day—even the steamer could not have +accomplished the passage so quickly.</p> +<p>The shores of Iceland appeared to me quite different from what I had +supposed them to be from the descriptions I had read. I had fancied +them naked, without tree or shrub, dreary and desert; but now I saw green +hills, shrubs, and even what appeared to be groups of stunted trees. +As we came nearer, however, I was enabled to distinguish objects more +clearly, and the green hills became human dwellings with small doors and +windows, while the supposed groups of trees proved in reality to be heaps +of lava, some ten or twelve feet high, thickly covered with moss and +grass. Every thing was new and striking to me; I waited in great +impatience till we could land.</p> +<p>At length the anchor descended; but it was not till next morning that +the hour of disembarkation and deliverance came.</p> +<p>But one more night, and then, every difficulty overcome, I should tread +the shores of Iceland, the longed-for, and bask as it were in the wonders +of this island, so poor in the creations of art, so rich in the phenomena +of Nature.</p> +<p style="text-align: center">* * * * *</p> +<p>Before I land in Iceland, I must trouble the reader with a few +preliminary observations regarding this island. They are drawn from +Mackenzie’s <i>Description of Iceland</i>, a book the sterling value +of which is appreciated every where. <a name="citation24"></a><a +href="#footnote24" class="citation">[24]</a></p> +<p>The discovery of Iceland, about the year of our Lord 860, is attributed +to the spirit of enterprise of some Swedish and Norwegian pirates, who were +drifted thither on a voyage to the Feroe Isles. It was not till the +year 874 that the island was peopled by a number of voluntary emigrants, +who, feeling unhappy under the dominion of Harold Harfraga (fine hair), +arrived at the island under the direction of Ingold. <a +name="citation25"></a><a href="#footnote25" class="citation">[25]</a> +As the newcomers are said to have found no traces of dwellings, they are +presumed to be the first who took possession of the island.</p> +<p>At this time Iceland was still so completely covered with underwood, +that at some points it was necessary to cut a passage. Bringing with +them their language, religion, customs, and historical monuments, the +Norwegians introduced a kind of feudal system, which, about the year 928, +gave place to a somewhat aristocratic government, retaining, however, the +name of a republic. The island was divided into four provinces, over +each of which was placed an hereditary governor or judge.</p> +<p>The General Assembly of Iceland (called Allthing) was held annually on +the shores of the Lake Thingvalla. The people possessed an excellent +code of laws, in which provision had been made for every case which could +occur.</p> +<p>This state of things lasted for more than 300 years, a period which may +be called the golden age of Iceland. Education, literature, and even +refined poetry flourished among the inhabitants, who took part in commerce +and in the sea-voyages which the Norwegians undertook for purposes of +discovery.</p> +<p>The “Sagas,” or histories of this country, contain many +tales of personal bravery. Its bards and historians visited other +climes, became the favourites of monarchs, and returned to their island +covered with honour and loaded with presents. The <i>Edda</i>, by +Sämund, is one of the most valued poems of the ancient days of +Iceland. The second portion of the <i>Edda</i>, called <i>Skalda</i>, +dates from a later period, and is ascribed by many to the celebrated Snorri +Sturluson. Isleif, first Bishop of Skalholt, was the earliest +Icelandic historian; after him came the noted Snorri Sturluson, born in +1178, who became the richest and mightiest man in Iceland.</p> +<p>Snorri Sturluson was frequently followed to the General Assembly of +Iceland by a splendid retinue of 800 armed men. He was a great +historian and poet, and possessed an accurate knowledge of the Greek and +Latin tongues, besides being a powerful orator. He was also the +author of the <i>Heims-kringla</i>.</p> +<p>The first school was founded at Skalholt, about the middle of the +eleventh century, under Isleif, first Bishop of Iceland; four other schools +and several convents soon followed. Poetry and music seem to have +formed a staple branch of education.</p> +<p>The climate of Iceland appears to have been less inclement than is now +the case; corn is said to have grown, and trees and shrubs were larger and +thicker than we find them at present. The population of Iceland was +also much more numerous than it is now, although there were neither towns +nor villages. The people lived scattered throughout the island; and +the General Assembly was held at Thingvalla, in the open air.</p> +<p>Fishing constituted the chief employment of the Icelanders. Their +clothing was woven from the wool of their sheep. Commerce with +neighbouring countries opened to them another field of occupation.</p> +<p>The doctrines of Christianity were first introduced into Iceland, in the +year 981, by Friederich, a Saxon bishop. Many churches were built, +and tithes established for the maintenance of the clergy. Isleif, +first Bishop of Skalholt, was ordained in the year 1057. After the +introduction of Christianity, all the Icelanders enjoyed an unostentatious +but undisturbed practice of their religion.</p> +<p>Greenland and the most northern part of America are said to have been +discovered by Icelanders.</p> +<p>In the middle of the thirteenth century Iceland came into the power of +the Norwegian kings. In the year 1380 Norway was united to the crown +of Denmark; and Iceland incorporated, without resistance, in the Danish +monarchy. Since the cession of the island to Norway, and then to +Denmark, peace and security took the place of the internal commotions with +which, before this time, Iceland had been frequently disturbed; but this +state of quiet brought forth indolence and apathy. The voyages of +discovery were interfered with by the new government, and the commerce +gradually passed into the hands of other nations. The climate appears +also to have changed; and the lessened industry and want of perseverance in +the inhabitants have brought agriculture completely into decline.</p> +<p>In the year 1402 the plague broke out upon the island, and carried off +two-thirds of the population.</p> +<p>The first printing-press was established at Hoolum, about the year 1530, +under the superintendence of the Bishop, John Areson.</p> +<p>The reformation in the Icelandic Church was not brought about without +disturbance. It was legally established in the year 1551.</p> +<p>During the fifteenth century the Icelanders suffered more from the +piratical incursions of foreigners. As late as the year 1616 the +French and English nations took part in these enormities. The most +melancholy occurrence of this kind took place in 1627, in which year a +great number of Algerine pirates made a descent upon the Icelandic coast, +murdered about fifty of the inhabitants, and carried off nearly 400 others +into captivity. <a name="citation26"></a><a href="#footnote26" +class="citation">[26]</a></p> +<p>The eighteenth century commenced with a dreadful mortality from the +smallpox; of which disease more than 16,000 of the inhabitants died. +In 1757 a famine swept away about 10,000 souls.</p> +<p>The year 1783 was distinguished by most dreadful volcanic outbreaks in +the interior of the island. Tremendous streams of lava carried all +before them; great rivers were checked in their course, and formed +lakes. For more than a year a thick cloud of smoke and volcanic ashes +covered the whole of Iceland, and nearly darkened the sunlight. +Horned cattle, sheep, and horses were destroyed; famine came, with its +accompanying illnesses; and once more appeared the malignant +small-pox. In a few years more than 11,000 persons had died; more +than one-fourth of the whole present population of the island.</p> +<p>Iceland lies in the Atlantic ocean; its greatest breadth is 240 +geographical miles, and its extreme length from north to south 140 +miles. The number of inhabitants is estimated at 48,000, and the +superficial extent of the island at 29,800 square miles.</p> +<h2>CHAPTER III</h2> +<p>On the morning of the 16th of May I landed in the harbour of Havenfiord, +and for the first time trod the shores of Iceland. Although I was +quite bewildered by sea-sickness, and still more by the continual rocking +of the ship, so that every object round me seemed to dance, and I could +scarcely make a firm step, still I could not rest in the house of Herr +Knudson, which he had obligingly placed at my disposal. I must go out +at once, to see and investigate every thing. I found that Havenfiord +consisted merely of three wooden houses, a few magazines built of the same +material, and some peasants’ cottages.</p> +<p>The wooden houses are inhabited by merchants or by their factors, and +consist only of a ground-floor, with a front of four or six windows. +Two or three steps lead up to the entrance, which is in the centre of the +building, and opens upon a hall from which doors lead into the rooms to the +right and left. At the back of the house is situated the kitchen, +which opens into several back rooms and into the yard. A house of +this description consists only of five or six rooms on the ground-floor and +a few small attic bedrooms.</p> +<p>The internal arrangements are quite European. The +furniture—which is often of mahogany,—the mirrors, the +cast-iron stoves, every thing, in short, come from Copenhagen. +Beautiful carpets lie spread before the sofas; neat curtains shade the +windows; English prints ornament the whitewashed walls; porcelain, plate, +cut-glass, &c., are displayed on chests and on tables; and flower-pots +with roses, mignonnette, and pinks spread a delicious fragrance +around. I even found a grand pianoforte here. If any person +could suddenly, and without having made the journey, be transported into +one of these houses, he would certainly fancy himself in some continental +town, rather than in the distant and barren island of Iceland. And as +in Havenfiord, so I found the houses of the more opulent classes in +Reikjavik, and in all the places I visited.</p> +<p>From these handsome houses I betook myself to the cottages of the +peasants, which have a more indigenous, Icelandic appearance. Small +and low, built of lava, with the interstices filled with earth, and the +whole covered with large pieces of turf, they would present rather the +appearance of natural mounds of earth than of human dwellings, were it not +that the projecting wooden chimneys, the low-browed entrances, and the +almost imperceptible windows, cause the spectator to conclude that they are +inhabited. A dark narrow passage, about four feet high, leads on one +side into the common room, and on the other to a few compartments, some of +which are used as storehouses for provisions, and the rest as winter +stables for the cows and sheep. At the end of this passage, which is +purposely built so low, as an additional defence against the cold, the +fireplace is generally situated. The rooms of the poorer class have +neither wooden walls nor floors, and are just large enough to admit of the +inhabitants sleeping, and perhaps turning round in them. The whole +interior accommodation is comprised in bedsteads with very little covering, +a small table, and a few drawers. Beds and chests of drawers answer +the purpose of benches and chairs. Above the beds are fixed rods, +from which depend clothes, shoes, stockings, &c. A small board, +on which are arranged a few books, is generally to be observed. +Stoves are considered unnecessary; for as the space is very confined, and +the house densely populated, the atmosphere is naturally warm.</p> +<p>Rods are also placed round the fireplace, and on these the wet clothes +and fishes are hung up in company to dry. The smoke completely fills +the room, and slowly finds its way through a few breathing-holes into the +open air.</p> +<p>Fire-wood there is none throughout the whole island. The rich +inhabitants have it brought from Norway or Denmark; the poor burn turf, to +which they frequently add bones and other offal of fish, which naturally +engender a most disagreeable smoke.</p> +<p>On entering one of these cottages, the visitor is at a loss to determine +which of the two is the more obnoxious—the suffocating smoke in the +passage or the poisoned air of the dwelling-room, rendered almost +insufferable by the crowding together of so many persons. I could +almost venture to assert, that the dreadful eruption called Lepra, which is +universal throughout Iceland, owes its existence rather to the total want +of cleanliness than to the climate of the country or to the food.</p> +<p>Throughout my subsequent journeys into the interior, I found the +cottages of the peasants every where alike squalid and filthy. Of +course I speak of the majority, and not of the exceptions; for here I found +a few rich peasants, whose dwellings looked cleaner and more habitable, in +proportion to the superior wealth or sense of decency of the owners. +My idea is, that the traveller’s estimate of a country should be +formed according to the habits and customs of the generality of its +inhabitants, and not according to the doings of a few individuals, as is +often the case. Alas, how seldom did I meet with these creditable +exceptions!</p> +<p>The neighbourhood of Havenfiord is formed by a most beautiful and +picturesque field of lava, at first rising in hills, then sinking into +hollows, and at length terminating in a great plain which extends to the +base of the neighbouring mountains. Masses of the most varied forms, +often black and naked, rise to the height of ten or fifteen feet, forming +walls, ruined pillars, small grottoes, and hollow spaces. Over these +latter large slabs often extend, and form bridges. Every thing around +consists of suddenly cooled heaped-up masses of lava, in some instances +covered to their summits with grass and moss; this circumstance gives them, +as already stated, the appearance of groups of stunted trees. Horses, +sheep, and cows were clambering about, diligently seeking out every green +place. I also clambered about diligently; I could not tire of gazing +and wondering at this terribly beautiful picture of destruction.</p> +<p>After a few hours I had so completely forgotten the hardships of my +passage, and felt myself so much strengthened, that I began my journey to +Reikjavik at five o’clock on the evening of the same day. Herr +Knudson seemed much concerned for me; he warned me that the roads were bad, +and particularly emphasised the dangerous abysses I should be compelled to +pass. I comforted him with the assurance that I was a good +horsewoman, and could hardly have to encounter worse roads than those with +which I had had the honour to become acquainted in Syria. I therefore +took leave of the kind gentleman, who intended to stay a week or ten days +in Havenfiord, and mounting a small horse, set out in company of a female +guide.</p> +<p>In my guide I made the acquaintance of a remarkable antiquity of +Iceland, who is well worthy that I should devote a few words to her +description. She is above seventy years of age, but looks scarcely +fifty; her head is surrounded by tresses of rich fair hair. She is +dressed like a man; undertakes, in the capacity of messenger, the longest +and most fatiguing journeys; rows a boat as skilfully as the most practised +fisherman; and fulfils all her missions quicker and more exactly than a +man, for she does not keep up so good an understanding with the +brandy-bottle. She marched on so sturdily before me, that I was +obliged to incite my little horse to greater speed with my riding-whip.</p> +<p>At first the road lay between masses of lava, where it certainly was not +easy to ride; then over flats and small acclivities, from whence we could +descry the immense plain in which are situated Havenfiord, Bassastädt, +Reikjavik, and other places. Bassastädt, a town built on a +promontory jutting out into the sea, contains one of the principal schools, +a church built of masonry, and a few cottages. The town of Reikjavik +cannot be seen, as it is hidden behind a hill. The other places +consist chiefly of a few cottages, and only meet the eye of the traveller +when he approaches them nearly. Several chains of mountains, towering +one above the other, and sundry “Jokuls,” or glaciers, which +lay still sparkling in their wintry garb, surround this interminable plain, +which is only open at one end, towards the sea. Some of the plains +and hills shone with tender green, and I fancied I beheld beautiful +meadows. On a nearer inspection, however, they proved to be swampy +places, and hundreds upon hundreds of little acclivities, sometimes +resembling mole-hills, at others small graves, and covered with grass and +moss.</p> +<p>I could see over an area of at least thirty or forty miles, and yet +could not descry a tree or a shrub, a bit of meadow-land or a friendly +village. Every thing seemed dead. A few cottages lay scattered +here and there; at long intervals a bird would hover in the air, and still +more seldom I heard the kindly greeting of a passing inhabitant. +Heaps of lava, swamps, and turf-bogs surrounded me on all sides; in all the +vast expanse not a spot was to be seen through which a plough could be +driven.</p> +<p>After riding more than four miles, I reached a hill, from which I could +see Reikjavik, the chief harbour, and, in fact, the only town on the +island. But I was deceived in my expectations; the place before me +was a mere village.</p> +<p>The distance from Havenfiord to Reikjavik is scarcely nine miles; but as +I was unwilling to tire my good old guide, I took three hours to accomplish +it. The road was, generally speaking, very good, excepting in some +places, where it lay over heaps of lava. Of the much-dreaded dizzy +abysses I saw nothing; the startling term must have been used to designate +some unimportant declivities, along the brow of which I rode, in sight of +the sea; or perhaps the “abysses” were on the lava-fields, +where I sometimes noticed small chasms of fifteen or sixteen feet in depth +at the most.</p> +<p>Shortly after eight o’clock in the evening I was fortunate enough +to reach Reikjavik safe and well. Through the kind forethought of +Herr Knudson, a neat little room had been prepared for me in one of his +houses occupied by the family of the worthy baker Bernhöft, and truly +I could not have been better received any where.</p> +<p>During my protracted stay the whole family of the Bernhöfts shewed +me more kindness and cordiality than it has been my lot frequently to +find. Many an hour has Herr Bernhöft sacrificed to me, in order +to accompany me in my little excursions. He assisted me most +diligently in my search for flowers, insects, and shells, and was much +rejoiced when he could find me a new specimen. His kind wife and dear +children rivalled him in willingness to oblige. I can only say, may +Heaven requite them a thousand-fold for their kindness and friendship!</p> +<p>I had even an opportunity of hearing my native language spoken by Herr +Bernhöft, who was a Holsteiner by birth, and had not quite forgotten +our dear German tongue, though he had lived for many years partly in +Denmark, partly in Iceland.</p> +<p>So behold me now in the only town in Iceland, <a +name="citation27"></a><a href="#footnote27" class="citation">[27]</a> the +seat of the so-called cultivated classes, whose customs and mode of life I +will now lay before my honoured readers.</p> +<p>Nothing was more disagreeable to me than a certain air of dignity +assumed by the ladies here; an air which, except when it is natural, or has +become so from long habit, is apt to degenerate into stiffness and +incivility. On meeting an acquaintance, the ladies of Reikjavik would +bend their heads with so stately and yet so careless an air as we should +scarcely assume towards the humblest stranger. At the conclusion of a +visit, the lady of the house only accompanies the guest as far as the +chamber-door. If the husband be present, this civility is carried a +little further; but when this does not happen to be the case, a stranger +who does not know exactly through which door he can make his exit, may +chance to feel not a little embarrassed. Excepting in the house of +the “Stiftsamtmann” (the principal official on the island), one +does not find a footman who can shew the way. In Hamburgh I had +already noticed the beginnings of this dignified coldness; it increased as +I journeyed further north, and at length reached its climax in Iceland.</p> +<p>Good letters of recommendation often fail to render the northern +grandees polite towards strangers. As an instance of this fact, I +relate the following trait:</p> +<p>Among other kind letters of recommendation, I had received one addressed +to Herr von H---, the “Stiftsamtmann” of Iceland. On my +arrival at Copenhagen, I heard that Herr von H--- happened to be +there. I therefore betook myself to his residence, and was shewn into +a room where I found two young ladies and three children. I delivered +my letter, and remained quietly standing for some time. Finding at +length that no one invited me to be seated, I sat down unasked on the +nearest chair, never supposing for an instant that the lady of the house +could be present, and neglect the commonest forms of politeness which +should be observed towards every stranger. After I had waited for +some time, Herr von H--- graciously made his appearance, and expressed his +regret that he should have very little time to spare for me, as he intended +setting sail for Iceland with his family in a short time, and in the +interim had a number of weighty affairs to settle at Copenhagen; in +conclusion, he gave me the friendly advice to abandon my intention of +visiting Iceland, as the fatigues of travelling in that country were very +great; finding, however, that I persevered in my intention, he promised, in +case I set sail for Reikjavik earlier than himself, to give me a letter of +recommendation. All this was concluded in great haste, and we stood +during the interview. I took my leave, and at first determined not to +call again for the letter. On reflection, however, I changed my mind, +ascribed my unfriendly reception to important and perhaps disagreeable +business, and called again two days afterwards. Then the letter was +handed to me by a servant; the high people, whom I could hear conversing in +the adjoining apartment, probably considered it too much trouble to deliver +it to me personally.</p> +<p>On paying my respects to this amiable family in Reikjavik, I was not a +little surprised to recognise in Frau von H--- one of those ladies who in +Copenhagen had not had the civility to ask me to be seated. Five or +six days afterwards, Herr von H--- returned my call, and invited me to an +excursion to Vatne. I accepted the invitation with much pleasure, and +mentally asked pardon of him for having formed too hasty an opinion. +Frau von H---, however, did not find her way to me until the fourth week of +my stay in Reikjavik; she did not even invite me to visit her again, so of +course I did not go, and our acquaintance terminated there. As in +duty bound, the remaining dignitaries of this little town took their tone +from their chief. My visits were unreturned, and I received no +invitations, though I heard much during my stay of parties of pleasure, +dinners, and evening parties. Had I not fortunately been able to +employ myself, I should have been very badly off. Not one of the +ladies had kindness and delicacy enough to consider that I was alone here, +and that the society of educated people might be necessary for my +comfort. I was less annoyed at the want of politeness in the +gentlemen; for I am no longer young, and that accounts for every +thing. When the women were wanting in kindliness, I had no right to +expect consideration from the gentlemen.</p> +<p>I tried to discover the reason of this treatment, and soon found that it +lay in a national characteristic of these people—their +selfishness.</p> +<p>It appears I had scarcely arrived at Reikjavik before diligent inquiries +were set on foot as to whether I was <i>rich</i>, and should see much +company at my house, and, in fact, whether much could be got out of me.</p> +<p>To be well received here it is necessary either to be rich, or else to +travel as a naturalist. Persons of the latter class are generally +sent by the European courts to investigate the remarkable productions of +the country. They make large collections of minerals, birds, &c.; +they bring with them numerous presents, sometimes of considerable value, +which they distribute among the dignitaries; they are, moreover, the +projectors of many an entertainment, and even of many a little ball, +&c.; they buy up every thing they can procure for their cabinets, and +they always travel in company; they have much baggage with them, and +consequently require many horses, which cannot be hired in Iceland, but +must be bought. On such occasions every one here is a dealer: offers +of horses and cabinets pour in on all sides.</p> +<p>The most welcome arrival of all is that of the French frigate, which +visits Iceland every year; for sometimes there are +<i>déjeûners à la fourchette</i> on board, sometimes +little evening parties and balls. There is at least something to be +got besides the rich presents; the “Stiftsamtmann” even +receives 600 florins per annum from the French government to defray the +expense of a few return balls which he gives to the naval officers.</p> +<p>With me this was not the case: I gave no parties—I brought no +presents—they had nothing to expect from me; and therefore they left +me to myself. <a name="citation28"></a><a href="#footnote28" +class="citation">[28]</a></p> +<p>For this reason I affirm that he only can judge of the character of a +people who comes among them without claim to their attention, and from whom +they have nothing to expect. To such a person only do they appear in +their true colours, because they do not find it worth while to dissemble +and wear a mask in his presence. In these cases the traveller is +certainly apt to make painful discoveries; but when, on the other hand, he +meets with good people, he may be certain of their sincerity; and so I must +beg my honoured readers to bear with me, when I mention the names of all +those who heartily welcomed the undistinguished foreigner; it is the only +way in which I can express my gratitude towards them.</p> +<p>As I said before, I had intercourse with very few people, so that ample +time remained for solitary walks, during which I minutely noticed every +thing around me.</p> +<p>The little town of Reikjavik consists of a single broad street, with +houses and cottages scattered around. The number of inhabitants does +not amount to 500.</p> +<p>The houses of the wealthier inhabitants are of wood-work, and contain +merely a ground-floor, with the exception of a single building of one +story, to which the high school, now held at Bassastädt, will be +transferred next year. The house of the “Stiftsamtmann” +is built of stone. It was originally intended for a prison; but as +criminals are rarely to be met with in Iceland, the building was many years +ago transformed into the residence of the royal officer. A second +stone building, discernible from Reikjavik, is situated at Langarnes, half +a mile from the town. It lies near the sea, in the midst of meadows, +and is the residence of the bishop.</p> +<p>The church is capable of holding only at the most from 100 to 150 +persons; it is built of stone, with a wooden roof. In the chambers of +this roof the library, consisting of several thousand volumes, is +deposited. The church contains a treasure which many a larger and +costlier edifice might envy,—a baptismal font by Thorwaldsen, whose +parents were of Icelandic extraction. The great sculptor himself was +born in Denmark, and probably wished, by this present, to do honour to the +birth-place of his ancestors.</p> +<p>To some of the houses in Reikjavik pieces of garden are attached. +These gardens are small plots of ground where, with great trouble and +expense, salad, spinach, parsley, potatoes, and a few varieties of edible +roots, are cultivated. The beds are separated from each other by +strips of turf a foot broad, seldom boasting even a few field-flowers.</p> +<p>The inhabitants of Iceland are generally of middle stature, and strongly +built, with light hair, frequently inclining to red, and blue eyes. +The men are for the most part ugly; the women are better favoured, and +among the girls I noticed some very sweet faces. To attain the age of +seventy or eighty years is here considered an extraordinary circumstance. +<a name="citation29"></a><a href="#footnote29" +class="citation">[29]</a> The peasants have many children, and yet +few; many are born, but few survive the first year. The mothers do +not nurse them, and rear them on very bad food. Those who get over +the first year look healthy enough; but they have strangely red cheeks, +almost as though they had an eruption. Whether this appearance is to +be ascribed to the sharp air, to which the delicate skin is not yet +accustomed, or to the food, I know not.</p> +<p>In some places on the coast, when the violent storms prevent the poor +fishermen for whole weeks from launching their boats, they live almost +entirely on dried fishes’ heads. <a name="citation30"></a><a +href="#footnote30" class="citation">[30]</a> The fishes themselves +have been salted down and sold, partly to pay the fishermen’s taxes, +and partly to liquidate debts for the necessaries of the past season, among +which brandy and snuff unfortunately play far too prominent a part.</p> +<p>Another reason why the population does not increase is to be found in +the numerous catastrophes attending the fisheries during the stormy season +of the year. The fishermen leave the shore with songs and mirth, for +a bright sky and a calm sea promise them good fortune. But, alas, +tempests and snow-storms too often overtake the unfortunate boatmen! +The sea is lashed into foam, and mighty waves overwhelm boats and fishermen +together, and they perish inevitably. It is seldom that the father of +a family embarks in the same boat with his sons. They divide +themselves among different parties, in order that, if one boat founder, the +whole family may not be destroyed.</p> +<p>I found the cottages of the peasants at Reikjavik smaller, and in every +respect worse provided, than those at Havenfiord. This seems, +however, to be entirely owing to the indolence of the peasants themselves; +for stones are to be had in abundance, and every man is his own +builder. The cows and sheep live through the winter in a wretched +den, built either in the cottage itself or in its immediate +neighbourhood. The horses pass the whole year under the canopy of +heaven, and must find their own provender. Occasionally only the +peasant will shovel away the snow from a little spot, to assist the poor +animals in searching for the grass or moss concealed beneath. It is +then left to the horses to finish clearing away the snow with their +feet. It may easily be imagined that this mode of treatment tends to +render them very hardy; but the wonder is, how the poor creatures manage to +exist through the winter on such spare diet, and to be strong and fit for +work late in the spring and in summer. These horses are so entirely +unused to being fed with oats, that they will refuse them when offered; +they are not even fond of hay.</p> +<p>As I arrived in Iceland during the early spring, I had an opportunity of +seeing the horses and sheep in their winter garments. The horses +seemed to be covered, not with hair, but with a thick woolly coat; their +manes and tails are very long, and of surprising thickness. At the +end of May or the beginning of June the tail and mane are docked and +thinned, their woolly coat falls of itself, and they then look smooth +enough. The sheep have also a very thick coat during the +winter. It is not the custom to shear them, but at the beginning of +June the wool is picked off piece by piece with the hand. A sheep +treated in this way sometimes presents a very comical appearance, being +perfectly naked on one side, while on the other it is still covered with +wool.</p> +<p>The horses and cows are considerably smaller than those of our +country. No one need journey so far north, however, to see stunted +cattle. Already, in Galicia, the cows and horses of the peasants are +not a whit larger or stronger than those in Iceland. The Icelandic +cows are further remarkable only for their peculiarly small horns; the +sheep are also smaller than ours.</p> +<p>Every peasant keeps horses. The mode of feeding them is, as +already shewn, very simple; the distances are long, the roads bad, and +large rivers, moorlands, and swamps must frequently be passed; so every one +rides, both men, women, and children. The use of carriages is as +totally unknown throughout the island as in Syria.</p> +<p>The immediate vicinity of Reikjavik is pretty enough. Some of the +townspeople go to much trouble and expense in sometimes collecting and +sometimes breaking the stones around their dwellings. With the little +ground thus obtained they mix turf, ashes, and manure, until at length a +soil is formed on which something will grow. But this is such a +gigantic undertaking, that the little culture bestowed on the spots wholly +neglected by nature cannot be wondered at. Herr Bernhöft shewed +me a small meadow which he had leased for thirty years, at an annual rent +of thirty kreutzers. In order, however, to transform the land he +bought into a meadow, which yields winter fodder for only one cow, it was +necessary to expend more than 150 florins, besides much personal labour and +pains. The rate of wages for peasants is very high when compared with +the limited wants of these people: they receive thirty or forty kreutzers +per diem, and during the hay-harvest as much as a florin.</p> +<p>For a long distance round the town the ground consists of stones, turf, +and swamps. The latter are mostly covered with hundreds upon hundreds +of great and small mounds of firm ground. By jumping from one of +these mounds to the next, the entire swamp may be crossed, not only without +danger, but dry-footed.</p> +<p>In spite of all this, one of these swamps put me in a position of much +difficulty and embarrassment during one of my solitary excursions. I +was sauntering quietly along, when suddenly a little butterfly fluttered +past me. It was the first I had seen in this country, and my +eagerness to catch it was proportionately great. I hastened after it; +thought neither of swamp nor of danger, and in the heat of the chase did +not observe that the mounds became every moment fewer and farther +between. Soon I found myself in the middle of the swamp, and could +neither advance nor retreat. Not a human being could I descry; the +very animals were far from me; and this circumstance confirmed me as to the +dangerous nature of the ground. Nothing remained for me but to fix my +eyes upon one point of the landscape, and to step out boldly towards +it. I was often obliged to hazard two or three steps into the swamp +itself, in order to gain the next acclivity, upon which I would then stand +triumphantly, to determine my farther progress. So long as I could +distinguish traces of horses’ hoofs, I had no fear; but even these +soon disappeared, and I stood there alone in the morass. I could not +remain for ever on my tower of observation, and had no resource but to take +to the swamp once more. I must confess that I experienced a very +uncomfortable feeling of apprehension when my foot sank suddenly into the +soft mud; but when I found that it did not rise higher than the ankles, my +courage returned; I stepped out boldly, and was fortunate enough to escape +with the fright and a thorough wetting.</p> +<p>The most arduous posts in the country are those of the medical men and +clergymen. Their sphere of action is very enlarged, particularly that +of the medical man, whose practice sometimes extends over a distance of +eighty to a hundred miles. When we add to this the severity of the +winter, which lasts for seven or eight months, it seems marvellous that any +one can be found to fill such a situation.</p> +<p>In winter the peasants often come with shovels, pickaxes, and horses to +fetch the doctor. They then go before him, and hastily repair the +worst part of the road; while the doctor rides sometimes on one horse, +sometimes on another, that they may not sink under the fatigue. And +thus the procession travels for many, many miles, through night and fog, +through storm and snow, for on the doctor’s promptitude life and +death often hang. When he then returns, quite benumbed, and half dead +with cold, to the bosom of his family, in the expectation of rest and +refreshment, and to rejoice with his friends over the dangers and hardships +he has escaped, the poor doctor is frequently compelled to set off at once +on a new and important journey, before he has even had time to greet the +dear ones at home.</p> +<p>Sometimes he is sent for by sea, where the danger is still greater on +the storm-tost element.</p> +<p>Though the salary of the medical men is not at all proportionate to the +hardships they are called upon to undergo, it is still far better than that +of the priests.</p> +<p>The smallest livings bring in six to eight florins annually, the richest +200 florins. Besides this, the government supplies for each priest a +house, often not much better than a peasant’s cottage, a few meadows, +and some cattle. The peasants are also required to give certain small +contributions in the way of hay, wool, fish, &c. The greater +number of priests are so poor, that they and their families dress exactly +like the peasants, from whom they can scarcely be distinguished. The +clergyman’s wife looks after the cattle, and milks cows and ewes like +a maid-servant; while her husband proceeds to the meadow, and mows the +grass with the labourer. The intercourse of the pastor is wholly +confined to the society of peasants; and this constitutes the chief element +of that “patriarchal life” which so many travellers describe as +charming. I should like to know which of them would wish to lead such +a life!</p> +<p>The poor priest has, besides, frequently to officiate in two, three, or +even four districts, distant from four to twelve miles from his +residence. Every Sunday he must do duty at one or other of these +districts, taking them in turn, so that divine service is only performed at +each place once in every three or four weeks. The journeys of the +priest, however, are not considered quite so necessary as those of the +doctor; for if the weather is very bad on Sundays, particularly during the +winter, he can omit visiting the most distant places. This is done +the more readily, as but few of the peasants would be at church; all who +lived at a distance remaining at home.</p> +<p>The Sysselmann (an officer similar to that of the sheriff of a county) +is the best off. He has a good salary with little to do, and in some +places enjoys in addition the “strand-right,” which is at times +no inconsiderable privilege, from the quantity of drift timber washed +ashore from the American continent.</p> +<p>Fishing and the chase are open to all, with the exception of the +salmon-fisheries in the rivers; these are farmed by the government. +Eider-ducks may not be shot, under penalty of a fine. There is no +military service, for throughout the whole island no soldiers are +required. Even Reikjavik itself boasts only two police-officers.</p> +<p>Commerce is also free; but the islanders possess so little commercial +spirit, that even if they had the necessary capital, they would never +embark in speculation.</p> +<p>The whole commerce of Iceland thus lies in the hands of Danish +merchants, who send their ships to the island every year, and have +established factories in the different ports where the retail trade is +carried on.</p> +<p>These ships bring every thing to Iceland, corn, wood, wines, +manufactured goods, and colonial produce, &c. The imports are +free, for it would not pay the government to establish offices, and give +servants salaries to collect duties upon the small amount of produce +required for the island. Wine, and in fact all colonial produce, are +therefore much cheaper than in other countries.</p> +<p>The exports consist of fish, particularly salted cod, fish-roe, tallow, +train-oil, eider-down, and feathers of other birds, almost equal to +eider-down in softness, sheep’s wool, and pickled or salted +lamb. With the exception of the articles just enumerated, the +Icelanders possess nothing; thirteen years ago, when Herr Knudson +established a bakehouse, <a name="citation31"></a><a href="#footnote31" +class="citation">[31]</a> he was compelled to bring from Copenhagen, not +only the builder, but even the materials for building, stones, lime, +&c.; for although the island abounds with masses of stone, there are +none which can be used for building an oven, or which can be burnt into +lime: every thing is of lava.</p> +<p>Two or three cottages situated near each other are here dignified by the +name of a “place.” These places, as well as the separate +cottages, are mostly built on little acclivities, surrounded by +meadows. The meadows are often fenced in with walls of stone or +earth, two or three feet in height, to prevent the cows, sheep, and horses +from trespassing upon them to graze. The grass of these meadows is +made into hay, and laid up as a winter provision for the cows.</p> +<p>I did not hear many complaints of the severity of the cold in winter; +the temperature seldom sinks to twenty degrees below zero; the sea is +sometimes frozen, but only a few feet from the shore. The snowstorms +and tempests, however, are often so violent, that it is almost impossible +to leave the house. Daylight lasts only for five or six hours, and to +supply its place the poor Icelanders have only the northern light, which is +said to illumine the long nights with a brilliancy truly marvellous.</p> +<p>The summer I passed in Iceland was one of the finest the inhabitants had +known for years. During the month of June the thermometer often rose +at noon to twenty degrees. The inhabitants found this heat so +insupportable, that they complained of being unable to work or to go on +messages during the day-time. On such warm days they would only begin +their hay-making in the evening, and continued their work half the +night.</p> +<p>The changes in the weather are very remarkable. Twenty degrees of +heat on one day would be followed by rain on the next, with a temperature +of only five degrees; and on the 5th of June, at eight o’clock in the +morning, the thermometer stood at one degree below zero. It is also +curious that thunderstorms happen in Iceland in winter, and are said never +to occur during the summer.</p> +<p>From the 16th or 18th of June to the end of the month there is no +night. The sun appears only to retire for a short time behind a +mountain, and forms sunset and morning-dawn at the same time. As on +one side the last beam fades away, the orb of day re-appears at the +opposite one with redoubled splendour.</p> +<p>During my stay in Iceland, from the 15th of May to the 29th of July, I +never retired to rest before eleven o’clock at night, and never +required a candle. In May, and also in the latter portion of the +month of July, there was twilight for an hour or two, but it never became +quite dark. Even during the last days of my stay, I could read until +half-past ten o’clock. At first it appeared strange to me to go +to bed in broad daylight; but I soon accustomed myself to it, and when +eleven o’clock came, no sunlight was powerful enough to cheat me of +my sleep. I found much pleasure in walking at night, at past ten +o’clock, not in the pale moonshine, but in the broad blaze of the +sun.</p> +<p>It was a much more difficult task to accustom myself to the diet. +The baker’s wife was fully competent to superintend the cooking +according to the Danish and Icelandic schools of the art; but unfortunately +these modes of cookery differ widely from ours. One thing only was +good, the morning cup of coffee with cream, with which the most +accomplished gourmand could have found no fault: since my departure from +Iceland I have not found such coffee. I could have wished for some of +my dear Viennese friends to breakfast with me. The cream was so +thick, that I at first thought my hostess had misunderstood me, and brought +me curds. The butter made from the milk of Icelandic cows and ewes +did not look very inviting, and was as white as lard, but the taste was +good. The Icelanders, however, find the taste not sufficiently +“piquant,” and generally qualify it with train-oil. +Altogether, train-oil plays a very prominent part in the Icelandic kitchen; +the peasant considers it a most delicious article, and thinks nothing of +devouring a quantity of it without bread, or indeed any thing else. <a +name="citation32"></a><a href="#footnote32" class="citation">[32]</a></p> +<p>I did not at all relish the diet at dinner; this meal consisted of two +dishes, namely, boiled fish, with vinegar and melted butter instead of oil, +and boiled potatoes. Unfortunately I am no admirer of fish, and now +this was my daily food. Ah, how I longed for beef-soup, a piece of +meat, and vegetables, in vain! As long as I remained in Iceland, I +was compelled quite to give up my German system of diet.</p> +<p>After a time I got on well enough with the boiled fish and potatoes, but +I could not manage the delicacies of the island. Worthy Madame +Bernhöft, it was so kindly meant on her part; and it was surely not +her fault that the system of cookery in Iceland is different from ours; but +I could not bring myself to like the Icelandic delicacies. They were +of different kinds, consisting sometimes of fishes, hard-boiled eggs, and +potatoes chopped up together, covered with a thick brown sauce, and +seasoned with pepper, sugar, and vinegar; at others, of potatoes baked in +butter and sugar. Another delicacy was cabbage chopped very small, +rendered very thin by the addition of water, and sweetened with sugar; the +accompanying dish was a piece of cured lamb, which had a very unpleasant +“pickled” flavour.</p> +<p>On Sundays we sometimes had “Prothe Grütze,” properly a +Scandinavian dish, composed of fine sago boiled to a jelly, with +currant-juice or red wine, and eaten with cream or sugar. Tapfen, a +kind of soft cheese, is also sometimes eaten with cream and sugar.</p> +<p>In the months of June and July the diet improved materially. We +could often procure splendid salmon, sometimes roast lamb, and now and then +birds, among which latter dainties the snipes were particularly good. +In the evening came butter, cheese, cold fish, smoked lamb, and eggs of +eider-ducks, which are coarser than hen’s eggs. In time I +became so accustomed to this kind of food, that I no longer missed either +soup or beef, and felt uncommonly well.</p> +<p>My drink was always clear fresh water; the gentlemen began their dinner +with a small glass of brandy, and during the meal all drank beer of Herr +Bernhöft’s own brewing, which was very good. On Sundays, a +bottle of port or Bordeaux sometimes made its appearance at our table; and +as we fared at Herr Bernhöft’s, so it was the custom in the +houses of all the merchants and officials.</p> +<p>At Reikjavik I had an opportunity of witnessing a great religious +ceremony. Three candidates of theology were raised to the ministerial +office. Though the whole community here is Lutheran, the ceremonies +differ in many respects from those of the continent of Europe, and I will +therefore give a short sketch of what I saw. The solemnity began at +noon, and lasted till four o’clock. I noticed at once that all +the people covered their faces for a moment on entering the church, the men +with their hats, and the women with their handkerchiefs. Most of the +congregation sat with their faces turned towards the altar; but this rule +had its exceptions. The vestments of the priests were the same as +those worn by our clergymen, and the commencement of the service also +closely resembled the ritual of our own Church; but soon this resemblance +ceased. The bishop stepped up to the altar with the candidates, and +performed certain ceremonies; then one would mount the pulpit and read part +of a sermon, or sing a psalm, while the other clergymen sat round on +chairs, and appeared to listen; then a second and a third ascended the +pulpit, and afterwards another sermon was preached from the altar, and +another psalm sung; then a sermon was again read from the pulpit. +While ceremonies were performed at the altar, the sacerdotal garments were +often put on and taken off again. I frequently thought the service +was coming to a close, but it always began afresh, and lasted, as I said +before, until four o’clock. The number of forms surprised me +greatly, as the ritual of the Lutheran Church is in general exceedingly +simple.</p> +<p>On this occasion a considerable number of the country people were +assembled, and I had thus a good opportunity of noticing their +costumes. The dresses worn by the women and girls are all made of +coarse black woollen stuffs. The dress consists of a long skirt, a +spencer, and a coloured apron. On their heads they wear a man’s +nightcap of black cloth, the point turned downwards, and terminating in a +large tassel of wool or silk, which hangs down to the shoulder. Their +hair is unbound, and reaches only to the shoulder: some of the women wear +it slightly curled. I involuntarily thought of the poetical +descriptions of the northern romancers, who grow enthusiastic in praise of +ideal “angels’ heads with golden tresses.” The hair +is certainly worn in this manner here, and our poets may have borrowed +their descriptions from the Scandinavians. But the beautiful faces +which are said to beam forth from among those golden locks exist only in +the poet’s vivid imagination.</p> +<p>Ornamental additions to the costume are very rare. In the whole +assembly I only noticed four women who were dressed differently from the +others. The cords which fastened their spencers, and also their +girdles, were ornamented with a garland worked in silver thread. +Their skirts were of fine black cloth, and decorated with a border of +coloured silk a few inches broad. Round their necks they wore a kind +of stiff collar of black velvet with a border of silver thread, and on +their heads a black silk handkerchief with a very strange addition. +This appendage consisted of a half-moon fastened to the back of the head, +and extending five or six inches above the forehead. It was covered +with white lawn arranged in folds; its breadth at the back of the head did +not exceed an inch and a half, but in front it widened to five or six +inches.</p> +<p>The men, I found, were clothed almost like our peasants. They wore +small-clothes of dark cloth, jackets and waistcoats, felt hats, or fur +caps; and instead of boots a kind of shoe of ox-hide, sheep, or seal-skin, +bound to the feet by a leather strap. The women, and even the +children of the officials, all wear shoes of this description.</p> +<p>It was very seldom that I met people so wretchedly and poorly clad as we +find them but too often in the large continental towns. I never saw +any one without good warm shoes and stockings.</p> +<p>The better classes, such as merchants, officials, &c. are dressed in +the French style, and rather fashionably. There is no lack of silk +and other costly stuffs. Some of these are brought from England, but +the greater part come from Denmark.</p> +<p>On the king’s birthday, which is kept every year at the house of +the Stiftsamtmann, the festivities are said to be very grand; on this +occasion the matrons appear arrayed in silk, and the maidens in white +jaconet; the rooms are lighted with wax tapers.</p> +<p>Some speculative genius or other has also established a sort of club in +Reikjavik. He has, namely, hired a couple of rooms, where the +townspeople meet of an evening to discuss “tea-water,” bread +and butter, and sometimes even a bottle of wine or a bowl of punch. +In winter the proprietor gives balls in these apartments, charging 20 kr. +for each ticket of admission. Here the town grandees and the +handicraftsmen, in fact all who choose to come, assemble; and the ball is +said to be conducted in a very republican spirit. The shoemaker leads +forth the wife of the Stiftsamtmann to the dance, while that official +himself has perhaps chosen the wife or daughter of the shoemaker or baker +for his partner. The refreshments consist of “tea-water” +and bread and butter, and the room is lighted with tallow candles. +The music, consisting of a kind of three-stringed violin and a pipe, is +said to be exquisitely horrible.</p> +<p>In summer the dignitaries make frequent excursions on horse-back; and on +these occasions great care is taken that there be no lack of +provisions. Commonly each person contributes a share: some bring +wine, others cake; others, again, coffee, and so on. The ladies use +fine English side-saddles, and wear elegant riding-habits, and pretty felt +hats with green veils. These jaunts, however, are confined to +Reikjavik; for, as I have already observed, there is, with the exception of +this town, no place in Iceland containing more than two or three stores and +some half-dozen cottages.</p> +<p>To my great surprise, I found no less than six square piano-fortes +belonging to different families in Reikjavik, and heard waltzes by our +favourite composers, besides variations of Herz, and some pieces of Liszt, +Wilmers, and Thalberg. But such playing! I do not think that +these talented composers would have recognised their own works.</p> +<p>In conclusion, I must offer a few remarks relative to the travelling in +this country.</p> +<p>The best time to choose for this purpose is from the middle of June to +the end of August at latest. Until June the rivers are so swollen and +turbulent, by reason of the melting snows, as to render it very dangerous +to ride through them. The traveller must also pass over many a field +of snow not yet melted by the sun, and frequently concealing chasms and +masses of lava; and this is attended with danger almost as great. At +every footstep the traveller sinks into the snow; and he may thank his +lucky stars if the whole rotten surface does not give way. In +September the violent storms of wind and rain commence, and heavy falls of +snow may be expected from day to day.</p> +<p>A tent, provisions, cooking utensils, pillows, bed-clothes, and warm +garments, are highly necessary for the wayfarer’s comfort. This +paraphernalia would have been too expensive for me to buy, and I was +unprovided with any thing of the kind; consequently I was forced to endure +the most dreadful hardships and toil, and was frequently obliged to ride an +immense distance to reach a little church or a cottage, which would afford +me shelter for the night. My sole food for eight or ten days together +was often bread and cheese; and I generally passed the night upon a chest +or a bench, where the cold would often prevent my closing my eyes all +night.</p> +<p>It is advisable to be provided with a waterproof cloak and a +sailor’s tarpaulin hat, as a defence against the rain, which +frequently falls. An umbrella would be totally useless, as the rain +is generally accompanied by a storm, or, at any rate, by a strong wind; +when we add to this, that it is necessary in some places to ride quickly, +it will easily be seen that holding an umbrella open is a thing not to be +thought of.</p> +<p>Altogether I found the travelling in this country attended with far more +hardship than in the East. For my part, I found the dreadful storms +of wind, the piercing air, the frequent rain, and the cold, much less +endurable than the Oriental heat, which never gave me either cracked lips +or caused scales to appear on my face. In Iceland my lips began to +bleed on the fifth day; and afterwards the skin came off my face in scales, +as if I had had the scrofula. Another source of great discomfort is +to be found in the long riding-habit. It is requisite to be very +warmly clad; and the heavy skirts, often dripping with rain, coil +themselves round the feet of the wearer in such a manner, as to render her +exceedingly awkward either in mounting or dismounting. The worst +hardship of all, however, is the being obliged to halt to rest the horses +in a meadow during the rain. The long skirts suck up the water from +the damp grass, and the wearer has often literally not a dry stitch in all +her garments.</p> +<p>Heat and cold appear in this country to affect strangers in a remarkable +degree. The cold seemed to me more piercing, and the heat more +oppressive in Iceland, than when the thermometer stood at the same points +in my native land.</p> +<p>In summer the roads are marvellously good, so that one can generally +ride at a pretty quick pace. They are, however, impracticable for +vehicles, partly because they are too narrow, and partly also on account of +some very bad places which must occasionally be encountered. On the +whole island not a single carriage is to be found.</p> +<p>The road is only dangerous when it leads through swamps and moors, or +over fields of lava. Among these fields, such as are covered with +white moss are peculiarly to be feared, for the moss frequently conceals +very dangerous holes, into which the horse can easily stumble. In +ascending and descending the hills very formidable spots sometimes oppose +the traveller’s progress. The road is at times so hidden among +swamps and bogs, that not a trace of it is to be distinguished, and I could +only wonder how my guide always succeeded in regaining the right +path. One could almost suppose that on these dangerous paths both +horse and man are guided by a kind of instinct.</p> +<p>Travelling is more expensive in Iceland than any where else, +particularly when one person travels alone, and must bear all the expense +of the baggage, the guide, ferries, &c. Horses are not let out on +hire, they must be bought. They are, however, very cheap; a +pack-horse costs from eighteen to twenty-four florins, and a riding-horse +from forty to fifty florins. To travel with any idea of comfort it is +necessary to have several pack-horses, for they must not be heavily laden; +and an additional servant must likewise be hired, as the guide only looks +after the saddle-horses, and, at most, one or two of the pack-horses. +If the traveller, at the conclusion of the journey, wishes to sell the +horses, such a wretchedly low price is offered, that it is just as well to +give them away at once. This is a proof of the fact that men are +every where alike ready to follow up their advantage. These people +are well aware that the horses must be left behind at any rate, and +therefore they will not bid for them. I must confess that I found the +character of the Icelanders in every respect below the estimate I had +previously formed of it, and still further below the standard given in +books.</p> +<p>In spite of their scanty food, the Icelandic horses have a marvellous +power of endurance; they can often travel from thirty-five to forty miles +per diem for several consecutive days. But the only difficulty is to +keep the horse moving. The Icelanders have a habit of continually +kicking their heels against the poor beast’s sides; and the horse at +last gets so accustomed to this mode of treatment, that it will hardly go +if the stimulus be discontinued. In passing the bad pieces of road it +is necessary to keep the bridle tight in hand, or the horse will stumble +frequently. This and the continual urging forward of the horse render +riding very fatiguing. <a name="citation33"></a><a href="#footnote33" +class="citation">[33]</a></p> +<p>Not a little consideration is certainly required before undertaking a +journey into the far north; but nothing frightened me,—and even in +the midst of the greatest dangers and hardships I did not for one moment +regret my undertaking, and would not have relinquished it under any +consideration.</p> +<p>I made excursions to every part of Iceland, and am thus enabled to place +before my readers, in regular order, the chief curiosities of this +remarkable country. I will commence with the immediate neighbourhood +of Reikjavik.</p> +<h2>CHAPTER IV</h2> +<p style="text-align: right">May 25th.</p> +<p>Stiftsamtmann von H--- was to-day kind enough to pay me a visit, and to +invite me to join his party for a ride to the great lake Vatne. I +gladly accepted the invitation, for, according to the description given by +the Stiftsamtmann, I hoped to behold a very Eden, and rejoiced at the +prospect of observing the recreations of the higher classes, and at the +same time gaining many acquisitions in specimens of plants, butterflies, +and beetles. I resolved also to test the capabilities of the +Icelandic horses more thoroughly than I had been able to do during my first +ride from Havenfiord to Reikjavik, as I had been obliged on that occasion +to ride at a foot-pace, on account of my old guide.</p> +<p>The hour of starting was fixed for two o’clock. Accustomed +as I am to strict punctuality, I was ready long before the appointed time, +and at two o’clock was about to hasten to the place of rendezvous, +when my hostess informed me I had plenty of time, for Herr von H--- was +still at dinner. Instead of meeting at two o’clock, we did not +assemble until three, and even then another quarter of an hour elapsed +before the cavalcade started. Oh, Syrian notions of punctuality and +dispatch! Here, almost at the very antipodes, did I once more greet +ye.</p> +<p>The party consisted of the nobility and the town dignitaries. +Among the former class may be reckoned Stiftsamtmann von H--- and his lady; +a privy councillor, Herr von B---, who had been sent from Copenhagen to +attend the “Allthing” (political assembly); and a Danish baron, +who had accompanied the councillor. I noticed among the town +dignitaries the daughter and wife of the apothecary, and the daughters of +some merchants resident here.</p> +<p>Our road lay through fields of lava, swamps, and very poor grassy +patches, in a great valley, swelling here and there into gentle +acclivities, and shut in on three sides by several rows of mountains, +towering upwards in the most diversified shapes. In the far distance +rose several jokuls or glaciers, seeming to look proudly down upon the +mountains, as though they asked, “Why would ye draw men’s eyes +upon you, where we glisten in our silver sheen?” In the season +of the year at which I beheld them, the glaciers were still very beautiful; +not only their summits, but their entire surface, as far as visible, being +covered with snow. The fourth side of the valley through which we +travelled was washed by the ocean, which melted as it were into the horizon +in immeasurable distance. The coast was dotted with small bays, +having the appearance of so many lakes.</p> +<p>As the road was good, we could generally ride forward at a brisk +pace. Occasionally, however, we met with small tracts on which the +Icelandic horse could exercise its sagacity and address. My horse was +careful and free from vice; it carried me securely over masses of stone and +chasms in the rocks, but I cannot describe the suffering its trot caused +me. It is said that riding is most beneficial to those who suffer +from liver-complaints. This may be the case; but I should suppose +that any one who rode upon an Icelandic horse, with an Icelandic +side-saddle, every day for the space of four weeks, would find, at the +expiration of that time, her liver shaken to a pulp, and no part of it +remaining.</p> +<p>All the rest of the party had good English saddles, mine alone was of +Icelandic origin. It consisted of a chair, with a board for the +back. The rider was obliged to sit crooked upon the horse, and it was +impossible to keep a firm seat. With much difficulty I trotted after +the others, for my horse would not be induced to break into a gallop.</p> +<p>At length, after a ride of an hour and a half, we reached a +valley. In the midst of a tolerably green meadow I descried what was, +for Iceland, a farm of considerable dimensions, and not far from this farm +was a very small lake. I did not dare to ask if this was the +<i>great</i> lake Vatne, or if this was the delicious prospect I had been +promised, for my question would have been taken for irony. I could +not refrain from wonder when Herr von H--- began praising the landscape as +exquisite, and farther declaring the effect of the lake to be +bewitching. I was obliged, for politeness’ sake, to acquiesce, +and leave them in the supposition that I had never seen a larger lake nor a +finer prospect.</p> +<p>We now made a halt, and the whole party encamped in the meadow. +While the preparations for a social meal were going on, I proceeded to +satisfy my curiosity.</p> +<p>The peasant’s house first attracted my attention. I found it +to consist of one large chamber, and two of smaller size, besides a +storeroom and extensive stables, from which I judged that the proprietor +was rich in cattle. I afterwards learnt that he owned fifty sheep, +eight cows, and five horses, and was looked upon as one of the richest +farmers in the neighbourhood. The kitchen was situated at the extreme +end of the building, and was furnished with a chimney that seemed intended +only as a protection against rain and snow, for the smoke dispersed itself +throughout the whole kitchen, drying the fish which hung from the ceiling, +and slowly making its exit through an air-hole.</p> +<p>The large apartment boasted a wooden bookshelf, containing about forty +volumes. Some of these I turned over, and in spite of my limited +knowledge of the Danish language, could make out enough to discover that +they were chiefly on religious subjects. But the farmer seemed also +to love poetry; among the works of this class in his library, I noticed +Kleist, Müller, and even Homer’s <i>Odyssey</i>. I could +make nothing of the Icelandic books; but on inquiring their contents, I was +told that they all treated of religious matters.</p> +<p>After inspecting these, I walked out into the meadow to search for +flowers and herbs. Flowers I found but few, as it was not the right +time of the year for them; my search for herbs was more successful, and I +even found some wild clover. I saw neither beetles nor butterflies; +but, to my no small surprise, heard the humming of two wild bees, one of +which I was fortunate enough to catch, and took home to preserve in spirits +of wine.</p> +<p>On rejoining my party, I found them encamped in the meadow around a +table, which had in the meantime been spread with butter, cheese, bread, +cake, roast lamb, raisins and almonds, a few oranges, and wine. +Neither chairs nor benches were to be had, for even wealthy peasants only +possess planks nailed to the walls of their rooms; so we all sat down upon +the grass, and did ample justice to the capital coffee which made the +commencement of the meal. Laughter and jokes predominated to such an +extent, that I could have fancied myself among impulsive Italians instead +of cold Northmen.</p> +<p>There was no lack of wit; but to-day I was unfortunately its butt. +And what was my fault?—only my stupid modesty. The conversation +was carried on in the Danish language; some members of our party spoke +French and others German, but I purposely abstained from availing myself of +their acquirements, in order not to disturb the hilarity of the +conversation. I sat silently among them, and was perfectly contented +in listening to their merriment. But my behaviour was set down as +proceeding from stupidity, and I soon gathered from their discourse that +they were comparing me to the “stone guest” in Mozart’s +<i>Don Giovanni</i>. If these kind people had only surmised the true +reason of my keeping silence, they would perhaps have thanked me for doing +so.</p> +<p>As we sat at our meal, I heard a voice in the farmhouse singing an +Icelandic song. At a distance it resembled the humming of bees; on a +nearer approach it sounded monotonous, drawling, and melancholy.</p> +<p>While we were preparing for our departure, the farmer, his wife, and the +servants approached, and shook each of us by the hand. This is the +usual mode of saluting such <i>high</i> people as we numbered among our +party. The true national salutation is a hearty kiss.</p> +<p>On my arrival at home the effect of the strong coffee soon began to +manifest itself. I could not sleep at all, and had thus ample leisure +to make accurate observations as to the length of the day and of the +twilight. Until eleven o’clock at night I could read ordinary +print in my room. From eleven till one o’clock it was dusk, but +never so dark as to prevent my reading in the open air. In my room, +too, I could distinguish the smallest objects, and even tell the time by my +watch. At one o’clock I could again read in my room.</p> +<h3>EXCURSION TO VIDÖE.</h3> +<p>The little island of Vidöe, four miles distant from Reikjavik, is +described by most travellers as the chief resort of the eider-duck. I +visited the island on the 8th of June, but was disappointed in my +expectations. I certainly saw many of these birds on the declivities +and in the chasms of the rocks, sitting quietly on their nests, but nothing +approaching the thousands I had been led to expect. On the whole, I +may perhaps have seen from one hundred to a hundred and fifty nests.</p> +<p>The most remarkable circumstance connected with the eider-ducks is their +tameness during the period of incubation. I had always regarded as +myths the stories told about them in this respect, and should do so still +had I not convinced myself of the truth of these assertions by laying hands +upon the ducks myself. I could go quite up to them and caress them, +and even then they would not often leave their nests. Some few birds, +indeed, did so when I wished to touch them; but they did not fly up, but +contented themselves with coolly walking a few paces away from the nest, +and there sitting quietly down until I had departed. But those which +already had live young, beat out boldly with their wings when I approached, +struck at me with their bills, and allowed themselves to be taken up bodily +rather than leave the nest. They are about the size of our ducks; +their eggs are of a greenish grey, rather larger than hen’s eggs, and +taste very well. Altogether they lay about eleven eggs. The +finest down is that with which they line their nests at first; it is of a +dark grey colour. The Icelanders take away this down, and the first +nest of eggs. The poor bird now robs herself once more of a quantity +of down (which is, however, not of so fine a quality as the first), and +again lays eggs. For the second time every thing is taken from her; +and not until she has a third time lined the nest with her down is the +eider-duck left in peace. The down of the second, and that of the +third quality especially, are much lighter than that of the first. I +also was sufficiently cruel to take a few eggs and some down out of several +of the nests. <a name="citation34"></a><a href="#footnote34" +class="citation">[34]</a></p> +<p>I did not witness the dangerous operation of collecting this down from +between the clefts of rocks and from unapproachable precipices, where +people are let down, or to which they are drawn up, by ropes, at peril of +their lives. There are, however, none of these break-neck places in +the neighbourhood of Reikjavik.</p> +<h3>SALMON FISHERY.</h3> +<p>I made another excursion to a very short distance (two miles) from +Reikjavik, in the company of Herr Bernhöft and his daughter, to the +Laxselv (salmon river) to witness the salmon-fishing, which takes place +every week from the middle of June to the middle of August. It is +conducted in a very simple manner. The fish come up the river in the +spawning season; the stream is then dammed up with several walls of stone +loosely piled to the height of some three feet; and the retreat of the fish +to the sea is thus cut off. When the day arrives on which the salmon +are to be caught, a net is spread behind each of these walls. Three +or four such dams are erected at intervals, of from eighty to a hundred +paces, so that even if the fishes escape one barrier, they are generally +caught at the next. The water is now made to run off as much as +possible; the poor salmon dart to and fro, becoming every moment more and +more aware of the sinking of the water, and crowd to the weirs, cutting +themselves by contact with the sharp stones of which they are built. +This is the deepest part of the water; and it is soon so thronged with +fish, that men, stationed in readiness, can seize them in their hands and +fling them ashore.</p> +<p>The salmon possess remarkable swiftness and strength. The +fisherman is obliged to take them quickly by the head and tail, and to +throw them ashore, when they are immediately caught by other men, who fling +them still farther from the water. If this is not done with great +quickness and care, many of the fishes escape. It is wonderful how +these creatures can struggle themselves free, and leap into the air. +The fishermen are obliged to wear woollen mittens, or they would be quite +unable to hold the smooth salmon. At every day’s fishing, from +five hundred to a thousand fish are taken, each weighing from five to +fifteen pounds. On the day when I was present eight hundred were +killed. This salmon-stream is farmed by a merchant of Reikjavik.</p> +<p>The fishermen receive very liberal pay,—in fact, one-half of the +fish taken. And yet they are dissatisfied, and show so little +gratitude, as seldom to finish their work properly. So, for instance, +they only brought the share of the merchant to the harbour of Reikjavik, +and were far too lazy to carry the salmon from the boat to the warehouse, a +distance certainly not more than sixty or seventy paces from the +shore. They sent a message to their employer, bidding him “send +some fresh hands, for they were much too tired.” Of course, in +a case like this, all remonstrance is unavailing.</p> +<p>As in the rest of the world, so also in Iceland, every occasion that +offers is seized upon for a feast or a merry-making. The day on which +I witnessed the salmon-fishing happened to be one of the few fine days that +occur during a summer in Iceland. It was therefore unanimously +concluded by several merchants, that the day and the salmon-fishing should +be celebrated by a <i>déjeûner à la +fourchette</i>. Every one contributed something, and a plentiful and +elegant breakfast was soon arranged, which quite resembled an entertainment +of the kind in our country; this one circumstance excepted, that we were +obliged to seat ourselves on the ground, by reason of a scarcity of tables +and benches. Spanish and French wines, as well as cold punch, were +there in plenty, and the greatest hilarity prevailed.</p> +<p>I made a fourth excursion, but to a very inconsiderable +distance,—in fact, only a mile and a half from Reikjavik. It +was to see a hot and slightly sulphurous spring, which falls into a river +of cold water. By this lucky meeting of extremes, water can be +obtained at any temperature, from the boiling almost to the freezing +point. The townspeople take advantage of this good opportunity in two +ways, for bathing and for washing clothes. The latter is undoubtedly +the more important purpose of application, and a hut has been erected, in +order to shield the poor people from wind and rain while they are at +work. Formerly this hut was furnished with a good door and with +glazed windows, and the key was kept at an appointed place in the town, +whence any one might fetch it. But the servants and peasant girls +were soon too lazy to go for the key; they burst open the lock, and smashed +the windows, so that now the hut has a very ruinous appearance, and affords +but little protection against the weather. How much alike mankind are +every where, and how seldom they do right, except when it gives them no +trouble, and then, unfortunately, there is not much merit to be ascribed to +them, as their doing right is merely the result of a lucky chance! +Many people also bring fish and potatoes, which they have only to lay in +the hot water, and in a short time both are completely cooked.</p> +<p>This spring is but little used for the purpose of bathing; at most +perhaps by a few children and peasants. Its medicinal virtues, if it +possesses any, are completely unknown.</p> +<h3>THE SULPHUR-SPRINGS AND SULPHUR-MOUNTAINS OF KRISUVIK.</h3> +<p>The 4th of June was fixed for my departure. I had only to pack up +some bread and cheese, sugar and coffee, then the horses were saddled, and +at seven o’clock the journey was happily commenced. I was alone +with my guide, who, like the rest of his class, could not be considered as +a very favourable specimen of humanity. He was very lazy, exceedingly +self-interested, and singularly loath to devote any part of his attention +either to me or to the horses, preferring to concentrate it upon brandy, an +article which can unfortunately be procured throughout the whole +country.</p> +<p>I had already seen the district between Reikjavik and Havenfiord at my +first arrival in Iceland. At the present advanced season of the year +it wore a less gloomy aspect: strawberry-plants and violets,—the +former, however, without blossoms, and the latter inodorous,—were +springing up between the blocks of lava, together with beautiful ferns +eight or ten inches high. In spite of the trifling distance, I +noticed, as a rule, that vegetation was here more luxuriant than at +Reikjavik; for at the latter place I had found no strawberry-plants, and +the violets were not yet in blossom. This difference in the +vegetation is, I think, to be ascribed to the high walls of lava existing +in great abundance round Havenfiord; they protect the tender plants and +ferns from the piercing winds. I noticed that both the grass and the +plants before mentioned throve capitally in the little hollows formed by +masses of lava.</p> +<p>A couple of miles beyond Havenfiord I saw the first birch-trees, which, +however, did not exceed two or three feet in height, also some +bilberry-plants. A number of little butterflies, all of one colour, +and, as it seemed to me, of the same species, fluttered among the shrubs +and plants.</p> +<p>The manifold forms and varied outline of the lava-fields present a +remarkable and really a marvellous appearance. Short as this journey +is—for ten hours are amply sufficient for the trip to +Krisuvik,—it presents innumerable features for contemplation. I +could only gaze and wonder. I forgot every thing around me, felt +neither cold nor storm, and let my horse pick his way as slowly as he +chose, so that I had once almost become separated from my guide.</p> +<p>One of the most considerable of the streams of lava lay in a spacious +broad valley. The lava-stream itself, about two miles long, and of a +considerable breadth, traversing the whole of the plain, seemed to have +been called into existence by magic, as there was no mountain to be seen in +the neighbourhood from which it could have emerged. It appeared to be +the covering of an immense crater, formed, not of separate stones and +blocks, but of a single and slightly porous mass of rock ten or twelve feet +thick, broken here and there by clefts about a foot in breadth.</p> +<p>Another, and a still larger valley, many miles in circumference, was +filled with masses of lava shaped like waves, reminding the beholder of a +petrified sea. From the midst rose a high black mountain, contrasting +beautifully with the surrounding masses of light-grey lava. At first +I supposed the lava must have streamed forth from this mountain, but soon +found that the latter was perfectly smooth on all sides, and terminated in +a sharp peak. The remaining mountains which shut in the valley were +also perfectly closed, and I looked in vain for any trace of a crater.</p> +<p>We now reached a small lake, and soon afterwards arrived at a larger +one, called Kleinfarvatne. Both were hemmed in by mountains, which +frequently rose abruptly from the waters, leaving no room for the passage +of the horses. We were obliged sometimes to climb the mountains by +fearfully dizzy paths; at others to scramble downwards, almost clinging to +the face of the rock. At some points we were even compelled to +dismount from our horses, and scramble forward on our hands and +knees. In a word, these dangerous points, which extended over a space +of about seven miles, were certainly quite as bad as any I had encountered +in Syria; if any thing, they were even more formidable.</p> +<p>I was, however, assured that I should have no more such places to +encounter during all my further journeys in Iceland, and this information +quite reconciled me to the roads in this country. For the rest, the +path was generally tolerably safe even during this tour, which continually +led me across fields of lava.</p> +<p>A journey of some eight-and-twenty miles brought us at length into a +friendly valley; clouds of smoke, both small and great, were soon +discovered rising from the surrounding heights, and also from the valley +itself; these were the sulphur-springs and sulphur-mountains.</p> +<p>I could hardly restrain my impatience while we traversed the couple of +miles which separated us from Krisuvik. A few small lakes were still +to be crossed; and at length, at six o’clock in the evening, we +reached our destination.</p> +<p>With the exception of a morsel of bread and cheese, I had eaten nothing +since the morning; still I could not spare time to make coffee, but at once +dismounted, summoned my guide, and commenced my pilgrimage to the smoking +mountains. At the outset our way lay across swampy places and meadow +lands; but soon we had to climb the mountains themselves, a task rendered +extremely difficult by the elastic, yielding soil, in which every footstep +imprinted itself deeply, suggesting to the traveller the unpleasant +possibility of his sinking through,—a contingency rendered any thing +but agreeable by the neighbourhood of the boiling springs. At length +I gained the summit, and saw around me numerous basins filled with boiling +water, while on all sides, from hill and valley, columns of vapour rose out +of numberless clefts in the rocks. From a cleft in one rock in +particular a mighty column of vapour whirled into the air. On the +windward side I could approach this place very closely. The ground +was only lukewarm in some places, and I could hold my hand for several +moments to the gaps from which steam issued. No trace of a crater was +to be seen. The bubbling and hissing of the steam, added to the noise +of the wind, occasioned such a deafening clamour, that I was very glad to +feel firmer ground beneath my feet, and to leave the place in haste. +It really seemed as if the interior of the mountain had been a boiling +caldron. The prospect from these mountains is very fine. +Numerous valleys and mountains innumerable offered themselves to my view, +and I could even discern the isolated black rock past which I had ridden +five or six hours previously.</p> +<p>I now commenced my descent into the valley; at a few hundred paces the +bubbling and hissing were already inaudible. I supposed that I had +seen every thing worthy of notice; but much that was remarkable still +remained. I particularly noticed a basin some five or six feet in +diameter, filled with boiling mud. This mud has quite the appearance +of fine clay dissolved in water; its colour was a light grey.</p> +<p>From another basin, hardly two feet in diameter, a mighty column of +steam shot continually into the air with so much force and noise that I +started back half stunned, and could have fancied the vault of heaven would +burst. This basin is situated in a corner of the valley, closely shut +in on three sides by hills. In the neighbourhood many hot springs +gushed forth; but I saw no columns of water, and my guide assured me that +such a phenomenon was never witnessed here.</p> +<p>There is more danger in passing these spots than even in traversing the +mountains. In spite of the greatest precautions, I frequently sank in +above the ankles, and would then draw back with a start, and find my foot +covered with hot mud. From the place where I had broken through, +steam and hot mud, or boiling water, rose into the air.</p> +<p>Though my guide, who walked before me, carefully probed the ground with +his stick, he several times sank through half-way to the knee. These +men are, however, so much accustomed to contingencies of this kind that +they take little account of them. My guide would quietly repair to +the next spring and cleanse his clothes from mud. As I was covered +with it to above the ankles, I thought it best to follow his example.</p> +<p>For excursions like these it is best to come provided with a few boards, +five or six feet in length, with which to cover the most dangerous +places.</p> +<p>At nine o’clock in the evening, but yet in the full glare of the +sun, we arrived at Krisuvik. I now took time to look at this place, +which I found to consist of a small church and a few miserable huts.</p> +<p>I crept into one of these dens; it was so dark that a considerable time +elapsed before I could distinguish objects, the light was only admitted +through a very small aperture. I found in this hut a few persons who +were suffering from the eruption called “lepra,” a disease but +too commonly met with in Iceland. Their hands and faces were +completely covered with this eruption; if it spreads over the whole body +the patient languishes slowly away, and is lost without remedy.</p> +<p>Churches are in this country not only used for purposes of public +worship, but also serve as magazines for provisions, clothes, &c., and +as inns for travellers. I do not suppose that a parallel instance of +desecration could be met with even among the most uncivilised +nations. I was assured, indeed, that these abuses were about to be +remedied. A reform of this kind ought to have been carried out long +ago; and even now the matter seems to remain an open point; for wherever I +came the church was placed at my disposal for the night, and every where I +found a store of fish, tallow, and other equally odoriferous +substances.</p> +<p>The little chapel at Krisuvik is only twenty-two feet long by ten broad; +on my arrival it was hastily prepared for my reception. Saddles, +ropes, clothes, hats, and other articles which lay scattered about, were +hastily flung into a corner; mattresses and some nice soft pillows soon +appeared, and a very tolerable bed was prepared for me on a large chest in +which the vestments of the priest, the coverings of the altar, &c., +were deposited. I would willingly have locked myself in, eaten my +frugal supper, and afterwards written a few pages of my diary before +retiring to rest; but this was out of the question. The entire +population of the village turned out to see me, old and young hastened to +the church, and stood round in a circle and gazed at me.</p> +<p>Irksome as this curiosity was, I was obliged to endure it patiently, for +I could not have sent these good people away without seriously offending +them; so I began quietly to unpack my little portmanteau, and proceeded to +boil my coffee over a spirit-lamp. A whispering consultation +immediately began; they seemed particularly struck by my mode of preparing +coffee, and followed every one of my movements with eager eyes. My +frugal meal dispatched, I resolved to try the patience of my audience, and, +taking out my journal, began to write. For a few minutes they +remained quiet, then they began to whisper one to another, “She +writes, she writes,” and this was repeated numberless times. +There was no sign of any disposition to depart; I believe I could have sat +there till doomsday, and failed to tire my audience out. At length, +after this scene had lasted a full hour, I could stand it no longer, and +was fain to request my amiable visitors to retire, as I wished to go to +bed.</p> +<p>My sleep that night was none of the sweetest. A certain feeling of +discomfort always attaches to the fact of sleeping in a church alone, in +the midst of a grave-yard. Besides this, on the night in question +such a dreadful storm arose that the wooden walls creaked and groaned as +though their foundations were giving way. The cold was also rather +severe, my thermometer inside the church shewing only two degrees above +zero. I was truly thankful when approaching day brought with it the +welcome hour of departure.</p> +<p style="text-align: right">June 5th.</p> +<p>The heavy sleepiness and extreme indolence of an Icelandic guide render +departure before seven o’clock in the morning a thing not to be +thought of. This is, however, of little consequence, as there is no +night in Iceland at this time of year.</p> +<p>Although the distance was materially increased by returning to Reikjavik +by way of Grundivik and Keblevik, I chose this route in order to pass +through the wildest of the inhabited tracts in Iceland.</p> +<p>The first stage, from Krisuvik to Grundivik, a distance of twelve to +fourteen miles, lay through fields of lava, consisting mostly of small +blocks of stone and fragments, filling the valley so completely that not a +single green spot remained. I here met with masses of lava which +presented an appearance of singular beauty. They were black mounds, +ten or twelve feet in height, piled upon each other in the most varied +forms, their bases covered with a broad band of whitish-coloured moss, +while the tops were broken into peaks and cones of the most fantastic +shapes. These lava-streams seem to date from a recent period, as the +masses are somewhat scaly and glazed.</p> +<p>Grundivik, a little village of a few wretched cottages, lies like an +oasis in this desert of lava.</p> +<p>My guide wished to remain here, asserting that there was no place +between this and Keblevik where I could pass the night, and that it would +be impossible for our horses, exhausted as they were with yesterday’s +march, to carry us to Keblevik that night. The true reason of this +suggestion was that he wished to prolong the journey for another day.</p> +<p>Luckily I had a good map with me, and by dint of consulting it could +calculate distances with tolerable accuracy; it was also my custom before +starting on a journey to make particular inquiries as to how I should +arrange the daily stages.</p> +<p>So I insisted upon proceeding at once; and soon we were wending our way +through fields of lava towards Stad, a small village six or seven miles +distant from Grundivik.</p> +<p>On the way I noticed a mountain of most singular appearance. In +colour it closely resembled iron; its sides were perfectly smooth and +shining, and streaks of the colour of yellow ochre traversed it here and +there.</p> +<p>Stad is the residence of a priest. Contrary to the assertions of +my guide, I found this place far more cheerful and habitable than +Grundivik. Whilst our horses were resting, the priest paid me a +visit, and conducted me, not, as I anticipated, into his house, but into +the church. Chairs and stools were quickly brought there, and my host +introduced his wife and children to me, after which we partook of coffee, +bread and cheese, &c. On the rail surrounding the altar hung the +clothes of the priest and his family, differing little in texture and make +from those of the peasants.</p> +<p>The priest appeared to be a very intelligent, well-read man. I +could speak the Danish language pretty fluently, and was therefore able to +converse with him on various subjects. On hearing that I had already +been in Palestine, he put a number of questions to me, from which I could +plainly see that he was alike well acquainted with geography, history, +natural science, &c. He accompanied me several miles on my road, +and we chatted away the time very pleasantly.</p> +<p>The distance between Krisuvik and Keblevik is about forty-two +miles. The road lies through a most dreary landscape, among vast +desert plains, frequently twenty-five to thirty miles in circumference, +entirely divested of all traces of vegetation, and covered throughout their +extreme area by masses of lava—gloomy monuments of volcanic +agency. And yet here, at the very heart of the subterranean fire, I +saw only a single mountain, the summit of which had fallen in, and +presented the appearance of a crater. The rest were all completely +closed, terminating sometimes in a beautiful round top, and sometimes in +sharp peaks; in other instances they formed long narrow chains.</p> +<p>Who can tell whence these all-destroying masses of lava have poured +forth, or how many hundred years they have lain in these petrified +valleys?</p> +<p>Keblevik lies on the sea-coast; but the harbour is insecure, so that +ships remain here at anchor only so long as is absolutely necessary; there +are frequently only two or three ships in the harbour.</p> +<p>A few wooden houses, two of which belong to Herr Knudson, and some +peasants’ cottages, are the only buildings in this little +village. I was hospitably received, and rested from the toils of the +day at the house of Herr Siverson, Herr Knudson’s manager.</p> +<p>On the following day (June 6th) I had a long ride to Reikjavik, +thirty-six good miles, mostly through fields of lava.</p> +<p>The whole tract of country from Grundivik almost to Havenfiord is called +“The lava-fields of Reikianes.”</p> +<p>Tired and almost benumbed with cold, I arrived in the evening at +Reikjavik, with no other wish than to retire to rest as fast as +possible.</p> +<p>In these three days I had ridden 114 miles, besides enduring much from +cold, storms, and rain. To my great surprise, the roads had generally +been good; there were, however, many places highly dangerous and +difficult.</p> +<p>But what mattered these fatigues, forgotten, as they were, after a +single night’s rest? what were they in comparison to the unutterably +beautiful and marvellous phenomena of the north, which will remain ever +present to my imagination so long as memory shall be spared me?</p> +<p>The distances of this excursion were: From Reikjavik to Krisuvik, 37 +miles; from Krisuvik to Keblevik, 39 miles; from Keblevik to Reikjavik, 38 +miles: total, 114 miles.</p> +<h2>CHAPTER V</h2> +<p>As the weather continued fine, I wished to lose no time in continuing my +wanderings. I had next to make a tour of some 560 miles; it was +therefore necessary that I should take an extra horse, partly that it might +carry my few packages, consisting of a pillow, some rye-bread, cheese, +coffee, and sugar, but chiefly that I might be enabled to change horses +every day, as one horse would not have been equal to the fatigue of so long +a journey.</p> +<p>My former guide could not accompany me on my present journey, as he was +unacquainted with most of the roads. My kind protectors, Herr Knudson +and Herr Bernhöft, were obliging enough to provide another guide for +me; a difficult task, as it is a rare occurrence to find an Icelander who +understands the Danish language, and who happens to be sober when his +services are required. At length a peasant was found who suited our +purpose; but he considered two florins per diem too little pay, so I was +obliged to give an additional zwanziger. On the other hand, it was +arranged that the guide should also take two horses, in order that he might +change every day.</p> +<p>The 16th of June was fixed for the commencement of our journey. +From the very first day my guide did not shew himself in an amiable point +of view. On the morning of our departure his saddle had to be patched +together, and instead of coming with two horses, he appeared with only +one. He certainly promised to buy a second when we should have +proceeded some miles, adding that it would be cheaper to buy one at a +little distance from the “capital.” I at once suspected +this was merely an excuse of the guide’s, and that he wished thereby +to avoid having the care of four horses. The event proved I was +right; not a single horse could be found that suited, and so my poor little +animal had to carry the guide’s baggage in addition to my own.</p> +<p>Loading the pack-horses is a business of some difficulty, and is +conducted in the following manner: sundry large pieces of dried turf are +laid upon the horse’s back, but not fastened; over these is buckled a +round piece of wood, furnished with two or three pegs. To these pegs +the chests and packages are suspended. If the weight is not quite +equally balanced, it is necessary to stop and repack frequently, for the +whole load at once gets askew.</p> +<p>The trunks used in this country are massively constructed of wood, +covered with a rough hide, and strengthened on all sides with nails, as +though they were intended to last an eternity. The poor horses have a +considerable weight to bear in empty boxes alone, so that very little real +luggage can be taken. The weight which a horse has to carry during a +long journey should never exceed 150lbs.</p> +<p>It is impossible to remember how many times our baggage had to be +repacked during a day’s journey. The great pieces of turf would +never stay in their places, and every moment something was wrong. +Nothing less than a miracle, however, can prevail on an Icelander to depart +from his regular routine. His ancestors packed in such and such a +manner, and so he must pack also. <a name="citation35"></a><a +href="#footnote35" class="citation">[35]</a></p> +<p>We had a journey of above forty miles before us the first day, and yet, +on account of the damaged saddle, we could not start before eight +o’clock in the morning.</p> +<p>The first twelve or fourteen miles of our journey lay through the great +valley in which Reikjavik is situated; the valley contains many low hills, +some of which we had to climb. Several rivers, chief among which was +the Laxselv, opposed our progress, but at this season of the year they +could be crossed on horseback without danger. Nearly all the valleys +through which we passed to-day were covered with lava, but nevertheless +offered many beautiful spots.</p> +<p>Many of the hills we passed seemed to me to be extinct volcanoes; the +whole upper portion was covered with colossal slabs of lava, as though the +crater had been choked up with them. Lava of the same description and +colour, but in smaller pieces, lay strewed around.</p> +<p>For the first twelve or fourteen miles the sea is visible from the brow +of every successive hill. The country is also pretty generally +inhabited; but afterwards a distance of nearly thirty miles is passed, on +which there is not a human habitation. The traveller journeys from +one valley into another, and in the midst of these hill-girt deserts sees a +single small hut, erected for the convenience of those who, in the winter, +cannot accomplish the long distance in one day, and must take up their +quarters for the night in the valley. No one must, however, rashly +hope to find here a human being in the shape of a host. The little +house is quite uninhabited, and consists only of a single apartment with +four naked walls. The visitor must depend on the accommodation he +carries with him.</p> +<p>The plains through which we travelled to-day were covered throughout +with one and the same kind of lava. It occurs in masses, and also in +smaller stones, is not very porous, of a light grey colour, and mixed, in +many instances, with sand or earth.</p> +<p>Some miles from Thingvalla we entered a valley, the soil of which is +fine, but nevertheless only sparingly covered with grass, and full of +little acclivities, mostly clothed with delicate moss. I have no +doubt that the indolence of the inhabitants alone prevents them from +materially improving many a piece of ground. The worst soil is that +in the neighbourhood of Reikjavik; yet there we see many a garden, and many +a piece of meadow-land, wrung, as it were, from the barren earth by labour +and pains. Why should not the same thing be done here—the more +so as nature has already accomplished the preliminary work?</p> +<p>Thingvalla, our resting-place for to-night, is situate on a lake of the +same name, and only becomes visible when the traveller is close upon +it. The lake is rather considerable, being almost three miles in +length, and at some parts certainly more than two miles in breadth; it +contains two small islands,—Sandey and Nesey.</p> +<p>My whole attention was still riveted by the lake and its naked and +gloomy circle of mountains, when suddenly, as if by magic, I found myself +standing on the brink of a chasm, into which I could scarcely look without +a shudder; involuntarily I thought of Weber’s <i>Freyschütz</i> +and the “Wolf’s Hollow.” <a name="citation36"></a><a +href="#footnote36" class="citation">[36]</a></p> +<p>The scene is the more startling from the circumstance that the traveller +approaching Thingvalla in a certain direction sees only the plains beyond +this chasm, and has no idea of its existence. It was a fissure some +five or six fathoms broad, but several hundred feet in depth; and we were +forced to descend by a small, steep, dangerous path, across large fragments +of lava. Colossal blocks of stone, threatening the unhappy wanderer +with death and destruction, hang loosely, in the form of pyramids and of +broken columns, from the lofty walls of lava, which encircle the whole long +ravine in the form of a gallery. Speechless, and in anxious suspense, +we descend a part of this chasm, hardly daring to look up, much less to +give utterance to a single sound, lest the vibration should bring down one +of these avalanches of stone, to the terrific force of which the rocky +fragments scattered around bear ample testimony. The distinctness +with which echo repeats the softest sound and the lightest footfall is +truly wonderful.</p> +<p>The appearance presented by the horses, which are allowed to come down +the ravine after their masters have descended, is most peculiar. One +could fancy they were clinging to the walls of rock.</p> +<p>This ravine is known by the name of Almanagiau. Its entire length +is about a mile, but a small portion only can be traversed; the rest is +blocked up by masses of lava heaped one upon the other. On the right +hand, the rocky wall opens, and forms an outlet, over formidable masses of +lava, into the beautiful valley of Thingvalla. I could have fancied I +wandered through the depths of a crater, which had piled around itself +these stupendous barriers during a mighty eruption in times long gone +by.</p> +<p>The valley of Thingvalla is considered one of the most beautiful in +Iceland. It contains many meadows, forming, as it were, a place of +refuge for the inhabitants, and enabling them to keep many head of +cattle. The Icelanders consider this little green valley the finest +spot in the world. Not far from the opening of the ravine, on the +farther bank of the river Oxer, lies the little village of Thingvalla, +consisting of three or four cottages and a small chapel. A few +scattered farms and cottages are situated in the neighbourhood.</p> +<p>Thingvalla was once one of the most important places in Iceland; the +stranger is still shewn the meadow, not far from the village, on which the +Allthing (general assembly) was held annually in the open air. Here +the people and their leaders met, pitching their tents after the manner of +nomads. Here it was also that many an opinion and many a decree were +enforced by the weight of steel.</p> +<p>The chiefs appeared, ostensibly for peace, at the head of their tribe; +yet many of them returned not again, but beneath the sword-stroke of their +enemies obtained that peace which no man seeketh, but which all men +find.</p> +<p>On one side the valley is skirted by the lake, on the other it is +bounded by lofty mountains, some of them still partly covered with +snow. Not far from the entrance of the ravine, the river Oxer rushes +over a wall of rock of considerable height, forming a beautiful +waterfall.</p> +<p>It was still fine clear daylight when I reached Thingvalla, and the sky +rose pure and cloudless over the far distance. It seemed therefore +the more singular to me to see a few clouds skimming over the surface of +the mountains, now shrouding a part of them in vapour, now wreathing +themselves round their summits, now vanishing entirely, to reappear again +at a different point.</p> +<p>This is a phenomenon frequently observed in Iceland during the finest +days, and one I had often noticed in the neighbourhood of Reikjavik. +Under a clear and cloudless sky, a light mist would appear on the brow of a +mountain,—in a moment it would increase to a large cloud, and after +remaining stationary for a time, it frequently vanished suddenly, or soared +slowly away. However often it may be repeated, this appearance cannot +fail to interest the observer.</p> +<p>Herr Beck, the clergyman at Thingvalla, offered me the shelter of his +hut for the night; as the building, however, did not look much more +promising than the peasants’ cottages by which it was surrounded, I +preferred quartering myself in the church, permission to do so being but +too easily obtained on all occasions. This chapel is not much larger +than that at Krisuvik, and stands at some distance from the few surrounding +cottages. This was perhaps the reason why I was not incommoded by +visitors. I had already conquered any superstitious fears derived +from the proximity of my silent neighbours in the churchyard, and passed +the night quietly on one of the wooden chests of which I found several +scattered about. Habit is certainly every thing; after a few nights +of gloomy solitude one thinks no more about the matter.</p> +<p style="text-align: right">June 17th.</p> +<p>Our journey of to-day was more formidable than that of yesterday. +I was assured that Reikholt (also called Reikiadal) was almost fifty miles +distant. Distances cannot always be accurately measured by the map; +impassable barriers, only to be avoided by circuitous routes, often oppose +the traveller’s progress. This was the case with us +to-day. To judge from the map, the distance from Thingvalla to +Reikholt seemed less by a great deal than that from Reikjavik to +Thingvalla, and yet we were full fourteen hours accomplishing it—two +hours longer than on our yesterday’s journey.</p> +<p>So long as our way lay through the valley of Thingvalla there was no +lack of variety. At one time there was an arm of the river Oxer to +cross, at another we traversed a cheerful meadow; sometimes we even passed +through little shrubberies,—that is to say, according to the +Icelandic acceptation of the term. In my country these lovely +shrubberies would have been cleared away as useless underwood. The +trees trail along the ground, seldom attaining a height of more than two +feet. When one of these puny stems reaches four feet in height, it is +considered a gigantic tree. The greater portion of these miniature +forests grow on the lava with which the valley is covered.</p> +<p>The formation of the lava here assumes a new character. Up to this +point it has mostly appeared either in large masses or in streams lying in +strata one above the other; but here the lava covered the greater portion +of the ground in the form of immense flat slabs or blocks of rock, often +split in a vertical direction. I saw long fissures of eight or ten +feet in breadth, and from ten to fifteen feet in depth. In these +clefts the flowers blossom earlier, and the fern grows taller and more +luxuriantly, than in the boisterous upper world.</p> +<p>After the valley of Thingvalla has been passed the journey becomes very +monotonous. The district beyond is wholly uninhabited, and we +travelled many miles without seeing a single cottage. From one desert +valley we passed into another; all were alike covered with light-grey or +yellowish lava, and at intervals also with fine sand, in which the horses +sunk deeply at every step. The mountains surrounding these valleys +were none of the highest, and it was seldom that a jokul or glacier shone +forth from among them. The mountains had a certain polished +appearance, their sides being perfectly smooth and shining. In some +instances, however, masses of lava formed beautiful groups, bearing a great +resemblance to ruins of ancient buildings, and standing out in peculiarly +fine relief from the smooth walls.</p> +<p>These mountains are of different colours; they are black or brown, grey +or yellow, &c.; and the different shades of these colours are displayed +with marvellous effect in the brilliant sunshine.</p> +<p>Nine hours of uninterrupted riding brought us into a large tract of +moorland, very scantily covered with moss. Yet this was the first and +only grazing-place to be met with in all the long distance from +Thingvalla. We therefore made a halt of two hours, to let our poor +horses pick a scanty meal. Large swarms of minute gnats, which seemed +to fly into our eyes, nose, and mouth, annoyed us dreadfully during our +stay in this place.</p> +<p>On this moor there was also a small lake; and here I saw for the first +time a small flock of swans. Unfortunately these creatures are so +very timid, that the most cautious approach of a human being causes them to +rise with the speed of lightning into the air. I was therefore +obliged perforce to be content with a distant view of these proud +birds. They always keep in pairs, and the largest flock I saw did not +consist of more than four such pairs.</p> +<p>Since my first arrival in Iceland I had considered the inhabitants an +indolent race of people; to-day I was strengthened in my opinion by the +following slight circumstance. The moorland on which we halted to +rest was separated from the adjoining fields of lava by a narrow ditch +filled with water. Across this ditch a few stones and slabs had been +laid, to form a kind of bridge. Now this bridge was so full of holes +that the horses could not tell where to plant their feet, and refused +obstinately to cross it, so that in the end we were obliged to dismount and +lead them across. We had scarcely passed this place, and sat down to +rest, when a caravan of fifteen horses, laden with planks, dried fish, +&c. arrived at the bridge. Of course the poor creatures observed +the dangerous ground, and could only be driven by hard blows to +advance. Hardly twenty paces off there were stones in abundance; but +rather than devote a few minutes to filling up the holes, these lazy people +beat their horses cruelly, and exposed them to the risk of breaking their +legs. I pitied the poor animals, which would be compelled to recross +the bridge, so heartily, that, after they are gone, I devoted a part of my +resting-time to collecting stones and filling up the holes,—a +business which scarcely occupied me a quarter of an hour.</p> +<p>It is interesting to notice how the horses know by instinct the +dangerous spots in the stony wastes, and in the moors and swamps. On +approaching these places they bend their heads towards the earth, and look +sharply round on all sides. If they cannot discover a firm +resting-place for the feet, they stop at once, and cannot be urged forward +without many blows.</p> +<p>After a halt of two hours we continued our journey, which again led us +across fields of lava. At past nine o’clock in the evening we +reached an elevated plain, after traversing which for half an hour we saw +stretched at our feet the valley of Reikholt or Reikiadal; it is fourteen +to seventeen miles long, of a good breadth, and girt round by a row of +mountains, among which several jokuls sparkle in their icy garments.</p> +<p>A sunset seen in the sublime wildness of Icelandic scenery has a +peculiarly beautiful effect. Over these vast plains, divested of +trees or shrubs, covered with dark lava, and shut in by mountains almost of +a sable hue, the parting sun sheds an almost magical radiance. The +peaks of the mountains shine in the bright parting rays, the jokuls are +shrouded in the most delicate roseate hue, while the lower parts of the +mountains lie in deep shadow, and frown darkly on the valleys, which +resemble a sheet of dark blue water, with an atmosphere of a bluish-red +colour floating above it. The most impressive feature of all is the +profound silence and solitude; not a sound can be heard, not a living +creature is to be seen; every thing appears dead. Throughout the +broad valleys not a town nor a village, no, not even a solitary house or a +tree or shrub, varies the prospect. The eye wanders over the vast +desert, and finds not one familiar object on which it can rest.</p> +<p>To-night, as at past eleven o’clock we reached the elevated plain, +I saw a sunset which I shall never forget. The sun disappeared behind +the mountains, and in its stead a gorgeous ruddy gleam lighted up hill and +valley and glacier. It was long ere I could turn away my eyes from +the glittering heights, and yet the valley also offered much that was +striking and beautiful.</p> +<p>Throughout almost its entire length this valley formed a meadow, from +the extremities of which columns of smoke and boiling springs burst +forth. The mists had almost evaporated, and the atmosphere was bright +and clear, more transparent even than I had seen it in any other +country. I now for the first time noticed, that in the valley itself +the radiance was almost as clear as the light of day, so that the most +minute objects could be plainly distinguished. This was, however, +extremely necessary, for steep and dangerous paths lead over masses of lava +into the valley. On one side ran a little river, forming many +picturesque waterfalls, some of them above thirty feet in height.</p> +<p>I strained my eyes in vain to discover any where, in this great valley, +a little church, which, if it only offered me a hard bench for a couch, +would at any rate afford me a shelter from the sharp night-wind; for it is +really no joke to ride for fifteen hours, with nothing to eat but bread and +cheese, and then not even to have the pleasant prospect of a hotel +<i>à la villa de Londres</i> or <i>de Paris</i>. Alas, my +wishes were far more modest. I expected no porter at the gate to give +the signal of my arrival, no waiter, and no chambermaid; I only desired a +little spot in the neighbourhood of the dear departed Icelanders. I +was suddenly recalled from these happy delusions by the voice of the guide, +who cried out: “Here we are at our destination for +to-night.” I looked joyfully round; alas! I could only see a +few of those cottages which are never observed until you almost hit your +nose against one of them, as the grass-covered walls can hardly be +distinguished from the surrounding meadow.</p> +<p>It was already midnight. We stopped, and turned our horses loose, +to seek supper and rest in the nearest meadow. Our lot was a less +fortunate one. The inhabitants were already buried in deep slumbers, +from which even the barking set up by the dogs at our approach failed to +arouse them. A cup of coffee would certainly have been very +acceptable to me; yet I was loath to rouse any one merely for this. A +piece of bread satisfied my hunger, and a draught of water from the nearest +spring tasted most deliciously with it. After concluding my frugal +meal, I sought out a corner beside a cottage, where I was partially +sheltered from the too-familiar wind; and wrapping my cloak around me, lay +down on the ground, having wished myself, with all my heart, a good +night’s rest and pleasant dreams, in the broad daylight, <a +name="citation37"></a><a href="#footnote37" class="citation">[37]</a> under +the canopy of heaven. Just dropping off to sleep, I was surprised by +a mild rain, which, of course, at once put to flight every idea of +repose. Thus, after all, I was obliged to wake some one up, to obtain +the shelter of a roof.</p> +<p>The best room, <i>i.e.</i> the store-room, was thrown open for my +accommodation, and a small wooden bedstead placed at my disposal. +Chambers of this kind are luckily found wherever two or three cottages lie +contiguous to each other; they are certainly far from inviting, as dried +fish, train-oil, tallow, and many other articles of the same description +combine to produce a most unsavoury atmosphere. Yet they are +infinitely preferable to the dwellings of the peasants, which, by the by, +are the most filthy dens that can be imagined. Besides being redolent +of every description of bad odour, these cottages are infested with vermin +to a degree which can certainly not be surpassed, except in the dwellings +of the Greenlanders and Laplanders.</p> +<p style="text-align: right">June 18th.</p> +<p>Yesterday we had been forced to put upon our poor horses a wearisome +distance of more than fifty miles, as the last forty miles led us through +desert and uninhabited places, boasting not even a single cottage. +To-day, however, our steeds had a light duty to perform, for we only +proceeded seven miles to the little village of Reikiadal, where I halted +to-day, in order to visit the celebrated springs.</p> +<p>The inconsiderable village called Reikiadal, consisting only of a church +and a few cottages, is situated amidst pleasant meadows. Altogether +this valley is rich in beautiful meadow-lands; consequently one sees many +scattered homesteads and cottages, with fine herds of sheep, and a +tolerable number of horses; cows are less plentiful.</p> +<p>The church at Reikiadal is among the neatest and most roomy of those +which came under my observation. The dwelling of the priest too, +though only a turf-covered cottage, is large enough for the comfort of the +occupants. This parish extends over a considerable area, and is not +thinly inhabited.</p> +<p>My first care on my arrival was to beg the clergyman, Herr Jonas +Jonason, to procure for me, as expeditiously as possible, fresh horses and +a guide, in order that I might visit the springs. He promised to +provide me with both within half an hour; and yet it was not until three +hours had been wasted, that, with infinite pains, I saw my wish +fulfilled. Throughout my stay in Iceland, nothing annoyed me more +than the slowness and unconcern displayed by the inhabitants in all their +undertakings. Every wish and every request occupies a long time in +its fulfilment. Had I not been continually at the good pastor’s +side, I believe I should scarcely have attained my object. At length +every thing was ready, and the pastor himself was kind enough to be my +guide.</p> +<p>We rode about four miles through this beautiful vale, and in this short +distance were compelled at least six times to cross the river Sidumule, +which rolls its most tortuous course through the entire valley. At +length the first spring was reached; it emerges from a rock about six feet +in height, standing in the midst of a moor. The upper cavity of the +natural reservoir, in which the water continually boils and seethes, is +between two and three feet in diameter. This spring never stops; the +jet of water rises two, and sometimes even four feet high, and is about +eighteen inches thick. It is possible to increase the volume of the +jet for a few seconds, by throwing large stones or lumps of earth into the +opening, and thus stirring up the spring. The stones are cast +forcibly forth, and the lumps of earth, dissolved by the action of the +water, impart to the latter a dingy colour.</p> +<p>Whoever has seen the jet of water at Carlsbad, in Bohemia, can well +imagine the appearance of this spring, which closely resembles that of +Carlsbad. <a name="citation38"></a><a href="#footnote38" +class="citation">[38]</a></p> +<p>In the immediate neighbourhood of the spring is an abyss, in which water +is continually seething, but never rises into the air. At a little +distance, on a high rock, rising out of the river Sidumule, not far from +the shore, are other springs. They are three in number, each at a +short distance from the next, and occupy nearly the entire upper surface of +the rock. Lower down we find a reservoir of boiling water; and at the +foot of the rock, and on the nearest shore, are many more hot springs; but +most of these are inconsiderable. Many of these hot springs emerge +almost from the cold river itself.</p> +<p>The chief group, however, lies still farther off, on a rock which may be +about twenty feet in height, and fifty in length. It is called Tunga +Huer, and rises from the midst of a moor. On this rock there are no +less than sixteen springs, some emerging from its base, others rather above +the middle, but none from the top of the rock.</p> +<p>The construction of the basins and the height and diameter of the jets +were precisely similar to those I have already described. All these +sixteen springs are so near each other that they do not even occupy two +sides of the rock. It is impossible to form an idea of the +magnificence of this singular spectacle, which becomes really fairy-like, +if the beholder have the courage to climb the rock itself, a proceeding of +some danger, though of little difficulty. The upper stratum of the +rock is soft and warm, presenting almost the appearance of mud thickened +with sand and small stones. Every footstep leaves a trace behind it, +and the visitor has continually before his eyes the fear of breaking +through, and falling into a hot spring hidden from view by a thin +covering. The good pastor walked in advance of me, with a stick, and +probed the dangerous surface as much as possible. I was loath to stay +behind, and suddenly we found ourselves at the summit of the rock. +Here we could take in, at one view, the sixteen springs gushing from both +its sides. If the view from below had been most interesting and +singular, how shall I describe its appearance as seen from above? +Sixteen jets of water seen at one glance, sixteen reservoirs, in all their +diversity of form and construction, opening at once beneath the feet of the +beholder, seemed almost too wonderful a sight. Forgetting all +pusillanimous feelings, I stood and honoured the Creator in these his +marvellous works. For a long time I stood, and could not tire of +gazing into the abysses from whose darkness the masses of white and foaming +water sprung hissing into the air, to fall again, and hasten in quiet union +towards the neighbouring river. The good pastor found it necessary to +remind me several times that our position here was neither of the safest +nor of the most comfortable, and that it was therefore high time to abandon +it. I had ceased to think of the insecurity of the ground we trod, +and scarcely noticed the mighty clouds of hot vapour which frequently +surrounded and threatened to suffocate us, obliging us to step suddenly +back with wetted faces. It was fortunate that these waters contain +but a very small quantity of brimstone, otherwise we could scarcely have +long maintained our elevated position.</p> +<p>The rock from which these springs rise is formed of a reddish mass, and +the bed of the river into which the water flows is also completely covered +with little stones of the same colour.</p> +<p>On our way back we noticed, near a cottage, another remarkable +phenomenon. It was a basin, in whose depths the water boils and +bubbles violently; and near this basin are two unsightly holes, from which +columns of smoke periodically rise with a great noise. Whilst this is +going on, the basin fills itself more and more with water, but never so +much as to overflow, or to force a jet of water into the air; then the +steam and the noise cease in both cavities, and the water in the reservoir +sinks several feet.</p> +<p>This strange phenomenon generally lasts about a minute, and is repeated +so regularly, that a bet could almost be made, that the rising and falling +of the water, and the increased and lessened noise of the steam, shall be +seen and heard sixty or sixty-five times within an hour.</p> +<p>In communication with this basin is another, situate at a distance of +about a hundred paces in a small hollow, and filled like the former with +boiling water. As the water in the upper basin gradually sinks, and +ceases to seethe, it begins to rise in the lower one, and is at length +forced two or three feet into the air; then it falls again, and thus the +phenomenon is continually repeated in the upper and the lower basin +alternately.</p> +<p>At the upper spring there is also a vapour-bath. This is formed by +a small chamber situate hard by the basin, built of stones and roofed with +turf. It is further provided with a small and narrow entrance, which +cannot be passed in an upright position. The floor is composed of +stone slabs, probably covering a hot spring, for they are very warm. +The person wishing to use this bath betakes himself to this room, and +carefully closes every cranny; a suffocating heat, which induces violent +perspiration over the whole frame, is thus generated. The people, +however, seldom avail themselves of this bath.</p> +<p>On my return I had still to visit a basin with a jet of water, in a fine +meadow near the church; a low wall of stone has been erected round this +spring to prevent the cattle from scalding themselves if they should +approach too near in the ardour of grazing. Some eighty paces off is +to be seen the wool-bath erected by Snorri Sturluson. It consists of +a stone basin three or four feet in depth, and eighteen or twenty in +diameter. The approach is by a few steps leading to a low stone +bench, which runs round the basin. The water is obtained from the +neighbouring spring, but is of so high a temperature that it is impossible +to bathe without previously cooling it. The bath stands in the open +air, and no traces are left of the building which once covered it. It +is now used for clothes and sheep’s wool.</p> +<p>I had now seen all the interesting springs on this side of the +valley. Some columns of vapour, which may be observed from the +opposite end of the valley, proceed from thermal springs, that offer no +remarkable feature save their heat.</p> +<p>On our return the priest took me to the churchyard, which lay at some +distance from his dwelling, and showed me the principal graves. +Though I thought the sight very impressive, it was not calculated to +invigorate me, when I considered that I must pass the approaching night +alone in the church, amidst these resting-places of the departed.</p> +<p>The mound above each grave is very high, and the greater part of them +are surmounted by a kind of wooden coffin, which at first sight conveys the +impression that the dead person is above ground. I could not shake +off a feeling of discomfort; and such is the power of prejudice, +that—I acknowledge my weakness—I was even induced to beg that +the priest would remove one of the covers. Though I knew full well +that the dead man was slumbering deep in the earth, and not in this coffin, +I felt a shudder pass over me as the lid was removed, and I saw—as +the priest had assured me I should do—merely a tombstone with the +usual inscription, which this coffin-like covering is intended to protect +against the rude storms of the winter.</p> +<p>Close beside the entrance to the church is the mound beneath which rest +the bones of Snorri Sturluson, the celebrated poet; <a +name="citation39"></a><a href="#footnote39" class="citation">[39]</a> over +this grave stands a small runic stone of the length of the mound +itself. This stone is said to have once been completely covered with +runic characters; but all trace of these has been swept away by the storms +of five hundred winters, against which the tomb had no protecting +coffin. The stone, too, is split throughout its entire length into +two pieces. The mound above the grave is often renewed, so that the +beholder could often fancy he saw a new-made grave. I picked all the +buttercups I could find growing on the grave, and preserved them carefully +in a book. Perhaps I may be able to give pleasure to several of my +countrywomen by offering them a floweret from the grave of the greatest of +Icelandic poets.</p> +<p style="text-align: right">June 19th.</p> +<p>In order to pursue my journey without interruption, I hired fresh +horses, and allowed my own, which were rather fatigued, to accompany us +unloaded. My object in this further excursion was to visit the very +remarkable cavern of Surthellir, distant a good thirty-three miles from +this place. The clergyman was again kind enough to make the necessary +arrangements for me, and even to act as my Mentor on the journey.</p> +<p>Though we were only three strong, we departed with a retinue of seven +horses, and for nearly ten miles rode back the same way by which I had come +from Reikholt on the preceding morning; then we turned off to the left, and +crossing hills and acclivities, reached other valleys, which were partly +traversed by beautiful streams of lava, and partly interspersed with +forests—<i>forests</i>, as I have already said, according to +Icelandic notions. The separate stems were certainly slightly higher +than those in the valley of Thingvalla.</p> +<p>At Kalmannstunga we left the spare horses, and took with us a man to +serve as guide in the cavern, from which we were now still some seven miles +distant. The great valley in which this cavern lies is reckoned among +the most remarkable in Iceland. It is a most perfect picture of +volcanic devastation. The most beautiful masses of lava, in the most +varied and picturesque forms, occupy the whole immeasurable valley. +Lava is to be seen there in a rough glassy state, forming exquisite flames +and arabesques; and in immense slabs, lying sometimes scattered, sometimes +piled in strata one above the other, as though they had been cast there by +a flood. Among these, again, lie mighty isolated streams, which must +have been frozen in the midst of their course. From the different +colours of the lava, and their transitions from light grey to black, we can +judge of the eruptions which have taken place at different periods. +The mountains surrounding this valley are mostly of a sombre hue; some are +even black, forming a striking contrast to the neighbouring jokuls, which, +in their large expanse, present the appearance almost of a sea of +ice. I found one of these jokuls of a remarkable size; its shining +expanse extended far down into the valley, and its upper surface was almost +immeasurable.</p> +<p>The other mountains were all smooth, as though polished by art; in the +foreground I only noticed one which was covered with wonderful forms of +dried lava. A deathlike silence weighed on the whole country round, +on hill and on valley alike. Every thing seemed dead, all round was +barren and desert, so that the effect was truly Icelandic. The +greater portion of Iceland might be with justice designated the +“Northern Desert.”</p> +<p>The cavern of Surthellir lies on a slightly elevated extended plain, +where it would certainly not be sought for, as we are accustomed to see +natural phenomena of this description only in the bowels of rocks. It +is, therefore, with no little surprise that the traveller sees suddenly +opening before him a large round basin about fifteen fathoms in diameter, +and four in depth. It was with a feeling of awe that I looked +downwards on the countless blocks of rock piled one upon the other, +extending on one side to the edge of the hollow, across which the road led +to the dark ravines farther on.</p> +<p>We were compelled to scramble forward on our hands and knees, until we +reached a long broad passage, which led us at first imperceptibly +downwards, and then ran underneath the plain, which formed a rocky cavern +above our heads. I estimated the different heights of this roof at +not less than from eighteen to sixty feet; but it seldom reached a greater +elevation than the latter. Both roof and walls are in some places +very pointed and rough: a circumstance to be ascribed to the stalactites +which adhere to them, without, however, forming figures or long sharp +points.</p> +<p>From this principal path several smaller ones lead far into the interior +of this stony region; but they do not communicate with each other, and one +is compelled to return from each side-path into the main road. Some +of these by-paths are short, narrow, and low; others, on the contrary, are +long, broad, and lofty.</p> +<p>In one of the most retired of these by-paths I was shewn a great number +of bones, which, I was told, were those of slaughtered sheep and other +animals. I could gather, from the account given by the priest of the +legend concerning them, that, in days of yore, this cave was the resort of +a mighty band of robbers. This must have been a long, long time ago, +as this is related as a legend or a fable.</p> +<p>For my part, I could not tell what robbers had to do in Iceland. +Pirates had often come to the island; but for these gentry this cavern was +too far from the sea. I cannot even imagine beasts of prey to have +been there; for the whole country round about is desert and uninhabited, so +that they could have found nothing to prey upon. In fact, I turned +over in my mind every probability, and can only say that it appeared to me +a most remarkable circumstance to find in this desert place, so far from +any living thing, a number of bones, which, moreover, looked as fresh as if +the poor animals to whom they once belonged had been eaten but a short time +ago. Unfortunately I could obtain no satisfactory information on this +point.</p> +<p>It is difficult to imagine any thing more laborious than to wander about +in this cavern. As the road had shewed itself at the entrance of the +cavern, so it continued throughout its whole extent. The path +consisted entirely of loose fragments of lava heaped one upon the other, +over which we had to clamber with great labour. None of us could +afford to help the others; each one was fully occupied with himself. +There was not a single spot to be seen on which we could have stood without +holding fast at the same time with our hands. We were sometimes +obliged to seat ourselves on a stone, and so to slide down; at others, to +take hands and pull one another to the top of high blocks of stone.</p> +<p>We came to several immense basins, or craters, which opened above our +heads, but were inaccessible, the sides being too steep for us to +climb. The light which entered through these openings was scarcely +enough to illumine the principal path, much less the numerous by-paths.</p> +<p>At Kalmannstunga I had endeavoured to procure torches, but was obliged +to consider myself fortunate in getting a few tapers. It is necessary +to provide oneself with torches at Reikjavik.</p> +<p>The parts of the cavern beneath the open craters were still covered with +a considerable quantity of snow, by which our progress was rendered very +dangerous. We frequently sunk in, and at other times caught our feet +between the stones, so that we could scarcely maintain our balance. +In the by-paths situated near these openings an icy rind had formed itself, +which was now covered with water. Farther on, the ice had melted; but +it was generally very dirty, as a stratum of sand mixed with water lay +there in place of the stones. The chief path alone was covered with +blocks of lava; in the smaller paths I found only strata of sand and small +pieces of lava.</p> +<p>The magical illumination produced by the sun’s rays shining +through one of these craters into the cavern produced a splendid +effect. The sun shone perpendicularly through the opening, spread a +dazzling radiance over the snow, and diffused a pale delicate light around +us. The effect of this point of dazzling light was the more +remarkable from its contrasting strongly with the two dark chasms, from the +first of which we had emerged to continue our journey through the obscurity +of the second.</p> +<p>This subterranean labyrinth is said to extend in different directions +for many miles. We explored a portion of the chief path and several +by-paths, and after a march of two hours returned heartily tired to the +upper world. We then rested a quarter of an hour, and afterwards +returned at a good round pace to Kalmannstunga.</p> +<p>Unfortunately I do not possess sufficient geognostic knowledge to be +able to set this cavern down as an extinct volcano. But in travelling +in a country where every hill and mountain, every thing around, in fact, +consists of lava, even the uninitiated in science seeks to discover the +openings whence these immense masses have poured. The stranger +curiously regards the top of each mountain, thinking every where to behold +a crater, but both hill and dale appear smooth and closed. With what +joy then does he hail the thought of having discovered, in this cavern, +something to throw light upon the sources of these things! I, at +least, fancied myself walking on the hearth of an extinct volcano; for all +I saw, from the masses of stone piled beneath my feet and the immense basin +above my head, were both of lava. If I am right in my conjecture, I +do not know; I only speak according to my notions and my views.</p> +<p>I was obliged to pass this night in a cottage. Kalmannstunga +contains three such cottages, but no chapel. Luckily I found one of +these houses somewhat larger and more cleanly than its neighbours; it could +almost come under the denomination of a farm. The occupants, too, had +been employed during my ride to the cavern in cleansing the best chamber, +and preparing it, as far as possible, for my reception. The room in +question was eleven feet long by seven broad; the window was so small and +so covered with dirt that, although the sun was shining in its full glory, +I could scarcely see to write. The walls, and even the floor, were +boarded—a great piece of luxury in a country where wood is so +scarce. The furniture consisted of a broad bedstead, two chests of +drawers, and a small table. Chairs and benches are a kind of <i>terra +incognita</i> in the dwellings of the Icelandic peasantry; besides, I do +not know where such articles could be stowed in a room of such dimensions +as that which I occupied.</p> +<p>My hostess, the widow of a wealthy peasant, introduced to me her four +children, who were very handsome, and very neatly dressed. I begged +the good mother to tell me the names of the young ones, so that I might at +least know a few Icelandic names. She appeared much flattered at my +request, and gave me the names as follows: Sigrudur, Gudrun, Ingebör, +and Lars.</p> +<p>I should have felt tolerably comfortable in my present quarters, +accustomed as I am to bear privations of all kinds with indifference, if +they would but have left me in peace. But the reader may fancy my +horror when the whole population, not only of the cottage itself, but also +of the neighbouring dwellings, made their appearance, and, planting +themselves partly in my chamber and partly at the door, held me in a far +closer state of siege than even at Krisuvik. I was, it appeared, +quite a novel phenomenon in the eyes of these good people, and so they came +one and all and stared at me; the women and children were, in particular, +most unpleasantly familiar; they felt my dress, and the little ones laid +their dirty little countenances in my lap. Added to this, the +confined atmosphere from the number of persons present, their lamentable +want of cleanliness, and their filthy habit of spitting, &c., all +combined to form a most dreadful whole. During these visits I did +more penance than by the longest fasts; and fasting, too, was an exercise I +seldom escaped, as I could touch few Icelandic dishes. The cookery of +the Icelandic peasants is wholly confined to the preparation of dried fish, +with which they eat fermented milk that has often been kept for months; on +very rare occasions they have a preparation of barley-meal, which is eaten +with flat bread baked from Icelandic moss ground fine.</p> +<p>I could not but wonder at the fact that most of these people expected to +find me acquainted with a number of things generally studied only by men; +they seemed to have a notion that in foreign parts women should be as +learned as men. So, for instance, the priests always inquired if I +spoke Latin, and seemed much surprised on finding that I was unacquainted +with the language. The common people requested my advice as to the +mode of treating divers complaints; and once, in the course of one of my +solitary wanderings about Reikjavik, on my entering a cottage, they brought +before me a being whom I should scarcely have recognised as belonging to +the same species as myself, so fearfully was he disfigured by the eruption +called “lepra.” Not only the face, but the whole body +also was covered with it; the patient was quite emaciated, and some parts +of his body were covered with sores. For a surgeon this might have +been an interesting sight, but I turned away in disgust.</p> +<p>But let us turn from this picture. I would rather tell of the +angel’s face I saw in Kalmannstunga. It was a girl, ten or +twelve years of age, beautiful and lovely beyond description, so that I +wished I had been a painter. How gladly would I have taken home with +me to my own land, if only on canvass, the delicate face, with its roguish +dimples and speaking eyes! But perhaps it is better as it is; the +picture might by some unlucky chance have fallen into the hands of some +too-susceptible youth, who, like Don Sylvio de Rosalva, in Wieland’s +<i>Comical Romance</i>, would immediately have proceeded to travel through +half the world to find the original of this enchanting portrait. His +spirit of inquiry would scarcely have carried him to Iceland, as such an +apparition would never be suspected to exist in such a country, and thus +the unhappy youth would be doomed to endless wandering.</p> +<p style="text-align: right">June 20th.</p> +<p>The distance from Kalmannstunga to Thingvalla is fifty-two miles, and +the journey is certainly one of the most dreary and fatiguing of all that +can be made in Iceland. The traveller passes from one desert valley +into another; he is always surrounded by high mountains and still higher +glaciers, and wherever he turns his eyes, nature seems torpid and +dead. A feeling of anxious discomfort seizes upon the wanderer, he +hastens with redoubled speed through the far-stretched deserts, and eagerly +ascends the mountains piled up before him, in the hope that better things +lie beyond. It is in vain; he only sees the same solitudes, the same +deserts, the same mountains.</p> +<p>On the elevated plateaux several places were still covered with snow; +these we were obliged to cross, though we could frequently hear the rushing +of the water beneath its snowy covering. We were compelled also to +pass over coatings of ice spread lightly over rivers, and presenting that +blue colour which is a certain sign of danger.</p> +<p>Our poor horses were sometimes very restive; but it was of no use; they +were beaten without mercy until they carried us over the dangerous +places. The pack-horse was always driven on in front with many blows; +it had to serve as pioneer, and try if the road was practicable. Next +came my guide, and I brought up the rear. Our poor horses frequently +sank up to their knees in the snow, and twice up to the +saddle-girths. This was one of the most dangerous rides I have ever +had. I could not help continually thinking what I should do if my +guide were to sink in so deeply that he could not extricate himself; my +strength would not have been sufficient to rescue him, and whither should I +turn to seek for help? All around us was nothing but a desert and +snow. Perhaps my lot might have been to die of hunger. I should +have wandered about seeking dwellings and human beings, and have entangled +myself so completely among these wastes that I could never have found my +way.</p> +<p>When at a distance I descried a new field of snow (and unfortunately we +came upon them but too frequently), I felt very uncomfortable; those alone +who have themselves been in a similar situation can estimate the whole +extent of my anxiety.</p> +<p>If I had been travelling in company with others, these fears would not +have disturbed me; for there reciprocal assistance can be rendered, and the +consciousness of this fact seems materially to diminish the danger.</p> +<p>During the season in which the snow ceases to form a secure covering, +this road is but little travelled. We saw nowhere a trace of +footsteps, either of men or animals; we were the only living beings in this +dreadful region. I certainly scolded my guide roundly for bringing me +by such a road. But what did I gain by this? It would have been +as dangerous to turn back as to go on.</p> +<p>A change in the weather, which till now had been rather favourable, +increased the difficulties of this journey. Already when we left +Kalmannstunga, the sky began to be overcast, and the sun enlivened us with +its rays only for a few minutes at a time. On our reaching the higher +mountains the weather became worse; for here we encountered clouds and fog, +which wreaked their vengeance upon us, and which only careered by to make +room for others. An icy storm from the neighbouring glaciers was +their constant companion, and made me shiver so much that I could scarcely +keep my saddle. We had now ridden above thirteen hours. The +rain poured down incessantly, and we were half dead with cold and wet; so I +at length determined to halt for the night at the first cottage: at last we +found one between two or three miles from Thingvalla. I had now a +roof above my head; but beyond this I had gained nothing. The cottage +consisted of a single room, and was almost completely filled by four broad +bedsteads. I counted seven adults and three children, who had all to +be accommodated in these four beds. In addition to this, the kvef, a +kind of croup, prevailed this spring to such an extent that scarcely any +one escaped it. Wherever I went, I found the people afflicted with +this complaint; and here this was also the case; the noise of groaning and +coughing on all sides was quite deplorable. The floor, moreover, was +revoltingly dirty.</p> +<p>The good people were so kind as immediately to place one of their beds +at my disposal; but I would rather have passed the night on the threshold +of the door than in this disgusting hole. I chose for my +lodging-place the narrow passage which separated the kitchen from the room; +I found there a couple of blocks, across which a few boards had been laid, +and this constituted the milk-room: it might have been more properly called +the smoke-room; for in the roof were a few air-holes, through which the +smoke escaped. In this smoke or milk-room—whichever it may be +called—I prepared to pass the night as best I could. My cloak +being wet through, I had been compelled to hang it on a stick to dry; and +thus found myself under the necessity of borrowing a mattress from these +unhealthy people. I laid myself down boldly, and pretended +sleepiness, in order to deliver myself from the curiosity of my +entertainers. They retired to their room, and so I was alone and +undisturbed. But yet I could not sleep; the cold wind, blowing in +upon me through the air-holes, chilled and wetted as I already was, kept me +awake against my will. I had also another misfortune to endure. +As often as I attempted to sit upright on my luxurious couch, my head would +receive a severe concussion. I had forgotten the poles which are +fixed across each of these antechambers, for the purpose of hanging up fish +to dry, &c. Unfortunately I could not bear this arrangement in +mind until after I had received half a dozen salutations of this +description.</p> +<p style="text-align: right">June 21st.</p> +<p>At length the morning so long sighed for came; the rain had indeed +ceased; but the clouds still hung about the mountains, and promised a +speedy fall; I nevertheless resolved rather to submit myself to the fury of +the elements than to remain longer in my present quarters, and so ordered +the horses to be saddled.</p> +<p>Before my departure roast lamb and butter were offered me. I +thanked my entertainers; but refrained from tasting any thing, excusing +myself on the plea of not feeling hungry, which was in reality the case; +for if I only looked at the dirty people who surrounded me, my appetite +vanished instantly. So long as my stock of bread and cheese lasted, I +kept to it, and ate nothing else.</p> +<p>Taking leave of my good hosts, we continued our journey to Reikjavik, by +the same road on which I had travelled on my journey hither. This had +not been my original plan on starting from Reikjavik; I had intended to +proceed from Thingvalla directly to the Geyser, to Hecla, &c.; but the +horses were already exhausted, and the weather so dreadfully bad, without +prospect of speedy amendment, that I preferred returning to Reikjavik, and +waiting for better times in my pleasant little room at the house of the +good baker.</p> +<p>We rode on as well as we could amidst ceaseless storms of wind and +rain. The most disagreeable circumstance of all was our being obliged +to spend the hours devoted to rest in the open air, under a by no means +cloudless sky, as during our whole day’s journey we saw not a single +hut, save the solitary one in the lava desert, which serves as a +resting-place for travellers during the winter. So we continued our +journey until we reached a scanty meadow. Here I had my choice either +to walk about for two hours, or to sit down upon the wet grass. I +could find nothing better to do than to turn my back upon the wind and +rain, to remain standing on one spot, to have patience, and for amusement +to observe the direction in which the clouds scudded by. At the same +time I discussed my frugal meal, more for want of something to do than from +hunger; if I felt thirsty, I had only to turn round and open my mouth.</p> +<p>If there are natures peculiarly fitted for travelling, I am fortunate in +being blessed with such an one. No rain or wind was powerful enough +to give me even a cold. During this whole excursion I had tasted no +warm or nourishing food; I had slept every night upon a bench or a chest; +had ridden nearly 255 miles in six days; and had besides scrambled about +bravely in the cavern of Surthellir; and, in spite of all this privation +and fatigue, I arrived at Reikjavik in good health and spirits.</p> +<p>Short summary of this journey:</p> +<p></p> +<table> +<tr> +<td> +<p></p> +</td> +<td> +<p>Miles</p> +</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td> +<p>First day, from Reikjavik to Thingvalla</p> +</td> +<td> +<p>46</p> +</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td> +<p>Second day, from Thingvalla to Reikholt</p> +</td> +<td> +<p>51</p> +</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td> +<p>Third day, from Reikholt to the different springs, and back again</p> +</td> +<td> +<p>19</p> +</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td> +<p>Fourth day, from Reikholt to Surthellir, and back to Kalmannstunga</p> +</td> +<td> +<p>40</p> +</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td> +<p>Fifth day, from Kalmannstunga to Thingvalla</p> +</td> +<td> +<p>51</p> +</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td> +<p>Sixth day, from Thingvalla to Reikjavik</p> +</td> +<td> +<p>46</p> +</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td> +<p>Total</p> +</td> +<td> +<p>253</p> +</td> +</tr> +</table> +<p></p> +<h2>CHAPTER VI</h2> +<p>The weather soon cleared up, and I continued my journey to the Geyser +and to Mount Hecla on the 24th June. On the first day, when we rode +to Thingvalla, we passed no new scenery, but saw instead an extremely +beautiful atmospheric phenomenon.</p> +<p style="text-align: center"> +<a href="images/p0b.jpg"> +<img alt="The Geysers" src="images/p0s.jpg" /> +</a></p> +<p>As we approached the lake, some thin mist-clouds lowered over it and +over the earth, so that it seemed as if it would rain. One portion of +the firmament glowed with the brightest blue; while the other part was +obscured by thick clouds, through which the sun was just breaking. +Some of its rays reached the clouds of mist, and illuminated them in a +wonderfully beautiful manner. The most delicate shades of colour +seemed breathed, as it were, over them like a dissolving rainbow, whose +glowing colours were intermingled and yet singly perceptible. This +play of colours continued for half an hour, then faded gradually till it +vanished entirely, and the ordinary atmosphere took its place. It was +one of the most beautiful appearances I had ever witnessed.</p> +<p style="text-align: right">June 25th.</p> +<p>The roads separate about a mile behind the little town of Thingvalla; +the one to the left goes to Reikholt, the right-hand one leads to the +Geyser. We rode for some time along the shores of the lake, and found +at the end of the valley an awful chasm in the rock, similar to the one of +Almanagiau, which we had passed on such a wretched road.</p> +<p>The contiguous valley bore a great resemblance to that of Thingvalla; +but the third one was again fearful. Lava covered it, and was quite +overgrown with that whitish moss, which has a beautiful appearance when it +only covers a portion of the lava, and when black masses rise above it, but +which here presented a most monotonous aspect.</p> +<p>We also passed two grottoes which opened at our feet. At the +entrance of one stood a pillar of rock supporting an immense slab of lava, +which formed an awe-inspiring portal. I had unfortunately not known +of the existence of these caves, and was consequently unprepared to visit +them. Torches, at least, would have been requisite. But I +subsequently heard that they were not at all deep, and contained nothing of +interest.</p> +<p>In the course of the day we passed through valleys such as I had seen +nowhere else in Iceland. Beautiful meadow-lawns, perfectly level, +covered the country for miles. These rich valleys were, of course, +tolerably well populated; we frequently passed three or four contiguous +cottages, and saw horses, cows, and sheep grazing on these fields in +considerable numbers.</p> +<p>The mountains which bounded these valleys on the left seemed to me very +remarkable; they were partly brown, black, or dark blue, like the others; +but the bulk of which they were composed I considered to be fine loam-soil +layers, if I may trust my imperfect mineralogical knowledge. Some of +these mountains were topped by large isolated lava rocks, real giants; and +it seemed inexplicable to me how they could stand on the soft soil +beneath.</p> +<p>In one of these valleys we passed a considerable lake, on and around +which rose circling clouds of steam proceeding from hot springs, but of no +great size. But after we had already travelled about twenty-five +miles, we came to the most remarkable object I had ever met with; this was +a river with a most peculiar bed.</p> +<p>This river-bed is broad and somewhat steep; it consists of lava strata, +and is divided lengthwise in the middle by a cleft eighteen to twenty feet +deep, and fifteen to eighteen feet broad, towards which the bubbling and +surging waters rush, so that the sound is heard at some distance. A +little wooden bridge, which stands in the middle of the stream, and over +which the high waves constantly play, leads over the chasm. Any one +not aware of the fact can hardly explain this appearance to himself, nor +understand the noise and surging of the stream. The little bridge in +the centre would be taken for the ruins of a fallen bridge, and the chasm +is not seen from the shore, because the foaming waves overtop it. An +indescribable fear would seize upon the traveller when he beheld the +venturous guide ride into the stream, and was obliged to follow without +pity or mercy.</p> +<p>The priest of Thingvalla had prepared me for the scene, and had advised +me to <i>walk</i> over the bridge; but as the water at this season stood so +high that the waves from both sides dashed two feet above the bridge, I +could not descend from my horse, and was obliged to ride across.</p> +<p>The whole passage through the stream is so peculiar, that it must be +seen, and can scarcely be described. The water gushes and plays on +all sides with fearful force; it rushes into the chasm with impetuous +violence, forms waterfalls on both sides, and breaks itself on the +projecting rocks. Not far from the bridge the cleft terminates; and +the whole breadth of the waters falls over rocks thirty to forty feet +high. The nearer we approached the centre, the deeper, more violent, +and impetuous grew the stream, and the more deafening was the noise. +The horses became restless and shy; and when we came to the bridge, they +began to tremble, they reared, they turned to all sides but the right one, +and refused to obey the bridle. With infinite trouble we at last +succeeded in bringing them across this dangerous place.</p> +<p>The valley which is traversed by this peculiar river is narrow, and +quite enclosed by lava mountains and hills; the inanimate, silent nature +around is perfectly adapted to imprint this scene for ever on the +traveller’s memory.</p> +<p>This remarkable stream had been the last difficulty; and now we +proceeded quietly and safely through the beautiful valleys till we +approached the Geyser, which a projecting hillock enviously concealed from +my anxiously curious gaze. At last this hillock was passed; and I saw +the Geyser with its surrounding scenery, with its immense steam pillars, +and the clouds and cloudlets rising from it. The hill was about two +miles distant from the Geyser and the other hot springs. There they +were, boiling and bubbling all around, and through the midst lay the road +to the basin. Eighty paces from it we halted.</p> +<p>And now I stood before the chief object of my journey; I saw it, it was +so near me, and yet I did not venture to approach it. But a peasant +who had followed us from one of the neighbouring cottages, and had probably +guessed my anxiety and my fear, took me by the hand and constituted himself +my cicerone. He had unfortunately, it being Sunday, paid too great a +devotion to the brandy-bottle, so that he staggered rather than walked, and +I hesitated to trust myself to the guidance of this man, not knowing +whether he had reason enough left to distinguish how far we might with +safety venture. My guide, who had accompanied me from Reikjavik, +assured me indeed that I might trust him in spite of his intoxication, and +that he would himself go with us to translate the peasant’s Icelandic +jargon into Danish; but nevertheless I followed with great trepidation.</p> +<p>He led me to the margin of the basin of the great Geyser, which lies on +the top of a gentle elevation of about ten feet, and contains the outer and +the inner basins. The diameter of the outer basin may be about thirty +feet; that of the inner one six to seven feet. Both were filled to +the brim, the water was pure as crystal, but boiled and bubbled only +slightly. We soon left this spot; for when the basins are quite +filled with water it is very dangerous to approach them, as they may empty +themselves any moment by an eruption. We therefore went to inspect +the other springs.</p> +<p>My unsteady guide pointed those out which we might unhesitatingly +approach, and warned me from the others. Then we returned to the +great Geyser, where he gave me some precautionary rules, in case of an +intervening eruption, and then left me to prepare some accommodation for my +stay. I will briefly enumerate the rules he gave me.</p> +<p>“The pillar of water always rises perpendicularly, and the +overflowing water has its chief outlets on one and the same side. The +water does indeed escape on the other side, but only in inconsiderable +quantities, and in shapeless little ducts, which one may easily +evade. On this side one may therefore approach within forty paces +even during the most violent eruptions. The eruption announces itself +by a dull roaring; and as soon as this is heard, the traveller must hastily +retire to the above-named distance, as the eruption always follows very +quickly after the noise. The water, however, does not rise high every +time, often only very inconsiderably, so that, to see a very fine +explosion, it is often necessary to stay some days here.”</p> +<p>The French scholar, M. P. Geimard, has provided for the accommodation of +travellers with a truly noble disinterestedness. He traversed the +whole of Iceland some years ago and left two large tents behind him; one +here, and the other in Thingvalla. The one here is particularly +appropriate, as travellers are frequently obliged, as stated above, to wait +several days for a fine eruption. Every traveller certainly owes M. +Geimard the warmest thanks for this convenience. A peasant, the same +who guides travellers to the springs, has the charge of it, and is bound to +pitch it for any one for a fee of one or two florins.</p> +<p>When my tent was ready it was nearly eleven o’clock. My +companions retired, and I remained alone.</p> +<p>It is usual to watch through the night in order not to miss an +eruption. Now, although an alternate watching is no very arduous +matter for several travellers, it became a very hard task for me alone, and +an Icelandic peasant cannot be trusted; an eruption of Mount Hecla would +scarcely arouse him.</p> +<p>I sat sometimes before and sometimes in my tent, and listened with +anxious expectation for the coming events; at last, after +midnight—the witching hour—I heard some hollow sounds, as if a +cannon were being fired at a great distance, and its echoing sounds were +borne by the breeze. I rushed from my tent and expected subterranean +noises, violent cracking and trembling of the earth, according to the +descriptions I had read. I could scarcely repress a slight sensation +of fear. To be alone at midnight in such a scene is certainly no +joke.</p> +<p>Many of my friends may remember my telling them, before my departure, +that I expected I should need the most courage on my Icelandic journey +during the nights at the Geyser.</p> +<p>These hollow sounds were repeated, at very short intervals, thirteen +times; and each time the basin overflowed and ejected a considerable +quantity of water. The sounds did not seem to proceed from +subterranean ragings, but from the violent agitation of the waters. +In a minute and a half all was over; the water no longer overflowed, the +caldron and basin remained filled, and I returned to my tent disappointed +in every way. This phenomenon was repeated every two hours and a +half, or, at the latest, every three hours and a half. I saw and +heard nothing else all night, the next day, or the second night. I +waited in vain for an eruption.</p> +<p>When I had accustomed myself to these temporary effusions of my +neighbour, I either indulged in a gentle slumber in the intermediate time, +or I visited the other springs and explored. I wished to discover the +boiling vapour and the coloured springs which many travellers assert they +have seen here.</p> +<p>All the hot-springs are united with a circumference of 800 to 900 paces: +several of them are very remarkable, but the majority insignificant.</p> +<p>They are situated in the angle of an immense valley at the foot of a +hill, behind which extends a chain of mountains. The valley is +entirely covered with grass, and the vegetation only decreases a little in +the immediate vicinity of the springs. Cottages are built every where +in the neighbourhood; the nearest to the springs are only about 700 to 800 +paces distant.</p> +<p>I counted twelve large basins with boiling and gushing springs; of +smaller ones there were many more.</p> +<p>Among the gushing springs the Strokker is the most remarkable. It +boils and bubbles with most extraordinary violence at a depth of about +twenty feet, shoots up suddenly, and projects its waters into the +air. Its eruptions sometimes last half an hour, and the column +occasionally ascends to a height of forty feet. I witnessed several +of its eruptions; but unfortunately not one of the largest. The +highest I saw could not have been above thirty feet, and did not last more +than a quarter of an hour. The Strokker is the only spring, except +the Geyser, which has to be approached with great caution. The +eruptions sometimes succeed each other quickly, and sometimes cease for a +few hours, and are not preceded by any sign. Another spring spouts +constantly, but never higher than three to four feet. A third one +lies about four or five feet deep, in a rather broad basin, and produces +only a few little bubbles. But this calmness is deceptive: it seldom +lasts more than half a minute, rarely two or three minutes; then the spring +begins to bubble, to boil, and to wave and spout to a height of two or +three feet; without, however, reaching the level of the basin. In +some springs I heard boiling and foaming like a gentle bellowing; but saw +no water, sometimes not even steam, rising.</p> +<p>Two of the most remarkable springs which can perhaps be found in the +world are situated immediately above the Geyser, in two openings, which are +separated by a wall of rock scarcely a foot wide. This partition does +not rise above the surface of the soil, but descends into the earth; the +water boils slowly, and has an equable, moderate discharge. The +beauty of these springs consists in their remarkable transparency. +All the varied forms and caves, the projecting peaks, and edges of rock, +are visible far down, until the eye is lost in the depths of +darkness. But the greatest beauty of the spring is the splendid +colouring proceeding from the rock; it is of the tenderest, most +transparent, pale blue and green, and resembles the reflection of a Bengal +flame. But what is most strange is, that this play of colour proceeds +from the rock, and only extends eight to ten inches from it, while the +other water is colourless as common water, only more transparent, and +purer.</p> +<p>I could not believe it at first, and thought it must be occasioned by +the sun; I therefore visited the springs at different times, sometimes when +the sun shone brightly, sometimes when it was obscured by clouds, once even +after its setting; but the colouring always remained the same.</p> +<p>One may fearlessly approach the brink of these springs. The +platform which projects directly from them, and under which one can see in +all directions, is indeed only a thin ledge of rock, but strong enough to +prevent any accident. The beauty consists, as I have said, in the +magical illumination, and in the transparency, by which all the caves and +grottoes to the greatest depths become visible to the eye. +Involuntarily I thought of Schiller’s <i>Diver</i>. <a +name="citation40"></a><a href="#footnote40" class="citation">[40]</a> +I seemed to see the goblet hang on the peaks and jags of the rock; I could +fancy I saw the monsters rise from the bottom. It must be a peculiar +pleasure to read this splendid poem in such an appropriate spot.</p> +<p>I found scarcely any basins of Brodem or coloured waters. The only +one of the kind which I saw was a small basin, in which a brownish-red +substance, rather denser than water, was boiling. Another smaller +spring, with dirty brown water, I should have quite overlooked, if I had +not so industriously searched for these curiosities.</p> +<p>At last, after long waiting, on the second day of my stay, on the 27th +June, at half-past eight in the morning, I was destined to see an eruption +of the Geyser in its greatest perfection. The peasant, who came daily +in the morning and in the evening to inquire whether I had already seen an +eruption, was with me when the hollow sounds which precede it were again +heard. We hastened out, and I again despaired of seeing any thing; +the water only overflowed as usual, and the sound was already +ceasing. But all at once, when the last sounds had scarcely died +away, the explosion began. Words fail me when I try to describe it: +such a magnificent and overpowering sight can only be seen once in a +lifetime.</p> +<p>All my expectations and suppositions were far surpassed. The water +spouted upwards with indescribable force and bulk; one pillar rose higher +than the other; each seemed to emulate the other. When I had in some +measure recovered from the surprise, and regained composure, I looked at +the tent. How little, how dwarfish it seemed as compared to the +height of these pillars of water! And yet it was about twenty feet +high. It did, indeed, lie ten feet lower than the basin of the +Geyser; but if tent had been raised above tent, these ten feet could only +be deducted once, and I calculated, though my calculation may not be +correct, that one would need to pile up five or six tents to have the +height of one of the pillars. Without exaggeration, I think the +largest spout rose above one hundred feet high, and was three to four feet +in diameter.</p> +<p>Fortunately I had looked at my watch at the beginning of the hollow +sounds, the forerunners of the eruption, for during its continuance I +should probably have forgotten to do so. The whole lasted four +minutes, of which the greater half must have been taken up by the eruption +itself.</p> +<p>When this wonderful scene was over, the peasant accompanied me to the +basin. We could now approach it and the boiler without danger, and +examine both at leisure. There was now nothing to fear; the water had +entirely disappeared from the outer basin. We entered it and +approached the inner basin, in which the water had sunk seven or eight +feet, where it boiled and bubbled fiercely.</p> +<p>With a hammer I broke some crust out of the outer as well as out of the +inner basin; the former was white, the latter brown. I also tasted +the water; it had not an unpleasant taste, and can only contain an +inconsiderable proportion of sulphur, as the steam does not even smell of +it.</p> +<p>I went to the basin of the Geyser every half hour to observe how much +time was required to fill it again. After an hour I could still +descend into the outer basin; but half an hour later the inner basin was +already full, and commenced to overflow. As long as the water only +filled the inner basin it boiled violently; but the higher it rose in the +outer one, the less it boiled, and nearly ceased when the basin was filled: +it only threw little bubbles here and there.</p> +<p>After a lapse of two hours—it was just noon—the basin was +filled nearly to the brim; and while I stood beside it the water began +again to bubble violently, and to emit the hollow sounds. I had +scarcely time to retreat, for the pillars of water rose immediately. +This time they spouted during the noise, and were more bulky than those of +the first explosion, which might proceed from their not rising so high, and +therefore remaining more compact. Their height may have been from +forty to fifty feet. The basins this time remained nearly as full +after the eruption as before.</p> +<p>I had now seen two eruptions of the Geyser, and felt amply compensated +for my persevering patience and watchfulness. But I was destined to +be more fortunate, and to experience its explosions in all their +variety. The spring spouted again at seven o’clock in the +evening, ascended higher than at noon, and brought up some stones, which +looked like black spots and points in the white frothy water-column. +And during the third night it presented itself under another phase: the +water rose in dreadful, quickly-succeeding waves, without throwing rays; +the basin overflowed violently, and generated such a mass of steam as is +rarely seen. The wind accidentally blew it to the spot where I stood, +and it enveloped me so closely that I could scarcely see a few feet +off. But I perceived neither smell nor oppression, merely a slight +degree of warmth.</p> +<p style="text-align: right">June 28th.</p> +<p>As I had now seen the Geyser play so often and so beautifully, I ordered +my horses for nine o’clock this morning, to continue my +journey. I made the more haste to leave, as a Dutch prince was +expected, who had lately arrived at Reikjavik, with a large retinue, in a +splendid man-of-war.</p> +<p>I had the luck to see another eruption before my departure at half-past +eight o’clock; and this one was nearly as beautiful as the +first. This time also the outer basin was entirely emptied, and the +inner one to a depth of six or seven feet. I could therefore again +descend into the basin, and bid farewell to the Geyser at the very brink of +the crater, which, of course, I did.</p> +<p>I had now been three nights and two days in the immediate vicinity of +the Geyser, and had witnessed five eruptions, of which two were of the most +considerable that had ever been known. But I can assure my readers +that I did not find every thing as I had anticipated it according to the +descriptions and accounts I had read. I never heard a greater noise +than I have mentioned, and never felt any trembling of the earth, although +I paid the greatest attention to every little circumstance, and held my +head to the ground during an eruption.</p> +<p>It is singular how many people repeat every thing they hear from +others—how some, with an over-excited imagination, seem to see, hear, +and feel things which do not exist; and how others, again, tell the most +unblushing falsehoods. I met an example of this in Reikjavik, in the +house of the apothecary Möller, in the person of an officer of a +French frigate, who asserted that he had “ridden to the very edge of +the crater of Mount Vesuvius.” He probably did not anticipate +meeting any one in Reikjavik who had also been to the crater of +Vesuvius. Nothing irritates me so much as such falsehoods and +boastings; and I could not therefore resist asking him how he had managed +that feat. I told him that I had been there, and feared danger as +little as he could do; but that I had been compelled to descend from my +donkey near the top of the mountain, and let my feet carry me the remainder +of the journey. He seemed rather embarrassed, and pretended he had +meant to say <i>nearly</i> to the crater; but I feel convinced he will tell +this story so often that he will at last believe it himself.</p> +<p>I hope I do not weary my readers by dwelling so long on the subject of +the Geyser. I will now vary the subject by relating a few +circumstances that came under my notice, which, though trifling in +themselves, were yet very significant. The most unimportant facts of +an almost unknown country are often interesting, and are often most +conclusive evidences of the general character of the nation.</p> +<p>I have already spoken of my intoxicated guide. It is yet +inexplicable to me how he could have conducted me so safely in such a +semi-conscious state; and had he not been the only one, I should certainly +not have trusted myself to his guidance.</p> +<p>Of the want of cleanliness of the Icelanders, no one who has not +witnessed it can have any idea; and if I attempted to describe some of +their nauseous habits, I might fill volumes. They seem to have no +feeling of propriety, and I must, in this respect, rank them as far +inferior to the Bedouins and Arabs—even to the Greenlanders. I +can, therefore, not conceive how this nation could once have been +distinguished for wealth, bravery, and civilisation.</p> +<p>On this day I proceeded on my journey about twenty-eight miles farther +to Skalholt.</p> +<p>For the first five miles we retraced our former road; then we turned to +the left and traversed the beautiful long valley in which the Geyser is +situated. For many miles we could see its clouds of steam rising to +the sky. The roads were tolerable only when they passed along the +sides of hills and mountains; in the plains they were generally marshy and +full of water. We sometimes lost all traces of a road, and only +pushed on towards the quarter in which the place of our destination was +situated; and feared withal to sink at every pace into the soft and +unresisting soil.</p> +<p>I found the indolence of the Icelandic peasants quite +unpardonable. All the valleys through which we passed were large +morasses richly overgrown with grass. If the single parishes would +unite to dig trenches and drain the soil, they would have the finest +meadows. This is proved near the many precipices where the water has +an outlet; in these spots the grass grows most luxuriantly, and daisies and +herbs flourish there, and even wild clover. A few cottages are +generally congregated on these oases.</p> +<p>Before arriving at the village of Thorfastädir, we already +perceived Hecla surrounded by the beautiful jokuls.</p> +<p>I arrived at Thorfastädir while a funeral was going on. As I +entered the church the mourners were busily seeking courage and consolation +in the brandy-bottle. The law commands, indeed, that this be not done +in the church; but if every one obeyed the law, what need would there be of +judges? The Icelanders must think so, else they would discontinue the +unseemly practice.</p> +<p>When the priest came, a psalm or a prayer—I could not tell which +it was, being Icelandic—was so earnestly shouted by peasants under +the leadership of the priest and elders, that the good people waxed quite +warm and out of breath. Then the priest placed himself before the +coffin, which, for want of room, had been laid on the backs of the seats, +and with a very loud voice read a prayer which lasted more than half an +hour. With this the ceremony within the church was concluded, and the +coffin was carried round the church to the grave, followed by the priest +and the rest of the company. This grave was deeper than any I had +ever seen. When the coffin had been lowered, the priest threw three +handfuls of earth upon it, but none of the mourners followed his +example. Among the earth which had been dug out of the grave I +noticed four skulls, several human bones, and a board of a former +coffin. These were all thrown in again upon the coffin, and the grave +filled in presence of the priest and the people. One man trod the +soil firm, then a little mound was made and covered with grass-plots which +were lying ready. The whole business was completed with miraculous +speed.</p> +<p>The little town of Skalholt, my station this night, was once as +celebrated in religious matters as Thingvalla had been politically +famous. Here, soon after the introduction of Christianity, the first +bishopric was founded in 1098, and the church is said to have been one of +the largest and richest. Now Skalholt is a miserable place, and +consists of three or four cottages, and a wretched wooden church, which may +perhaps contain a hundred persons; it has not even its own priest, but +belongs to Thorfastädir.</p> +<p>My first business on arriving was to inspect the yet remaining relics of +past ages. First I was shewn an oil-picture which hangs in the +church, and is said to represent the first bishop of Skalholt, Thorlakur, +who was worshipped almost as a saint for his strict and pious life.</p> +<p>After this, preparations were made to clear away the steps of the altar +and several boards of the flooring. I stood expectantly looking on, +thinking that I should now have to descend into a vault to inspect the +embalmed body of the bishop. I must confess this prospect was not the +most agreeable, when I thought of the approaching night which I should have +to spend in this church, perhaps immediately over the grave of the old +skeleton. I had besides already had too much to do with the dead for +one day, and could not rid myself of the unpleasant grave-odour which I had +imbibed in Thorfastädir, and which seemed to cling to my dress and my +nose. <a name="citation41"></a><a href="#footnote41" +class="citation">[41]</a> I was therefore not a little pleased when, +instead of the dreaded vault and mummy, I was only shewn a marble slab, on +which were inscribed the usual notifications of the birth, death, &c. +of 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.</p> +<p>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.</p> +<p>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.</p> +<p>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 +<i>alone</i> 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.</p> +<p style="text-align: right">June 29th.</p> +<p>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 will have to swim. The guide and boatmen cannot leave the +shore till the horses have been forced into the stream; and even then they +have to throw stones, to threaten them with the whip, and to frighten them +by shouts and cries, to prevent them from returning.</p> +<p>When we had made nearly twelve miles on marshy roads, we came to the +beautiful waterfall of the Huitha. This fall is not so remarkable for +its height, which is scarcely more than fifteen to twenty feet, as for its +breadth, and for its quantity of water. Some beautiful rocks are so +placed at the ledge of the fall, that they divide it into three parts; but +it unites again immediately beneath them. The bed of the river, as +well as its shores, is of lava.</p> +<p>The colour of the water is also a remarkable feature in this river; it +inclines so much to milky white, that, when the sun shines on it, it +requires no very strong imaginative power to take the whole for milk.</p> +<p>Nearly a mile above the fall we had to cross the Huitha, one of the +largest rivers in Iceland. Thence the road lies through meadows, +which are less marshy than the former ones, till it comes to a broad stream +of lava, which announces the vicinity of the fearful volcano of Hecla.</p> +<p>I had hitherto not passed over such an expanse of country in Iceland as +that from the Geyser to this place without coming upon streams of +lava. And this lava-stream seemed to have felt some pity for the +beautiful meadows, for it frequently separated into two branches, and thus +enclosed the verdant plain. But it could not withstand the violence +of the succeeding masses; it had been carried on, and had spread death and +destruction everywhere. The road to it, through plains covered with +dark sand, and over steep hills intervening, was very fatiguing and +laborious.</p> +<p>We proceeded to the little village of Struvellir, where we stopped to +give our horses a few hours’ rest. Here we found a large +assembly of men and animals. <a name="citation42"></a><a href="#footnote42" +class="citation">[42]</a> It happened to be Sunday, and a warm sunny +day, and so a very full service was held in the pretty little church. +When it was over, I witnessed an amusing rural scene. The people +poured out of the church,—I counted ninety-six, which is an +extraordinarily numerous assemblage for Iceland,—formed into little +groups, chatting and joking, not forgetting, however, to moisten their +throats with brandy, of which they had taken care to bring an ample +supply. Then they bridled their horses and prepared for departure; +now the kisses poured in from all sides, and there was no end of +leave-taking, for the poor people do not know whether they shall ever meet +again, and when.</p> +<p>In all Iceland welcome and farewell is expressed by a loud kiss,—a +practice not very delightful for a non-Icelander, when one considers their +ugly, dirty faces, the snuffy noses of the old people, and the filthy +little children. But the Icelanders do not mind this. They all +kissed the priest, and the priest kissed them; and then they kissed each +other, till the kissing seemed to have no end. Rank is not considered +in this ceremony; and I was not a little surprised to see how my guide, a +common farm-labourer, kissed the six daughters of a judge, or the wife and +children of a priest, or a judge and the priest themselves, and how they +returned the compliment without reserve. Every country has its +peculiar customs!</p> +<p>The religious ceremonies generally begin about noon, and last two or +three hours. There being no public inn in which to assemble, and no +stable in which the horses can be fastened, all flock to the open space in +front of the church, which thus becomes a very animated spot. All +have to remain in the open air.</p> +<p>When the service was over, I visited the priest, Herr Horfuson; he was +kind enough to conduct me to the Sälsun, nine miles distant, +principally to engage a guide to Hecla for me.</p> +<p>I was doubly rejoiced to have this good man at my side, as we had to +cross a dangerous stream, which was very rapid, and so deep that the water +rose to the horses’ breasts. Although we raised our feet as +high as possible, we were yet thoroughly wet. This wading across +rivers is one of the most unpleasant modes of travelling. The horse +swims more than it walks, and this creates a most disagreeable sensation; +one does not know whither to direct one’s eyes; to look into the +stream would excite giddiness, and the sight of the shore is not much +better, for that seems to move and to recede, because the horse, by the +current, is forced a little way down the river. To my great comfort +the priest rode by my side to hold me, in case I should not be able to keep +my seat. I passed fortunately through this probation; and when we +reached the other shore, Herr Horfuson pointed out to me how far the +current had carried us down the river.</p> +<p>The valley in which Sälsun and the Hecla are situated is one of +those which are found only in Iceland. It contains the greatest +contrasts. Here are charming fields covered with a rich green carpet +of softest grass, and there again hills of black, shining lava; even the +fertile plains are traversed by streams of lava and spots of sand. +Mount Hecla notoriously has the blackest lava and the blackest sand; and it +may be imagined how the country looks in its immediate neighbourhood. +One hill only to the left of Hecla is reddish brown, and covered with sand +and stones of a similar colour. The centre is much depressed, and +seems to form a large crater. Mount Hecla is directly united with the +lava-mountains piled round it, and seems from the plain only as a higher +point. It is surrounded by several glaciers, whose dazzling fields of +snow descend far down, and whose brilliant plains have probably never been +trod by human feet; several of its sides were also covered with snow. +To the left of the valley near Sälsun, and at the foot of a lava-hill, +lies a lovely lake, on whose shores a numerous flock of sheep were +grazing. Near it rises another beautiful hill, so solitary and +isolated, that it looks as if it had been cast out by its neighbours and +banished hither. Indeed, the whole landscape here is so peculiarly +Icelandic, so strange and remarkable, that it will ever remain impressed on +my memory.</p> +<p>Sälsun lies at the foot of Mount Hecla, but is not seen before one +reaches it.</p> +<p>Arrived at Sälsun, our first care was to seek a guide, and to +bargain for every thing requisite for the ascension of the mountain. +The guide was to procure a horse for me, and to take me and my former guide +to the summit of Hecla. He demanded five thaler and two marks (about +fifteen shillings), a most exorbitant sum, on which he could live for a +month. But what could we do? He knew very well that there was +no other guide to be had, and so I was forced to acquiesce. When all +was arranged, my kind companion left me, wishing me success on my arduous +expedition.</p> +<p>I now looked out for a place in which I could spend the night, and a +filthy hole fell to my lot. A bench, rather shorter that my body, was +put into it, to serve as my bed; beside it hung a decayed fish, which had +infected the whole room with its smell. I could scarcely breathe; and +as there was no other outlet, I was obliged to open the door, and thus +receive the visits of the numerous and amiable inhabitants. What a +strengthening and invigorating preparation for the morrow’s +expedition!</p> +<p>At the foot of Mount Hecla, and especially in this village, every thing +seems to be undermined. Nowhere, not even on Mount Vesuvius, had I +heard such hollow, droning sounds as here,—the echoes of the heavy +footsteps of the peasants. These sounds made a very awful impression +on me as I lay all night alone in that dark hole.</p> +<p>My Hecla guide, as I shall call him to distinguish him from my other +guide, advised me to start at two o’clock in the morning, to which I +assented, well knowing, however, that we should not have mounted our horses +before five o’clock.</p> +<p>As I had anticipated, so it happened. At half-past five we were +quite prepared and ready for departure. Besides bread and cheese, a +bottle of water for myself, and one of brandy for my guides, we were also +provided with long sticks, tipped with iron points to sound the depth of +the snow, and to lean upon.</p> +<p>We were favoured by a fine warm sunny morning, and galloped briskly over +the fields and the adjoining plains of sand. My guide considered the +fine weather a very lucky omen, and told me that M. Geimard, the +before-mentioned French scholar, had been compelled to wait three days for +fine weather. Nine years had elapsed, and no one had ascended the +mountain since then. A prince of Denmark, who travelled through +Iceland some years before, had been there, but had returned without +effecting his purpose.</p> +<p>Our road at first led us through beautiful fields, and then over plains +of black sand enclosed on all sides by streams, hillocks, and mountains of +piled-up lava. Closer and closer these fearful masses approach, and +scarcely permit a passage through a narrow cleft; we had to climb over +blocks and hills of lava, where it is difficult to find a firm +resting-place for the foot. The lava rolled beside and behind us, and +we had to proceed carefully not to fall or be hit by the rolling +lava. But most dangerous were the chasms filled with snow over which +we had to pass; the snow had been softened by the warmth of the season, so +that we sank into it nearly every step, or, what was worse, slipped back +more than we had advanced. I scarcely think there can be another +mountain whose ascent offers so many difficulties.</p> +<p>After a labour of about three hours and a half we neared the summit of +the mountain, where we were obliged to leave our horses. I should, +indeed, have preferred to do so long before, as I was apprehensive of the +poor animals falling as they climbed over these precipices—one might +almost call them rolling mountains—but my guide would not permit +it. Sometimes we came to spots where they were useful, and then he +maintained that I must ride as far as possible to reserve my strength for +the remaining difficulties. And he was right; I scarcely believe I +should have been able to go through it on foot, for when I thought we were +near the top, hills of lava again rose between us, and we seemed farther +from our journey’s end than before.</p> +<p>My guide told me that he had never taken any one so far on horseback, +and I can believe it. Walking was bad enough—riding was +fearful.</p> +<p>At every fresh declivity new scenes of deserted, melancholy districts +were revealed to us; every thing was cold and dead, every where there was +black burnt lava. It was a painful feeling to see so much, and behold +nothing but a stony desert, an immeasurable chaos.</p> +<p>There were still two declivities before us,—the last, but the +worst. We had to climb steep masses of lava, sharp and pointed, which +covered the whole side of the mountain. I do not know how often I +fell and cut my hands on the jagged points of the lava. It was a +fearful journey!</p> +<p>The dazzling whiteness of the snow contrasted with the bright black lava +beside it had an almost blinding effect. When crossing fields of snow +I did not look at the lava; for having tried to do so once or twice, I +could not see my way afterwards, and had nearly grown snow-blind.</p> +<p style="text-align: center"> +<a href="images/p164b.jpg"> +<img alt="Hecla" src="images/p164s.jpg" /> +</a></p> +<p>After two hours’ more labour we reached the summit of the +mountain. I stood now on Mount Hecla, and eagerly sought the crater +on the snowless top, but did not find it. I was the more surprised, +as I had read detailed accounts of it in several descriptions of +travel.</p> +<p>I traversed the whole summit of the mountain and climbed to the +adjoining jokul, but did not perceive an opening, a fissure, a depressed +space, nor any sign of a crater. Lower down in the sides of the +mountain, but not in the real cone, I saw some clefts and fissures from +which the streams of lava probably poured. The height of the mountain +is said to be 4300 feet.</p> +<p>During the last hour of our ascent the sun had grown dim. Clouds +of mist blown from the neighbouring glaciers enshrouded the hill-tops, and +soon enveloped us so closely that we could scarcely see ten paces before +us. At last they dissolved, fortunately not in rain but in snow, +which profusely covered the black uneven lava. The snow remained on +the ground, and the thermometer stood at one degree of cold.</p> +<p>In a little while the clear blue sky once more was visible, and the sun +again shone over us. I remained on the top till the clouds had +separated beneath us, and afforded me a better distant view over the +country.</p> +<p>My pen is unfortunately too feeble to bring vividly before my readers +the picture such as I beheld it here, and to describe to them the +desolation, the extent and height of these lava-masses. I seemed to +stand in a crater, and the whole country appeared only a burnt-out +fire. Here lava was piled up in steep inaccessible mountains; there +stony rivers, whose length and breadth seemed immeasurable, filled the +once-verdant fields. Every thing was jumbled together, and yet the +course of the last eruption could be distinctly traced.</p> +<p>I stood there, in the centre of horrible precipices, caves, streams, +valleys, and mountains, and scarcely comprehended how it was possible to +penetrate so far, and was overcome with terror at the thought which +involuntarily obtruded itself—the possibility of never finding my way +again out of these terrible labyrinths.</p> +<p>Here, from the top of Mount Hecla, I could see far into the uninhabited +country, the picture of a petrified creation, dead and motionless, and yet +magnificent,—a picture which once seen can never again fade from the +memory, and which alone amply compensates for all the previous troubles and +dangers. A whole world of glaciers, lava-mountains, snow and +ice-fields, rivers and lakes, into which no human foot has ever ventured to +penetrate. How nature must have laboured and raged till these forms +were created! And is it over now? Has the destroying element +exhausted itself; or does it only rest, like the hundred-headed Hydra, to +break forth with renewed strength, and desolate those regions which, pushed +to the verge of the sea-shore, encircle the sterile interior as a modest +wreath? I thank God that he has permitted me to behold this chaos in +his creation; but I thank him more heartily that he has placed me to dwell +in regions where the sun does more than merely give light; where it +inspires and fertilises animals and plants, and fills the human heart with +joy and thankfulness towards its Creator. <a name="citation43"></a><a +href="#footnote43" class="citation">[43]</a></p> +<p>The Westmann Isles, which are said to be visible from the top of Hecla, +I could not see; they were probably covered by clouds.</p> +<p>During the ascent of the Hecla I had frequently touched +lava,—sometimes involuntarily, when I fell; sometimes voluntarily, to +find a hot or at least a warm place. I was unfortunate enough only to +find cold ones. The falling snow was therefore most welcome, and I +looked anxiously around to see a place where the subterranean heat would +melt it. I should then have hastened thither and found what I +sought. But unfortunately the snow remained unmelted every +where. I could neither see any clouds of smoke, although I gazed +steadily at the mountain for hours, and could from my post survey it far +down the sides.</p> +<p>As we descended we found the snow melting at a depth of 500 to 600 feet; +lower down, the whole mountain smoked, which I thought was the consequence +of the returning warmth of the sun, for my thermometer now stood at nine +degrees of heat. I have noticed the same circumstance often on +unvolcanic mountains. The spots from which the smoke rose were also +cold.</p> +<p>The smooth jet-black, bright, and dense lava is only found on the +mountain itself and in its immediate vicinity. But all lava is not +the same: there is jagged, glassy, and porous lava; the former is black, +and so is the sand which covers one side of Hecla. The farther the +lava and sand are from the mountain, the more they lose this blackness, and +their colour plays into iron-colour and even into light-grey; but the +lighter-coloured lava generally retains the brightness and smoothness of +the black lava.</p> +<p>After a troublesome descent, having spent twelve hours on this +excursion, we arrived safely at Sälsun; and I was on the point of +returning to my lodging, somewhat annoyed at the prospect of spending +another night in such a hole, when my guide surprised me agreeably by the +proposition to return to Struvellir at once. The horses, he said, +were sufficiently rested, and I could get a good room there in the +priest’s house. I soon packed, and in a short time we were +again on horseback. The second time I came to the deep Rangaa, I rode +across fearlessly, and needed no protection at any side. Such is man: +danger only alarms him the first time; when he has safely surmounted it +once, he scarcely thinks of it the second time, and wonders how he can have +felt any fear.</p> +<p>I saw five little trees standing in a field near the stream. The +stems of these, which, considering the scarcity of trees in Iceland, may be +called remarkable phenomena, were crooked and knotty, but yet six or seven +feet high, and about four or five inches in diameter.</p> +<p>As my guide had foretold, I found a very comfortable room and a good bed +in the priest’s house. Herr Horfuson is one of the best men I +have ever met with. He eagerly sought opportunities for giving me +pleasure, and to him I owe several fine minerals and an Icelandic book of +the year 1601. May God reward his kindness and benevolence!</p> +<p style="text-align: right">July 1st.</p> +<p>We retraced our steps as far as the river Huitha, over which we rowed, +and then turned in another direction. Our journey led us through +beautiful valleys, many of them producing abundance of grass; but +unfortunately so much moss grew among it, that these large plains were not +available for pastures, and only afforded comfort to travellers by their +aspect of cheerfulness. They were quite dry.</p> +<p>The valley in which Hjalmholm, our resting-place for this night, was +situated, is traversed by a stream of lava, which had, however, been modest +enough not to fill up the whole valley, but to leave a space for the pretty +stream Elvas, and for some fields and hillocks, on which many cottages +stood. It was one of the most populous valleys I had seen in +Iceland.</p> +<p>Hjalmholm is situated on a hill. In it lives the Sysselmann of the +Rangaar district, in a large and beautiful house such as I saw no where in +Iceland except in Reikjavik. He had gone to the capital of the island +as member of the Allthing; but his daughters received me very hospitably +and kindly.</p> +<p>We talked and chatted much; I tried to display my knowledge of the +Danish language before them, and must often have made use of curious +phrases, for the girls could not contain their laughter. But that did +not abash me; I laughed with them, applied to my dictionary, which I +carried with me, and chatted on. They seemed to gather no very high +idea of the beauty of my countrywomen from my personal appearance; for +which I humbly crave the forgiveness of my countrywomen, assuring them that +no one regrets the fact more than I do. But dame Nature always treats +people of my years very harshly, and sets a bad example to youth of the +respect due to age. Instead of honouring us and giving us the +preference, she patronises the young folks, and every maiden of sixteen can +turn up her nose at us venerable matrons. Besides my natural +disqualifications, the sharp air and the violent storms to which I had been +subjected had disfigured my face very much. They had affected me more +than the burning heat of the East. I was very brown, my lips were +cracked, and my nose, alas, even began to rebel against its ugly +colour. It seemed anxious to possess a new, dazzling white, tender +skin, and was casting off the old one in little bits.</p> +<p>The only circumstance which reinstated me in the good opinion of the +young girls was, that having brushed my hair unusually far out of my face, +a white space became visible. The girls all cried out simultaneously, +quite surprised and delighted: “Hun er quit” (she is +white). I could not refrain from laughing, and bared my arm to prove +to them that I did not belong to the Arab race.</p> +<p>A great surprise was destined me in this house; for, as I was ransacking +the Sysselmann’s book-case, I found Rotteck’s Universal +History, a German Lexicon, and several poems and writings of German +poets.</p> +<p style="text-align: right">July 2d.</p> +<p>The way from Kalmannstunga to Thingvalla leads over nothing but lava, +and the one to-day went entirely through marshes. As soon as we had +crossed one, another was before us. Lava seemed to form the soil +here, for little portions of this mineral rose like islands out of the +marshes.</p> +<p>The country already grew more open, and we gradually lost sight of the +glaciers. The high mountains on the left seemed like hills in the +distance, and the nearer ones were really hills. After riding about +nine miles we crossed the large stream of Elvas in a boat, and then had to +tread carefully across a very long, narrow bank, over a meadow which was +quite under water. If a traveller had met us on this bank, I do not +know what we should have done; to turn round would have been as dangerous +as to sink into the morass. Fortunately one never meets any +travellers in Iceland.</p> +<p>Beyond the dyke the road runs for some miles along the mountains and +hills, which all consist of lava, and are of a very dark, nearly black +colour. The stones on these hills were very loose; in the plain below +many colossal pieces were lying, which must have fallen down; and many +others threatened to fall every moment. We passed the dangerous spot +safely, without having had to witness such a scene.</p> +<p>I often heard a hollow sound among these hills; I at first took it for +distant thunder, and examined the horizon to discover the approaching +storm. But when I saw neither clouds nor lightning, I perceived that +I must seek the origin of the sounds nearer, and that they proceeded from +the falling portions of rock.</p> +<p>The higher mountains to the left fade gradually more and more from view; +but the river Elvas spreads in such a manner, and divides into so many +branches, that one might mistake it for a lake with many islands. It +flows into the neighbouring sea, whose expanse becomes visible after +surmounting a few more small hills.</p> +<p>The vale of Reikum, which we now entered, is, like that of Reikholt, +rich in hot springs, which are congregated partly in the plain, partly on +or behind the hills, in a circumference of between two and three miles.</p> +<p>When we had reached the village of Reikum I sent my effects at once to +the little church, took a guide, and proceeded to the boiling +springs. I found very many, but only two remarkable ones; these, +however, belong to the most noteworthy of their kind. The one is +called the little Geyser, the other the Bogensprung.</p> +<p>The little Geyser has an inner basin of about three feet diameter. +The water boils violently at a depth of from two to three feet, and remains +within its bounds till it begins to spout, when it projects a beautiful +voluminous steam of from 20 to 30 feet high.</p> +<p>At half-past eight in the evening I had the good fortune to see one of +these eruptions, and needed not, as I had done at the great Geyser, to +bivouac near it for days and nights. The eruption lasted some time, +and was tolerably equable; only sometimes the column of water sank a +little, to rise to its former height with renewed force. After forty +minutes it fell quite down into the basin again. The stones we threw +in, it rejected at once, or in a few seconds, shivered into pieces, to a +height of about 12 to 15 feet. Its bulk must have been 1 to 1½ +feet in diameter. My guide assured me that this spring generally +plays only twice, rarely thrice, in twenty-four hours, and not, as I have +seen it stated, every six minutes. I remained near it till midnight, +but saw no other eruption.</p> +<p>This spring very much resembles the Strukker near the great Geyser, the +only difference being that the water sinks much lower in the latter.</p> +<p>The second of the two remarkable springs, the arched spring, is situated +near the little Geyser, on the declivity of a hill. I had never seen +such a curious formation for the bed of a spring as this is. It has +no basin, but lies half open at your feet, in a little grotto, which is +separated into various cavities and holes, and which is half-surrounded by +a wall of rock bending over it slightly at a height of about 2 feet, and +then rises 10 to 12 feet higher. This spring never is at rest more +than a minute; then it begins to rise and boil quickly, and emits a +voluminous column, which, striking against the projecting rock, is +flattened by it, and rises thence like an arched fan. The height of +this peculiarly-spread jet of water may be about 12 feet, the arch it +describes 15 to 20 feet, and its breadth 3 to 8 feet. The time of +eruption is often longer than that of repose. After an eruption the +water always sinks a few feet into the cave, and for 15 or 20 seconds +admits of a glance into this wonderful grotto. But it rises again +immediately, fills the grotto and the basin, which is only a continuation +of the grotto, and springs again.</p> +<p>I watched this miraculous play of nature for more than an hour, and +could not tear myself from it. This spring, which is certainly the +only one of its kind, gratified me much more than the little Geyser.</p> +<p>There is another spring called the roaring Geyser; but it is nothing +more than a misshapen hole, in which one hears the water boil, but cannot +see it. The noise is, also, not at all considerable.</p> +<p style="text-align: right">July 3d.</p> +<p>Near Reikum we crossed a brook into which all the hot springs flow, and +which has a pretty fall. We then ascended the adjoining mountain, and +rode full two hours on the high plain. The plain itself was +monotonous, as it was only covered with lava-stones and moss, but the +prospect into the valley was varied and beautiful. Vale and sea were +spread before me, and I saw the Westmann Islands, with their beautiful +hills, which the envious clouds had concealed from me on the Hecla, lying +in the distance. Below me stood some houses in the port-town, +Eierbach, and near them the waters of the Elvas flow into the sea.</p> +<p>At the end of this mountain-level a valley was situated, which was also +filled with lava, but with that jagged black lava which presents such a +beautiful appearance. Immense streams crossed it from all sides, so +that it almost resembled a black lake separated from the sea by a chain of +equally black mountains.</p> +<p>We descended into this sombre vale through piles of lava and fields of +snow, and went on through valleys and chasms, over fields of lava, plains +of meadow-land, past dark mountains and hills, till we reached the chief +station of my Icelandic journey, the town of Reikjavik.</p> +<p>The whole country between Reikum and Reikjavik, a distance of 45 to 50 +miles, is, for the most part, uninhabited. Here and there, in the +fields of lava, stand little pyramids of the same substance, which serve as +landmarks; and there are two houses built for such persons as are obliged +to travel during the winter. But we found much traffic on the road, +and often overtook caravans of 15 to 20 horses. Being the beginning +of August, it was the time of trade and traffic in Iceland. Then the +country people travel to Reikjavik from considerable distances, to change +their produce and manufactures, partly for money, partly for necessaries +and luxuries. At this period the merchants and factors have not hands +enough to barter the goods or close the accounts which the peasants wish to +settle for the whole year.</p> +<p>At this season an unusual commotion reigns in Reikjavik. Numerous +groups of men and horses fill the streets; goods are loaded and unloaded; +friends who have not met for a year or more welcome each other, others take +leave. On one spot curious tents <a name="citation44"></a><a +href="#footnote44" class="citation">[44]</a> are erected, before which +children play; on another drunken men stagger along, or gallop on +horseback, so that one is terrified, and fears every moment to see them +fall.</p> +<p>This unusual traffic unfortunately only lasts six or eight days. +The peasant hastens home to his hay-harvest; the merchant must quickly +regulate the produce and manufactures he has purchased, and load his ships +with them, so that they may sail and reach their destination before the +storms of the autumnal equinox.</p> +<p></p> +<table> +<tr> +<td> +<p></p> +</td> +<td> +<p>Miles.</p> +</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td> +<p>From Reikjavik to Thingvalla is</p> +</td> +<td> +<p>45</p> +</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td> +<p>From Thingvalla to the Geyser</p> +</td> +<td> +<p>36</p> +</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td> +<p>From the Geyser to Skalholt</p> +</td> +<td> +<p>28</p> +</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td> +<p>From Skalholt to Sälsun</p> +</td> +<td> +<p>36</p> +</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td> +<p>From Sälsun to Struvellir</p> +</td> +<td> +<p>9</p> +</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td> +<p>From Struvellir to Hjalmholm</p> +</td> +<td> +<p>28</p> +</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td> +<p>From Hjalmholm to Reikum</p> +</td> +<td> +<p>32</p> +</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td> +<p>From Reikum to Reikjavik</p> +</td> +<td> +<p>45</p> +</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td> +<p></p> +</td> +<td> +<p>259</p> +</td> +</tr> +</table> +<h2>CHAPTER VII</h2> +<p>During my travels in Iceland I had of course the opportunity of becoming +acquainted with its inhabitants, their manners and customs. I must +confess that I had formed a higher estimate of the peasants. When we +read in the history of that country that the first inhabitants had +emigrated thither from civilised states; that they had brought knowledge +and religion with them; when we hear of the simple good-hearted people, and +their patriarchal mode of life in the accounts of former travellers, and +which we know that nearly every peasant in Iceland can read and write, and +that at least a Bible, but generally other religions books also, are found +in every cot,—one feels inclined to consider this nation the best and +most civilised in Europe. I deemed their morality sufficiently +secured by the absence of foreign intercourse, by their isolated position, +and the poverty of the country. No large town there affords +opportunity for pomp or gaiety, or for the commission of smaller or greater +sins. Rarely does a foreigner enter the island, whose remoteness, +severe climate, inhospitality, and poverty, are uninviting. The +grandeur and peculiarity of its natural formation alone makes it +interesting, and that does not suffice for the masses.</p> +<p>I therefore expected to find Iceland a real Arcadia in regard to its +inhabitants, and rejoiced at the anticipation of seeing such an Idyllic +life realised. I felt so happy when I set foot on the island that I +could have embraced humanity. But I was soon undeceived.</p> +<p>I have often been impatient at my want of enthusiasm, which must be +great, as I see every thing in a more prosaic form than other +travellers. I do not maintain that my view is <i>right</i>, but I at +least possess the virtue of describing facts as I see them, and do not +repeat them from the accounts of others.</p> +<p>I have already described the impoliteness and heartlessness of the +so-called higher classes, and soon lost the good opinion I had formed of +them. I now came to the working classes in the vicinity of +Reikjavik. The saying often applied to the Swiss people, “No +money, no Swiss,” one may also apply to the Icelanders. And of +this fact I can cite several examples.</p> +<p>Scarcely had they heard that I, a foreigner, had arrived, than they +frequently came to me, and brought quite common objects, such as can be +found any where in Iceland, and expected me to pay dearly for them. +At first I purchased from charity, or to be rid of their importunities, and +threw the things away again; but I was soon obliged to give this up, as I +should else have been besieged from morning to night. Their anxiety +to gain money without labour annoyed me less than the extortionate prices +with which they tried to impose on a stranger. For a beetle, such as +could be found under every stone, they asked 5 kr. (about 2d.); as much for +a caterpillar, of which thousands were lying on the beach; and for a common +bird’s egg, 10 to 20 kr. (4d. to 8d.) Of course, when I +declined buying, they reduced their demand, sometimes to less than half the +original sum; but this was certainly not in consequence of their +honesty. The baker in whose house I lodged also experienced the +selfishness of these people. He had engaged a poor labourer to tar +his house, who, when he had half finished his task, heard of other +employment. He did not even take the trouble to ask the baker to +excuse him for a few days; he went away, and did not return to finish the +interrupted work for a whole week. This conduct was the more +inexcusable as his children received bread, and even butter, twice a week +from the baker.</p> +<p>I was fortunate enough to experience similar treatment. Herr +Knudson had engaged a guide for me, with whom I was to take my departure in +a few days. But it happened that the magistrate wished also to take a +trip, and sent for my guide. The latter expected to be better paid by +him, and went; he did not come to me to discharge himself, but merely sent +me word on the eve of my departure, that he was ill, and could therefore +not go with me. I could enumerate many more such examples, which do +not much tend to give a high estimate of Icelandic morality.</p> +<p>I consoled myself with the hope of finding simplicity and honesty in the +more retired districts, and therefore anticipated a twofold pleasure from +my journey into the interior. I found many virtues, but unfortunately +so many faults, that I am no longer inclined to exalt the Icelandic +peasants as examples.</p> +<p>The best of their virtues is their honesty. I could leave my +baggage unguarded any where for hours, and never missed the least article, +for they did not even permit their children to touch any thing. In +this point they are so conscientious, that if a peasant comes from a +distance, and wishes to rest in a cottage, he never fails to knock at the +door, even if it is open. If no one calls “come in,” he +does not enter. One might fearlessly sleep with open doors.</p> +<p>Crimes are of such rare occurrence here, that the prison of Reikjavik +was changed into a dwelling-house for the chief warden many years +since. Small crimes are punished summarily, either in Reikjavik or at +the seat of the Sysselmann. Criminals of a deeper dye are sent to +Copenhagen, and are sentenced and punished there.</p> +<p>My landlord at Reikjavik, the master-baker Bernhöft, told me that +only one crime had been committed in Iceland during the thirteen years that +he had resided there. This was the murder of an illegitimate child +immediately after its birth. The most frequently occurring crime is +cow-stealing.</p> +<p>I was much surprised to find that nearly all the Icelanders can read and +write. The latter quality only was somewhat rarer with the +women. Youths and men often wrote a firm, good hand. I also +found books in every cottage, the Bible always, and frequently poems and +stories, sometimes even in the Danish language.</p> +<p>They also comprehend very quickly; when I opened my map before them, +they soon understood its use and application. Their quickness is +doubly surprising, if we consider that every father instructs his own +children, and sometimes the neighbouring orphans. This is of course +only done in the winter; but as winter lasts eight months in Iceland, it is +long enough.</p> +<p>There is only one school in the whole island, which originally was in +Bessestadt, but has been removed to Reikjavik since 1846. In this +school only youths who can read and write are received, and they are either +educated for priests, and may complete their studies here, or for doctors, +apothecaries, or judges, when they must complete their studies in +Copenhagen.</p> +<p>Besides theology, geometry, geography, history, and several languages, +such as Latin, Danish, and, since 1846, German and also French, are taught +in the school of Reikjavik.</p> +<p>The chief occupation of the Icelandic peasants consists in fishing, +which is most industriously pursued in February, March, and April. +Then the inhabitants of the interior come to the coasting villages and hire +themselves to the dwellers on the beach, the real fishermen, as assistants, +taking a portion of the fish as their wages. Fishing is attended to +at other times also, but then exclusively by the real fishermen. In +the months of July and August many of the latter go into the interior and +assist in the hay-harvest, for which they receive butter, sheep’s +wool, and salt lamb. Others ascend the mountains and gather the +Iceland moss, of which they make a decoction, which they drink mixed with +milk, or they grind it to flour, and bake flat cakes of it, which serve +them in place of bread.</p> +<p>The work of the women consists in the preparation of the fish for +drying, smoking, or salting; in tending the cattle, in knitting, sometimes +in gathering moss. In winter both men and women knit and weave.</p> +<p>As regards the hospitality of the Icelanders, <a +name="citation45"></a><a href="#footnote45" class="citation">[45]</a> I do +not think one can give them so very much credit for it. It is true +that priests and peasants gladly receive any European traveller, and treat +him to every thing in their power; but they know well that the traveller +who comes to their island is neither an adventurer nor a beggar, and will +therefore pay them well. I did not meet one peasant or priest who did +not accept the proffered gift without hesitation. But I must say of +the priests that they were every where obliging and ready to serve me, and +satisfied with the smallest gift; and their charges, when I required horses +for my excursions, were always moderate. I only found the peasant +less interested in districts where a traveller scarcely ever appeared; but +in such places as were more visited, their charges were often +exorbitant. For example, I had to pay 20 to 30 kr. (8d. to 1s.) for +being ferried over a river; and then my guide and I only were rowed in the +boat, and the horses had to swim. The guide who accompanied me on the +Hecla also overcharged me; but he knew that I was forced to take him, as +there is no choice of guides, and one does not give up the ascent for the +sake of a little money.</p> +<p>This conduct shows that the character of the Icelanders does not belong +to the best; and that they take advantage of travellers with as much +shrewdness as the landlords and guides on the continent.</p> +<p>A besetting sin of the Icelanders is their drunkenness. Their +poverty would probably not be so great if they were less devoted to brandy, +and worked more industriously. It is dreadful to see what deep root +this vice has taken. Not only on Sundays, but also on week-days, I +met peasants who were so intoxicated that I was surprised how they could +keep in their saddle. I am, however, happy to say that I never saw a +woman in this degrading condition.</p> +<p>Another of their passions is snuff. They chew and snuff tobacco +with the same infatuation as it is smoked in other countries. But +their mode of taking it is very peculiar. Most of the peasants, and +even many of the priests, have no proper snuff-box, but only a box turned +of bone, shaped like a powder-flask. When they take snuff, they throw +back their head, insert the point of the flask in their nose, and shake a +dose of tobacco into it. They then, with the greatest amiability, +offer it to their neighbour, he to his, and so it goes round till it +reaches the owner again.</p> +<p>I think, indeed, that the Icelanders are second to no nation in +uncleanliness; not even to the Greenlanders, Esquimaux, or +Laplanders. If I were to describe a portion only of what I +experienced, my readers would think me guilty of gross exaggeration; I +prefer, therefore, to leave it to their imagination; merely saying that +they cannot conceive any thing too dirty for Iceland delicacy.</p> +<p>Beside this very estimable quality, they are also insuperably +lazy. Not far from the coast are immense meadows, so marshy that it +is dangerous to cross them. The fault lies less in the soil than the +people. If they would only make ditches, and thus dry the ground, +they would have the most splendid grass. That this would grow +abundantly is proved by the little elevations which rise from above the +marshes, and which are thickly covered with grass, herbage, and wild +clover. I also passed large districts covered with good soil, and +some where the soil was mixed with sand.</p> +<p>I frequently debated with Herr Boge, who has lived in Iceland for forty +years, and is well versed in farming matters, whether it would not be +possible to produce important pasture-grounds and hay-fields with industry +and perseverance. He agreed with me, and thought that even +potato-fields might be reclaimed, if only the people were not so lazy, +preferring to suffer hunger and resign all the comforts of cleanliness +rather than to work. What nature voluntarily gives, they are +satisfied with, and it never occurs to them to force more from her. +If a few German peasants were transported hither, what a different +appearance the country would soon have!</p> +<p>The best soil in Iceland is on the Norderland. There are a few +potato-grounds there, and some little trees, which, without any +cultivation, have reached a height of seven to eight feet. Herr Boge, +established here for thirty years, had planted some mountain-ash and +birch-trees, which had grown to a height of sixteen feet.</p> +<p>In the Norderland, and every where except on the coast, the people live +by breeding cattle. Many a peasant there possesses from two to four +hundred sheep, ten to fifteen cows, and ten to twelve horses. There +are not many who are so rich, but at all events they are better off than +the inhabitants of the sea-coast. The soil there is for the most part +bad, and they are therefore nearly all compelled to have recourse to +fishing.</p> +<p>Before quitting Iceland, I must relate a tradition told me by many +Icelanders, not only by peasants, but also by people of the so-called +higher classes, and who all implicitly believe it.</p> +<p>It is asserted that the inhospitable interior is likewise populated, but +by a peculiar race of men, to whom alone the paths through these deserts +are known. These savages have no intercourse with their +fellow-countrymen during the whole year, and only come to one of the ports +in the beginning of July, for one day at the utmost, to buy several +necessaries, for which they pay in money. They then vanish suddenly, +and no one knows in which direction they are gone. No one knows them; +they never bring their wives or children with them, and never reply to the +question whence they come. Their language, also, is said to be more +difficult than that of the other inhabitants of Iceland.</p> +<p>One gentleman, whom I do not wish to name, expressed a wish to have the +command of twenty to twenty-five well-armed soldiers, to search for these +wild men.</p> +<p>The people who maintain that they have seen these children of nature, +assert that they are taller and stronger than other Icelanders; that their +horses’ hoofs, instead of being shod earth iron, have shoes of horn; +and that they have much money, which they can only have acquired by +pillage. When I inquired what respectable inhabitants of Iceland had +been robbed by these savages, and when and where, no one could give me an +answer. For my part, I scarcely think that one man, certainly not a +whole race, could live by pillage in Iceland.</p> +<h3>DEPARTURE FROM ICELAND.—JOURNEY TO COPENHAGEN.</h3> +<p>I had seen all there was to be seen in Iceland, had finished all my +excursions, and awaited with inexpressible impatience the sailing of the +vessel which was destined to bring me nearer my beloved home. But I +had to stay four very long weeks in Reikjavik, my patience being more +exhausted from day to day, and had after this long delay to be satisfied +with the most wretched accommodation.</p> +<p>The delay was the more tantalising, as several ships left the port in +the mean time, and Herr Knudson, with whom I had crossed over from +Copenhagen, invited me to accompany him on his return; but all the vessels +went to England or to Spain, and I did not wish to visit either of these +countries. I was waiting for an opportunity to go to Scandinavia, to +have at least a glance at these picturesque districts.</p> +<p>At last there were two sloops which intended to sail towards the end of +July. The better of the two went to Altona; the destination of the +other was Copenhagen. I had intended to travel in the former; but a +merchant of Reikjavik had already engaged the only berth,—for there +rarely is more than one in such a small vessel,—and I deemed myself +lucky to obtain the one in the other ship. Herr Bernhöft +thought, indeed, that the vessel might be too bad for such a long journey, +and proposed to examine it, and report on its condition. But as I had +quite determined to go to Denmark, I requested him to waive the +examination, and agree with the captain about my passage. If, as I +anticipated, he found the vessel too wretched, his warnings might have +shaken my resolution, and I wished to avoid that contingency.</p> +<p>We heard, soon, that a young Danish girl, who had been in service in +Iceland, wished to return by the same vessel. She had been suffering +so much from home-sickness, that she was determined, under any +circumstances, to see her beloved fatherland again. If, thought I to +myself, the home-sickness is powerful enough to make this girl indifferent +to the danger, longing must take its place in my breast and effect the same +result.</p> +<p>Our sloop bore the consolatory name of Haabet (hope), and belonged to +the merchant Fromm, in Copenhagen.</p> +<p>Our departure had been fixed for the 26th of July, and after that day I +scarcely dared to leave my house, being in constant expectation of a +summons on board. Violent storms unfortunately prevented our +departure, and I was not called till the 29th of July, when I had to bid +farewell to Iceland.</p> +<p>This was comparatively easy. Although I had seen many wonderful +views, many new and interesting natural phenomena, I yet longed for my +accustomed fields, in which we do not find magnificent and overpowering +scenes, but lovelier and more cheerful ones. The separation from Herr +Knudson and the family of Bernhöft was more difficult. I owed +all the kindness I had experienced in the island, every good advice and +useful assistance in my travels, only to them. My gratitude to these +kind and good people will not easily fade from my heart.</p> +<p>At noon I was already on board, and had leisure to admire all the gay +flags and streamers with which the French frigate anchoring here had been +decked, to celebrate the anniversary of the July revolution.</p> +<p>I endeavoured to turn my attention as much as possible to exterior +objects, and not to look at our ship, for all that I had involuntarily seen +had not impressed me very favourably. I determined also not to enter +the cabin till we were in the open sea and the pilots had left our sloop, +so that all possibility of return would be gone.</p> +<p>Our crew consisted of captain, steersman, two sailors, and a cabin-boy, +who bore the title of cook; we added that of valet, as he was appointed to +wait on us.</p> +<p>When the pilots had left us, I sought the entrance of the +cabin,—the only, and therefore the common apartment. It +consisted of a hole two feet broad, which gaped at my feet, and in which a +perpendicular ladder of five steps was inserted. I stood before it +puzzled to know which would be the best mode of descent, but knew no other +way than to ask our host the captain. He shewed it me at once, by +sitting at the entrance and letting his feet down. Let the reader +imagine such a proceeding with our long dresses, and, above all, in bad +weather, when the ship was pitched about by storms. But the thought +that many other people are worse off, and can get on, was always the anchor +of consolation to which I held; I argued with myself that I was made of the +same stuff as other human beings, only spoiled and pampered, but that I +could bear what they bore. In consequence of this self-arguing, I sat +down at once, tried the new sliding-ladder, and arrived below in +safety.</p> +<p>I had first to accustom my eyes to the darkness which reigned here, the +hatches being constructed to admit the light very sparingly. I soon, +however, saw too much; for all was raggedness, dirt, and disorder. +But I will describe matters in the order in which they occurred to me; for, +as I flatter myself that many of my countrywomen will in spirit make this +journey with me, and as many of them probably never had the opportunity of +being in such a vessel, I wish to describe it to them very +accurately. All who are accustomed to the sea will testify that I +have adhered strictly to the truth. But to return to the sloop. +Its age emulated mine, she being a relic of the last century. At that +time little regard was paid to the convenience of passengers, and the space +was all made available for freight; a fact which cannot surprise us, as the +seaman’s life is passed on deck, and the ship was not built for +travellers. The entire length of the cabin from one berth to the +other was ten feet; the breadth was six feet. The latter space was +made still narrower by a box on one side, and by a little table and two +little seats on the other, so that only sufficient space remained to pass +through.</p> +<p>At dinner or supper, the ladies—the Danish girl and +myself—sat on the little benches, where we were so squeezed, that we +could scarcely move; the two cavaliers—the captain and the +steersman—were obliged to stand before the table, and eat their meals +in that position. The table was so small that they were obliged to +hold their plates in their hands. In short, every thing shewed the +cabin was made only for the crew, not for the passengers.</p> +<p>The air in this enclosure was also not of the purest; for, besides that +it formed our bed-room, dining-room, and drawing-room, it was also used as +store-room, for in the side cupboards provisions of various kinds were +stored, also oil-colours, and a variety of other matter. I preferred +to sit on the deck, exposed to the cold and the storm, or to be bathed by a +wave, than to be half stifled below. Sometimes, however, I was +obliged to descend, either when rain and storms were too violent, or when +the ship was so tossed by contrary winds that the deck was not safe. +The rolling and pitching of our little vessel was often so terrible, that +we ladies could neither sit nor stand, and were therefore obliged to lie +down in the miserable berths for many a weary day. How I envied my +companion! she could sleep day and night, which I could not. I was +nearly always awake, much to my discomfort; for the hatches and the +entrance were closed during the storm, and an Egyptian darkness, as well as +a stifling atmosphere, filled the cabin.</p> +<p>In regard to food, all passengers, captain and crew, ate of the same +dish. The morning meal consisted of miserable tea, or rather of +nauseous water having the colour of tea. The sailors imbibed theirs +without sugar, but the captain and the steersman took a small piece of +candied sugar, which does not melt so quickly as the refined sugar, in +their mouth, and poured down cup after cup of tea, and ate ship’s +biscuit and butter to it.</p> +<p>The dinner fare varied. The first day we had salt meat, which is +soaked the evening before, and boiled the next day in sea-water. It +was so salt, so hard, and so tough, that only a sailor’s palate can +possibly enjoy it. Instead of soup, vegetables, and pudding, we had +pearl-barley boiled in water, without salt or butter; to which treacle and +vinegar was added at the dinner-table. All the others considered this +a delicacy, and marvelled at my depraved taste when I declared it to be +unpalatable.</p> +<p>The second day brought a piece of bacon, boiled in sea-water, with the +barley repeated. On the third we had cod-fish with peas. +Although the latter were boiled hard and without butter, they were the most +eatable of all the dishes. On the fourth day the bill of fare of the +first was repeated, and the same course followed again. At the end of +every dinner we had black coffee. The supper was like the +breakfast,—tea-water, ship’s biscuit and butter.</p> +<p>I wished to have provided myself with some chickens, eggs, and potatoes +in Reikjavik, but I could not obtain any of these luxuries. Very few +chickens are kept—only the higher officials or merchants have them; +eggs of eider-ducks and other birds may often be had, but more are never +collected than are wanted for the daily supply, and then only in spring; +for potatoes the season was not advanced enough. My readers have now +a picture of the luxurious life I led on board the ship. Had I been +fortunate enough to voyage in a better vessel, where the passengers are +more commodiously lodged and better fed, the seasickness would certainly +not have attacked me; but in consequence of the stifling atmosphere of the +cabin and the bad food, I suffered from it the first day. But on the +second I was well again, regained my appetite, and ate salt meat, bacon, +and peas as well as a sailor; the stockfish, the barley, and the coffee and +tea, I left untouched.</p> +<p>A real sailor never drinks water; and this observation of mine was +confirmed by our captain and steersman: instead of beer or wine, they took +tea, and, except at meals, cold tea.</p> +<p>On Sunday evenings we had a grand supper, for the captain had eight +eggs, which he had brought from Denmark, boiled for us four people. +The crew had a few glasses of punch-essence mixed in their tea.</p> +<p>As my readers are now acquainted with the varied bill of fare in such a +ship, I will say a few words of the table-linen. This consisted only +of an old sailcloth, which was spread over the table, and looked so dirty +and greasy that I thought it would be much better and more agreeable to +leave the table uncovered. But I soon repented the unwise thought, +and discovered how important this cloth was. One morning I saw our +valet treating a piece of sailcloth quite outrageously: he had spread it +upon the deck, stood upon it, and brushed it clean with the ship’s +broom. I recognised our tablecloth by the many spots of dirt and +grease, and in the evening found the table bare. But what was the +consequence? Scarcely had the tea-pot been placed on the table than +it began to slip off; had not the watchful captain quickly caught it, it +would have fallen to the ground and bathed our feet with its +contents. Nothing could stand on the polished table, and I sincerely +pitied the captain that he had not another tablecloth.</p> +<p>My readers will imagine that what I have described would have been quite +sufficient to make my stay in the vessel any thing but agreeable; but I +discovered another circumstance, which even made it alarming. This +was nothing less than that our little vessel was constantly letting in a +considerable quantity of water, which had to be pumped out every few +hours. The captain tried to allay my uneasiness by asserting that +every ship admitted water, and ours only leaked a little more because it +was so old. I was obliged to be content with his explanation, as it +was now too late to think of a change. Fortunately we did not meet +with any storms, and therefore incurred less danger.</p> +<p>Our journey lasted twenty days, during twelve of which we saw no land; +the wind drove us too far east to see the Feroe or the Shetland +Isles. I should have cared less for this, had I seen some of the +monsters of the deep instead, but we met with scarcely any of these amiable +animals. I saw the ray of water which a whale emitted from his +nostrils, and which exactly resembled a fountain; the animal itself was +unfortunately too far from our ship for us to see its body. A shark +came a little nearer; it swam round our vessel for a few moments, so that I +could easily look at him: it must have been from sixteen to eighteen feet +long.</p> +<p>The so-called flying-fish afforded a pretty sight. The sea was as +calm as a mirror, the evening mild and moonlight; and so we remained on +deck till late, watching the gambols of these animals. As far as we +could see, the water was covered with them. We could recognise the +younger fishes by their higher springs; they seemed to be three to four +feet long, and rose five to six feet above the surface of the sea. +Their leaping looked like an attempt at flying, but their gills did not do +them good service in the trial, and they fell back immediately. The +old fish did not seem to have the same elasticity; they only described a +small arch like the dolphins, and only rose so far above the water that we +could see the middle part of their body.</p> +<p>These fish are not caught; they have little oil, and an unpleasant +taste.</p> +<p>On the thirteenth day we again saw land. We had entered the +Skagerrak, and saw the peninsula of Jütland, with the town of +Skaggen. The peninsula looks very dreary from this side; it is flat +and covered with sand.</p> +<p>On the sixteenth day we entered the Cattegat. For some time past +we had always either been becalmed or had had contrary winds, and had been +tossed about in the Skagerrak, the Cattegat, and the Sound for nearly a +week. On some days we scarcely made fifteen to twenty leagues a +day. On such calm days I passed the time with fishing; but the fish +were wise enough not to bite my hook. I was daily anticipating a +dinner of mackerel, but caught only one.</p> +<p>The multitude of vessels sailing into the Cattegat afforded me more +amusement; I counted above seventy. The nearer we approached the +entrance of the Sound, the more imposing was the sight, and the more +closely were the vessels crowded together. Fortunately we were +favoured by a bright moonlight; in a dark or stormy night we should not +with the greatest precaution and skill have been able to avoid a +collision.</p> +<p>The inhabitants of more southern regions have no idea of the +extraordinary clearness and brilliancy of a northern moonlight night; it +seems almost as if the moon had borrowed a portion of the sun’s +lustre. I have seen splendid nights on the coast of Asia, on the +Mediterranean; but here, on the shores of Scandinavia, they were lighter +and brighter.</p> +<p>I remained on deck all night; for it pleased me to watch the forests of +masts crowded together here, and endeavouring simultaneously to gain the +entrance to the Sound. I should now be able to form a tolerable idea +of a fleet, for this number of ships must surely resemble a +merchant-fleet.</p> +<p>On the twentieth day of our journey we entered the port of +Helsingör. The Sound dues have to be paid here, or, as the +sailor calls it, the ship must be cleared. This is a very tedious +interruption, and the stopping and restarting of the ship very +incommodious. The sails have to be furled, the anchor cast, the boat +lowered, and the captain proceeds on shore; hours sometimes elapse before +he has finished. When he returns to the ship, the boat has to be +hoisted again, the anchor raised, and the sails unfurled. Sometimes +the wind has changed in the mean time; and in consequence of these +formalities, the port of Copenhagen cannot be reached at the expected +time.</p> +<p>If a ship is unfortunate enough to reach Helsingör on a dark night, +she may not enter at all for fear of a collision. She has to anchor +in the Cattegat, and thus suffer two interruptions. If she arrives at +Helsingör in the night before four o’clock, she has to wait, as +the custom-house is not opened till that time.</p> +<p>The skipper is, however, at liberty to proceed direct to Copenhagen, but +this liberty costs five thalers (fifteen shillings). If, however, the +toll may thus be paid in Copenhagen just as easily, the obligation to stop +at Helsingör is only a trick to gain the higher toll; for if a captain +is in haste, or the wind is too favourable to be lost, he forfeits the five +thalers, and sails on to Copenhagen.</p> +<p>Our captain cared neither for time nor trouble; he cleared the ship +here, and so we did not reach Copenhagen until two o’clock in the +afternoon. After my long absence, it seemed so familiar, so beautiful +and grand, as if I had seen nothing so beautiful in my whole life. My +readers must bear in mind, however, where I came from, and how long I had +been imprisoned in a vessel in which I scarcely had space to move. +When I put foot on shore again, I could have imitated Columbus, and +prostrated myself to kiss the earth.</p> +<h3>DEPARTURE FROM COPENHAGEN.—CHRISTIANIA.</h3> +<p>On the 19th August, the day after my arrival from Iceland, at two +o’clock in the afternoon, I had already embarked again; this time in +the fine royal Norwegian steamer <i>Christiania</i>, of 170 horsepower, +bound for the town of Christiania, distant 304 sea-miles from +Copenhagen. We had soon passed through the Sound and arrived safely +in the Cattegat, in which we steered more to the right than on the journey +to Iceland; for we not only intended to see Norway and Sweden, but to cast +anchor on the coast.</p> +<p>We could plainly see the fine chain of mountains which bound the +Cattegat on the right, and whose extreme point, the Kulm, runs into the sea +like a long promontory. Lighthouses are erected here, and on the +other numerous dangerous spots of the coast, and their lights shine all +around in the dark night. Some of the lights are movable, and some +stationary, and point out to the sailor which places to avoid.</p> +<p style="text-align: right">August 20th.</p> +<p>Bad weather is one of the greatest torments of a traveller, and is more +disagreeable when one passes through districts remarkable for beauty and +originality. Both grievances were united to-day; it rained, almost +incessantly; and yet the passage of the Swedish coast and of the little +fiord to the port of Gottenburg was of peculiar interest. The sea +here was more like a broad stream which is bounded by noble rocks, and +interspersed by small and large rocks and shoals, over which the waters +dashed finely. Near the harbour, some buildings lie partly on and +partly between the rocks; these contain the celebrated royal Swedish +iron-foundry, called the new foundry. Even numerous American ships +were lying here to load this metal. <a name="citation46"></a><a +href="#footnote46" class="citation">[46]</a></p> +<p>The steamer remains more than four hours in the port of Gottenburg, and +we had therefore time to go into the town, distant about two miles, and +whose suburbs extend as far as the port. On the landing-quay a +captain lives who has always a carriage and two horses ready to drive +travellers into the town. There are also one-horse vehicles, and even +an omnibus. The former were already engaged; the latter, we were +told, drives so slowly, that nearly the whole time is lost on the road; so +I and two travelling companions hired the captain’s carriage. +The rain poured in torrents on our heads; but this did not disturb us +much. My two companions had business to transact, and curiosity +attracted me. I did not at that time know that I should have occasion +to visit this pretty little town again, and would not leave without seeing +it.</p> +<p>The suburbs are built entirely of wood, and contain many pretty +one-story houses, surrounded, for the most part, by little gardens. +The situation of the suburbs is very peculiar. Rocks, or little +fields and meadows, often lie between the houses; the rocks even now and +then cross the streets, and had to be blasted to form a road. The +view from one of the hills over which the road to the town lies is truly +beautiful.</p> +<p>The town has two large squares: on the smaller one stands the large +church; on the larger one the town-hall, the post-office, and many pretty +houses. In the town every thing is built of bricks. The river +Ham flows through the large square, and increases the traffic by the many +ships and barks running into it from the sea, and bringing provisions, but +principally fuel, to market. Several bridges cross it. A visit +to the well-stocked fish-market is also an interesting feature in a short +visit to this town.</p> +<p>I entered a Swedish house for the first time here. I remarked that +the floor was strewed over with the fine points of the fir-trees, which had +an agreeable odour, a more healthy one probably than any artificial +perfume. I found this custom prevalent all over Sweden and Norway, +but only in hotels and in the dwellings of the poorer classes.</p> +<p>About eleven o’clock in the forenoon we continued our +journey. We steered safely through the many rocks and shoals, and +soon reached the open sea again. We did not stand out far from the +shore, and saw several telegraphs erected on the rocks. We soon lost +sight of Denmark on the left, and arrived at the fortress Friedrichsver +towards evening, but could not see much of it. Here the so-called +Scheren begin, which extend sixty leagues, and form the Christian’s +Sound. By what I could see in the dim twilight, the scene was +beautiful. Numerous islands, some merely consisting of bare rocks, +others overgrown with slender pines, surrounded us on all sides. But +our pilot understood his business perfectly, and steered us safely through +to Sandesund, spite of the dark night. Here we anchored, for it would +have been too dangerous to proceed. We had to wait here for the +steamer from Bergen, which exchanged passengers with us. The sea was +very rough, and this exchange was therefore extremely difficult to +effect. Neither of the steamers would lower a boat; at last our +steamer gave way, after midnight, and the terrified and wailing passengers +were lowered into it. I pitied them from my heart, but fortunately no +accident happened.</p> +<p style="text-align: right">August 21st</p> +<p>I could see the situation of Sandesund better by day; and found it to +consist only of a few houses. The water is so hemmed in here that it +scarcely attains the breadth of a stream; but it soon widens again, and +increases in beauty and variety with every yard. We seemed to ride on +a beautiful lake; for the islands lie so close to the mountains in the +background, that they look like a continent, and the bays they form like +the mouths of rivers. The next moment the scene changes to a +succession of lakes, one coming close on the other; and when the ship +appears to be hemmed in, a new opening is suddenly presented to the eye +behind another island. The islands themselves are of a most varied +character: some only consist of bare rocks, with now and then a pine; some +are richly covered with fields and groves; and the shore presents so many +fine scenes, that one hardly knows where to look in order not to miss any +of the beauties of the scenery. Here are high mountains overgrown +from the bottom to the summit with dark pine-groves; there again lovely +hills, with verdant meadows, fertile fields, pretty farmsteads and yards; +and on another side the mountains separate and form a beautiful perspective +of precipices and valleys. Sometimes I could follow the bend of a bay +till it mingled with the distant clouds; at others we passed the most +beautiful valleys, dotted with little villages and towns. I cannot +describe the beauties of the scenery in adequate terms: my words are too +weak, and my knowledge too insignificant; and I can only give an idea of my +emotions, but not describe them.</p> +<p>Near Walloe the country grows less beautiful; the mountains decrease +into hills, and the water is not studded with islands. The little +town itself is almost concealed behind the hills. A remarkable +feature is the long row of wooden huts and houses adjoining, which all +belong to a salt-work established there.</p> +<p>We entered one of the many little arms of the sea to reach the town of +Moss. Its situation is beautiful, being built amphi-theatrically on a +hillock which leans against a high mountain. A fine building on the +sea-shore, whose portico rests upon pillars, is used for a bathing +institution.</p> +<p>A dock-yard, in which men-of-war are built at the expense of the state, +is situated near the town of Horten, which is also picturesquely +placed. There does not seem to be much work doing here, for I only +saw one ship lying at anchor, and none on the stocks. About eight +leagues beyond Horten a mountain rises in the middle of the sea, and +divides it into two streams, uniting again beyond it, and forming a pretty +view.</p> +<p>We did not see Christiania till we were only ten leagues from it. +The town, the suburbs, the fortress, the newly-erected royal palace, the +freemasons’ lodge, &c., lie in a semicircle round the port, and +are bounded by fields, meadows, woods, and hills, forming a delightful +<i>coup-d’oeil</i>. It seems as if the sea could not part from +such a lovely view, and runs in narrow streams, through hills and plains, +to a great distance beyond the town.</p> +<p>Towards eleven o’clock in the forenoon we reached the port of +Christiania. We had come from Sandesund in seven hours, and had +stopped four times on the way; but the boats with new-comers, with +merchandise and letters, had always been ready, had been received, and we +had proceeded without any considerable delay.</p> +<h2>CHAPTER VIII</h2> +<p>My first care on arriving in this town was to find a countrywoman of +mine who had been married to a lawyer here. It is said of the +Viennese that they cannot live away from their Stephen’s steeple; but +here was a proof of the contrary, for there are few couples living so +happily as these friends, and yet they were nearly one thousand miles from +St. Stephen’s steeple. <a name="citation47"></a><a href="#footnote47" +class="citation">[47]</a></p> +<p>I passed through the whole town on the way from the quay to the hotel, +and thence to my friend. The town is not large, and not very +pretty. The newly-built portion is the best, for it at least has +broad, tolerably long streets, in which the houses are of brick, and +sometimes large. In the by-streets I frequently found wooden barracks +ready to fall. The square is large, but irregular; and as it is used +as a general market-place, it is also very dirty.</p> +<p style="text-align: center"> +<a href="images/p196b.jpg"> +<img alt="Christiania" src="images/p196s.jpg" /> +</a></p> +<p>In the suburbs the houses are mostly built of wood. There are some +rather pretty public buildings; the finest among them are the royal castle +and the fortress. They are built on little elevations, and afford a +beautiful view. The old royal palace is in the town, but not at all +distinguishable from a common private house. The house in which the +Storthing <a name="citation48"></a><a href="#footnote48" +class="citation">[48]</a> assembles is large, and its portico rests on +pillars; but the steps are of wood, as in all stone houses in +Scandinavia. The theatre seemed large enough for the population; but +I did not enter it. The freemasons’ lodge is one of the most +beautiful buildings in the town; it contains two large saloons, which are +used for assemblies or festivities of various kinds, besides serving as the +meeting-place of the freemasons. The university seemed almost too +richly built; it is not finished yet, but is so beautiful that it would be +an ornament to the largest capital. The butchers’ market is +also very pretty. It is of a semi-circular shape, and is surrounded +by arched passages, in which the buyers stand, sheltered from the +weather. The whole edifice is built of bricks, left in their natural +state, neither stuccoed with mortar nor whitewashed. There are not +many other palaces or fine public buildings, and most of the houses are +one-storied.</p> +<p>One of the features of the place—a custom which is of great use to +the traveller, and prevails in all Scandinavian towns—is, that the +names of the streets are affixed at every corner, so that the passer-by +always knows where he is, without the necessity of asking his way.</p> +<p>Open canals run through the town; and on such nights as the almanac +announces a full or bright moon the streets are not lighted.</p> +<p>Wooden quays surround the harbour, on which several large warehouses, +likewise built of wood, are situated; but, like most of the houses, they +are roofed with tiles.</p> +<p>The arrangement and display of the stores are simple, and the wares very +beautiful, though not of home manufacture. Very few factories exist +here, and every thing has to be imported.</p> +<p>I was much shocked at the raggedly-clad people I met every where in the +streets; the young men especially looked very ragged. They rarely +begged; but I should not have been pleased to meet them alone in a retired +street.</p> +<p>I was fortunate enough to be in Christiania at the time when the +Storthing was sitting. This takes place every three years; the +sessions commence in January or February, and usually last three months; +but so much business had this time accumulated, that the king proposed to +extend the length of the session. To this fortunate accident I owed +the pleasure of witnessing some of the meetings. The king was +expected to close the proceedings in September. <a name="citation49"></a><a +href="#footnote49" class="citation">[49]</a></p> +<p>The hall of meeting is long and large. Four rows of tapestried +seats, one rising above the other, run lengthways along the hall, and +afford room for eighty legislators. Opposite the benches a table +stands on a raised platform, and at this table the president and secretary +sit. A gallery, which is open to the public, runs round the upper +portion of the hall.</p> +<p>Although I understood but little of the Norwegian language, I attended +the meetings daily for an hour. I could at least distinguish whether +long or short speeches were made, or whether the orator spoke +fluently. Unfortunately, the speakers I heard spoke the few words +they mustered courage to deliver so slowly and hesitatingly, that I could +not form a very favourable idea of Norwegian eloquence. I was told +that the Storthing only contained three or four good speakers, and they did +not display their talents during my stay.</p> +<p>I have never seen such a variety of carriages as I met with here. +The commonest and most incommodious are called Carriols. A carriol +consists of a narrow, long, open box, resting between two immensely high +wheels, and provided with a very small seat. You are squeezed into +this contrivance, and have to stretch your feet forward. You are then +buckled in with a leather apron as high as the hips, and must remain in +this position, without moving a limb, from the beginning to the end of your +ride. A board is hung on behind the box for the coachman; and from +this perch he, in a kneeling or standing position, directs the horses, +unless the temporary resident of the box should prefer to take the reins +himself. As it is very unpleasant to hear the quivering of the reins +on one side and the smacking of the whip on the other, every one, men and +women, can drive. Besides these carriols, there are phaetons, +droschkas, but no closed vehicles.</p> +<p>The carts which are used for the transport of beer are of a very +peculiar construction. The consumption of beer in Christiania is very +great, and it is at once bottled when made, and not sold in casks. +The carts for the transport of these bottles consist of roomy covered boxes +a foot and a half high, which are divided into partitions like a cellaret, +in which many bottles can be easily and safely transported from one part to +another.</p> +<p>Another species of basket, which the servants use to carry such articles +as are damp or dirty, and which my readers will excuse my describing, is +made of fine white tin, and provided with a handle. Straw baskets are +only used for bread, and for dry and clean provisions.</p> +<p>There are no public gardens or assemblies in Christiania, but numerous +promenades; indeed, every road from the town leads to the most beautiful +scenery, and every hill in the neighbourhood affords the most delightful +prospects.</p> +<p>Ladegardoen is the only spot which is often resorted to by the citizens +by carriage or on foot. It affords many and splendid views of the sea +and its islands, of the surrounding mountains, valleys, and pine and fir +groves. The majority of the country-houses are built here. They +are generally small, but pretty, and surrounded by flower-gardens and +orchards. While there, I seemed to be far in the south, so green and +verdant was the scenery. The corn-fields alone betrayed the +north. Not that the corn was poor; on the contrary, I found many ears +bending to the ground under their weight; but now, towards the end of +August, most of it was standing uncut in the fields.</p> +<p>Near the town stands a pine-grove, from which one has splendid views; +two monuments are raised in it, but neither of them are of importance: one +is raised to the memory of a crown-prince of Sweden, Christian Augustus; +the other to Count Hermann Wenel Jarlsberg.</p> +<h3>JOURNEY TO DELEMARKEN.</h3> +<p>All I had hitherto seen in Norway had gratified me so much, that I could +not resist the temptation of a journey to the wildly romantic regions of +Delemarken. I was indeed told that it would be a difficult +undertaking for a female, alone and almost entirely ignorant of the +language, to make her way through the peasantry. But I found no one +to accompany me, and was determined to go; so I trusted to fate, and went +alone.</p> +<p>According to the inquires I had instituted in respect to this journey, I +anticipated that my greatest difficulties would arise from the absence of +all institutions for the speedy and comfortable progress of +travellers. One is forced to possess a carriage, and to hire horses +at every station. It is sometimes possible to hire a vehicle, but +this generally consists only of a miserable peasant’s cart. I +hired, therefore, a carriol for the whole journey, and a horse to the next +station, the townlet of Drammen, distant about twenty-four miles.</p> +<p>On the 25th August, at three o’clock in the afternoon, I left +Christiania, squeezed myself into my carriage, and, following the example +of Norwegian dames, I seized the reins. I drove as if I had been used +to it from infancy. I turned right and left, and my horse galloped +and trotted gaily on.</p> +<p>The road to Drammen is exquisite, and would afford rich subjects for an +artist. All the beauties of nature are here combined in most perfect +harmony. The richness and variety of the scenery are almost +oppressive, and would be an inexhaustible subject for the painter. +The vegetation is much richer than I had hoped to find it so far north; +every hill, every rock, is shaded by verdant foliage; the green of the +meadows was of incomparable freshness; the grass was intermingled with +flowers and herbs, and the corn-fields bent under their golden weight.</p> +<p>I have been in many countries, and have seen beautiful districts; I have +been in Switzerland, in Tyrol, in Italy, and in Salzburg; but I never saw +such peculiarly beautiful scenery as I found here: the sea every where +intruding and following us to Drammen; here forming a lovely lake on which +boats were rocking, there a stream rushing through hills and meadows; and +then again, the splendid expanse dotted with proud three-masters and with +countless islets. After a five hours’ ride through rich valleys +and splendid groves, I reached the town of Drammen, which lies on the +shores of the sea and the river Storri Elf, and whose vicinity was +announced by the beautiful country-houses ornamenting the approach to +it.</p> +<p>A long, well-built wooden bridge, furnished with beautiful iron +palisadings, leads over the river. The town of Drammen has pretty +streets and houses, and above 6000 inhabitants. The hotel where I +lodged was pretty and clean. My bedroom was a large room, with which +the most fastidious might have been contented. The supper which they +provided for me was, however, most frugal, consisting only of soft-boiled +eggs. They gave me neither salt nor bread with them, nor a spoon; +nothing but a knife and fork. And it is a mystery to me how soft eggs +can be eaten without bread, and with a knife and fork.</p> +<p style="text-align: right">August 25th.</p> +<p>I hired a fresh horse here, with which I proceeded to Kongsberg, +eighteen miles farther. The first seven miles afforded a repetition +of the romantic scenery of the previous day, with the exception of the +sea. But instead I had the beautiful river, until I had ascended a +hill, from whose summit I overlooked a large and apparently populous +valley, filled with groups of houses and single farms. It is strange +that there are very few large towns in Norway; every peasant builds his +house in the midst of his fields.</p> +<p>Beyond this hill the scenery grows more monotonous. The mountains +are lower, the valley narrower, and the road is enclosed by wood or +rocks. One peculiarity of Norwegian rocks is their humidity. +The water penetrates through countless fissures, but only in such small +quantities as to cover the stones with a kind of veil. When the sun +shines on these wet surfaces of rock, of which there are many and large +ones, they shine like mirrors.</p> +<p>Delemarken seems to be tolerably populous. I often met with +solitary peasant-huts in the large gloomy forests, and they gave some life +to the monotonous landscape. The industry of the Norwegian peasant is +very great; for every spot of earth, even on the steepest precipices, bore +potatoes, barley, or oats; their houses also look cheerful, and were +painted for the most part of a brick-red colour.</p> +<p>I found the roads very good, especially the one from Christiania to +Drammen; and the one from Drammen to Kongsberg was not very +objectionable. There is such an abundance of wood in Norway, that the +streets on each side are fenced by wooden enclosures; and every field and +meadow is similarly protected against the intrusion of cattle, and the +miserable roads through the woods are even covered with round trunks of +trees.</p> +<p>The peasantry in this district have no peculiar costume; only the +head-covering of the females is curious. They wear a lady’s +hat, such as was fashionable in the last century, ornamented with a bunch +behind, and with an immense shade in front. They are made of any +material, generally of the remains of old garments; and only on Sundays +better ones, and sometimes even silk ones, make their appearance.</p> +<p>In the neighbourhood of Kongsberg this head-dress is no longer +worn. There they wear little caps like the Suabian peasantry, +petticoats commencing under the shoulders, and very short spencers: a very +ugly costume, the whole figure being spoilt by the short waist.</p> +<p>The town of Kongsberg is rather extended, and is beautifully situated on +a hill in the centre of a splendid wooded valley. It is, like all the +towns in Norway except Christiania, built of wood; but it has many pretty, +neat houses and some broad streets.</p> +<p>The stream Storri Elf flows past the town, and forms a small but very +picturesque waterfall a little below the bridge. What pleased me most +was the colour of the water as it surged over the rock. It was about +noon as I drove across the bridge; the sun illuminated the whole country +around, and the waves breaking against the rocks seemed by this light of a +beautiful pale-yellow colour, so that they resembled thick masses of pure +transparent amber.</p> +<p>Two remarkable sights claimed my attention at Kongsberg,—a rich +silver-mine, and a splendid waterfall called the Labrafoss. But as my +time was limited and I could only remain a few hours in Kongsberg, I +preferred to see the waterfall and believe the accounts of the silver-mine; +which were, that the deepest shaft was eight hundred feet below the +surface, and that it was most difficult to remain there, as the cold, the +smoke, and the powder-smell had a very noxious effect on the traveller +accustomed to light and air.</p> +<p>I therefore hired a horse and drove to the fall, which is situated in a +narrow pass about four miles from Kongsberg. The river collects in a +quiet calm basin a little distance above the fall, and then rushes over the +steep precipice with a sudden bound. The considerable depth of the +fall and the quality of water make it a very imposing sight. This is +increased by a gigantic rock planted like a wall in the lower basin, and +opposing its body to the progress of the hurrying waters. The waves +rebound from the rock, and, collecting in mighty masses, rush over it, +forming several smaller waterfalls in their course.</p> +<p>I watched it from a high rock, and was nevertheless covered by the spray +to such a degree, that I sometimes could scarcely open my eyes. My +guide then took me to the lower part of the fall, so that I might have a +view of it from all sides; and each view seemed different and more +splendid. I perceived the same yellow transparent colour which I had +remarked in the fall at Kongsberg in the waters which dashed over the rock +and were illuminated by the sun. I imagine it arises from the rock, +which is every where of a brownish-red colour, for the water itself was +clear and pure.</p> +<p>At four o’clock in the afternoon I left Kongsberg, and drove to +Bolkesoe, a distance of eighteen miles. It was by no means a +beautiful or an agreeable drive; for the road was very bad, and took me +through passes and valleys, across woods and over steep mountains, while +the night was dark and unilluminated by the moon. The thought +involuntarily entered my mind, how easily my guide, who sat close behind me +on the vehicle, could put me out of the world by a gentle blow, and take +possession of my effects. But I had confidence in the upright +character of the Norwegians, and drove on quietly, devoting my attention +entirely to the reins of my little steed, which I had to lead with a sure +hand over hill and valley, over ruts and stones, and along +precipices. I heard no sound but the rushing of the mountain-river, +which leaped, close beside us, over the rocks, and was heard rushing in the +far distance.</p> +<p>We did not arrive at Bolkesoe until ten o’clock at night. +When we stopped before an insignificant-looking peasant’s cot, and I +remembered my Icelandic night-accommodations, whose exterior this +resembled, my courage failed me; but I was agreeably disappointed when the +peasant’s wife led me up a broad staircase into a large clean chamber +furnished with several good beds, some benches, a table, a box, and an iron +stove. I found equal comforts on all the stations of my journey.</p> +<p>There are no proper hotels or posthouses on the little-frequented +Norwegian roads; but the wealthy peasants undertake the duties of +both. I would, however, advise every traveller to provide himself +with bread and other provisions for the trip; for his peasant-host rarely +can furnish him with these. His cows are on the hills during the +summer; fowls are far too great a luxury for him; and his bread is scarcely +eatable: it consists of large round cakes, scarcely half an inch thick, and +very hard; or of equally large cakes scarcely as thick as a knife, and +quite dry. The only eatables I found were fish and potatoes; and +whenever I could stay for several hours, they fetched milk for me from the +hills.</p> +<p>The travelling conveniences are still more unattainable; but these I +will mention in a future chapter, when my experience will be a little more +extensive.</p> +<p style="text-align: right">August 26th.</p> +<p>I could not see the situation of the town of Bolkesoe till daylight +to-day, for when I arrived the darkness of night concealed it. It is +situated in a pretty wooded vale, on a little hill at whose foot lies a +beautiful lake of the same name.</p> +<p>The road from here to Tindosoe, about sixteen miles, is not practicable +for vehicles, and I therefore left my carriol here and proceeded on +horseback. The country grows more quiet and uninhabited, and the +valleys become real chasms. Two lakes of considerable size form an +agreeable variety to the wildness of the scenery. The larger one, +called the Foelsoe, is of a regular form, and above two miles in diameter; +it is encircled by picturesque mountains. The effect of the shadows +which the pine-covered mountain-tops throw on the lakes is particularly +attractive. I rode along its shores for more than an hour, and had +leisure to see and examine every thing very accurately, for the horses here +travel at a very slow pace. The reason of this is partly that the +guide has no horse, and walks beside you in a very sleepy manner; the horse +knows its master’s peculiarities by long experience, and is only too +willing to encourage him in his slow, dull pace. I spent more than +five hours in reaching Tindosoe. My next object of interest was the +celebrated waterfall of Rykanfoss, to reach which we had to cross a large +lake. Although it had rained incessantly for an hour, and the sky +looked threatening, I at once hired a boat with two rowers to continue my +journey without interruption; for I anticipated a storm, and then I should +not have found a boatman who would have ventured a voyage of four or five +hours on this dangerous lake. In two hours my boat was ready, and I +started in the pouring rain, but rejoiced at least at the absence of fog, +which would have concealed the beauties of nature which surrounded +me. The lake is eighteen miles long, but in many parts only from two +to three miles wide. It is surrounded by mountains, which rise in +terraces without the least gap to admit a distant view. As the +mountains are nearly all covered with dark fir-groves, and overshadow the +whole breadth of the narrow lake, the water seems quite dark, and almost +black. This lake is dangerous to navigate on account of the many +rocks rising perpendicularly out of the water, which, in a storm, shatter a +boat dashed against them to pieces, and the passengers would find an +inevitable grave in the deep waters. We had a flesh and a favourable +breeze, which blew us quickly to our destination. One of the rocks on +the coast has a very loud echo.</p> +<p>An island about a mile long divides the lake into equal parts; and when +we had passed it, the landscape became quite peculiar. The mountains +seemed to push before each other, and try whose foot should extend farthest +into the sea. This forms numerous lovely bays; but few of them are +adapted for landing, as the dangerous rocks seem to project every +where.</p> +<p>The little dots of field and meadow which seem to hang against the rock, +and the modest cottages of the peasants, which are built on the points of +the most dangerous precipices, and over which rocks and stones tower as +mountains, present a very curious appearance. The most fearful rocks +hang over the huts, and threaten to crush them by falling, which would +inevitably carry cottage and field with them into the sea. It is +difficult to say whether the boldness or the stupidity of the peasants +induces them to choose such localities for their dwellings.</p> +<p>From the mountains many rivers flow into the lake, and form beautiful +falls. This might only have been the case at that time, because it +was raining incessantly, and the water poured down from all sides, so that +the mountains seemed embroidered with silver threads. It was a +beautiful sight; but I would willingly have relinquished it for a day of +sunshine. It is no trifle to be exposed to such a shower-bath from +morning till night; I was wet through, and had no hope for better weather, +as the sky was clouded all round. My perseverance was nearly +exhausted; and I was on the point of relinquishing the purpose of my +journey,—the sight of the highest Norwegian waterfall,—when it +occurred to me that the bad weather was most favourable for my plan, as +each drop of water would increase the splendour of the waterfall.</p> +<p>After three hours and a half’s rowing we reached Haukaness-am-See, +where it is usual to stop a night as there is a pretty farm here, and the +distance from the fall is still considerable.</p> +<p style="text-align: right">August 27th.</p> +<p>My first care in the morning was the weather; it was unchanged, and the +experienced peasants prophesied that it would remain wet. As I would +not return nor wait for better weather, I could only take to my boat again, +put on my half-dried cloak, and row on boldly.</p> +<p>The termination of the lake, which we soon reached, was already +sufficient to compensate for my perseverance. A high mountain +advances into the lake, and divides it into two beautiful bays. We +entered the left bay, and landed at Mael, which lies at the mouth of the +river Rykaness. The distance from Haukaness is a little more than two +miles. I had to mount a horse to reach the waterfall, which was yet +eleven miles distant. The road runs through a narrow valley, which +gradually narrows still more until it can only contain the river; and the +traveller is obliged to ascend the heights and grope on along the sides of +the mountains. Below in the vale he sees the foam of the waves +surging against the rocks; they flow like a narrow band of silver in the +deep chasm. Sometimes the path is so high that one neither sees nor +hears the river. The last half mile has to be journeyed on foot, and +goes past spots which are really dangerous; numerous waterfalls rush from +the mountain-sides, and have to be crossed on paths of tree-trunks laid +alongside each other; and roads scarcely a foot wide lead along giddy +precipices. But the traveller may trust unhesitatingly to his +guide’s arm, who has hitherto led every one in safety to his +destination.</p> +<p>The road from Haukaness to the waterfall must be the finest that can be +imagined on a bright sunny day; for I was enchanted with the +wildly-romantic scenery in spite of the incessant rain and my wet clothes, +and would on no consideration have missed this sight. Unfortunately +the bad weather increased, and thick fogs rolled down into the +valleys. The water flowed down from the mountains, and transformed +our narrow path into a brook, through which we had to wade ankle-deep in +water. At last we reached the spot which afforded the best view of +the fall. It was yet free from mist, and I could still admire the +extraordinary beauty of the fall and its quantity of water. I saw the +immense mountain-rock which closes the valley, the tremendous pillar of +water which dashes over it, and rebounds from the rock projecting in the +centre of the fall, filling the whole valley with clouds of spray, and +concealing the depth to which it descends. I saw this, one of the +rarest and of the most magnificent of natural beauties; but alas, I saw it +only for a moment, and had scarcely time to recover from the surprise of +the first view when I lost it for ever! I was not destined to see the +single grandeurs of the fall and of the surrounding scenery, and was fain +to be content with one look, one glance. Impenetrable mists rolled +from all sides into the wild glen, and shrouded every thing in complete +darkness; I sat on a piece of rock, and gazed for two hours stedfastly at +the spot where a faint outline of the fall was scarcely distinguishable +through the mist sometimes this faint trace even was lost, and I could +perceive its vicinity only by the dreadful sounds of the fall, and by the +trembling of the rock beneath my feet.</p> +<p>After I had gazed, and hoped, and raised my eyes entreatingly to heaven +for a single ray of sunshine, all in vain, I had at last to determine on my +return. I left my post almost with tears in my eyes, and turned my +head more backwards than forwards as we left the spot. At the least +indication of a clearing away of the fog I should have returned.</p> +<p>But I retired farther and farther from it till I reached Mael again, +where I sadly entered my boat, and proceeded uninterruptedly to +Tindosoe. I arrived there towards ten o’clock at night. +The wet, the cold, the want of food, and, above all, the depressed and +disappointed state of my mind, had so affected me, that I went to bed with +a slight attack of fever, and feared that I should not be able to continue +my journey on the following day. But my strong constitution triumphed +over every thing, and at five o’clock in the morning I was ready to +continue my journey to Bolkesoe on horseback.</p> +<p>I was obliged to hurry for fear of missing the departure of the steamer +from Christiania. The journey to Delemarken had been represented to +me as much shorter than I found it in reality; for the constant waiting for +horses, boats, guides, &c. takes up very much time.</p> +<p style="text-align: right">August 28th.</p> +<p>I had ordered my horse to be ready at five o’clock, but was +obliged to wait for it until seven o’clock.</p> +<p>Although I made only a short trip into the interior, I had sufficient +opportunities for experiencing the extortions and inconveniences to which a +traveller is liable in Norway. No country in Europe is so much in its +infancy as regards all conveniences for locomotion. It is true that +horses, carriages, boats, &c. can be had at every station, and the law +has fixed the price of these commodities; but every thing is in the hands +of the peasants and the publicans, and they are so skilled in tormenting +the traveller by their intentional slowness, that he is compelled to pay +the two-fold tax, in order to proceed a little more quickly. The +stations are short, being rarely above five or six miles, and one is +therefore constantly changing horses. Arrived at a station, it either +happens that there is really no horse to be had, or that this is an +ostensible excuse. The traveller is told that the horse has to be +fetched from the mountain, and that he can be served in one and a half or +two hours. Thus he rides one hour, and waits two. It is also +necessary to keep the tariff, as every trifle, the saddle, the carriage, +the harness, fetching the horse, the boat, &c., has to be paid for +extra; and when the traveller does not know the fixed prices, he is certain +to be dreadfully imposed upon. At every station a book lies, +containing the legal prices; but it is written in the language of the +district, and utterly unintelligible to the stranger. Into this book, +which is examined by the judge of the district every month, one may enter +complaints against the peasant or publican; but they do not seem to fear +it, for the guide who accompanied me to the fall of Rykanfoss endeavoured +to cheat me twice in the most barefaced manner, by charging me six-fold for +the use of the saddles and the fetching of the horse. When I +threatened to inscribe my complaint in the book, he seemed not to care, and +insisted on his demand, till I was obliged to pay him. On my return +to Mael, I kept my word, asked for the book, and entered my complaint, +although I was alone with all the peasants. It was not so much the +money which annoyed me, as the shameless imposition. I am of opinion +that every one should complain when he is wronged; if it does not benefit +him, it will make the matter more easy for his successor.</p> +<p>I must confess, in justice to the peasants, that they were very +indignant when I told them of the dishonesty of their countryman, and did +not attempt to prevent my complaint.</p> +<p>To conclude my journey, I need only remark that, although the rain had +ceased, the sky was still covered with clouds, and the country shrouded in +mist. I therefore took the shorter road to Christiania, by which I +had come, although I thereby missed a beautiful district, where I should, +as I was told, have seen the most splendid perspective views in +Norway. This would have been on the road from Kongsberg over +Kroxleben to Christiania. The finest part is near Kroxleben.</p> +<p>But the time was too short to take this round, and I returned by way of +Drammen. In the village of Muni, about five miles from Kongsberg, +where I arrived at seven o’clock in the evening, the amiable host +wished to keep me waiting again two hours for a horse; and as this would +probably have happened at every station, I was obliged to hire a horse for +the whole distance to Christiania, at a threefold price. I slept here +for a few hours, left in the night at one o’clock, and arrived at +Christiania the following afternoon at two.</p> +<p>On this journey I found all those people very kind and obliging with +whom I came into no sort of pecuniary relation; but the hosts, the boatmen, +the drivers, the guides, were as selfish and grasping as in any other +country. I believe that kindness and disinterestedness would only be +found in any district by him who has the good fortune to be the first +traveller.</p> +<p>This little excursion was very dear; and yet I think I could now travel +cheaply even in this country, universally acknowledged to be dear. I +would go with the steamer along the coast to Hammerfest, buy a little +vehicle and a good horse there, and then travel pleasantly, and without +annoyance, through the whole country. But for a family who wished to +travel in a comfortable covered carriage, it would be incalculably dear, +and in many parts impossible, on account of the bad roads.</p> +<p>The Norwegian peasantry are strong and robust, but their features are +not the most comely, and they seemed neither wealthy nor cleanly. +They were generally very poorly clad, and always barefooted. Their +cottages, built of wood and covered with tiles, are more roomy than those +of the Icelanders; but they are nevertheless dirty and wretched. A +weakness of the Norwegians is their fondness for coffee, which they drink +without milk or sugar. The old women, as well as the men, smoke their +pipes morning and night.</p> +<p></p> +<table> +<tr> +<td> +<p></p> +</td> +<td> +<p>Miles.</p> +</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td> +<p>From Christiania to Kongsberg is about</p> +</td> +<td> +<p>41</p> +</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td> +<p>From Kongsberg to the waterfall Labrafoss</p> +</td> +<td> +<p>5</p> +</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td> +<p>From Kongsberg to Bolkosoe</p> +</td> +<td> +<p>14</p> +</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td> +<p>From Bolkosoe to Tindosoe</p> +</td> +<td> +<p>16</p> +</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td> +<p>From Tindosoe across the lake to Mael</p> +</td> +<td> +<p>16</p> +</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td> +<p>From Mael to the waterfall Rykanfoss</p> +</td> +<td> +<p>11</p> +</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td> +<p></p> +</td> +<td> +<p>103</p> +</td> +</tr> +</table> +<h2>CHAPTER IX</h2> +<p style="text-align: right">August 30th.</p> +<p>At seven o’clock this morning I left Christiania, accompanied by +the good wishes of my countrywoman and her husband, and went back to +Gottenburg by the same steamer which had brought me thence ten days +before. I need only mention the splendid view of a portion of +Christian’s Sound—also called Fiord—which I lost on the +former journey from the darkness of the night. We passed it in the +afternoon. The situation of the little town of Lauervig is +superb. It is built on a natural terrace, bordered in the background +by beautiful mountains. In front, the fortress of Friedrichsver lies +on a mountain surrounded by rocks, on which little watch-towers are +erected; to the left lies the vast expanse of sea.</p> +<p>We were delayed an hour at Friedrichsver to transfer the travellers for +Bergen <a name="citation50"></a><a href="#footnote50" +class="citation">[50]</a> to a vessel waiting for them, as we had stopped +on our previous journey at Sandesund for the same purpose.</p> +<p>This is the last view in the fiord; for now we steered into the open +sea, and in a few hours we had lost sight of land. We saw nothing but +land and water till we arrived the next morning at the Scheren, and steered +for Gottenburg.</p> +<p style="text-align: right">August 31st.</p> +<p>The sea had been rough all night, and we therefore reached Gottenburg +three hours later than usual. In this agitated sea, the surging of +the breakers against the many rocks and islets near Gottenburg has a very +curious effect.</p> +<p>The few travellers who could keep on their feet, who did not suffer from +sea-sickness, and remained on deck, spoke much of the dangerous +storm. I had frequently marvelled to hear people who had made a +journey, if it were even only a short one of forty to sixty leagues, relate +of some fearful storm they had witnessed. Now I comprehended the +reason, when I heard the travellers beside me call the brisk breeze, which +only occasioned what seamen call a little swell, a dreadful storm; and they +will probably tell at home of the dangers they have passed. Storms +are, fortunately, not so frequent. I have travelled many thousand +leagues, and have often met with stormy weather, especially on the passage +from Copenhagen to Iceland; but I only experienced one real storm, but a +violent and dangerous one, as I was crossing the Black Sea to +Constantinople in April 1842.</p> +<p>We arrived at Gottenburg at nine instead of at six o’clock in the +morning. I landed at once, to make the celebrated trip through the +locks, over the waterfalls of Trollhätta, with the next Stockholm +steamer. By the junction of the river Götha with some of the +interior lakes, this great construction crosses the whole country, and +connects the North Sea with the Baltic.</p> +<p>I found the town of Gottenburg very animated, on account of the presence +of the king of Sweden, who was spending a few days here on his way to +Christiania to prorogue the Storthing. I arrived on a Sunday, and the +king, with his son, were in the church. The streets swarmed with +human beings, all crowding towards the cathedral to catch a glimpse of his +majesty on his departure. I, of course, mingled with the crowd, and +was fortunate enough to see the king and prince come out of the church, +enter their carriage, and drive away very near to me. Both were +handsome, amiable-looking men. The people rushed after the carriage, +and eagerly caught the friendly bows of the intelligent father and his +hopeful son; they followed him to his palace, and stationed themselves in +front of it, impatiently longing for the moment when the royal pair would +appear at a window.</p> +<p>I could not have arrived at a more favourable time; for every one was in +holiday attire, and the military, the clergy, the officials, citizens and +people, were all exerting themselves to the utmost to do honour to their +king.</p> +<p>I noticed two peasant-girls among the crowd who were peculiarly +dressed. They wore black petticoats reaching half way down the calf +of the leg, red stockings, red spensers, and white chemises, with long +white sleeves; a kerchief was tied round the head. Some of the +citizens’ wives wore caps like the Suabian caps, covered by a little +black, embroidered veil, which, however, left the face free.</p> +<p>Here, as in Copenhagen, I noticed boys of ten to twelve years of age +among the drummers, and in the bands of the military.</p> +<p>The king remained this day and the next in Gottenburg, and continued his +journey on the Tuesday. On the two evenings of his stay the windows +in the town were ornamented with wreaths of fresh flowers, interspersed +with lighted tapers. Some houses displayed transparencies, which, +however, did not place the inventive powers of the amiable Gottenburgers in +a very favourable light. They were all alike, consisting of a +tremendous O (Oscar), surmounted by a royal crown.</p> +<p>I was detained four days in Gottenburg; and small consideration seems to +be paid to the speedy transport of travellers in Sweden. The steamer +for Stockholm started on the day I arrived from Christiania, but +unfortunately at five o’clock in the morning; and as in the month of +September only two steamers go in the week to Stockholm, I was compelled to +wait till Thursday. The time hung heavily on my hands; for I had seen +the town itself, and the splendid views on the hills between the suburbs, +during my former visit to the town, and the other portions only consisted +of bare rocks and cliffs, which were of no interest.</p> +<p style="text-align: right">September 4th.</p> +<p>The press of travellers was so great this time, that two days before the +departure the cabins were all engaged; several ladies and gentlemen who +would not wait for the next steamer were compelled to be satisfied with the +deck, and I was among them; for the probability of such a crowd of +passengers had not occurred to me, and I applied for a place only two days +before our departure. During the journey fresh passengers were taken +in at every station, and the reader may conceive the misery of the poor +citizens unused to such hardships. Every one sought a shelter for the +night, and the little cabins of the engineer and steersman were given up to +some, while others crept into the passages, or squatted down on the steps +of the stairs leading to the cabins. A place was offered to me in the +engineer’s cabin; but as three or four other persons were to share +the apartment calculated only for one person, I preferred to bivouac night +and day upon deck. One of the gentlemen was kind enough to lend me a +thick cloak, in which I could wrap myself; and so I slept much more +comfortably under the high canopy of heaven than my companions did in their +sweating-room.</p> +<p>The arrangements in the vessels navigating the Götha canal are by +no means the best. The first class is very comfortable, and the +cabin-place is divided into pretty light divisions for two persons; but the +second class is all the more uncomfortable: its cabin is used for a common +dining-room by day, and by night hammocks are slung up in it for sleeping +accommodation. The arrangements for the luggage are worse +still. The canal-boats, having only a very small hold, trunks, boxes, +portmanteaus, &c. are heaped up on the deck, not fastened at all, and +very insufficiently protected against rain. The consequence of this +carelessness on a journey of five or six days was, that the rain and the +high waves of the lakes frequently put the after-deck several inches under +water, and then the luggage was wetted through. It was worse still in +a squall on the Wenner lake; for while the ship was rather roughly tossed +about, many a trunk lost its equilibrium and fell from its high position, +frequently endangering the safety of the passengers’ heads. The +fares are, however, very cheap, which seemed doubly strange, as the many +locks must cause considerable expense.</p> +<p>And now for the journey itself. We started at five o’clock +in the morning, and soon arrived in the river Götha, whose shores for +the first few miles are flat and bare. The valley itself is bounded +by bare, rocky hills. After about nine miles we came to the town of +Kongelf, which is said to have 1000 inhabitants. It is so situated +among rocks, that it is almost hidden from view. On a rock opposite +the town are the ruins of the fortress Bogus. Now the scenery begins +to be a little more diversified, and forests are mingled with the bleak +rocks; little valleys appear on both the shores; and the river itself, here +divided by an islet, frequently expands to a considerable breadth. +The peasants’ cottages were larger and better than those in Norway; +they are generally painted brick-red, and are often built in groups.</p> +<p>The first lock is at Lilla Edet: there are five here; and while the ship +passes through them, the passengers have leisure to admire the contiguous +low, but broad and voluminous fall of the Götha.</p> +<p>This first batch of locks in the canal extends over some distance past +the fall, and they are partly blasted out of the rock, or built of +stone. The river past Akestron flows as through a beautiful park; the +valley is hemmed in by fertile hills, and leaves space only for the stream +and some picturesque paths winding along its shores, and through the +pine-groves descending to its banks.</p> +<p>In the afternoon we arrived at the celebrated locks near +Trollhätta. They are of gigantic construction, which the largest +states would be honoured in completing, and which occasion surprise when +found in a country ranking high neither in extent nor in influence. +There are eleven locks here, which rise 112 feet in a space of 3500 +feet. They are broad, deep, blasted out of the rock, and walled round +with fine freestone. They resemble the single steps of a +giant’s staircase; and by this name they might fitly rank as one of +the wonders of the world. Lock succeeds lock, mighty gates close +them, and the large vessel rises miraculously to the giddy heights in a +wildly romantic country.</p> +<p style="text-align: center"> +<a href="images/p219b.jpg"> +<img alt="Falls of Trollhatta" src="images/p219s.jpg" /> +</a></p> +<p>Scarcely arrived at the locks, the traveller is surrounded by a crowd of +boys, who offer their services as guides to the waterfalls near +Trollhätta. There is abundance of time for this excursion; for +the passage of the ship through the many locks occupies three to four +hours, and the excursion can be made in half the time. Before +starting, it is, however, advisable to climb the rock to which the locks +ascend. A pavilion is erected on its summit, and the view from it +down over all the locks is exceedingly fine.</p> +<p>Pretty paths hewn out of the wood lead to Trollhätta, which is +charmingly situated in a lovely valley, surrounded by woods and hills, on +the shore of a river, whose white foaming waves contrast strongly with the +dark foliage of the overshadowing groves. The canal, which describes +a large semicircle round the chief stream, glitters in the distance; but +the highest locks are quite concealed behind rocks; we could neither +observe the opening of the gates nor the rising of the water in them, and +were therefore surprised when suddenly the masts and then the ship itself +rose from the depth. An invisible hand seemed to raise it up between +the rocks.</p> +<p>The falls of the river are less distinguished for their height than for +their diversity and their volumes of water. The principal arm of the +river is divided at the point of decline into two equal falls by a little +island of rock. A long narrow suspension-bridge leads to this island, +and hangs over the fall; but it is such a weak, frail construction, that +one person only can cross it at a time. The owner of this dangerous +path keeps it private, and imposes a toll of about 3½d. on all +passengers.</p> +<p>A peculiar sensation oppresses the traveller crossing the slender +path. He sees the stream tearing onwards, breaking itself on the +projecting rock, and fall surging into the abyss; he sees the boiling waves +beneath, and feels the bridge vibrate at every footstep, and timidly +hastens to reach the island, not taking breath to look around until he has +found footing; on the firm island. A solid rock projects a little +over the fall, and affords him a safe position, whence he sees not only the +two falls on either side, but also several others formed above and below +his point of view. The scene is so enchanting, that it is difficult +to tear oneself away.</p> +<p>Beyond Trollhätta the river expands almost to a lake, and is +separated into many arms by the numerous islands. The shores lose +their beauty, being flat and uninteresting.</p> +<p>We unfortunately did not reach the splendid Wennersee, which is from +forty-five to sixty-five miles long, and proportionally broad, until +evening, when it was already too dark to admire the scenery. Our ship +remained some hours before the insignificant village Wennersborg.</p> +<p>We had met six or seven steamers on our journey, which all belonged to +Swedish or Norwegian merchants; and it afforded us a peculiarly interesting +sight to see these ships ascend and descend in the high locks.</p> +<p style="text-align: right">September 5th.</p> +<p>As we were leaving Wennersborg late on the previous night, and were +cruising about the sea, a contrary wind, or rather a squall, arose, which +would have signified little to a good vessel, but to which our small ship +was not equal. The poor captain tried in vain to navigate the steamer +across the lake; he was at last compelled to give up the attempt, to return +and to cast anchor. We lost our boat during this storm; a high wave +dashed over the deck and swept it away: it had probably been as well +fastened as our boxes and trunks.</p> +<p>Though it was but nine o’clock in the morning, our captain +declared that he could not proceed during the day, but that if the weather +became more favourable, he would start again about midnight. +Fortunately a fishing-boat ventured to come alongside, and some of the +passengers landed. I was among them, and made use of this opportunity +to visit some cottages lying at the edge of a wood near the lake. +They were very small, but consisted of two chambers, which contained +several beds and other furniture; the people were also somewhat better clad +than the Norwegians. Their food too was not so unpalatable; they +boiled a thick mess of coarse black flour, which was eaten with sweet +milk.</p> +<p style="text-align: right">September 6th.</p> +<p>We raised anchor at one o’clock in the morning, and in about five +hours arrived at the island Eken, which consists entirely of rock, and is +surrounded by a multitude of smaller islets and cliffs. This is one +of the most important stations in the lake. A large wooden warehouse +stands on the shore, and in it is stored the merchandise of the vicinity +intended for export; and in return it receives the cargo from the +ships. There are always several vessels lying at anchor here.</p> +<p>We had now to wind through a cluster of islands, till we again reached +the open lake, which, however, was only remarkable for its size. Its +shores are bare and monotonous, and only dotted here and there with woods +or low hills; the distant view even is not at all noteworthy. One of +the finest views is the tolerably large castle of Leko, which lies on a +rock, and is surrounded by fertile groves.</p> +<p>Further off rises the Kinne Kulle, <a name="citation51"></a><a +href="#footnote51" class="citation">[51]</a> to which the traveller’s +attention is directed, because it is said to afford an extended view, not +only over the lake, but far into the country. A curious grotto is +said to exist in this hill; but unfortunately one loses these sights since +the establishment of steamers, for we fly past every object of interest, +and the longest journey will soon be described in a few words.</p> +<p>A large glass-factory is established at Bromoe, which fabricates +window-glass exclusively. We stopped a short time, and took a +considerable cargo of the brittle material on board.</p> +<p>The factory and the little dwellings attached to it are prettily +situated on the undulating ground.</p> +<p>Near Sjotorp we entered the river again through several locks. The +passage of the Wennersee is calculated at about ten or eleven hours.</p> +<p>The river at first winds through woods; and while the ship slowly passes +through the locks, it is pleasanter to walk a portion of the distance in +their shade. Farther on it flows through broad valleys, which, +however, present no very attractive features.</p> +<p style="text-align: right">September 7th.</p> +<p>Early in the morning we crossed the pretty Vikensee, which distinguishes +itself, like all Swedish lakes, by the multitude of its islands, cliffs, +and rocks. These islands are frequently covered with trees, which +make the view more interesting.</p> +<p>The lake is 306 feet above the level of the North Sea, and is the +highest point of the journey; from thence the locks begin to descend. +The number of ascending and descending locks amounts to seventy-two.</p> +<p>A short canal leads into the Boltensee, which is comparatively free from +islands. The passage across this little lake is very charming; the +shores are diversified by hills, woods, meadows, and fields. After it +comes the Weltersee, which can be easily defended by the beautiful fortress +of Karlsborg. This lake has two peculiarities: one being the +extraordinary purity and transparency of its waters; the other, the number +of storms which prevail in it. I was told that it frequently raged +and stormed on the lake while the surrounding country remained calm and +free. The storm sometimes overtakes the ship so suddenly and +violently, that escape is impossible; and the sagas and fables told of the +deceitful tricks of these waves are innumerable.</p> +<p>We fortunately escaped, and crossed its surface cheerfully and +merrily. On its shores are situated the beautiful ladies’ +pensionary, Wadstena, and the celebrated mountain Omberg, at whose foot a +battle was fought.</p> +<p>The next canal is short, and leads through a lovely wood into the little +lake of Norbysee. It is customary to walk this distance, and inspect +the simple monument of Count Platen, who made the plans for the locks and +canals,—a lasting, colossal undertaking. The monument is +surrounded by an iron railing, and consists of a slab bearing an +inscription, simply stating in Swedish his name, the date of his death, +&c. Nearly opposite the monument, on the other side of the canal, +is the town of Motala, distinguished principally for its large iron +factories, in which the spacious work-rooms are especially remarkable.</p> +<p>Fifteen locks lead from the Norbysee into the Roxersee, which is a +descent of 116 feet. The canal winds gracefully through woods and +meadows, crossed by pretty roads, and studded with elegant little houses +and larger edifices. Distant church-steeples point out the village of +Norby, which sometimes peeps forth behind little forests, and then vanishes +again from the view of the traveller. When the sun shines on the +waters of this canal, it has a beautiful, transparent, pea-green colour, +like the purest chrysolite.</p> +<p>The view from the hill which rises immediately before the lake of Roxen +is exceedingly fine. It looks down upon an immense valley, covered +with the most beautiful woods and rocks, and upon the broad lake, whose arm +flows far in land. The evening sun shed its last rays over a little +town on the lake-shore, and its newly-painted tiles shone brightly in its +light beams.</p> +<p>While the ship descended through the many locks, we visited the +neighbouring church of the village of Vretakloster, which contains the +skeletons of several kings in beautifully-made metal coffins.</p> +<p>We then crossed the lake, which is from four to five miles broad, and +remained all night before the entrance of the canal leading into a bay of +the Baltic.</p> +<p style="text-align: right">September 8th.</p> +<p>This canal is one of the longest; its environs are very pretty, and the +valley through which it runs is one of the largest we had passed. The +town of Söderköping is situated at the foot of high, picturesque +groups of rocks, which extend to a considerable distance.</p> +<p>Every valley and every spot of soil in Sweden are carefully +cultivated.</p> +<p>The people in general are well dressed, and inhabit small but very +pretty houses, whose windows are frequently decorated with clean white +draperies. I visited several of these houses, as we had abundance of +time for such excursions while the ship was going through the locks. +I think one might walk the whole distance from Gottenburg to Stockholm in +the same time that the ship takes for the journey. We lose some hours +daily with the locks, and are obliged to lie still at night on their +account. The distance is calculated at from 180 to 250 miles, and the +journey takes five days.</p> +<p>In the evening we approached the Baltic, which has the same character as +the Scheren of the North Sea. The ship threads its way through a +shoal of islands and islets, of rocks and cliffs; and it is as difficult to +imagine here as there how it is possible to avoid all the projecting +cliffs, and guide the ship so safely through them. The sea divides +itself into innumerable arms and bays, into small and large lakes, which +are formed between the islands and rocks, and are hemmed in by beautiful +hills. But nothing can exceed the beauty of the view of the castle +Storry Husby, which lies on a high mountain, in a bay. In front of +the mountain a beautiful meadow-lawn reaches to the shores of the sea, +while the back is surrounded in the distance by a splendid +pine-forest. Near this picturesque castle a steeple rises on a +neighbouring island, which is all that remains of the ancient castle of +Stegeborg. Nothing can be more romantic than the scenery here, and on +the whole journey over the fiord; for it presents itself in ever-varying +pictures to the traveller’s notice.</p> +<p>But gradually the hills become lower, the islands more rare; the sea +supersedes every thing, and seems jealously anxious to exclude other +objects from the traveller’s attention, as if it wished to monopolise +it. Now we were in the open sea, and saw only water and sky; and then +again we were so hemmed in by the rocks and cliffs, that it would be +impossible to extricate the ship without the assistance of an experienced +pilot.</p> +<p style="text-align: right">September 9th.</p> +<p>We left the sea, and entered another lake, the Mälarsee, celebrated +for its numerous islands, by a short canal. The town of Sotulje lies +at its entrance, charmingly situated in a narrow valley at the foot of a +rather steep hill. This lake at first resembles a broad river, but +widens at every step, and soon shews itself in its whole expanse. The +passage of the Mälarsee takes four hours, and is one of the most +charming excursions that can be made. It is said to contain about a +thousand islets of various sizes; and it may be imagined how varied in form +and feature the scenery must be, and, like the fiord of the Baltic, what a +constant succession of new scenes it must present.</p> +<p>The shores also are very beautiful: in some spots hills descend sharply +to the water’s edge, the steep rocks forming dangerous points; on +others dark, sombre pine-forests grow; and again there are gay valleys and +meadows, with villages or single cottages. Many travellers assert +that this lake is, after all, very monotonous; but I cannot agree with +their opinion. I found it so attractive, that I could repeat the +journey many times without wearying of this lovely sameness. It +certainly has not the majestic backgrounds of the Swiss lakes; but this +profusion of small islands is a pleasing peculiarity which can be found on +no other lake.</p> +<p>On the summit of a steep precipice of the shore the hat of the +unfortunate Eric is hoisted, fastened to a long pole. History tells +that this king fled from the enemy in a battle; that one of his soldiers +pursued him, and reproached him for his cowardice, whereupon Eric, filled +with shame and despair, gave spurs to his horse and leaped into the fearful +abyss. At his fall his hat was blown from his head, and was left on +this spot.</p> +<p>Not far from this point the suburbs of Stockholm make their appearance, +being spread round one of the broad arms of the lake. With increasing +curiosity we gazed towards the town as we gradually approached it. +Many of the pretty villas, which are situated in the valleys or on the +sides of the hills as forerunners of the town, come into view, and the +suburbs rise amphi-theatrically on the steep shores. The town itself +closes the prospect by occupying the whole upper shore of the lake, and is +flanked by the suburbs at either side. The Ritterholm church, with +its cast-iron perforated towers, and the truly grand royal palace, which is +built entirely in the Italian style, can be seen and admired from this +distance.</p> +<p>We had scarcely cast anchor in the port of Stockholm, when a number of +Herculean women came and offered us their services as porters. They +were Delekarliers, <a name="citation52"></a><a href="#footnote52" +class="citation">[52]</a> who frequently come to Stockholm to earn a +livelihood as porters, water-carriers, boatwomen, &c. They easily +find employment, because they possess two excellent qualities: they are +said to be exceedingly honest and hard-working, and, at the same time, have +the strength and perseverance of men.</p> +<p>Their dress consists of black petticoats, which come half way over the +calf of the leg, red bodices, white chemises with long sleeves, short +narrow aprons of two colours, red stockings, and shoes with wooden soles an +inch thick. They twist a handkerchief round their head, or put on a +little close black cap, which fits close on the back part of the head.</p> +<p>In Stockholm there are entire houses, as well as single rooms, which, as +in a hotel, are let by the day. They are much cheaper than hotels, +and are therefore more in demand. I at once hired one of these rooms, +which was very clean and bright, and for which, with breakfast, I only paid +one riksdaler, which is about one shilling.</p> +<h2>CHAPTER X</h2> +<p>As my journey was ostensibly only to Iceland, and as I only paid a +flying visit to this portion of Scandinavia, my readers will pardon me if I +treat it briefly. This portion of Europe has been so frequently and +so excellently described by other travellers, that my observations would be +of little importance.</p> +<p>I remained in Stockholm six days, and made as good use of my time as I +could. The town is situated on the shores of the Baltic Sea and the +Mälar lake. These two waters are connected by a short canal, on +whose shores the most delightful houses are erected.</p> +<p style="text-align: center"> +<a href="images/p230b.jpg"> +<img alt="Stockholm" src="images/p230s.jpg" /> +</a></p> +<p>My first visit was to the beautiful church of Ritterholm, which is used +more for a cemetery and an armory than for a place of worship. The +vaults serve as burial-places for the kings, and their monuments are +erected in the side-chapels. On each side of the nave of the church +are placed effigies of armed knights on horseback, whose armour belonged to +the former kings of Sweden. The walls and angles of the church are +profusely decorated with flags and standards, said to number five +thousand. In addition to this, the keys of conquered towns and +fortresses hang along the side-walls, and drums are piled upon the floor; +trophies taken from different nations with which Sweden has been at +war.</p> +<p>Besides these curiosities, several coats of armour and garments of +Swedish regents are displayed behind glass-cases in the side-chapels. +Among them, the dress which Charles XII. wore on the day of his death, and +his hat perforated by a ball, interested me most. His riding-boots +stand on the ground beside it. The modern dress and hat, embroidered +with gold and ornamented with feathers, of the last king, the founder of +the new dynasty, is not less interesting, partly perhaps from the great +contrast.</p> +<p>The church of St. Nicholas stands on the same side of the canal, and is +one of the finest Protestant churches I had seen; it is very evident that +it was built in Catholic times, and that its former decorations have been +allowed to remain. It contains several large and small oil-paintings, +some ancient and some modern monuments, and a profusion of gilding. +The organ is fine and large; flanking the entrance of the church are +beautiful reliefs, hewn in stone; and above it, carved in wood, a statue of +the archangel Michael, larger than life, sitting on horseback on a bridge, +in the act of killing the dragon.</p> +<p>Near the church is situated the royal palace, which needs a more fluent +pen than mine to describe it. It would fill a volume were I to +enumerate and describe the treasures, curiosities, and beauties of its +construction, or its interior arrangement; I can only say that I never saw +any thing to equal it, except the royal palace of Naples. Such an +edifice is the more surprising in the north, and in a country which has +never been overstocked with wealth.</p> +<p>The church of Shifferholm is remarkable only for its position and its +temple-like form; it stands on the ledge of a rock facing the royal palace, +on the opposite shore of the same indentation of the Baltic. A long +bridge of boats leads from the one to the other.</p> +<p>The church of St. Catharine is large and beautiful. In an outer +angle of the church is shewn the stone on which one of the brothers Sturre +was beheaded. <a name="citation53"></a><a href="#footnote53" +class="citation">[53]</a></p> +<p>On the Ritterplatz stands the Ritterhouse, a very fine palace; also the +old royal palace, and several other royal and private mansions; but they +are not nearly so numerous nor so fine as in Copenhagen, and the streets +and squares also cannot be compared with those of the capital of +Denmark.</p> +<p>The finest prospect is from a hill in one of the suburbs called the +Great Mosbecken; it affords a magnificent view of the sea and the lake, of +the town and its suburbs, as far as the points of the mountains, and of the +lovely country-houses which border the shores of lake and sea. The +town and its environs are so interspersed with islets and rocks, that these +seem to be part of the town; and this gives Stockholm such a curious +appearance, that I can compare it to no other city I have seen. +Wooded hills and naked rocks prolong the view, and their ridges extend into +the far distance; while level fields and lawns take up but a very small +proportion of the magnificent scenery.</p> +<p>On descending from this hill the traveller should not fail to go to +Södermalm, and to inspect the immense iron-stores, where iron is +heaped up in countless bars. The corn-market of Stockholm is +insignificant. The principal buildings besides those already +enumerated are, the bank, the mint, the guard-house, the palace of the +crown-prince, the theatre, &c. The latter is interesting, partly +because Gustavus III. was shot in it. He fell on the stage, while a +grand masquerade was taking place, for which the theatre had been changed +into a ball-room. The king was shot by a mask, and died in a few +hours.</p> +<p>There is not a representation in the theatre every night; and on the one +evening of performance during my visit a festival was to be celebrated in +the hall of antiquities. The esteemed artist Vogelberg, a native of +Sweden, had beautifully sculptured the three heathen gods, Thor, Balder, +and Odin, in colossal size, and brought them over from Rome. The +statues had only been lately placed, and a large company had been invited +to meet in the illuminated saloon, and do honour to the artist. +Solemn hymns were to be sung at the uncovering of the statues, beside other +festivities. I was fortunate enough to receive an invitation to this +festival, which was to commence a little past seven. Before that I +went to the theatre, which, I was told, would open at half-past six. +I intended to remain there half an hour, and then drive to the palace, +where my friends would meet me to accompany me to the festival. I +went to the theatre at six, and anxiously waited half an hour for the +commencement of the overture; it was after half-past six, and no signs of +the commencement. I looked again at the bill, and saw, to my +annoyance, that the opera did not begin till seven. But as I would +not leave until I had seen the stage, I spent the time in looking at the +theatre itself. It is tolerably large, and has five tiers of boxes, +but is neither tastefully nor richly decorated. I was most surprised +at the exorbitant price and the variety of seats. I counted +twenty-six different kinds; it seems that every row has a different price, +else I don’t understand how they could make such a variety.</p> +<p>At last the overture began; I listened to it, saw the curtain rise, +looked at the fatal spot, and left after the first air. The +door-keeper followed me, took my arm, and wished to give me a +return-ticket; and when I told him that I did not require one, as I did not +intend to return, he said that it had only just commenced, and that I ought +to stop, and not have spent all the money for nothing. I was +unfortunately too little acquainted with the Swedish language to explain +the reason of my departure, so I could give him no answer, but went +away. I, however, heard him say to some one, “I never met with +such a woman before; she sat an hour looking at the curtain, and goes away +as soon as it rises.” I looked round and saw how he shook his +head thoughtfully, and pointed with his forefinger to his forehead. I +could not refrain from smiling, and enjoyed the scene as much as I should +have done the second act of Mozart’s <i>Don Giovanni</i>.</p> +<p>I called for my friends at the royal palace, and spent the evening very +agreeably in the brilliantly-illuminated galleries of antiquities and of +pictures. I had the pleasure also of being introduced to Herr +Vogelberg. His modest, unpretending manners must inspire every one +with respect, even if one does not know what distinguished talent he +possesses.</p> +<p>The royal park is one of the finest sights in the neighbourhood of +Stockholm, and is one of the best of its kind. It is a fine large +natural park, with an infinity of groves, meadows, hills, and rocks; here +and there lies a country-house with its fragrant flower-garden, or tasteful +coffee and refreshment houses, which on fine Sundays are filled with +visitors from the town. Good roads are made through the park, and +commodious paths lead to the finest points of view over sea and land.</p> +<p>The bust of the popular poet Bellmann stands on an open sunny spot, and +an annual festival is given here in his honour.</p> +<p>Deeper in the park lies the so-called Rosenthal (Rose valley), a real +Eden. The late king was so partial to this spot, that he spent many +hours in the little royal country-house here, which is built on a retired +spot in the midst of groves and flower-beds. In front of the palace +stands a splendid vase made of a single piece of porphyry. I was told +that it was the largest in Europe, but I consider the one in the Museum of +Naples much larger.</p> +<p>I spent the last hours of my visit to Stockholm in this spot, with the +amiable family of Herr Boje from Finnland, whose acquaintance I had made on +the journey from Gottenburg to Stockholm. I shall therefore never +forget this beautiful park and the agreeable associations connected with +it.</p> +<p>I made a very agreeable excursion also to the royal palace of Haga, to +the large cemetery, and to the military school Karlberg.</p> +<p>The royal castle of Haga is surrounded by a magnificent park, which owes +little to art; it contains some of the finest trees, with here and there a +hill, and is crossed by majestic alleys and well-kept roads for driving and +walking. The palace itself is so small, that I could not but admire +the moderation of the royal family; but I was informed that this is the +smallest of their summer palaces.</p> +<p>Nearly opposite to this park is the great cemetery; but as it has only +existed for about seventeen years, the trees in it are yet rather +young. This would be of little consequence in other countries, but in +Sweden the cemeteries serve as promenades, and are crossed by alleys, +ornamented with groves, and provided with seats for the accommodation of +visitors. This cemetery is surrounded by a dark pine-forest, and +really seems quite shut off from the outer world. It is the only +burial-place out of the town; the others all lie between the churches and +the neighbouring houses, whose fronts often form the immediate +boundary. Burials take place there constantly, so that the +inhabitants are quite familiar with the aspect of death.</p> +<p>From the great cemetery a road leads to the neighbouring Karlberg, which +is the academy for military and naval cadets. The extensive buildings +attached to this seminary are built on the slope of a mountain, which is +washed on one side by the waters of the lake, and surrounded on the other +by the beautiful park-plantations.</p> +<p>Before leaving Stockholm I had the honour of being introduced to her +majesty the Queen of Sweden. She had heard of my travels, and took a +particular interest in my account of Palestine. In consequence of +this favour, I received the special permission to inspect the whole +interior of the palace. Although it was inhabited, I was conducted, +not only through the state-rooms, but through all the private rooms of the +court. It would be impossible to describe the splendour which reigns +here, the treasures of art, the magnificent appointments, and the evident +taste every where displayed. I was delighted with all the treasures +and splendour, but still more with the warm interest with which her majesty +conversed with me about Palestine. This interview will ever dwell on +my memory as the bright salient point of my northern expedition.</p> +<h3>EXCURSION TO THE OLD ROYAL CASTLE OF GRIPTHOLM ON THE MALARSEE</h3> +<p>Every Sunday morning, at eight o’clock, a little steamer leaves +Stockholm for this castle; the distance is about forty-five miles, and is +passed in four hours; four hours more are allowed for the stay, and in the +evening the steamer returns to Stockholm. This excursion is very +interesting, although we pass the greater part of the time on that portion +of the lake which we had seen on our arrival, but for the last few miles +the ship turned into a pretty bay, at whose apex the castle is +situated. It is distinguished for its size, its architecture, and its +colossal turrets. It is unfortunately, however, painted with the +favourite brick-red colour of the Swedes.</p> +<p>Two immense cannons, which the Swedes once gained in battle from the +Russians, stand in the courtyard. The apartments in the castle, which +are kept in good condition, display neither splendour nor profusion of +appointments, indeed almost the contrary. The pretty theatre is, +however, an exception: for its walls are inlaid from top to bottom with +mirrors, its pillars are gilt, and the royal box tapestried with rich red +velvet. There has been no performance here since the death of +Gustavus III.</p> +<p>The immensely massive walls are a remarkable feature of this palace, and +must measure about three yards in thickness in the lower stories.</p> +<p>The upper apartments are all large and high, and afford a splendid view +of the lake from their windows. But it is impossible to enjoy these +beautiful scenes when one thinks of the sad events which have taken place +here.</p> +<p>Two kings, John III. and Eric XIV., the latter with four of his +ministers, who were subsequently beheaded, were imprisoned here for many +years. The captivity of John III. would not have been so bad, if +captivity were not bad enough in itself. He was confined in a large +splendid saloon, but which he was not permitted to quit, and which he would +therefore probably have gladly exchanged for the poorest hut and +liberty. His wife inhabited two smaller apartments adjoining; she was +not treated as a prisoner, and could leave the castle at will. His +son Sigismund was born here in the year 1566, and the room and bed in which +he was born are still shewn as curiosities.</p> +<p>Eric’s fate was much more unfortunate, for he was kept in narrow +and dark confinement. A small rudely-furnished apartment, with +narrow, iron-barred windows, in one of the little turrets was his +prison. The entrance was closed by a solid oaken door, in which a +small opening had been made, through which his food was given him. +For greater security this oaken door was covered by an iron one. +Round the outside of the apartment a narrow gallery had been made, on which +the guards were posted, and could at all times see their prisoner through +the barred windows. The spot is still shewn at one of the windows +where the king sat for hours looking into the distance, his head leaning on +his hand. What must have been his feelings as he gazed on the bright +sky, the verdant turf, and the smiling lake! How many sighs must have +been echoed from these walls, how many sleepless nights must he have passed +during those two long years in anxious expectation of the future!</p> +<p>The guide who took us round the castle maintained that the floor was +more worn on this spot than any where else, and that the window-sash had +been hollowed by the elbow of the miserable king; but I could not perceive +any difference. Eric was kept imprisoned here for two years, and was +then taken to another prison.</p> +<p>There is a large picture-gallery in this castle; but it contains +principally portraits of kings, not only of Sweden, but of other countries, +from the Middle Ages down to the present time; also portraits of ministers, +generals, painters, poets, and learned men; of celebrated Swedish females, +who have sacrificed themselves for their country, and of the most +celebrated female beauties. The name and date of birth of each person +are affixed to his or her portrait, so that each visitor may find his +favourite without guide or catalogue. In many of them the colouring +and drawing are wretched enough, but we will hope that the resemblance is +all the more striking.</p> +<p>On our return several gentlemen were kind enough to direct my attention +to the most interesting points of the lake. Among these I must +mention Kakeholm, its broadest point; the island of Esmoi, on which a +Swedish female gained a battle; Norsberg, also celebrated for a battle +which took place there; and Sturrehof, the property of a great Swedish +family. Near Bjarkesoe a simple cross is erected, ostensibly on the +spot where Christianity was first introduced. Indeed the +Mälarsee has so many historical associations, in addition to the +attractions of its scenery, that it is one of the most interesting seas not +only of Sweden but of Europe.</p> +<h3>JOURNEY FROM STOCKHOLM TO UPSALA AND TO THE IRON-MINES OF DANEMORA</h3> +<p style="text-align: right">September 12th.</p> +<p>The intercourse between Stockholm and Upsala is very considerable. +A steamer leaves both places every day except Sunday, and traverses the +distance in six hours.</p> +<p>Tempted by this convenient opportunity of easily and quickly reaching +the celebrated town of Upsala, and by the unusually fine weather, I took my +passage one evening, and was greatly disappointed when, on the following +morning, the rain poured down in torrents. But if travellers paid +much attention to the weather, they would not go far; so I nevertheless +embarked at half-past seven, and arrived safely in Upsala. I remained +in the cabin during the passage, and could not even enjoy the prospect from +the cabin-windows, for the rain beat on them from the outside, while inside +they were obscured by the heat. But I did not venture on deck, hoping +to be favoured by better weather on my return.</p> +<p>At last, about three o’clock, when I had been in Upsala more than +an hour, the weather cleared up, and I sallied out to see the sights.</p> +<p>First I visited the cathedral. I entered, and stood still with +astonishment at the chief portal, on looking up at the high roof resting on +two rows of pillars, and covering the whole church. It is formed in +one beautiful straight line, unbroken by a single arch. The church +itself is simple: behind the grand altar a handsome chapel is erected, the +ceiling of which is painted azure blue, embossed with golden stars. +In this chapel Gustavus I. is interred between his two wives. The +monument which covers the grave is large, and made of marble, but clumsy +and void of taste. It represents a sarcophagus, on which three +bodies, the size of life, are laid; a marble canopy is raised over +them. The walls of the chapel are covered with pretty frescoes, +representing the most remarkable scenes in the life of this monarch. +The most interesting among them are, one in which he enters a +peasant’s hut in peasant’s attire, at the same moment that his +pursuers are eagerly inquiring after him in front of the hut; the other, +when he stands on a barrel, also dressed as a peasant, and harangues his +people. Two large tablets in a broad gold frame contain in Swedish, +and not in the Latin language, the explanation of the different pictures, +so that every Swede may easily learn the monarch’s history.</p> +<p>Several other monuments are erected in the side-chapels; those of +Catharine Magelone, John III., Gustavus Erichson, who was beheaded, and of +the two brothers Sturre, who were murdered. The monument of +Archbishop Menander, in white marble, is a tasteful and artistic modern +production. The great Linnæus is buried under a simple marble +slab in this church; but his monument is in one of the side-chapels, and +not over his grave, and consists of a beautiful dark-brown porphyry slab, +on which his portrait is sculptured in relief.</p> +<p>The splendid organ, which reaches nearly to the roof of the church, also +deserves special attention. The treasure-chamber does not contain +great treasures; the blood-stained and dagger-torn garments of the +unfortunate brothers Sturre are kept in a glass case here; and here also +stands a wooden statue of the heathen god Thor. This wooden affair +seems to have originally been an Ecce Homo, which was perhaps the ornament +of some village church, then carried off by some unbeliever, and made more +shapeless than its creator, not proficient in art, had made it. It +has a greater resemblance now to a frightful scarecrow than to any thing +else.</p> +<p>The churchyard near the church is distinguished for its size and +beauty. It is surrounded by a wall of stone two feet high, surmounted +by an iron palisading of equal height, broken by stone pillars. On +several sides, steps are made into the burying-ground over this +partition. In this cemetery, as in the one of Stockholm, one seems to +be in a lovely garden, laid out with alleys, arbours, lawns, &c.; but +it is more beautiful than the other, because it is older. The graves +are half concealed by arbours; many were ornamented with flowers and +wreaths, or hedged by rose-bushes. The whole aspect of this cemetery, +or rather of this garden, seems equally adapted for the amusement of the +living or the repose of the dead.</p> +<p>The monuments are in no way distinguished; only two are rather +remarkable, for they consist of tremendous pieces of rock in their natural +condition, standing upright on the graves. One of these monuments +resembles a mountain; it covers the ashes of a general, and is large enough +to have covered his whole army; his relatives probably took the graves of +Troy as a specimen for their monument. It is moreover inscribed by +very peculiar signs, which seemed to me to be runic characters. The +good people have united in this monument two characteristics of the +ancients of two entirely distinct empires.</p> +<p>The university or library building in Upsala is large and beautiful; it +is situated on a little hill, with a fine front facing the town. The +park, which is, however, still somewhat young, forms the background. <a +name="citation54"></a><a href="#footnote54" class="citation">[54]</a></p> +<p>Near this building, on the same hill, stands a royal palace, conspicuous +for its brick-red colour. It is very large, and the two wings are +finished by massive round towers.</p> +<p>In the centre of the courtyard, behind the castle, is placed a colossal +bust of Gustavus I., and a few paces from it two artificial hills serve as +bastions, on which cannons are planted. This being the highest point +of the town, affords the best view over it, and over the surrounding +country.</p> +<p>The town itself is built half of wood and half of stone, and is very +pretty, being crossed by broad streets, and ornamented with tastefully +laid-out gardens. It has one disadvantage, which is the dark +brownish-red colour of the houses, which has a peculiarly sombre appearance +in the setting sun.</p> +<p>An immense and fertile plain, diversified by dark forests contrasting +with the bright green meadows and the yellow stubble-fields, surrounds the +town, and in the distance the silvery river Fyris flows towards the +sea. Forests close the distant view with their dark shadows. I +saw but few villages; they may, however, have been hidden by the trees, for +that they exist seems to be indicated by the well-kept high roads crossing +the plain in all directions.</p> +<p>Before quitting my position on the bastions of the royal palace I cast a +glance on the castle-gardens, which were lying lower down the hill, and are +separated from the castle by a road; they do not seem to be large, but are +very pretty.</p> +<p>I should have wished to be able to visit the botanic garden near the +town, which was the favourite resort of Linnæus, whose +splendidly-sculptured bust is said to be its chief ornament; but the sun +was setting behind the mountains, and I repaired to my chamber, to prepare +for my journey to Danemora.</p> +<p style="text-align: right">September 13th.</p> +<p>I left Upsala at four o’clock in the morning, to proceed to the +far-famed iron-mines of Danemora, upwards of thirty miles distant, and +where I wished to arrive before twelve, as the blasting takes place at that +hour, after which the pits are closed. As I had been informed how +slowly travelling is done in this country, and how tedious the delays are +when the horses are changed, I determined to allow time enough for all +interruptions, and yet arrive at the appointed hour.</p> +<p>A few miles behind Upsala lies Old Upsala (Gamla Upsala). I saw +the old church and the grave-hills in passing; three of the latter are +remarkably large, the others smaller. It is presumed that the higher +ones cover the graves of kings. I saw similar tumuli during my +journey to Greece, on the spot where Troy is said to have stood. The +church is not honoured as a ruin; it has yet to do service; and it grieved +me to see the venerable building propped up and covered with fresh mortar +on many a time-worn spot.</p> +<p>Half way between Upsala and Danemora we passed a large castle, not +distinguished for its architecture, its situation, or any thing else. +Then we neared the river Fyris, and the long lake of Danemora; both are +quite overgrown with reeds and grass, and have flat uninteresting shores; +indeed the whole journey offers little variety, as the road lies through a +plain, only diversified by woods, fields, and pieces of rock. These +are interesting features, because one cannot imagine how they came there, +the mountains being at a great distance, and the soil by no means +rocky.</p> +<p>The little town of Danemora lies in the midst of a wood, and only +consists of a church and a few large and small detached houses. The +vicinity of the mines is indicated before arriving at the place by immense +heaps of stones, which are brought by horse-gins from the pits, and which +cover a considerable space.</p> +<p>I had fortunately arrived in time to see the blastings. Those in +the great pit are the most interesting; for its mouth is so very large, +that it is not necessary to descend in order to see the pit-men work; all +is visible from above. This is a very peculiar and interesting +sight. The pit, 480 feet deep, with its colossal doors and entrances +leading into the galleries, looks like a picture of the lower world, from +which bridges of rocks, projections, arches and caverns formed in the +walls, ascend to the upper world. The men look like pigmies, and one +cannot follow their movements until the eye has accustomed itself to the +depth and to the darkness prevailing below. But the darkness is not +very dense; I could distinguish most of the ladders, which seemed to me +like children’s toys.</p> +<p>It was nearly twelve, and the workmen left the pits, with the exception +of those in charge of the mines. They ascended by means of little +tubs hanging by ropes, and were raised by a windlass. It is a +terrible sight to see the men soaring up on the little machine, especially +when two or three ascend at once; for then one man stands in the centre, +while the other two ride on the edge of the tub.</p> +<p style="text-align: center"> +<a href="images/p244b.jpg"> +<img alt="Mines of Danemora" src="images/p244s.jpg" /> +</a></p> +<p>I should have liked to descend into the great pit, but it was too late +on this day, and I would not wait another. I should not have feared +the descent, as I was familiar with such adventures, having explored the +salt-mines of Wieliczka and Bochnia, in Gallicia, some years before, in +which I had had to let myself down by a rope, which is a much more +dangerous method than the tub.</p> +<p>With the stroke of twelve, four blasting trains in the large pit were +fired. The man whose business it was to apply the match ran away in +great haste, and sheltered himself behind a wall of rock. In a few +moments the powder flashed, some stones fell, and then a fearful crash was +heard all around, followed by the rolling and falling of the blasted +masses. Repeated echoes announced the fearful explosion in the +interior of the pits: the whole left a terrible impression on me. +Scarcely had one mine ceased to rage, when the second began, then the +third, and so on. These blastings take place daily in different +mines.</p> +<p>The other pits are deeper, the deepest being 600 feet; but the mouths +are smaller, and the shafts not perpendicular, so that the eye is lost in +darkness, which is a still more unpleasant sensation. I gazed with +oppressed chest into the dark space, vainly endeavouring to distinguish +something. I should not like to be a miner; I could not endure life +without the light of day; and when I turned from the dark pits, I cast my +eyes thankfully on the cheerful landscape basking in the sun.</p> +<p>I returned to Upsala on the same day, having made this little journey by +post. I can merely narrate the facts, without giving an opinion on +the good or bad conveniences for locomotion, as this was more a +pleasure-trip than a journey.</p> +<p>As I had hired no carriage, I had a different vehicle at every station, +and these vehicles consisted of ordinary two-wheeled wooden carts. My +seat was a truss of hay covered with the horse-cloth. If the roads +had not been so extremely good, these carts would have shaken terribly; but +as it was, I must say that I rode more comfortably than in the carriols of +the Norwegians, although they were painted and vanished; for in them I had +to be squeezed in with my feet stretched out, and could not change my +position.</p> +<p>The stations are unequal,—sometimes long, sometimes short. +The post-horses are provided here, as in Norway, by wealthy peasants, +called Dschns-peasants. These have to collect a certain number of +horses every evening for forwarding the travellers the next morning. +At every post-house a book is kept, in which the traveller can see how many +horses the peasant has, how many have already been hired, and how many are +left in the stable. He must then inscribe his name, the hour of his +departure, and the number of horses he requires. By this arrangement +deception and extortion are prevented, as every thing is open, and the +prices fixed. <a name="citation55"></a><a href="#footnote55" +class="citation">[55]</a></p> +<p>Patience is also required here, though not so much as in Norway. I +had always to wait from fifteen to twenty minutes before the carriage was +brought and the horses and harness prepared, but never longer; and I must +admit that the Swedish post-masters hurried as much as possible, and never +demanded double fare, although they must have known that I was in +haste. The pace of the horse depends on the will of the coachman and +the powers of his steed; but in no other country did I see such +consideration paid to the strength of the horses. It is quite +ridiculous to see what small loads of corn, bricks, or wood, are allotted +to two horses, and how slowly and sleepily they draw their burdens.</p> +<p>The number of wooden gates, which divide the roads into as many parts as +there are common grounds on it, are a terrible nuisance to +travellers. The coachman has often to dismount six or eight times in +an hour to open and close these gates. I was told that these +delectable gates even exist on the great high road, only not quite in such +profusion as on the by-roads.</p> +<p>Wood must be as abundant here as in Norway, for every thing is enclosed; +even fields which seem so barren as not to be worth the labour or the +wood.</p> +<p>The villages through which I passed were generally pretty and cheerful, +and I found the cottages, which I entered while the horses were changed, +neatly and comfortably furnished.</p> +<p>The peasants of this district wear a peculiar costume. The men, +and frequently also the boys, wear long dark-blue cloth surtouts, and cloth +caps on their heads; so that, at a distance, they look like gentlemen in +travelling dress. It seems curious to a foreigner to see these +apparent gentlemen following the plough or cutting grass. At a nearer +view, of course the aspect changes, and the rents and dirt appear, or the +leathern apron worn beneath the coat, like carpenters in Austria, becomes +visible. The female costume was peculiar only in so far that it was +poor and ragged. In dress and shoes the Norwegian and Swedes are +behind the Icelanders, but they surpass them in the comfort of their +dwellings.</p> +<p style="text-align: right">September 14th.</p> +<p>To-day I returned to Stockholm on the Mälarsee, and the weather +being more favourable than on my former passage, I could remain on deck the +whole time. I saw now that we sailed for several miles on the river +Fyris, which flows through woods and fields into the lake.</p> +<p>The large plain on which old and new Upsala lie was soon out of sight, +and after passing two bridges, we turned into the Mälar. At +first there are no islands on its flat expanse, and its shores are studded +with low tree-covered hills; but we soon, however, arrived at the region of +islands, where the passage becomes more interesting, and the beauty of the +shores increases. The first fine view we saw was the pretty estate +Krusenberg, whose castle is romantically situated on a fertile hill. +But much more beautiful and surprising is the splendid castle of +Skukloster, a large, beautiful, and regular pile, ornamented with four +immense round turrets at the four corners, and with gardens stretching down +to the water’s edge.</p> +<p>From this place the scenery is full of beauty and variety; every moment +presents another and a more lovely view. Sometimes the waters expand, +sometimes they are hemmed in by islands, and become as narrow as +canals. I was most charmed with those spots where the islands lie so +close together that no outlet seems possible, till another turn shews an +opening between them, with a glimpse of the lake beyond. The hills on +the shores are higher, and the promontories larger, the farther the ship +advances; and the islands appear to be merely projections of the continent, +till a nearer approach dispels the illusion.</p> +<p>The village of Sixtunä lies in a picturesque and charming little +valley, filled with ruins, principally of round towers, which are said to +be the remains of the Roman town of Sixtum; the name being retained by the +new town with a slight modification.</p> +<p>After this follow cliffs and rocks rising perpendicularly from the sea, +and whose vicinity would be by no means desirable in a storm. Of the +castle of Rouse only three beautiful domes rise above the trees; a frowning +bleak hill conceals the rest from the eye. Then comes a palace, the +property of a private individual, only remarkable for its size. The +last of the notabilities is the Rokeby bridge, said to be one of the +longest in Sweden. It unites the firm land with the island on which +the royal castle of Drottingholm stands. The town of Stockholm now +becomes visible; we turn into the portion of the lake on which it lies, and +arrive there again at two o’clock in the afternoon.</p> +<h3>FROM STOCKHOLM TO TRAVEMUNDE AND HAMBURGH</h3> +<p>I bade farewell to Stockholm on the 18th September, and embarked in the +steamer <i>Svithiold</i>, of 100-horse power, at twelve o’clock at +noon, to go to Travemünde.</p> +<p>Few passages can be more expensive than this one is. The distance +is five hundred leagues, and the journey generally occupies two and a half +to three days; for this the fare, without food, is four pounds. The +food is also exorbitantly dear; in addition to which the captain is the +purveyor; so that there is no appeal for the grossest extortion or +insufficiency.</p> +<p>It pained me much when one of the poorer travellers, who suffered +greatly from sea-sickness, having applied for some soup to the steward, who +referred him to the amiable captain, to hear him declare he would make no +exception, and that a basin of soup would be charged the whole price of a +complete dinner. The poor man was to do without the soup, of which he +stood so much in need, or scrape every farthing together to pay a few +shillings daily for his dinner. Fortunately for him some benevolent +persons on deck paid for his meals. Some of the gentlemen brought +their own wine with them, for which they had to pay as much duty to the +captain as the wine was worth.</p> +<p>To these pleasures of travelling must be added the fact, that a Swedish +vessel does not advance at all if the weather is unfavourable. Most +of the passengers considered that the engines were inefficient. +However this may be, we were delayed twenty-four hours at the first half of +our journey, from Stockholm to Calmar, although we had only a slight breeze +against us and a rather high sea, but no storm. In Calmar we cast +anchor, and waited for more favourable wind. Several gentlemen, whose +business in Lubeck was pressing, left the steamer, and continued their +journey by land.</p> +<p>At first the Baltic very much resembles the Mälarsee; for islands, +rocks, and a variety of scenery make it interesting. To the right we +saw the immensely long wooden bridge of Lindenborg, which unites one of the +larger islands with the continent.</p> +<p>At the end of one of the turns of the sea lies the town of Wachsholm; +and opposite to it, upon a little rocky island, a splendid fortress with a +colossal round tower. Judging by the number of cannons planted along +the walls, this fortress must be of great importance. A few hours +later we passed a similar fortress, Friedrichsborg; it is not in such an +open situation as the other, but is more surrounded by forests. We +passed at a considerable distance, and could not see much of it, nor of the +castle lying on the opposite side, which seems to be very magnificent, and +is also surrounded by woods.</p> +<p>The boundaries of the right shore now disappear, but then again appear +as a terrible heap of naked rocks, at whose extreme edge is situated the +fine fortress Dolero. Near it groups of houses are built on the bare +rocks projecting into the sea, and form an extensive town.</p> +<p>September 19th.</p> +<p>To-day we were on the open, somewhat stormy sea. Towards noon we +arrived at the Calmar Sound, formed by the flat, uniform shores of the long +island Oland on the left, and on the right by Schmoland. In front +rose the mountain-island the Jungfrau, to which every Swede points with +self-satisfied pride. Its height is only remarkable compared with the +flatness around; beside the proud giant-mountain of the same name in +Switzerland it would seem like a little hill.</p> +<p style="text-align: right">September 20th.</p> +<p>On account of the contrary wind, we had cast anchor here last night, and +this morning continued the journey to Calmar, where we arrived about two in +the forenoon. The town is situated on an immense plain, and is not +very interesting. A few hours may be agreeably spent here in visiting +the beautiful church and the antiquated castle, and we had more than enough +leisure for it. Wind and weather seemed to have conspired against us, +and the captain announced an indefinite stay at this place. At first +we could not land, as the waves were too high; but at last one of the +larger boats came alongside, and the more curious among us ventured to row +to the land in the unsteady vessel.</p> +<p>The exterior of the church resembles a fine antiquated castle from its +four corner towers and the lowness of its dome, which rises very little +above the building, and also because the other turrets here and there +erected for ornament are scarcely perceptible. The interior of the +church is remarkable for its size, its height, and a particularly fine +echo. The tones of the organ are said to produce a most striking +effect. We sent for the organist, but he was nowhere to be found; so +we had to content ourselves with the echo of our own voices. We went +from this place to the old royal castle built by Queen Margaret in the +sixteenth century. The castle is so dilapidated inside that a +tarrying in the upper chambers is scarcely advisable. The lower rooms +of the castle have been repaired, and are used as prisons; and as we +passed, arms were stretched forth from some of the barred windows, and +plaintive voices entreated the passers-by to bestow some trifle upon the +poor inmates. Upwards of 140 prisoners are said to be confined here. +<a name="citation56"></a><a href="#footnote56" +class="citation">[56]</a></p> +<p>About three o’clock in the afternoon the wind abated, and we +continued our journey. The passage is very uniform, and we saw only +flat, bare shores; a group of trees even was a rarity.</p> +<p style="text-align: right">September 21st.</p> +<p>When I came on deck this morning the Sound was far behind us. To +the left we had the open sea; on the right, instead of the bleak Schmoland, +we had the bleaker Schonen, which was so barren, that we hardly saw a +paltry fishing-village between the low sterile hills.</p> +<p>At nine o’clock in the morning we anchored in the port of +Ystadt. The town is pretty, and has a large square, in which stand +the house of the governor, the theatre, and the town-hall. The +streets are broad, and the houses partly of wood and partly of stone. +The most interesting feature is the ancient church, and in it a +much-damaged wooden altar-piece, which is kept in the vestry. Though +the figures are coarse and disproportionate, one must admire the +composition and the carving. The reliefs on the pulpit, and a +beautiful monument to the right of the altar, also deserve +admiration. These are all carved in wood.</p> +<p>In the afternoon we passed the Danish island Malmö.</p> +<p>At last, after having been nearly four days on the sea instead of two +days and a half, we arrived safely in the harbour of Travemünde on the +22d September at two o’clock in the morning. And now my +sea-journeys were over; I parted sorrowfully from the salt waters, for it +is so delightful to see the water’s expanse all around, and traverse +its mirror-like surface. The sea presents a beautiful picture, even +when it storms and rages, when waves tower upon waves, and threaten to dash +the vessel to pieces or to engulf it—when the ship alternately dances +on their points, or shoots into the abyss; and I frequently crept for hours +in a corner, or held fast to the sides of the ship, and let the waves dash +over me. I had overcome the terrible sea-sickness during my numerous +journeys, and could therefore freely admire these fearfully beautiful +scenes of excited nature, and adore God in His grandest works.</p> +<p>We had scarcely cast anchor in the port when a whole array of coachmen +surrounded us, volunteering to drive us overland to Hamburgh, a journey of +thirty-six miles, which it takes eight hours to accomplish.</p> +<p>Travemünde is a pretty spot, which really consists of only one +street, in which the majority of the houses are hotels. The country +from here to Lubeck, a distance of ten miles, is very pretty. A +splendid road, on which the carriages roll smoothly along, runs through a +charming wood past a cemetery, whose beauty exceeds that of Upsala; but for +the monuments, one might take it for one of the most splendid parks or +gardens.</p> +<p>I regretted nothing so much as being unable to spend a day in Lubeck, +for I felt very much attracted by this old Hanse town, with its +pyramidically-built houses, its venerable dome, and other beautiful +churches, its spacious squares, &c.; but I was obliged to proceed, and +could only gaze at and admire it as I hurried through. The pavement +of the streets is better than I had seen it in any northern town; and on +the streets, in front of the houses, I saw many wooden benches, on which +the inhabitants probably spend their summer evenings. I saw here for +the first time again the gay-looking street-mirrors used in Hamburgh. +The Trave, which flows between Travemünde and Lubeck, has to be +crossed by boat. Near Oldesloe are the salt-factories, with large +buildings and immensely high chimneys; an old romantic castle, entirely +surrounded by water, lies near Arensburg.</p> +<p>Past Arensburg the country begins to be uninteresting, and remains so as +far as Hamburgh; but it seems to be very fertile, as there is an abundance +of green fields and fine meadows.</p> +<p>The little journey from Lubeck to Hamburgh is rather dear, on account of +the almost incredible number of tolls and dues the poor coachmen have to +pay. They have first to procure a license to drive from Lubeck into +Hamburgh territory, which costs about 1<i>s.</i> 3<i>d.</i>; then mine had +to pay twice a double toll of 8<i>d.</i>, because we passed through before +five o’clock in the morning, and the gates, which are not opened till +five o’clock, were unfastened especially for us; besides these, there +was a penny toll on nearly every mile.</p> +<p>This dreadful annoyance of the constant stopping and the toll-bars is +unknown in Norway and in Sweden. There, an annual tax is paid for +every horse, and the owner can then drive freely through the whole country, +as no toll-bars are erected.</p> +<p>The farm-houses here are very large and far-spread, but the reason is, +that stable, barn, and shippen are under the same roof: the walls of the +houses are of wood filled in with bricks.</p> +<p>After passing Arensburg, we saw the steeples of Wandsbeck and Hamburgh +in the distance; the two towns seem to be one, and are, in fact, only +separated by pretty country-houses. But Wandsbeck compared to +Hamburgh is a village, not a town.</p> +<p>I arrived in Hamburgh about two o’clock in the afternoon; and my +relatives were so astonished at my arrival, that they almost took me for a +ghost. I was at first startled by their reception, but soon +understood the reason of it.</p> +<p>At the time I left Iceland another vessel went to Altona, by which I +sent a box of minerals and curiosities to my cousin in Hamburgh. The +sailor who brought the box gave such a description of the wretched vessel +in which I had gone to Copenhagen, that, after having heard nothing of me +for two months, he thought I must have gone to the bottom of the sea with +the ship. I had indeed written from Copenhagen, but the letter had +been lost; and hence their surprise and delight at my arrival.</p> +<h2>CHAPTER XI</h2> +<p>I had not much time to spare, so that I could only stay a few days with +my relatives in Hamburgh; on the 26th September, I went in a little steamer +from Hamburgh to Harburg, where we arrived in three quarters of an +hour. From thence I proceeded in a stage-carriage to Celle, about +sixty-five miles.</p> +<p>The country is not very interesting; it consists for the most part of +plains, which degenerate into heaths and marshes; but there are a few +fertile spots peeping out here and there.</p> +<p style="text-align: right">September 27th.</p> +<p>We arrived at Celle in the night. From here to Lehrte, a distance +of about seven miles, I had to hire a private conveyance, but from Lehrte +the railway goes direct to Berlin. <a name="citation57"></a><a +href="#footnote57" class="citation">[57]</a> Many larger and smaller +towns are passed on this road; but we saw little of them, as the stations +all lie at some distance, and the railway-train only stops a few +minutes.</p> +<p>The first town we passed was Brunswick. Immediately beyond the +town lies the pretty ducal palace, built in the Gothic style, in the centre +of a fine park. Wolfenbüttel seems to be a considerable town, +judging by the quantity of houses and church-steeples. A pretty +wooden bridge, with an elegantly-made iron balustrade, is built here across +the Ocker. From the town, a beautiful lane leads to a gentle hill, on +whose top stands a lovely building, used as a coffee-house.</p> +<p>As soon as one has passed the Hanoverian domains the country, though it +is not richer in natural curiosities, is less abundant in marshes and +heaths, and is very well-cultivated land. Many villages are spread +around, and many a charming town excites the wish to travel through at a +slower pace.</p> +<p>We passed Schepenstadt, Jersheim, and Wegersleben, which latter town +already belongs to Prussia. In Ashersleben and in Magdeburg we +changed carriages. Near Salze we saw some fine buildings which belong +to the extensive saltworks existing here. Jernaudau is a colony of +Moravians. I should have wished to visit the town of +Kötten,—for nothing can be more charming than the situation of +the town in the midst of fragrant gardens,—but we unfortunately only +stopped there a few minutes. The town of Dessau is also surrounded by +pretty scenery: several bridges cross the various arms of the Elbe; that +over the river itself rests on solid stone columns. Of Wittenberg we +only saw house tops and church-steeples; the same of Jüterbog, which +looks as if it were newly built. Near Lukewalde the regions of sand +begin, and the uniformity is only broken by a little ridge of wooded hills +near Trebbin; but when these are past, the railway passes on to Berlin +through a melancholy, unmitigated desert of sand.</p> +<p>I had travelled from six o’clock this morning until seven in the +evening, over a distance of about two hundred and twenty miles, during +which time we had frequently changed carriages.</p> +<p>The number of passengers we had taken up on the road was very great, on +account of the Leipzic fairs; sometimes the train had thirty-five to forty +carriages, three locomotives, and seven to eight hundred passengers; and +yet the greatest order had prevailed. It is a great convenience that +one can take a ticket from Lehrte to Berlin, although the railway passes +through so many different states, because then one needs not look after the +luggage or any thing else. The officials on the railway are all very +civil. As soon as the train stopped, the guards announced with a loud +voice the time allowed, however long or short it might be; so that the +passengers could act accordingly, and take refreshments in the neighbouring +hotels. The arrangements for alighting are very convenient: the +carriages run into deep rails at the stations, so that the ground is level +with the carriages, and the entrance and exit easy. The carriages are +like broad coaches; two seats ran breadthwise across them, with a large +door at each side. The first and second class contain eight persons +in each division, the third class ten. The carriages are all +numbered, so that every passenger can easily find his seat.</p> +<p>By these simple arrangements the traveller may descend and walk about a +little, even though the train should only stop two minutes, or even +purchase some refreshments, without any confusion or crowding.</p> +<p>These conveniences are, of course, impossible when the carriages have +the length of a house, and contain sixty or seventy persons within locked +doors, and where the doors are opened by the guards, who only call out the +name of the station without announcing how long the stay is. In such +railways it is not advisable for travellers to leave their seats; for +before they can pass from one end of the carriage to the other, through the +narrow door and down the steep steps, the horn is sounded, and at the same +time the train moves on; the sound being the signal for the engine-driver, +the passengers having none.</p> +<p>In these states there was also not the least trouble with the passport +and the intolerable pass-tickets. No officious police-soldier comes +to the carriage, and prevents the passengers alighting before they have +answered all his questions. If passports had to be inspected on this +journey, it would take a few days, for they must always be taken to the +passport-office, as they are never examined on the spot.</p> +<p>Such annoying interruptions often occur several times in the same +state. And one need not even come from abroad to experience them, as +a journey from a provincial to a capital town affords enough scope for +annoyance.</p> +<p>I had no reason to complain of such annoyances in any of the countries +through which I had hitherto passed. My passport was only demanded in +my hotel in the capitals of the countries, if I intended to remain several +days. In Stockholm, however, I found a curious arrangement; every +foreigner there is obliged to procure a Swedish passport, and pay +half-a-crown for it, if he only remains a few hours in the town. This +is, in reality, only a polite way of taking half-a-crown from the +strangers, as they probably do not like to charge so much for a simple +<i>visé</i>!</p> +<h3>STAY IN BERLIN—RETURN TO VIENNA</h3> +<p>I have never seen a town more beautifully or regularly built than +Berlin,—I mean, the town of Berlin itself,—only the finest +streets, palaces, and squares of Copenhagen would bear a comparison with +it.</p> +<p>I spent but a few days here, and had therefore scarcely time to see the +most remarkable and interesting sights.</p> +<p>The splendid royal palace, the extensive buildings for the +picture-gallery and museums, the great dome—all these are situated +very near each other.</p> +<p>The Dome church is large and regularly built; a chapel, surrounded by an +iron enclosure, stands at each side of the entrance. Several kings +are buried here, and antiquated sarcophagi cover their remains, known as +the kings’ graves. Near them stands a fine cast-iron monument, +beneath which Count Brandenburg lies.</p> +<p>The Catholic church is built in the style of the Rotunda in Rome; but, +unlike it, the light falls from windows made around the walls, and not from +above. Beautiful statues and a simple but tasteful altar are the only +ornaments of this church. The portico is ornamented by beautiful +reliefs.</p> +<p>The Werder church is a modern erection, built in the Gothic style, and +its turrets are ornamented by beautiful bronze reliefs. The walls +inside are inlaid with coloured wood up to the galleries, where they +terminate in Gothic scroll-work. The organ has a full, clear tone; in +front of it stands a painting which, at first sight, resembles a scene from +heathen mythology more than a sacred subject. A number of cupids soar +among wreaths of flowers, and surround three beautiful female figures.</p> +<p>The mint and the architectural college stand near this church. The +former is covered with fine sculptures; the latter is square, of a +brick-red colour, without any architectural embellishment, and perfectly +resembling an unusually large private house. The ground-floor is +turned into fine shops.</p> +<p>Near the palace lies the Opera Square, in which stand the celebrated +opera-house, the arsenal, the university, the library, the academy, the +guardhouse, and several royal palaces. Three statues ornament the +square: those of General Count Bülov, General Count Scharnhorst, and +General Prince Blücher. They are all three beautifully +sculptured, but the drapery did not please me; it consisted of the long +military cloth cloak, which, opening in front, afforded a glimpse of the +splendid uniforms.</p> +<p>The arsenal is one of the finest buildings in Berlin, and forms a +square; at the time of my stay some repairs were being made, so that it was +closed. I had to be content with glimpses through the windows of the +first floor, which showed me immense saloons filled by tremendous cannons, +ranged in rows.</p> +<p>The guardhouse is contiguous, and resembles a pretty temple, with its +portico of columns.</p> +<p>The opera-house forms a long detached square. It would have a much +better effect if the entrances were not so wretched. The one at the +grand portal looks like a narrow, miserable church-door, low and +gloomy. The other entrances are worse still, and one would not +suppose that they could lead to such a splendid interior, whose +appointments are indescribably luxurious and commodious. The pit is +filled by rows of comfortably-cushioned chairs with cushioned backs, +numbered, but not barred. The boxes are divided by very low +partitions, so that the aristocratic world seems to sit on a tribune. +The seats in the pit and the first and second tiers are covered with +dark-red silk damask; the royal box is a splendid saloon, the floor of +which is covered with the finest carpets. Beautiful oil-paintings, in +tasteful gold frames, ornament the plafond; but the magnificent chandelier +is the greatest curiosity. It looks so massively worked in bronze, +that it is painful to see the heavy mass hang so loosely over the heads of +the spectators. But it is only a delusion; for it is made of +paste-board, and bronzed over. Innumerable lamps light the place; but +one thing which I miss in such elegant modern theatres is a clock, which +has a place in nearly every Italian theatre.</p> +<p>The other buildings on this square are also distinguished for their size +and the beauty of their architecture.</p> +<p>An unusually broad stone bridge, with a finely-made iron balustrade, is +built over a little arm of the Spree, and unites the square of the opera +with that on which the palace stands.</p> +<p>The royal museum is one of the finest architectural piles, and its high +portal is covered with beautiful frescoes. The picture-gallery +contains many <i>chefs-d’oeuvre</i>; and I regretted that I had not +more time to examine it and the hall of antiquities, having only three +hours for the two.</p> +<p>From the academy runs a long street lined with lime-trees, and which is +therefore called Under-the-limes (<i>unter den Linden</i>). This +alley forms a cheerful walk to the Brandenburg-gate, beyond which the +pleasure-gardens are situated. The longest and finest streets which +run into the lime-alley are the Friedrichs Street and the Wilhelms +Street. The Leipziger Street also belongs to the finest, but does not +run into this promenade.</p> +<p>The Gens-d’arme Square is distinguished by the French and German +churches, at least by their exterior,—by their high domes, columns, +and porticoes. The interiors are small and insignificant. On +this square stands also the royal theatre, a tasteful pile of great beauty, +with many pillars, and statues of muses and deities.</p> +<p>I ascended the tower on which the telegraph works, on account of the +view over the town and the flat neighbourhood. A very civil official +was polite enough to explain the signs of the telegraph to me, and to +permit me to look at the other telegraphs through his telescope.</p> +<p>The Königstadt, situated on the opposite shore of the Spree, not +far from the royal palace, contains nothing remarkable. Its chief +street, the Königsstrasse, is long, but narrow and dirty. Indeed +it forms a great contrast to the town of Berlin in every thing; the streets +are narrow, short, and winding. The post-office and the theatres are +the most remarkable buildings.</p> +<p>The luxury displayed in the shop-windows is very great. Many a +mirror and many a plate-glass window reminded me of Hamburgh’s +splendour, which surpasses that of Berlin considerably.</p> +<p>There are not many excursions round Berlin, as the country is flat and +sandy. The most interesting are to the pleasure-gardens, +Charlottenburg, and, since the opening of the railway, to Potsdam.</p> +<p>The park or pleasure-garden is outside the Brandenburg-gate; it is +divided into several parts, one of which reminded me of our fine Prater in +Vienna. The beautiful alleys were filled with carriages, riders, and +pedestrians; pretty coffee-houses enlivened the woody portions, and merry +children gambolled on the green lawns. I felt so much reminded of my +beloved Prater, that I expected every moment to see a well-known face, or +receive a friendly greeting. Kroll’s Casino, sometimes called +the Winter-garden, is built on this side of the park. I do not know +how to describe this building; it is quite a fairy palace. All the +splendour which fancy can invent in furniture, gilding, painting, or +tapestry, is here united in the splendid halls, saloons, temples, +galleries, and boxes. The dining-room, which will dine 1800 persons, +is not lighted by windows, but by a glass roof vaulted over it. Rows +of pillars support the galleries, or separate the larger and smaller +saloons. In the niches, and in the corners, round the pillars, abound +fragrant flowers, and plants in chaste vases or pots, which transform this +place into a magical garden in winter. Concerts and +<i>réunions</i> take place here every Sunday, and the press of +visitors is extraordinary, although smoking is prohibited. This place +will accommodate 5000 persons.</p> +<p>That side of the park which lies in the direction of the Potsdam-gate +resembles an ornamental garden, with its well-kept alleys, flower-beds, +terraces, islets, and gold-fish ponds. A handsome monument to the +memory of Queen Louise is erected on the Louise island here.</p> +<p>On this side, the coffee-house Odeon is the best, but cannot be compared +to Kroll’s casino. Here also are rows of very elegant +country-houses, most of which are built in the Italian style.</p> +<h3>CHARLOTTENBURG</h3> +<p>This place is about half an hour’s distance from the +Brandenburg-gate, where the omnibuses that depart every minute are +stationed. The road leads through the park, beyond which lies a +pretty village, and adjoining it is the royal country-palace of +Charlottenburg. The palace is built in two stories, of which the +upper one is very low, and is probably only used for the domestics. +The palace is more broad than deep; the roof is terrace-shaped, and in its +centre rises a pretty dome. The garden is simple, and not very large, +but contains a considerable orangery. In a dark grove stands a little +building, the mausoleum in which the image of Queen Louise has been +excellently executed by the famed artist Rauch. Here also rest the +ashes of the late king. There is also an island with statues in the +midst of a large pond, on which some swans float proudly. It is a +pity that dirt does not stick to these white-feathered animals, else they +would soon be black swans; for the pond or river surrounding the island is +one of the dirtiest ditches I have ever seen.</p> +<p>Fatigue would be very intolerable in this park, for there are very few +benches, but an immense quantity of gnats.</p> +<h3>POTSDAM.</h3> +<p>The distance from Berlin to Potsdam is eighteen miles, which is passed +by the railroad in three-quarters of an hour. The railway is very +conveniently arranged; the carriages are marked with the names of the +station, and the traveller enters the carriage on which the place of his +destination is marked. Thus, the passengers are never annoyed by the +entrance or exit of passengers, as all occupying the same carriage descend +at the same time.</p> +<p>The road is very uninteresting; but this is compensated for by Potsdam +itself, for which a day is scarcely sufficient.</p> +<p>Immediately in front of the town flows the river Havel, crossed by a +long, beautiful bridge, whose pillars are of stone, and the rest of the +bridge of iron. The large royal palace lies on the opposite shore, +and is surrounded by a garden. The garden is not very extensive, but +large enough for the town, and is open to the public. The palace is +built in a splendid style, but is unfortunately quite useless, as the court +has beautiful summer-palaces in the neighbourhood of Potsdam, and spends +the winter in Berlin.</p> +<p>The castle square is not very good; it is neither large nor regular, and +not even level. On it stands the large church, which is not yet +completed, but promises to be a fine structure. The town is tolerably +large, and has many fine houses. The streets, especially the Nauner +Street, are wide and long, but badly paved; the stones are laid with the +pointed side upwards, and for foot-passengers there is a stone pavement two +feet broad on one side of the street only. The promenade of the +townspeople is called Am Kanal (beside the canal), and is a fine square, +through which the canal flows, and is ornamented with trees.</p> +<p>Of the royal pleasure-palaces I visited that of Sans Souci first. +It is surrounded by a pretty park, and lies on a hill, which is divided +into six terraces. Large conservatories stand on each side of these; +and in front of them are long alleys of orange and lemon-trees.</p> +<p>The palace has only a ground floor, and is surrounded by arbours, trees, +and vines, so that it is almost concealed from view. I could not +inspect the interior, as the royal family was living there.</p> +<p>A side-path leads from here to the Ruinenberg, on which the ruins of a +larger and a smaller temple, raised by the hand of art, are tastefully +disposed. The top of the hill is taken up by a reservoir of +water. From this point one can see the back of the palace of Sans +Souci, and the so-called new palace, separated from the former by a small +park, and distant only about a quarter of an hour.</p> +<p>The new palace, built by Frederick the Great, is as splendid as one can +imagine. It forms a lengthened square, with arabesques and flat +columns, and has a flat roof, which is surrounded by a stone balustrade, +and ornamented by statues.</p> +<p>The apartments are high and large, and splendidly painted, tapestried, +and furnished. Oil-paintings, many of them very good, cover the +walls. One might fill a volume with the description of all the +wonders of this place, which is, however, not inhabited.</p> +<p>Behind the palace, and separated from it by a large court, are two +beautiful little palaces, connected by a crescent-shaped hall of pillars; +broad stone steps lead to the balconies surrounding the first story of the +edifices. They are used as barracks, and are, as such, the most +beautiful I have ever seen.</p> +<p>From here a pleasant walk leads to the lovely palace of +Charlottenburg. Coming from the large new palace it seemed too small +for the dwelling even of the crown-prince. I should have taken it for +a splendid pavilion attached to the new palace, to which the royal family +sometimes walked, and perhaps remained there to take refreshment. But +when I had inspected it more closely, and seen all the comfortable little +rooms, furnished with such tasteful luxury, I felt that the crown-prince +could not have made a better choice.</p> +<p>Beautiful fountains play on the terraces; the walls of the corridors and +anterooms are covered with splendid frescoes, in imitation of those found +in Pompeii. The rooms abound in excellent engravings, paintings, and +other works of art; and the greatest taste and splendour is displayed even +in the minor arrangements.</p> +<p>A pretty Chinese chiosque, filled with good statues, which have been +unfortunately much damaged and broken, stands near the palace.</p> +<p>These three beautiful royal residences are situated in parks, which are +so united that they seem only as one. The parks are filled with fine +trees, and verdant fields crossed by well-kept paths and drives; but I saw +very few flower-beds in them.</p> +<p>When I had contemplated every thing at leisure, I returned to the palace +of Sans Souci, to see the beautiful fountains, which play twice a week, on +Tuesday and Friday, from noon till evening. The columns projected +from the basin in front of the castle are so voluminous, and rise with such +force, that I gazed in amazement at the artifice. It is real pleasure +to be near the basin when the sun shines in its full splendour, forming the +most beautiful rainbows in the falling shower of drops. Equally +beautiful is a fountain rising from a high vase, enwreathed by living +flowers, and falling over it, so that it forms a quick, brisk fountain, +transparent, and pure as the finest crystal. The lid of the vase, +also enwreathed with growing flowers, rises above the fountain. The +Neptune’s grotto is of no great beauty; the water falls from an urn +placed over it, and forms little waterfalls as it flows over +nautilus-shells.</p> +<p>The marble palace lies on the other side of Potsdam, and is half an +hour’s distance from these palaces; but I had time enough to visit +it.</p> +<p>Entering the park belonging to this palace, a row of neat +peasants’ cottages is seen on the left; they are all alike, but +separated by fruit, flower, or kitchen-gardens. The palace lies at +the extreme end of the park, on a pretty lake formed by the river +Havel. It certainly has some right to the name of marble palace; but +it seems presumption to call it so when compared to the marble palaces of +Venice, or the marble mosques of Constantinople.</p> +<p>The walls of the building are of brick left in its natural colour. +The lower and upper frame-work, the window-sashes, and the portals, are all +of marble. The palace is partly surrounded by a gallery supported on +marble columns. The stairs are of fine white marble, and many of the +apartments are laid with this mineral. The interior is not nearly so +luxurious as the other palaces.</p> +<p>This was the last of the sights I saw in Potsdam or the environs of +Berlin; for I continued my journey to Vienna on the following day.</p> +<p>Before quitting Berlin, I must mention an arrangement which is +particularly convenient for strangers—namely, the fares for +hackney-carriages. One need ask no questions, but merely enter the +carriage, tell the coachman where to drive, and pay him six-pence. +This moderate fare is for the whole town, which is somewhat +extensive. At all the railway stations there are numbers of these +vehicles, which will drive to any hotel, however far it may be from the +station, for the same moderate fare. If only all cab-drivers were so +accommodating!</p> +<p style="text-align: right">October 1st.</p> +<p>The railway goes through Leipzic to Dresden, where I took the mail-coach +for Prague at eight o’clock the same evening, and arrived there in +eighteen hours.</p> +<p>As it was night when we passed, we did not enjoy the beautiful views of +the Nollendorf mountain. In the morning we passed two handsome +monuments, one of them, a pyramid fifty-four feet high, to the memory of +Count Colloredo, the other to the memory of the Russian troops who had +fallen here; both have been erected since the wars of Napoleon.</p> +<p>On we went through charming districts to the famed bathing-place +Teplitz, which is surrounded by the most beautiful scenery; and can bear +comparison with the finest bathing-places of the world.</p> +<p>Further on we passed a solitary basaltic rock, Boren, which deserves +attention for its beauty and as a natural curiosity. We unfortunately +hurried past it, as we wished to reach Prague before six o’clock, so +that we might not miss the train to Vienna.</p> +<p>My readers may imagine our disappointment on arriving at the gates of +Prague, when our passports were taken from us and not returned. In +vain we referred to the <i>visé</i> of the boundary-town +Peterswalde; in vain we spoke of our haste. The answer always was, +“That is nothing to us; you can have your papers back to-morrow at +the police-office.” Thus we were put off, and lost twenty-four +hours.</p> +<p>I must mention a little joke I had on the ride from Dresden to +Prague. Two gentlemen and a lady beside myself occupied the +mail-coach; the lady happened to have read my diary of Palestine, and asked +me, when she heard my name, if I were that traveller. When I had +acknowledged I was that same person, our conversation turned on that and on +my present journey. One of the gentlemen, Herr Katze, was very +intelligent, and conversed in a most interesting manner on countries, +nationalities, and scientific subjects. The other gentleman was +probably equally well informed, but he made less use of his +acquirements. Herr Katze remained in Teplitz, and the other gentleman +proceeded with us to Vienna. Before arriving at our destination, he +asked me if Herr Katze had not requested me to mention his name in my next +book, and added, that if I would promise to do the same, he would tell me +his name. I could not refrain from smiling, but assured him that Herr +Katze had not thought of such a thing, and begged him not to communicate +his name to me, so that he might see that we females were not so curious as +we are said to be. But the poor man could not refrain from giving me +his name—Nicholas B.—before we parted. I do not insert it +for two reasons: first, because I did not promise to name him; and +secondly, because I do not think it would do him any service.</p> +<p>The railway from Prague to Vienna goes over Olmütz, and makes such +a considerable round, that the distance is now nearly 320 miles, and the +arrangements on the railway are very imperfect.</p> +<p>There were no hotels erected on the road, and we had to be content with +fruit, beer, bread, and butter, &c. the whole time. And these +provisions were not easily obtained, as we could not venture to leave the +carriages. The conductor called out at every station that we should +go on directly, although the train frequently stood upwards of half an +hour; but as we did not know that before, we were obliged to remain on our +seats. The conductors were not of the most amiable character, which +may perhaps be ascribed to the climate; for when we approached the boundary +of the Austrian states at Peterswalde, the inspector received us very +gruffly. We wished him good evening twice, but he took no notice of +it, and demanded our papers in a loud and peremptory tone; he probably +thought us as deaf as we thought him. At Gänserndorf, +twenty-five miles from Vienna, they took our papers from us in a very +uncivil, uncourteous manner.</p> +<p>On the 4th of October, 1845, after an absence of six months, I arrived +again in sight of the dear Stephen’s steeple, as most of my +countrywomen would say.</p> +<p>I had suffered many hardships; but my love of travelling would not have +been abated, nor would my courage have failed me, had they been ten times +greater. I had been amply compensated for all. I had seen +things which never occur in our common life, and had met with people as +they are rarely met with—in their natural state. And I brought +back with me the recollections of my travels, which will always remain, and +which will afford me renewed pleasure for years.</p> +<p>And now I take leave of my dear readers, requesting them to accept with +indulgence my descriptions, which are always true, though they may not be +amusing. If I have, as I can scarcely hope, afforded them some +amusement, I trust they will in return grant me a small corner in their +memories.</p> +<p>In conclusion, I beg to add an Appendix, which may not be uninteresting +to many of my readers, namely:</p> +<p>1. A document which I procured in Reikjavik, giving the salaries +of the royal Danish officials, and the sources from whence they are +paid.</p> +<p>2. A list of Icelandic insects, butterflies, flowers, and plants, +which I collected and brought home with me.</p> +<h2>APPENDIX A</h2> +<h3>Salaries of the Royal Danish Officials in Iceland, which they receive +from the Icelandic land-revenues.</h3> +<p></p> +<table> +<tr> +<td> +<p></p> +</td> +<td> +<p>Florins <a name="citation58"></a><a href="#footnote58" +class="citation">[58]</a></p> +</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td> +<p>The Governor of Iceland</p> +</td> +<td> +<p>2000</p> +</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td> +<p> Office expenses</p> +</td> +<td> +<p>600</p> +</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td> +<p>The deputy for the western district</p> +</td> +<td> +<p>1586</p> +</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td> +<p> Office expenses</p> +</td> +<td> +<p>400</p> +</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td> +<p> Rent</p> +</td> +<td> +<p>200</p> +</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td> +<p>The deputy for the northern and eastern districts</p> +</td> +<td> +<p>1286</p> +</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td> +<p> Office expenses</p> +</td> +<td> +<p>400</p> +</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td> +<p>The bishop of Iceland, who draws his salary from the school-revenues, +has paid him from this treasury</p> +</td> +<td> +<p>800</p> +</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td> +<p>The members of the Supreme Court:</p> +</td> +<td> +<p></p> +</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td> +<p> One judge</p> +</td> +<td> +<p>1184</p> +</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td> +<p> First assessor</p> +</td> +<td> +<p>890</p> +</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td> +<p> Second assessor</p> +</td> +<td> +<p>740</p> +</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td> +<p>The land-bailiff of Iceland</p> +</td> +<td> +<p>600</p> +</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td> +<p> Office expenses</p> +</td> +<td> +<p>200</p> +</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td> +<p> Rent</p> +</td> +<td> +<p>150</p> +</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td> +<p>The town-bailiff of Reikjavik</p> +</td> +<td> +<p>300</p> +</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td> +<p>The first police-officer of Reikjavik, who is at the same time gaoler, +and therefore has 50 <i>fl.</i> more than the second officer</p> +</td> +<td> +<p>200</p> +</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td> +<p>The second police-officer</p> +</td> +<td> +<p>150</p> +</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td> +<p>The mayor of Reikjavik only draws from this treasury his house-rent, +which is</p> +</td> +<td> +<p>150</p> +</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td> +<p>The sysselman of the Westmanns Islands</p> +</td> +<td> +<p>296</p> +</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td> +<p>The other sysselmen, each</p> +</td> +<td> +<p>230</p> +</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td> +<p>Medical department and midwifery:</p> +</td> +<td> +<p></p> +</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td> +<p> The physician</p> +</td> +<td> +<p>900</p> +</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td> +<p> House-rent</p> +</td> +<td> +<p>150</p> +</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td> +<p> Apothecary of Reikjavik</p> +</td> +<td> +<p>185</p> +</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td> +<p> House-rent</p> +</td> +<td> +<p>150</p> +</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td> +<p> The second apothecary at Sikkisholm</p> +</td> +<td> +<p>90</p> +</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td> +<p> Six surgeons in the country, each</p> +</td> +<td> +<p>300</p> +</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td> +<p> House-rent for some</p> +</td> +<td> +<p>30</p> +</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td> +<p> For others</p> +</td> +<td> +<p>25</p> +</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td> +<p> A medical practitioner on the Northland</p> +</td> +<td> +<p>110</p> +</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td> +<p> Reikjavik has two midwives, each receives</p> +</td> +<td> +<p>50</p> +</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td> +<p> The other midwives in Iceland, amounting to thirty, each +receives</p> +</td> +<td> +<p>100</p> +</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td> +<p> These midwives are instructed and examined by the land +physician, who has the charge of paying them annually.</p> +</td> +<td> +<p></p> +</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td> +<p>Organist of Reikjavik</p> +</td> +<td> +<p>100</p> +</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td> +<p>From the school-revenues</p> +</td> +<td> +<p></p> +</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td> +<p> The bishop receives</p> +</td> +<td> +<p>1200</p> +</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td> +<p> The teachers at the high school:</p> +</td> +<td> +<p></p> +</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td> +<p> The teacher of theology</p> +</td> +<td> +<p>800</p> +</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td> +<p> The head assistant, besides free lodging</p> +</td> +<td> +<p>500</p> +</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td> +<p> The second assistant</p> +</td> +<td> +<p>500</p> +</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td> +<p> House-rent</p> +</td> +<td> +<p>50</p> +</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td> +<p> The third assistant</p> +</td> +<td> +<p>500</p> +</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td> +<p> House-rent</p> +</td> +<td> +<p>50</p> +</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td> +<p> The resident at the school</p> +</td> +<td> +<p>170</p> +</td> +</tr> +</table> +<p></p> +<h3>LIST OF INVERTEBRATED ANIMALS collected in Iceland</h3> +<p>1. <span class="smcap">Crustacea</span>.</p> +<p>Pagarus Bernhardus, <i>Linnæus</i>.</p> +<p>2. <span class="smcap">Insecta</span>.</p> +<p>a. <i>Coleoptera</i>. Nebria rubripes, <i>Dejean</i>. +Patrobus hyperboreus. Calathus melanocephalus, <i>Fabr</i>. +Notiophilus aquaticus. Amara vulgaris, <i>Duftsihm</i>. Ptinus +fur, <i>Linn</i>. Aphodius Lapponum, <i>Schh</i>. Otiorhynchus +lævigatus, <i>Dhl</i>. Otiorhynchus Pinastri, +<i>Fabr</i>. Otiorhynchus ovatus. Staphylinus maxillosus. +Byrrhus pillula.</p> +<p>b. <i>Neuroptera</i>. Limnophilus lineola, +<i>Schrank</i>.</p> +<p>c. <i>Hymenoptera</i>. Pimpla instigator, +<i>Gravh</i>. Bombus subterraneus, <i>Linn</i>.</p> +<p>d. <i>Lepidoptera</i>. Geometra russata, Hüb. +Geom. alche millata. Geom. spec. nov.</p> +<p>e. <i>Diptera</i>. Tipula lunata, <i>Meig</i>. +Scatophaga stercoraria. Musca vomitaria. Musca mortuorum. +Helomyza serrata. Lecogaster islandicus, <i>Scheff</i>. <a +name="citation59"></a><a href="#footnote59" class="citation">[59]</a> +Anthomyia decolor, <i>Fallin</i>.</p> +<h3>LIST OF ICELANDIC PLANTS <i>collected by Ida Pfeiffer in the Summer of +the year</i> 1845</h3> +<p><i>Felices</i>. Cystopteris fragilis.</p> +<p><i>Equisetaceæ</i>. Equisetum Teltamegra.</p> +<p><i>Graminæ</i>. Festuca uniglumis.</p> +<p><i>Cyperaceæ</i>. Carea filiformis. Carea +cæspitosa. Eriophorum cæspitosum.</p> +<p><i>Juncaceæ</i>. Luzula spicata. Luzula +campestris.</p> +<p><i>Salicineæ</i>. Salix polaris.</p> +<p><i>Polygoneæ</i>. Remux arifolus. Oxyria +reniformes.</p> +<p><i>Plumbagineæ</i>. Armeria alpina (in the interior +mountainous districts).</p> +<p><i>Compositæ</i>. Chrysanthemum maritimum (on the sea-shore, +and on marshy fields). Hieracium alpinum (on grassy plains). +Taraxacum alpinum. Erigeron uniflorum (west of Havenfiord, on rocky +soil).</p> +<p><i>Rubiaceæ</i>. Gallium pusillum. Gallium verum.</p> +<p><i>Labiatæ</i>. Thynus serpyllum.</p> +<p><i>Asperifoliæ</i>. Myosotis alpestris. Myosotis +scorpioicles.</p> +<p><i>Scrophularineæ</i>. Bartsia alpina (in the interior +north-western valleys). Rhinanthus alpestris.</p> +<p><i>Utricularieæ</i>. Pinguicula alpina. Pinguicula +vulgaris.</p> +<p><i>Umbelliferæ</i>. Archangelica officinalis +(Havenfiord).</p> +<p><i>Saxifrageæ</i>. Saxifraga cæspitosa (the real +Linnæan plant: on rocks round Hecla).</p> +<p><i>Ranunculaceæ</i>. Ranunculus auricomus. Ranunculus +nivalis. Thalictrum alpinum (growing between lava, near +Reikjavik). Caltha palustris.</p> +<p><i>Cruciferæ</i>. Draba verna. Cardamine +pratensis.</p> +<p><i>Violariceæ</i>. Viola hirta.</p> +<p><i>Caryophylleæ</i>. Sagina stricta. Cerastium +semidecandrum. Lepigonum rubrum. Silene maritima. Lychnis +alpina (on the mountain-fields round Reikjavik).</p> +<p><i>Empetreæ</i>. Empetrum nigrum.</p> +<p><i>Geraniaceæ</i>. Geranium sylvaticum (in pits near +Thingvalla).</p> +<p><i>Troseaceæ</i>. Parnassia palustris.</p> +<p><i>Œnothereæ</i>. Epilobium latifolium (in clefts of +the mountain at the foot of Hecla). Epilobium alpinum (in Reiker +valley, west of Havenfiord).</p> +<p><i>Rosaceæ</i>. Rubus arcticus. Potentilla +anserina. Potentilla gronlandica (on rocks near Kallmanstunga and +Kollismola). Alchemilla montana. Sanguisorba officinalis. +Geum rivale. Dryas octopela (near Havenfiord).</p> +<p><i>Papilionaceæ</i>. Trifolium repens.</p> +<h2>FOOTNOTES:</h2> +<p><a name="footnote1"></a><a href="#citation1" +class="footnote">[1]</a> In this Gutenberg eText only Madame +Pfeiffer’s work appears—DP.</p> +<p><a name="footnote2"></a><a href="#citation2" +class="footnote">[2]</a> Madame Pfeiffer’s first journey was to +the Holy Land in 1842; and on her return from Iceland she started in 1846 +on a “Journey round the World,” from which she returned in the +end of 1848. This adventurous lady is now (1853) travelling among the +islands of the Eastern Archipelago.</p> +<p><a name="footnote3"></a><a href="#citation3" +class="footnote">[3]</a> A florin is worth about 2<i>s.</i> +1<i>d.</i>; sixty kreutzers go to a florin.</p> +<p><a name="footnote4"></a><a href="#citation4" +class="footnote">[4]</a> At Kuttenberg the first silver groschens +were coined, in the year 1300. The silver mines are now exhausted, +though other mines, of copper, zinc, &c. are wrought in the +neighbourhood. The population is only half of what it once was. +—<span class="smcap">Ed.</span></p> +<p><a name="footnote5"></a><a href="#citation5" +class="footnote">[5]</a> The expression of Madame Pfeiffer’s +about Frederick “paying his score to the Austrians,” is +somewhat vague. The facts are these. In 1757 Frederick the +Great of Prussia invaded Bohemia, and laid siege to Prague. Before +this city an Austrian army lay, who were attacked with great impetuosity by +Frederick, and completely defeated. But the town was defended with +great valour; and during the time thus gained the Austrian general Daun +raised fresh troops, with which he took the field at Collin. Here he +was attacked by Frederick, who was routed, and all his baggage and cannon +captured. This loss was “paying his score;” and the +defeat was so complete, that the great monarch sat down by the side of a +fountain, and tracing figures in the sand, was lost for a long time in +meditation on the means to be adopted to retrieve his fortune.</p> +<p><a name="footnote6"></a><a href="#citation6" +class="footnote">[6]</a> I mention this little incident to warn the +traveller against parting with his effects.</p> +<p><a name="footnote7"></a><a href="#citation7" +class="footnote">[7]</a> The true version of this affair is as +follows. John of Nepomuk was a priest serving under the Archbishop of +Prague. The king, Wenceslaus, was a hasty, cruel tyrant, who was +detested by all his subjects, and hated by the rest of Germany. Two +priests were guilty of some crime, and one of the court chamberlains, +acting under royal orders, caused the priests to be put to death. The +archbishop, indignant at this, placed the chamberlain under an +interdict. This so roused the king that he attempted to seize the +archbishop, who took refuge in flight. John of Nepomuk, however, and +another priest, were seized and put to the torture to confess what were the +designs of the archbishop. The king seems to have suspected that the +queen was in some way connected with the line of conduct pursued by the +archbishop. John of Nepomuk, however, refused, even though the King +with his own hand burned him with a torch. Irritated by his obstinate +silence, the king caused the poor monk to be cast over the bridge into the +Moldau. This monk was afterwards canonised, and made the patron saint +of bridges.—<span class="smcap">Ed.</span></p> +<p><a name="footnote8"></a><a href="#citation8" +class="footnote">[8]</a> Albert von Wallenstein (or Waldstein), the +famous Duke of Friedland, is celebrated as one of the ablest commanders of +the imperial forces during the protracted religious contest known in German +history as the “Thirty Years’ War.” During its +earlier period Wallenstein greatly distinguished himself, and was created +by the Emperor Ferdinand Duke of Friedland and generalissimo of the +imperial forces. In the course of a few months Wallenstein raised an +army of forty thousand men in the Emperor’s service. The +strictest discipline was preserved <i>within</i> his camp, but his troops +supported themselves by a system of rapine and plunder unprecedented even +in those days of military license. Merit was rewarded with princely +munificence, and the highest offices were within the reach of every common +soldier who distinguished himself;—trivial breaches of discipline +were punished with death. The dark and ambitious spirit of +Wallenstein would not allow him to rest satisfied with the rewards and +dignities heaped upon him by his imperial master. He temporised and +entered into negotiations with the enemy; and during an interview with a +Swedish general (Arnheim), is even said to have proposed an alliance to +“hunt the Emperor to the devil.” It is supposed that he +aspired to the sovereignty of Bohemia. Ferdinand was informed of the +ambitious designs of his general, and at length determined that Wallenstein +should die. He despatched one of his generals, Gallas, to the +commander-in-chief, with a mandate depriving him of his dignity of +generalissimo, and nominating Gallas as his successor. Surprised +before his plans were ripe, and deserted by many on whose support he had +relied, Wallenstein retired hastily upon Egra. During a banquet in +the castle, three of his generals who remained faithful to their leader +were murdered in the dead of night. Roused by the noise, Wallenstein +leapt from his bed, and encountered three soldiers who had been hired to +despatch him. Speechless with astonishment and indignation, he +stretched forth his arms, and receiving in his breast the stroke of a +halbert, fell dead without a groan, in the fifty-first year of his age.</p> +<p>The following anecdote, curiously illustrative of the state of affairs +in Wallenstein’s camp, is related by Schiller in his <i>History of +the Thirty Years’ War</i>, a work containing a full account of the +life and actions of this extraordinary man. “The extortions of +Wallenstein’s soldiers from the peasants had at one period reached +such a pitch, that severe penalties were denounced against all marauders; +and every soldier who should be convicted of theft was threatened with a +halter. Shortly afterwards, it chanced that Wallenstein himself met a +soldier straying in the field, whom he caused to be seized, as having +violated the law, and condemned to the gallows without a trial, by his +usual word of doom: “Let the rascal be hung!” The soldier +protested, and proved his innocence. “Then let them hang the +innocent,” cried the inhuman Wallenstein; “and the guilty will +tremble the more.” The preparations for carrying this sentence +into effect had already commenced, when the soldier, who saw himself lost +without remedy, formed the desperate resolution that he would not die +unrevenged. Rushing furiously upon his leader, he was seized and +disarmed by the bystanders before he could carry his intention into +effect. “Now let him go,” said Wallenstein; “it +will excite terror enough.””—<span +class="smcap">Ed.</span></p> +<p><a name="footnote9"></a><a href="#citation9" +class="footnote">[9]</a> Poniatowski was the commander of the Polish +legion in the armies of Napoleon, by whom he was highly respected. At +the battle of Leipzig, fought in October 1813, Poniatowski and Marshal +MacDonald were appointed to command the rear of Napoleon’s army, +which, after two days hard fighting, was compelled to retreat before the +Allies. These generals defended the retreat of the army so gallantly, +that all the French troops, except those under their immediate command, had +evacuated the town. The rear-guard was preparing to follow, when the +only bridge over the Elster that remained open to them was destroyed, +through some mistake. This effectually barred the escape of the rear +of Napoleon’s army. A few, among whom was Marshal MacDonald, +succeeded in swimming across; but Poniatowski, after making a brave +resistance, and refusing to surrender, was drowned in making the same +attempt.—<span class="smcap">Ed.</span></p> +<p><a name="footnote10"></a><a href="#citation10" +class="footnote">[10]</a> Leipzig has long been famous as the chief +book-mart of Germany. At the great Easter meetings, publishers from +all the different states assemble at the “Buchhändler +Börse,” and a large amount of business is done. The fairs +of Leipzig have done much towards establishing the position of this city as +one of the first trading towns in Germany. They take place three +times annually: at New-year, at Easter, and at Michaelmas; but the Easter +fair is by far the most important. These commercial meetings last +about three weeks, and during this time the town presents a most animated +appearance, as the streets are thronged with the costumes of almost every +nation, the smart dress of the Tyrolese contrasting gaily with the sombre +garb of the Polish Jews. The amount of business transacted at these +fairs is very considerable; on several occasions, above twenty thousand +dealers have assembled. The trade is principally in woollen cloths; +but lighter wares, and even ornaments of every description, are sold to a +large extent. The manner in which every available place is taken +advantage of is very curious: archways, cellars, passages, and courtyards +are alike filled with merchandise, and the streets are at times so crowded +as to be almost impassable. When the three weeks have passed, the +wooden booths which have been erected in the market-place and the principal +streets are taken down, the buyers and sellers vanish together, and the +visitor would scarcely recognise in the quiet streets around him the +bustling busy city of a few days ago.—<span +class="smcap">Ed.</span></p> +<p><a name="footnote11"></a><a href="#citation11" +class="footnote">[11]</a> The fire broke out on 4th May 1842, and +raged with the utmost fury for three days. Whole streets were +destroyed, and at least 2000 houses burned to the ground. Nearly half +a million of money was raised in foreign countries to assist in rebuilding +the city, of which about a tenth was contributed by Britain. Such +awful fires, fearful though they are at the time, seem absolutely necessary +to great towns, as they cause needful improvements to be made, which the +indolence or selfishness of the inhabitants would otherwise prevent. +There is not a great city that has not at one time or another suffered +severely from fire, and has risen out of the ruins greater than +before.—<span class="smcap">Ed.</span></p> +<p><a name="footnote12"></a><a href="#citation12" +class="footnote">[12]</a> There are no docks at Hamburgh, +consequently all the vessels lie in the river Elbe, and both receive and +discharge their cargoes there. Madame Pfeiffer, however, is mistaken +in supposing that only London could show a picture of so many ships and so +much commercial activity surpassing that of Hamburgh. Such a picture, +more impressive even than that seen in the Elbe, is exhibited every day in +the Mersey or the Hudson.—<span class="smcap">Ed.</span></p> +<p><a name="footnote13"></a><a href="#citation13" +class="footnote">[13]</a> Kiel, however, is a place of considerable +trade; and doubtless the reason why Madame Pfeiffer saw so few vessels at +it was precisely the same reason why she saw so many at Hamburgh. +Kiel contains an excellent university.—<span +class="smcap">Ed.</span></p> +<p><a name="footnote14"></a><a href="#citation14" +class="footnote">[14]</a> At sea I calculate by sea-miles, of which +sixty go to a degree.</p> +<p><a name="footnote15"></a><a href="#citation15" +class="footnote">[15]</a> This great Danish sculptor was born of poor +parents at Copenhagen, on the 19th November, 1770; his father was an +Icelander, and earned his living by carving figure-heads for ships. +Albert, or “Bertel,” as he is more generally called, was +accustomed during his youth to assist his father in his labours on the +wharf. At an early age he visited the Academy at Copenhagen, where +his genius soon began to make itself conspicuous. At the age of +sixteen he had won a silver, and at twenty a gold medal. Two years +later he carried off the “great” gold medal, and was sent to +study abroad at the expense of the Academy. In 1797 we find him +practising his art at Rome under the eye of Zoega the Dane, who does not, +however, seem to have discovered indications of extraordinary genius in the +labours of his young countryman. But a work was soon to appear which +should set all questions as to Thorwaldsen’s talent for ever at +rest. In 1801 he produced his celebrated statue of +“Jason,” which was at once pronounced by the great Canova to be +“a work in a new and a grand style.” After this period +the path of fame lay open before the young sculptor; his bas-reliefs of +“Summer” and “Autumn,” the “Dance of the +Muses,” “Cupid and Psyche,” and numerous other works, +followed each other in rapid succession; and at length, in 1812, +Thorwaldsen produced his extraordinary work, “The Triumph of +Alexander.” In 1819 Thorwaldsen returned rich and famous to the +city he had quitted as a youth twenty-three years before; he was received +with great honour, and many feasts and rejoicings were held to celebrate +his arrival. After a sojourn of a year Thorwaldsen again visited +Rome, where he continued his labours until 1838, when, wealthy and +independent, he resolved to rest in his native country. This time his +welcome to Copenhagen was even more enthusiastic than in 1819. The +whole shore was lined with spectators, and amid thundering acclamations the +horses were unharnessed from his carriage, and the sculptor was drawn in +triumph by the people to his <i>atelier</i>. During the remainder of +his life Thorwaldsen passed much of his time on the island of Nysö, +where most of his latest works were executed. On Sunday, March 9th, +1842, he had been conversing with a circle of friends in perfect +health. Halm’s tragedy of <i>Griselda</i> was announced for the +evening, and Thorwaldsen proceeded to the theatre to witness the +performance. During the overture he rose to allow a stranger to pass, +then resumed his seat, and a moment afterwards his head sunk on his +breast—he was dead!</p> +<p>His funeral was most sumptuous. Rich and poor united to do honour +to the memory of the great man, who had endeared himself to them by his +virtues as by his genius. The crown-prince followed the coffin, and +the people of Copenhagen stood in two long rows, and uncovered their heads +as the coffin of the sculptor was carried past. The king himself took +part in the solemnity. At the time of his decease Thorwaldsen had +completed his seventy-second year.—<span class="smcap">Ed.</span></p> +<p><a name="footnote16"></a><a href="#citation16" +class="footnote">[16]</a> Tycho de Brahe was a distinguished +astronomer, who lived between 1546 and 1601. He was a native of +Denmark. His whole life may be said to have been devoted to +astronomy. A small work that he published when a young man brought +him under the notice of the King of Denmark, with whose assistance he +constructed, on the small island of Hulln, a few miles north of Copenhagen, +the celebrated Observatory of Uranienburg. Here, seated in “the +ancient chair” referred to in the text, and surrounded by numerous +assistants, he directed for seventeen years a series of observations, that +have been found extremely accurate and useful. On the death of his +patron he retired to Prague in Bohemia, where he was employed by Rodolph +II. then Emperor of Germany. Here he was assisted by the great +Kepler, who, on Tycho’s death in 1601, succeeded him.—<span +class="smcap">Ed.</span></p> +<p><a name="footnote17"></a><a href="#citation17" +class="footnote">[17]</a> The fisheries of Iceland have been very +valuable, and indeed the chief source of the commerce of the country ever +since it was discovered. The fish chiefly caught are cod and the tusk +or cat-fish. They are exported in large quantities, cured in various +ways. Since the discovery of Newfoundland, however, the fisheries of +Iceland have lost much of their importance. So early as 1415, the +English sent fishing vessels to the Icelandic coast, and the sailors who +were on board, it would appear, behaved so badly to the natives that Henry +V. had to make some compensation to the King of Denmark for their +conduct. The greatest number of fishing vessels from England that +ever visited Iceland was during the reign of James I., whose marriage with +the sister of the Danish king might probably make England at the time the +most favoured nation. It was in his time that an English pirate, +“Gentleman John,” as he was called, committed great ravages in +Iceland, for which James had afterwards to make compensation. The +chief markets for the fish are in the Catholic countries of Europe. +In the seventeenth century, a great traffic in fish was carried on between +Iceland and Spain.—<span class="smcap">Ed.</span></p> +<p><a name="footnote18"></a><a href="#citation18" +class="footnote">[18]</a> The dues charged by the Danish Government +on all vessels passing through the Sound have been levied since 1348, and +therefore enjoy a prescriptive right of more than five hundred years. +They bring to the Danish Government a yearly revenue of about a quarter of +a million; and, in consideration of the dues, the Government has to support +certain lighthouses, and otherwise to render safe and easy the navigation +of this great entrance to the Baltic. Sound-dues were first paid in +the palmy commercial days of the Hanseatic League. That powerful +combination of merchants had suffered severely from the ravages of Danish +pirates, royal and otherwise; but ultimately they became so powerful that +the rich merchant could beat the royal buccaneer, and tame his ferocity so +effectually as to induce him to build and maintain those beacon-lights on +the shores of the Sound, for whose use they and all nations and merchants +after them have agreed to pay certain duties.—<span +class="smcap">Ed.</span></p> +<p><a name="footnote19"></a><a href="#citation19" +class="footnote">[19]</a> The Feroe Islands consist of a great many +islets, some of them mere rocks, lying about halfway between the north +coast of Scotland and Iceland. At one time they belonged to Norway, +but came into the possession of Denmark at the same time as Iceland. +They are exceedingly mountainous, some of the mountains attaining an +elevation of about 2800 feet. The largest town or village does not +contain more than 1500 or 1600 inhabitants. The population live +chiefly on the produce of their large flocks of sheep, and on the down +procured, often at great risk to human life, from the eider-duck and other +birds by which the island is frequented.—<span +class="smcap">Ed.</span></p> +<p><a name="footnote20"></a><a href="#citation20" +class="footnote">[20]</a> I should be truly sorry if, in this +description of our “life aboard ship,” I had said any thing +which could give offence to my kind friend Herr Knudson. I have, +however, presumed that every one is aware that the mode of life at sea is +different to life in families. I have only to add, that Herr Knudson +lived most agreeably not only in Copenhagen, but what is far more +remarkable, in Iceland also, and was provided with every comfort procurable +in the largest European towns.</p> +<p><a name="footnote21"></a><a href="#citation21" +class="footnote">[21]</a> It is not only at sea that ingenious +excuses for drinking are invented. The lovers of good or bad liquor +on land find these reasons as “plenty as blackberries,” and +apply them with a marvellous want of stint or scruple. In warm +climates the liquor is drank to keep the drinker cool, in cold to keep him +warm; in health to prevent him from being sick, in sickness to bring him +back to health. Very seldom is the real reason, “because I like +it,” given; and all these excuses and reasons must be regarded as +implying some lingering sense of shame at the act, and as forming part of +“the homage that vice always pays to virtue.”—<span +class="smcap">Ed.</span></p> +<p><a name="footnote22"></a><a href="#citation22" +class="footnote">[22]</a> The sailors call those waves +“Spanish” which, coming from the west, distinguish themselves +by their size.</p> +<p><a name="footnote23"></a><a href="#citation23" +class="footnote">[23]</a> These islands form a rocky group, only one +of which is inhabited, lying about fifteen miles from the coast. They +are said to derive their name from some natives of Ireland, called +West-men, who visited Iceland shortly after its discovery by the +Norwegians. In this there is nothing improbable, for we know that +during the ninth and tenth centuries the Danes and Normans, called +Easterlings, made many descents on the Irish coast; and one Norwegian chief +is reported to have assumed sovereign power in Ireland about the year 866, +though he was afterwards deposed, and flung into a lough, where he was +drowned: rather an ignominious death for a +“sea-king.”—<span class="smcap">Ed.</span></p> +<p><a name="footnote24"></a><a href="#citation24" +class="footnote">[24]</a> This work, which Madame Pfeiffer does not +praise too highly, was first published in 1810. After passing through +two editions, it was reprinted in 1841, at a cheap price, in the valuable +people’s editions of standard works, published by Messrs. Chambers of +Edinburgh.</p> +<p><a name="footnote25"></a><a href="#citation25" +class="footnote">[25]</a> It is related of Ingold that he carried +with him on his voyage the door of his former house in Ireland, and that +when he approached the coast he cast it into the sea, watching the point of +land which it touched; and on that land he fixed his future home. +This land is the same on which the town of Reikjavik now stands. +These old sea-kings, like the men of Athens, were “in all things too +superstitious.”—<span class="smcap">Ed.</span></p> +<p><a name="footnote26"></a><a href="#citation26" +class="footnote">[26]</a> These sea-rovers, that were to the nations +of Europe during the middle ages what the Danes, Norwegians, and other +northmen were at an earlier period, enjoyed at this time the full flow of +their lawless prosperity. Their insolence and power were so great +that many nations, our own included, were glad to purchase, by a yearly +payment, exemption from the attacks of these sea-rovers. The +Americans paid this tribute so late as 1815. The unfortunate +Icelanders who were carried off in the seventeenth century nearly all died +as captives in Algiers. At the end of ten years they were liberated; +but of the four hundred only thirty-seven were alive when the joyful +intelligence reached the place of their captivity; and of these twenty-four +died before rejoining their native land.—<span +class="smcap">Ed.</span></p> +<p><a name="footnote27"></a><a href="#citation27" +class="footnote">[27]</a> This town, the capital of Iceland, and the +seat of government, is built on an arm of the sea called the Faxefiord, in +the south-west part of the island. The resident population does not +exceed 500, but this is greatly increased during the annual fairs. It +consists mainly of two streets at right angles to each other. It +contains a large church built of stone, roofed with tiles; an observatory; +the residences of the governor and the bishop, and the prison, which is +perhaps the most conspicuous building in the town.—<span +class="smcap">Ed.</span></p> +<p><a name="footnote28"></a><a href="#citation28" +class="footnote">[28]</a> As Madame Pfeiffer had thus no opportunity +of attending a ball in Iceland, the following description of one given by +Sir George Mackenzie may be interesting to the reader.</p> +<p>“We gave a ball to the ladies of Reikjavik and the +neighbourhood. The company began to assemble about nine +o’clock. We were shewn into a small low-roofed room, in which +were a number of men, but to my surprise I saw no females. We soon +found them, however, in one adjoining, where it is the custom for them to +wait till their partners go to hand them out. On entering this +apartment, I felt considerable disappointment at not observing a single +woman dressed in the Icelandic costume. The dresses had some +resemblance to those of English chambermaids, but were not so smart. +An old lady, the wife of the man who kept the tavern, was habited like the +pictures of our great-grandmothers. Some time after the dancing +commenced, the bishop’s lady, and two others, appeared in the proper +dress of the country.</p> +<p>“We found ourselves extremely awkward in dancing what the ladies +were pleased to call English country dances. The music, which came +from a solitary ill-scraped fiddle, accompanied by the rumbling of the same +half-rotten drum that had summoned the high court of justice, and by the +jingling of a rusty triangle, was to me utterly unintelligible. The +extreme rapidity with which it was necessary to go through many complicated +evolutions in proper time, completely bewildered us; and our mistakes, and +frequent collisions with our neighbours, afforded much amusement to our +fair partners, who found it for a long time impracticable to keep us in the +right track. When allowed to breathe a little, we had an opportunity +of remarking some singularities in the state of society and manners among +the Danes of Reikjavik. While unengaged in the dance, the men drink +punch, and walk about with tobacco-pipes in their mouths, spitting +plentifully on the floor. The unrestrained evacuation of saliva seems +to be a fashion all over Iceland; but whether the natives learned it from +the Danes, or the Danes from the natives, we did not ascertain. +Several ladies whose virtue could not bear a very strict scrutiny were +pointed out to us.</p> +<p>“During the dances, tea and coffee were handed about; and negus +and punch were ready for those who chose to partake of them. A cold +supper was provided, consisting of hams, beef, cheese, &c., and +wine. While at table, several of the ladies sang, and acquitted +themselves tolerably well. But I could not enjoy the performance, on +account of the incessant talking, which was as fashionable a rudeness in +Iceland as it is now in Britain. This, however, was not considered as +in the least unpolite. One of the songs was in praise of the donors +of the entertainment; and, during the chorus, the ceremony of touching each +other’s glasses was performed. After supper, waltzes were +danced, in a style that reminded me of soldiers marching in cadence to the +dead march in Saul. Though there was no need of artificial light, a +number of candles were placed in the rooms. When the company broke +up, about three o’clock, the sun was high above the +horizon.”</p> +<p><a name="footnote29"></a><a href="#citation29" +class="footnote">[29]</a> A man of eighty years of age is seldom seen +on the island.—<i>Kerguelen</i>.</p> +<p><a name="footnote30"></a><a href="#citation30" +class="footnote">[30]</a> Kerguelen (writing in 1768) says: +“They live during the summer principally on cod’s heads. +A common family make a meal of three or four cods’ heads boiled in +sea-water.”—<span class="smcap">Ed.</span></p> +<p><a name="footnote31"></a><a href="#citation31" +class="footnote">[31]</a> This bakehouse is the only one in Iceland, +and produces as good bread and biscuit as any that can be procured in +Denmark. [In Kerguelen’s time (1768) bread was very uncommon in +Iceland. It was brought from Copenhagen, and consisted of broad thin +cakes, or sea-biscuits, made of rye-flour, and extremely black.—<span +class="smcap">Ed.</span>]</p> +<p><a name="footnote32"></a><a href="#citation32" +class="footnote">[32]</a> In all high latitudes fat oily substances +are consumed to a vast extent by the natives. The desire seems to be +instinctive, not acquired. A different mode of living would +undoubtedly render them more susceptible to the cold of these inclement +regions. Many interesting anecdotes are related of the fondness of +these hyperborean races for a kind of food from which we would turn in +disgust. Before gas was introduced into Edinburgh, and the city was +lighted by oil-lamps, several Russian noblemen visited that metropolis; and +it is said that their longing for the luxury of train-oil became one +evening so intense, that, unable to procure the delicacy in any other way, +they emptied the oil-lamps. Parry relates that when he was wintering +in the Arctic regions, one of the seamen, who had been smitten with the +charms of an Esquimaux lady, wished to make her a present, and knowing the +taste peculiar to those regions, he gave her with all due honours a pound +of candles, six to the pound! The present was so acceptable to the +lady, that she eagerly devoured the lot in the presence of her wondering +admirer.—<span class="smcap">Ed.</span></p> +<p><a name="footnote33"></a><a href="#citation33" +class="footnote">[33]</a> An American travelling in Iceland in 1852 +thus describes, in a letter to the <i>Boston Post</i>, the mode of +travelling:—“All travel is on horseback. Immense numbers +of horses are raised in the country, and they are exceedingly cheap. +As for travelling on foot, even short journeys, no one ever thinks of +it. The roads are so bad for walking, and generally so good for +riding that shoe-leather, to say nothing of fatigue, would cost nearly as +much as horse-flesh. Their horses are small, compact, hardy little +animals, a size larger than Shetland ponies, but rarely exceeding from 12 +or 13½ hands high. A stranger in travelling must always have a +‘guide,’ and if he does go equipped for a good journey and +intends to make good speed, he wants as many as six horses; one for +himself, one for the guide, one for the luggage, and three relay +horses. Then when one set of horses are tired the saddles are +exchanged to the others. The relay horses are tied together and are +either led or driven before the others. A tent is often carried, +unless a traveller chooses to chance it for his lodgings. Such an +article as an hotel is not kept in Iceland out of the capital. You +must also carry your provisions with you, as you will be able to get but +little on your route. Plenty of milk can be had, and some fresh-water +fish. The luggage is carried in trunks that are hung on each side of +the horse, on a rude frame that serves as a pack-saddle. Under this, +broad pieces of turf are placed to prevent galling the horse’s +back.”</p> +<p><a name="footnote34"></a><a href="#citation34" +class="footnote">[34]</a> The down of the eider-duck forms a most +important and valuable article of Icelandic commerce. It is said that +the weight of down procurable from each nest is about half a pound, which +is reduced one-half by cleansing. The down is sold at about twelve +shillings per pound, so that the produce of each nest is about three +shillings. The eider-duck is nearly as large as the common goose; and +some have been found on the Fern Islands, off the coast of +Northumberland.—<span class="smcap">Ed.</span></p> +<p><a name="footnote35"></a><a href="#citation35" +class="footnote">[35]</a> The same remark applies with equal force to +many people who are not Icelanders. It was once the habit among a +portion of the population of Lancashire, on returning from market, to carry +their goods in a bag attached to one end of a string slung over their +shoulders, which was balanced by a bag containing a stone at the +other. Some time ago, it was pointed out to a worthy man thus +returning from market, that it would be easier for him to throw away the +stone, and make half of his load balance the other half, but the advice was +rejected with disdain; the plan he had adopted was that of his forefathers, +and he would on no account depart from it.—<span +class="smcap">Ed.</span></p> +<p><a name="footnote36"></a><a href="#citation36" +class="footnote">[36]</a> The description of the Wolf’s Hollow +occurs in the second act of <i>Der Freyschütz</i>, when Rodolph +sings:</p> +<blockquote> +<p>“How horrid, dark, and wild, and drear,<br /> +Doth this gaping gulf appear!<br /> +It seems the hue of hell to wear.<br /> +The bellowing thunder bursts yon clouds,<br /> + The moon with blood has stained her light!<br /> +What forms are those in misty shrouds,<br /> + That stalk before my sight?<br /> +And now, hush! hush!<br /> +The owl is hooting in yon bush;<br /> +How yonder oak-tree’s blasted arms<br /> + Upon me seem to frown!<br /> +My heart recoils, but all alarms<br /> + Are vain: fate calls, I must down, down.”</p> +</blockquote> +<p><a name="footnote37"></a><a href="#citation37" +class="footnote">[37]</a> The reader must bear in mind that, during +the season of which I speak, there is no twilight, much less night, in +Iceland.</p> +<p><a name="footnote38"></a><a href="#citation38" +class="footnote">[38]</a> The springs of Carlsbad are said to have +been unknown until about five hundred years ago, when a hunting-dog +belonging to one of the emperors of Germany fell in, and by his howling +attracted the hunters to the spot. The temperature of the chief +spring is 165°.—<span class="smcap">Ed.</span></p> +<p><a name="footnote39"></a><a href="#citation39" +class="footnote">[39]</a> History tells of this great Icelandic poet, +that owing to his treachery the free island of Iceland came beneath the +Norwegian sceptre. For this reason he could never appear in Iceland +without a strong guard, and therefore visited the Allthing under the +protection of a small army of 600 men. Being at length surprised by +his enemies in his house at Reikiadal, he fell beneath their blows, after a +short and ineffectual resistance. [Snorri Sturluson, the most +distinguished name of which Iceland can boast, was born, in 1178, at +Hoam. In his early years he was remarkably fortunate in his worldly +affairs. The fortune he derived from his father was small, but by +means of a rich marriage, and by inheritance, he soon became proprietor of +large estates in Iceland. Some writers say that his guard of 600 men, +during his visit to the Allthing, was intended not as a defence, as +indicated in Madame Pfeiffer’s note, but for the purposes of display, +and to impress the inhabitants with forcible ideas of his influence and +power. He was invited to the court of the Norwegian king, and there +he either promised or was bribed to bring Iceland under the Norwegian +power. For this he has been greatly blamed, and stigmatised as a +traitor; though it would appear from some historians that he only undertook +to do by peaceable means what otherwise the Norwegian kings would have +effected by force, and thus saved his country from a foreign +invasion. But be this as it may, it is quite clear that he sunk in +the estimation of his countrymen, and the feeling against him became so +strong, that he was obliged to fly to Norway. He returned, however, +in 1239, and in two years afterwards he was assassinated by his own +son-in-law. The work by which he is chiefly known is the +<i>Heimskringla</i>, or Chronicle of the Sea-Kings of Norway, one of the +most valuable pieces of northern history, which has been admirably +translated into English by Mr. Samuel Laing. This curious name of +Heimskringla was given to the work because it contains the words with which +begins, and means literally <i>the circle of the world</i>.—<span +class="smcap">Ed.</span>]</p> +<p><a name="footnote40"></a><a href="#citation40" +class="footnote">[40]</a> A translation of this poem will be found in +the Appendix. [Not included in this Gutenberg eText—DP]</p> +<p><a name="footnote41"></a><a href="#citation41" +class="footnote">[41]</a> In Iceland, as in Denmark, it is the custom +to keep the dead a week above ground. It may be readily imagined that +to a non-Icelandic sense of smell, it is an irksome task to be present at a +burial from beginning to end, and especially in summer. But I will +not deny that the continued sensation may have partly proceeded from +imagination.</p> +<p><a name="footnote42"></a><a href="#citation42" +class="footnote">[42]</a> Every one in Iceland rides.</p> +<p><a name="footnote43"></a><a href="#citation43" +class="footnote">[43]</a> I cannot forbear mentioning a curious +circumstance here. When I was at the foot of Mount Etna in 1842, the +fiery element was calmed; some months after my departure it flamed with +renewed force. When, on my return from Hecla, I came to Reikjavik, I +said jocularly that it would be most strange if this Etna of the north +should also have an eruption now. Scarcely had I left Iceland more +than five weeks when an eruption, more violent than the former one, really +took place. This circumstance is the more remarkable, as it had been +in repose for eighty years, and was already looked upon as a burnt-out +volcano. If I were to return to Iceland now, I should be looked upon +as a prophetess of evil, and my life would scarcely be safe.</p> +<p><a name="footnote44"></a><a href="#citation44" +class="footnote">[44]</a> Every peasant in tolerably good +circumstances carries a little tent with him when he leaves home for a few +days. These tents are, at the utmost, three feet high, five or six +feet long, and three broad.</p> +<p><a name="footnote45"></a><a href="#citation45" +class="footnote">[45]</a> “Though their poverty disables them +from imitating the hospitality of their ancestors in all respects, yet the +desire of doing it still exists: they cheerfully give away the little they +have to spare, and express the utmost joy and satisfaction if you are +pleased with the gift.” <i>Uno von Troil</i>, 1772.—<span +class="smcap">Ed.</span></p> +<p><a name="footnote46"></a><a href="#citation46" +class="footnote">[46]</a> The presence of American ships in the port +of Gottenburg is not to be wondered at, seeing that nearly three-fourths of +all the iron exported from Gottenburg is to America.—<span +class="smcap">Ed.</span></p> +<p><a name="footnote47"></a><a href="#citation47" +class="footnote">[47]</a> “St. Stephen’s steeple” +is 450 feet high, being about 40 feet higher than St. Paul’s, and +forms part of St. Stephen’s Cathedral in Vienna, a magnificent Gothic +building, that dates as far back as the twelfth century. It has a +great bell, that weighs about eighteen tons, being more than double the +weight of the bell in St. Peter’s at Rome, and four times the weight +of the “Great Tom of Lincoln.” The metal used consisted +of cannons taken from the Turks during their memorable sieges of +Vienna. The cathedral is 350 feet long and 200 wide, being less than +St. Paul’s in London, which is 510 feet long and 282 +wide.—<span class="smcap">Ed.</span></p> +<p><a name="footnote48"></a><a href="#citation48" +class="footnote">[48]</a> The <i>Storthing</i> is the name given to +the Norwegian parliament, which assembles once every three years at +Christiania. The time and place of meeting are fixed by law, and the +king has no power to prevent or postpone its assembly. It consists of +about a hundred members, who divide themselves into two houses. The +members must not be under thirty years of age, and must have lived for ten +years in Norway. The electors are required to be twenty-five years of +age, and to be either burgesses of a town, or to possess property of the +annual value of 30<i>l.</i> The members must possess the same +qualification. The members of the Storthing are usually plain-spoken, +sensible men, who have no desire to shine as orators, but who despatch with +great native sagacity the business brought before them. This +Storthing is the most independent legislative assembly in Europe; for not +only has the king no power to prevent its meeting at the appointed time, +but should he refuse to assent to any laws that are passed, these laws come +into force without his assent, provided they are passed by three successive +parliaments.—<span class="smcap">Ed.</span></p> +<p><a name="footnote49"></a><a href="#citation49" +class="footnote">[49]</a> The present king of Sweden and Norway is +Oscar, one of the few fortunate scions of those lowly families that were +raised to royal power and dignity by Napoleon. His father, +Bernadotte, was the son of an advocate, and entered the French army as a +common soldier; in that service he rose to the rank of marshal, and then +became crown-prince, and ultimately king of Sweden. He died in +1844. The mother of Oscar was Désirée Clary, a sister +of Julie Clary, wife of Joseph Bonaparte, the elder brother of +Napoleon. This lady was asked in marriage by Napoleon himself, but +her father refused his assent; and instead of becoming an unfortunate +empress of France, she became a fortunate queen of Sweden and Norway. +Oscar was born at Paris in 1799, and received his education chiefly in +Hanover. He accompanied his father to Sweden in 1810, and ascended +the throne on his father’s death in 1844. In 1824 he married +Josephine Beauharnois, daughter of Prince Eugene, and granddaughter of the +brilliant and fascinating Josephine, the first and best wife of +Napoleon. Oscar is much beloved by his subjects; his administration +is mild, just, and equable; and his personal abilities and acquirements are +far beyond the average of crowned heads.—<span +class="smcap">Ed.</span></p> +<p><a name="footnote50"></a><a href="#citation50" +class="footnote">[50]</a> Bergen is a town of about twenty-five +thousand inhabitants, situated near the Kons Fiord, on the west coast of +Norway, and distant about 350 miles from Christiania. It is the seat +of a bishopric, and a place of very considerable trade, its exports being +chiefly fish. It has given its name to a county and a township in the +state of New Jersey. There are three other Bergens,—one in the +island of Rugen, one in the Netherlands, and another in the electorate of +Hesse.</p> +<p><a name="footnote51"></a><a href="#citation51" +class="footnote">[51]</a> <i>Kulle</i> is the Swedish for hill.</p> +<p><a name="footnote52"></a><a href="#citation52" +class="footnote">[52]</a> Delekarlien is a Swedish province, situated +ninety or one hundred miles north of Stockholm.</p> +<p><a name="footnote53"></a><a href="#citation53" +class="footnote">[53]</a> The family of Sturre was one of the most +distinguished in Sweden. Sten Sturre introduced printing into Sweden, +founded the University of Upsala, and induced many learned men to come +over. He was mortally wounded in a battle against the Danes, and died +in 1520.</p> +<p>His successors as governors, Suante, Nilson Sturre, and his son, Sten +Sturre the younger, still live in the memory of the Swedish nation, and are +honoured for their patriotism and valour.</p> +<p><a name="footnote54"></a><a href="#citation54" +class="footnote">[54]</a> The University of Upsala is the most +celebrated in the north. It owes its origin to Sten Sturre, the +regent of the kingdom, by whom it was founded in 1476, on the same plan as +the University of Paris. Through the influence of the Jesuits, who +wished to establish a new academy in Stockholm, it was dissolved in 1583, +but re-established in 1598. Gustavus Vasa, who was educated at +Upsala, gave it many privileges, and much encouragement; and Gustavus +Adolphus reconstituted it, and give it very liberal endowments. There +are twenty-four professors, and the number of students is between four and +five hundred.—<span class="smcap">Ed.</span></p> +<p><a name="footnote55"></a><a href="#citation55" +class="footnote">[55]</a> See novel of <i>Ivar</i>, <i>the Skjuts +Boy</i>, by Miss Emilie Carlen.</p> +<p><a name="footnote56"></a><a href="#citation56" +class="footnote">[56]</a> At Calmar was concluded, in 1397, the +famous treaty which bears its name, by which Denmark, Sweden, and Norway +were united under one crown, that crown placed nominally on the head of +Eric Duke of Pomerania, but virtually on that of his aunt Margaret, who has +received the name of “the Semiramis of the North.” —<span +class="smcap">Ed.</span></p> +<p><a name="footnote57"></a><a href="#citation57" +class="footnote">[57]</a> There is now a railway direct from Hamburgh +to Berlin.—<span class="smcap">Ed.</span></p> +<p><a name="footnote58"></a><a href="#citation58" +class="footnote">[58]</a> A florin is about two shillings +sterling.—<i>Tr.</i></p> +<p><a name="footnote59"></a><a href="#citation59" +class="footnote">[59]</a> Herr T. Scheffer of Mödling, near +Vienna, gives the following characteristic of this new dipteral animal, +which belongs to the family muscidæ, and resembles the species +borborus:</p> +<p><i>Antennæ</i> deflexæ, breves, triarticulatæ, +articulo ultimo phoereco; seda nuda.</p> +<p><i>Hypoctoma</i> subprominulum, fronte lata, setosa. <i>Oculi</i> +rotundi, remoti. Abdomen quinque annulatum, dorso nudo. +<i>Tarsi</i> simplices. <i>Alæ</i> incumbentes, abdomine +longiores, nervo primo simplici.</p> +<p>Niger, abdomine nitido, antennis pedibusque rufopiceis.</p> +<p>***END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK VISIT TO ICELAND***</p> +<pre> + + +***** This file should be named 1894-h.htm or 1894-h.zip****** + + +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: +http://www.gutenberg.org/dirs/1/8/9/1894 + + + +Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed. + +Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no +one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation +(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without +permission and without paying copyright royalties. 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