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f Journey to Iceland,

a,

TRAVELS IN SWEDEN AND NORWAY.

TRANSLATED BY
CHARLOTTE FENIMORE COOPER.

May 1, 1852.

The next Volume of the Library {May 15) mil be "LEIGH HUNTS
BOOK FOR A CORNER."

FOR TRAVELLERS AND THE FIRESIDE.

^uultsr JfmtuxtB— (%u Isat pag* af ®o6tr.)
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. The form, the size of the type, the quality of the paper, and the
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In the selection of Books for the series, it is intended to com
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TRAVELS, HISTORY, BIOGRAPHY, DOMESTIC ECONOMY,
and SOCIAL PHILOSOPHY, chosen with reference to an attrac
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not beckon the laughing reader away into far other worlds than the jester's."— Extr. from Preface.

PUTNAM'S
LIBRARY FOR THE PEOPLE.

JOURNEY TO ICELAND.

cA

//V-<£.

JOURNEY TO ICELAND

AND

TRAVELS IN SWEDEN AND
NORWAY.

TRANSLATED FROM TUE GERMAN OF
IDA PFEIFFEE,
BY CHARLOTTE* ONIMORE COOPER.

¦

N E W-Y OEK:
GEORGE P. PUTNAM, 155 BROADWAY.
1852.

L«U,<L.&M-5*

Entered according to act of Congress, in the year 1852,
By GEOPvGE P. PUTNAM,
In the Clerk's Office of the District Court for the Southern District of New- York.

TO HER DEAR SONS
ALFRED AND OSCAR,
®Ijte JSook is JirirttaitiJ BY IDA PEEIEFER.

TRANSLATOR'S PREFACE.

The translator of these travels has been anxious
to leave the text .as much as possible like the
original ; and to avoid making any change in
the book itself, a number of notes have been
added, for the benefit of the American reader,
who may not happen to be familiar with the
currency or distances, and a few other terms
used by Madame Pfeiffer, in the course of her
narrative.

PREFACE.

" Another journey, and that to regions far more likely to
repel than attract any other traveller ! This woman
could have had no object in visiting such a country but
the wish to excite our astonishment and curiosity."
" Her first journey, although it was a tolerably hazard
ous undertaking for a woman alone, might still have been
overlooked, for it was possibly prompted by her religious
feelings, and incredible things, as every one knows, are
often accomplished from such an impulse. But no one
can suggest a reasonable motive for the present expedi-
. tion." Thus, and perhaps still more severely, shall I be
judged by the crowd. And yet it does me great injustice
— I am a simple and inoffensive creature, and the last
thing in the world I should ever dream of, would be to

l0 PREFACE.
direct the observation of the public towards myself. Let
me briefly reveal my character and circumstances, when
all that is unaccountable about my actions will disappear,
and they will be seen in their natural light.
From my earliest childhood I have had an intense
longing to go forth into the wide world. I could never
meet a travelling carriage without stopping to watch it as
it passed out of my sight, envying the very postillion, who
had accompanied it, as I thought, during the whole long
journey. When I was a little girl of ten or twelve years old, no
reading was so attractive to me as books of travels ; and
ceasing to envy the postillions, I could not but repine at
the happiness of every great navigator, or discoverer, who
could explore the yet unrevealed secrets of the natural
world. Tears often rose to my eyes if, after climbing a hill, I
found others towering up beyond my reach, and I could
not see what lay concealed behind them.
I travelled a great deal with my parents, and also with
my husband, after I was married, and it was not till my
two boys were of an age to be sent to school that I re
mained stationary on their account.
The affairs of my husband required his presence alter
nately in Vienna and in Lemberg. He made over to me
the whole charge of our children, and relying on my steadi
ness and perseverance, he felt assured that I could supply
the place of both parents to them at once.

PREFACE. 11
When ' the education of my sons was finished, and my
life was spent in quiet retirement, the dreams and fancies
of my youth revived once more within me ; 1 thought of
the manners and customs of foreign lands, of other climes
and countries, and dwelt so long on the inexpressible
happiness of treading the soil which had been hallowed
by the presence of the Saviour, that at last my resolution
to direct my steps thither became confirmed. In vain I
pondered on every drawback to such an expedition, and
looked all its perils in the face ; I could not rid myself of
the idea. Privations were of little consequence to me. I
was hardy and strong, I had no dread of death, and born
in the last century, I need not fear to travel alone. Thus
each difficulty was set aside; every thing was maturely
considered and decided upon ; and with real ecstasy I set
forth on my journey to Palestine, — and lo ! I returned in
safety. I believed, therefore, that I was not presumptu
ously tempting the providence of God, or laying myself
open to the charge of wishing to excite the admiration of
my contemporaries, if I followed my inward impulse, and
went forth once more to see the world. Iceland was a
country where I hoped to behold nature under an aspect
entirely new and peculiar. I feel so supernaturally happy,
and drawn so close to my Maker, while gazing upon such
scenes, that no difficulties or fatigues can discourage me
from seeking so great a reward.
Should death surprise me in any of my wanderings, I
shall meet it with calmness, thanking God from my inmost

12 PREFACE.
heart for the blessed, happy hours I have spent in admir
ing the wonders of his creation.
And, thou, dear reader, chide not if I have written so
much about myself, but let these, my inborn sentiments,
plead my excuse for that love of adventure, which in the
eyes of many does not accord with what is becoming in
my sex.
Judge me not too harshly, but rather freely grant me
an indulgence, which injures no one and makes me so
truly blessed.
The Author.

JOUENEY TO ICELAND.

Htyrarta ftnra %itm

IN the year 1845 I began my interesting journey to the
northward. Iceland was one of those spots which I
have longed to see from the first period of my recollection.
In this country, peculiarly unblessed by nature, to which
nothing similar is to be found on earth, I hoped to discover
that which would fill me with new and unutterable astonish
ment. Oh, my gracious God ! how thankful I am to Thee,
who hast allowed my favorite dream to become a reality !
On this occasion I took leave of all my beloved ones
with a far lighter heart than before, for I now knew by ex
perience, that a woman, with a strong will, can go forth into
the world as well as a man, and that kindness is to be met
with every, where among our fellow-beings. Moreover, the
trials of this journey could last but a short time, and in
five or six months I might hope to see my friends again.
I left Vienna on the 10th of April, at five o'clock in
the morning. As even the railroad had not escaped the
consequences of the late devastation caused by the overflow-

y 4 JO URNEY TO ICELAND.
ing of the Danube, I was obliged to accomplish the first
mile* to Florisdorf far from agreeably, in an omnibus. Our
omnibuses are so narrow and close that one would think
they were merely intended for the consumptive, and not
for healthy travellers, moving about in great state with all
their superfluous cloaks, furs and overcoats.
We had hardly reached the barrier when a new impedi
ment occurred. Each passenger was requested in turn at
the gates to present his passirschein (or custom-house per
mit) ; but when the last of our party, a young man, was
applied to, he seemed entirely taken by surprise at the de
mand. He had nothing with him but his pass and his tes
timonials, and had yet to learn that a passirschein was
more powerful than either. He went himself to the office
and represented his case, but in vain ; and we were obliged
to move on without him.
We then learned that he was a student who had just
gone through his examination, and was on his way to spend
a, few weeks' vacation with his parents near Prague. Poor
fellow ! he had studied so much, and yet so little ! He was
not aware of the extraordinary value of such a document,
and this oversight cost him his expenses to Prague, which
were paid in advance.
But to proceed with my journey.
At Florisdorf I was agreeably surprised by the appear
ance of my brother and my son, who had driven on before
me without my being aware of it. We took the ears to
gether for Stockerau (three miles), but we were obliged to
alight half way, and proceed a short distance on foot, over
a, place where the banks of the road had caved in. Fortu
nately it did not rain although it blew a violent gust, other-
* A German mile is about four and a half English miles. — Trans.

DEPARTURE FROM VIENNA. 15
wise we could hardly have escaped being wet to the skin,
and should have sunk ankle deep in the mud. Having
crossed the dangerous spot, we were compelled to wait in
the open air till the train from Stockerau had arrived, de
posited its passengers, and taken us up in their stead.
At Stockerau I took a second leave of my companions,
and was safely seated in the stage coach, and sent forth on
my way.This was the fourth conveyance I had entered in that
short distance ; a great inconvenience when one has nothing
to carry, and so much the worse when one has all one's lug
gage to dispose of ; the only advantage in the arrangement
that I could see, being one half hour gained in the four
miles, while at the same time, instead of paying the former
price of nine florins and thirty-six kreuzers* from Vienna
to Prague, it cost us ten florins and ten kreuzers from
Stockerau to Prague, without including the omnibus or the
railroad. That half hour was rather dearly purchased !
The little town of Znaim, with its adjacent convent,
which lay on our road, is situated in a wide plain, stretch
ing from Vienna towards Budnitz, four miles beyond
Znaim, the uniformity of which is only broken by an occa
sional rise in the ground. The country improved in beauty
as we approached. Schelletau, where the eye embraces a
range of high hills to the left, and a ruined castle recalls
those tragic romances of the days of chivalry so much in
vogue during the past century ; while the road itself is
shaded by fir trees which are also beautifully scattered over
the hills and throughout the valleys.
April Wth. — The weather was by no means pleasant
* An Austrian florin is worth forty-eight cents American money,
and there are sixty kreuzers to a florin. — Trans.

16 JOURNEY TO ICELAND.
yesterday ; we found the valleys about Znaim still par
tially covered with snow, and were often enveloped in fogs
so thick that we could hardly see a hundred paces before
us. But it was even worse to-day ; for the mists dissolved
in a soft rain, which lost so much of its gentleness as we
advanced from station to station, that every thing around
us was soon immersed in water ; and the roof of our coach
being a perfect sieve, the rain poured in upon us in tor
rents ; had the space permitted it, every umbrella would
have been raised.
On such occasions, I can never cease to admire the pa
tience of my worthy countrymen, who submit to similar
inconveniences with the most complete indifference. Were
I a man, I should take a different course, and never suffer
any carelessness of this nature to pass unpunished. But
being a woman, I am silent, — a remonstrance from one of
my sex would only be received with contempt. Moreover,
I felt that my good genius had prepared these annoyances
for me as a forewarning of what was awaiting me in the far
North. After touching at several small towns and villages, we
entered upon the Bohemian dominions just beyond Iglau.
Czaslau, the capital of the first Circle through which we
passed in this kingdom, has a large square, with neat houses,
and arbors in front of them, by means of which one can
walk dry-footed round the whole square during the worst
weather. We observed a fine cathedral at Kuttenberg, a place
once celebrated for its gold and silver mines, and a little
beyond it the great tobacco manufactory of Sedlitz. The
Elbe appeared in sight for a short time, but soon wound off
again in a different direction. We passed the market-town
of Collin, and drove close to the battle-field where the

PRAGUE. 17
great Frederick found his match in the Austrians in the
year 1757 ; an event which has been commemorated within
a few years past by an obelisk erected to the honor of Gen
eral Daun ; the valley of Klephorcz, where his army lay
encamped, was pointed out to the left.
At eleven o'clock in the evening we reached

It was my intention to have spent but two days in this
place ; and my first steps on the following morning were to
the police office, to obtain, in addition to my passport, that
far more important paper, a passirschein ; and my next
were to the custom-house, where I was to receive a trunk;
which I had dispatched five days before my own departure
from Vienna by the express, on the distinct assurance that
I should find it here when I arrived.* But, alas for the
express ! no trunk was there. Sunday followed Saturday ;
but on Sunday the custom-house is closed. Thus a day
was lost, a whole day, when I could have gone on to Dres
den, and visited the opera besides.
Early on Monday morning I hastened to the custom
house, and found that my trunk had not yet arrived. But
as several loaded wagons were waiting, I staid to see them
examined, watching, oh how anxiously ! for the appearance
of my treasure, not indeed to press it with rapture to my
heart, but to throw it open and — display its- contents before
the custom-house officer.
I took but a hasty survey of Prague, having been long
* These trifles are mentioned as a warning to travellers not to be
separated from their effects.

j g JO URNEY TO ICELAND.
familiar with every object worthy of notice in the place. I
admired its beautiful moat, the horse-market, and the broad,
well-built streets of the new town. The old stone bridge,
from which Saint John of Nepomuk was thrown into the
Moldau ^for having refused to betray the secret confession
of the wife of King Wenceslaus, is also an object of especial
interest. I crossed the river, ascended the Hradschin, and
visited the cathedral, where a large sarcophagus, upheld
by angels and surmounted by a canopy of dark red damask,
is dedicated to the memory of this saint. The monument
is of silver, and the value of the metal alone is estimated
at 80,000 florins. The church itself, although not large, is
built in the noble gothic style, to which the side altars pre
sent a very striking contrast with their numerous figures
and decorations of gilded wood. The chapels contain
many monuments, on which repose stone knights and
bishops, but in such a damaged condition, that hands and
feet are frequently missing, and in some instances even the
heads. On the right, as you enter the church, is the cele
brated chapel of Saint Wenceslaus, the walls of which were
once adorned with frescoes and inlaid with precious stones,
though the drawings and colors of the former are now
nearly effaced; '
Not far from the cathedral is the remarkable palace of
Count Czernim, numbering as many windows as there are
days in the year. I saw three hundred and sixty-five ; but
how it is of a leap-year I am not able to tell. There is a
very pleasing view from the belvedere of this palace, which
overlooks the old and new parts of the town, the beautfful
river with its venerable stone bridge, already mentioned, a
more modern and very elegant suspension bridge, six hun
dred paces long, and the heights around covered with gar
dens and handsome country houses,

PRAGUE. 19
The streets of the Kleinseite (or Little Prague) are
steep, narrow, and crooked ; but they contain many fine
palaces, among which none is more likely to attract the no-
¦ tice of the traveller than that of Wallenstein Friedland.
After I had visited the church of Saint Nicholas, con
spicuous for its high nave and handsome cupola, and had
examined the Wimmerischen buildings, I repaired to the
Bastei, the fashionable resort of the public in Prague.
Here I could form some idea of the desolation caused by
the late flood. In overflowing its banks, the Moldau had
violently swept away a great many small houses and one
entire hamlet not far from Prague ; every dwelling on its
shores, indeed, had been more or less injured ; and though
the waters had now subsided, the traces of ruin were still
to be seen in the deserted houses, with their shattered doors
and vacant windows. The river rose on this occasion two
feet higher than in the year 1784, when it also swelled to
an unusual height. From this place I overlooked the large
inclosure lately purchased for the terminus of the Vienna
and Dresden railroad. Several houses had lately been
torn down on the spot, and the foundations of the new
buildings were but just begun ; still I was assured that the
whole would be completed within six months.
I was very much struck with the number of dog-carts
which I met during my long walk this morning. They are
used to bring milk, vegetables, and other provisions into the
city ; and I almost fancied myself transported to Greenland
or Lapland when I saw so many of these animals in har
ness. Each cart is drawn by three or four dogs ; on level
ground they can pull a weight of three hundred pounds,
the driver lending his assistance over the steep places.
The dogs have the additional merit of being very faithful
guardians, and I would not advise any one to venture too

20 JOURNEY TO ICELAND.
near one of these carts when they are standing before the
beer-house where their owner is carousing with his lately
earned gains.
I left Prague at five o'clock on the morning of the 15th,
and drove three miles in the post-coach to Obristwy on the
Elbe, where I embarked for Dresden (twenty-two miles)*
in the steamer Bohemia, a miserable old craft of fifty horse
power, which could have known but little of luxury and
comfort in its best days. The fare for this short trip of
eight or nine hours was very high ; but the traveller has
the prospect of being soon revenged for this extortion by
the new railroad, which will occasion a great saving of
time and money, although the journey by water has much
the advantage in point of beauty, especially as you approach
the Saxon Switzerland. The sail is not very interesting at
first, however, as there is nothing attractive about the bar
ren hills, and the great plains lately flooded by the waters
of the stream, which swept over the roofs of the huts and
buried the trees to their summits. Nothing can exceed
this sad picture of desolation and ruin, which extends as
far as Melnick, where the ground is higher, and little clus
ters of houses are again seen among the spreading vine
yards. The Moldau flows into the Elbe opposite this town,
and the renowned Saint Georgsberg is seen in the distance,
from whence tradition relates that Czech overran the
whole of Bohemia.
The hills gradually rise into mountains ; and two fine

* Nearly a hundred English miles.
f Czech, or Zecko, is said to have conquered Bohemia with an
army of Selavonians about the middle of the sixth century. The people
of the country still call themselves Tsehechen, and the descendants of
those warriors are to be found in the land to this day. — Trans.

DRESDEN. 21
ruins, Hafenberg and Skalt, in the neighborhood, of Kaud-
nitz, rejoice those romantic eyes which can see no charm
in a prospect unless it possess some such vestige of the
olden time.
Leitmeritz has a noble castle, a church and cloister, and
a high-arched wooden bridge which unites the shores of the
Elbe to those of its tributary the Eger. It was not without
great difficulty that our poor sailors managed their mast
and chimney under this bridge.
Gross Czernoseck is rather a handsome village, princi
pally remarkable for its enormous cellar hewn out of the
rock, into which a carriage and horses can drive and turn
with ease. The wine vats are in proportion to the size of
the cave, particularly those named after the twelve Apos
tles, each one of which contains three thousand six
hundred gallons. A short delay would have been agreeable
here, in order to afford each worthy votary of Bacchus an
opportunity to visit this palace of a cellar and pour out a
libation to the " Apostles ;" — but our boat glided swiftly
by, and we were obliged to content ourselves with the de
scriptions of those who were familiar with the spot, and had
doubtless drawn frequent inspiration from its depths.
The scenery became more lovely every moment as we
advanced. The hills press forward and narrow the channel
of the river, while romantic rocks rise up between them,
crowned by still more romantic ruins. The old castle of
Schreckenstein, which is in a tolerable state of preservation,
presents a very striking appearance ; it lies stretched over
the whole summit of a steep, rocky promontory, and is ap
proached by winding paths cut in the stone. The borough
of Auffig possesses the largest stone quarries and peat-mines
in Bohemia. A variety of the grape grows . in the little

22 JOURNEY TO ICELAND.
rocky district of Paschkal, in this neighborhood, which is
said to produce a wine not unlike champagne.
The hills rose higher and higher till we reached the
gigantic Jungfernsprung; and the beauty of this prospect
is only surpassed by the situation of the town and castle of
Tetschen ; the latter stands on a rock rising abruptly from
the Elbe to the height of twenty or thirty feet. It is sur
rounded by green-houses and beautiful gardens, which
stretch down' to the little town, nestling with its small
harbor in a sweet valley apparently completely shut in
from the outer world by the high chain of hills which en
circle it.
The left bank is an almost unbroken line of rocks and
precipices, with only an occasional spot occupied by a farm
house or a solitary hut. In one place the eye is suddenly
arrested by the sight of tall masts rising above the high
cliffs around them ; this apparition is explained by a cleft
in the rocks forming a very excellent basin.
On reaching Schandau. a little hamlet on the Saxon
boundary, we received the usual visit from the custom-house
officers, who came on board our steamer and rummaged
every thing we possessed. The Daguerreotype apparatus
in one of my trunks appeared rather suspicious to them at
first ; but upon my assurance that I merely carried it for
my own use, I was very civilly permitted to retain it.
Proceeding once more on our way, our attention was
frequently arrested by the picturesque cliffs, whose names
generally bore an allusion to their peculiar shape, such as
the Zirkelstein, the Lilienstein, and others. The borough
of Konigstein lies at the foot of a jagged mass bearing
the same name, inclosing a fortress, which is used as a
prison for state criminals. A little farther on I observed

DRESDEN. 23
two huge rocks lying one above the other, which formed a
perfectly natural image of a human head. At Rathen
we were already within the confin'es of the Saxon Switzer
land. While hurrying through the Bastei we had barely
time to admire the wonderful grouping of these famous
natural ramparts, for our steamer moved so rapidly that we
lost one lovely scene while gazing at another equally at
tractive on the opposite shore. We reached Pirna, at the
extremity of this mountain pass, much too 'soon. The
ancient gateway of this little town is conspicuous above all
its other buildings. Sonnenstein is a large castle lying
among the cliffs, which is now used as an asylum for
lunatics. The most interesting part of our journey was now over.
The royal castle of Pilnitz, with its pointed Chinese roofs,
did not offer a very favorable contrast to the magnificent
natural scenery we had just passed. The adjacent chain of
hills, covered with villas, incloses the wide plain at the far
end of which glistened the capital of Saxony ; and we had
hardly time to collect our luggage, before our anchor was
dropped near the beautiful bridge at Dresden.
This bridge had also been seriously injured by the
rising of the waters ; one of the middle pillars gave way,
and the cross and sentry-box were thrown into the river.
At first the extent of the mischief was not suspected, and
the bridge was used for some time after the flood, when it
was ascertained to be very unsafe, and nothing was allowed
to cross it for several months.
I had been well acquainted with all the sights of Dres
den for several years, and therefore devoted the two even
ings I spent there to the fine theatre, the only remarkable
edifice in the place which was new to me. It is situated in
the centre of the handsome Domplatz, and immediately at-

24

JOURNEY TO ICELAND.

tracts attention by its elegant structure and rotunda-shape.
A wide corridor, with large bay-windows and a very high
ceiling, surrounds the whole building, and several broad
staircases lead from the different entrances to the galleries.
The interior of the theatre is not so large as might be im
agined from its external appearance, but the architecture,
and decorations are really magnificent. The boxes are all
open, and divided by a low partition, the seats and walls
being covered with heavy silks, while a less expensive ma
terial is used for the benches of the third and fourth gal
leries. I was only disturbed by one acoustic drawback ;
the least whisper of the prompter could be heard as dis
tinctly as if he were directly behind me: The curtain had
hardly fallen before the house was emptied, without the
least confusion, and I was then particularly impressed with
the excellent arrangement of the numerous and convenient
outlets. April 16th. — The Dresden omnibuses may be cited as
models of comfort ; there is ample space for everybody, and
nothing to fear from the exuberant corpulency or supernu
merary cloaks and furs of our fellow-passengers. They
are are also provided with check-strings to communicate
with the driver when any one wishes to alight. These om
nibuses drive by all the great hotels, and pause a moment
before each ; but if the traveller is not on the spot, he will
be sure to be left behind. One of them stopped at the
door of my hotel at half-past five in the morning ; I was
already waiting, and soon rolled along very pleasantly to
the railway. The distance between Dresden and Leipsic
is called twelve miles,* which we accomplished in three
hours. * Fifty-four English miles.— Tr.

LEIPSIC.

25

The first few miles are delightful ; gardens, fields, and
meadows, fir-trees scattered over the plain and on the
heights, with villages, farm-houses, country-seats, and a few
solitary chapels between, form a most pleasing landscape ;
' but it is soon ended ; and Meissen, well known for its
porcelain manufactories, lying on the left, may be called
the key-stone of the beautiful scene.
A tiresome and monotonous plain, only enlivened by an
occasional village or a solitary farm, extends the rest of the
way to Leipsic ; the only objects of interest that we saw
were a great tunnel and the river Pleisse, the latter, or to
speak more correctly, the Elster, being celebrated for the
death of Prince Poniatowsky. The city of Leipsic is world-re
nowned for its book-trade and for its great fair, which
draws crowds to the place every year. I found the streets,
the squares, and the hotels thronged to overflowing.
Few towns are so much disfigured as Leipsic by the
innumerable sign-boards of all shapes and sizes which often
project from the houses several feet into the street. Among
the buildings, those which pleased me most were the Au-
gusteum and the Bargerschule. The Book Hall is inter
esting from its contents, but has no claims to architectural
merit. The hall itself is large, covering one whole floor ;
there are a few rooms beneath it, but the whole building is
perfectly plain. The Cloth Hall is another large # edifice,
equally unadorned, which contains vast stores of cloth in its
wide vaults. The theatre is on a very large square, and is
not remarkable either within or without. The arrangement
of the reserved seats, in front of the boxes, was new to me.
I heard the orchestra ; but it was a mystery to me where
it happened to be situated ; apparently it burst from behind
the scenes. This was quite an unusual circumstance, as I
was assured, and only occurred when the seats of the or-
2

26

JOURNEY TO ICELAND.

chestra were reserved, as was the case on the present occa
sion. The play was that favorite piece of Gutzkow's, " The
original Tartuffe," and was extremely well performed.
I had an opportunity of observing, for the second time,
in the theatre at Leipsic, that the worthy Saxons are by no
means behind the much reviled inhabitants of Vienna in
point of appetite. In the Dresden theatre I had already
noticed some ladies, my near neighbors, who carried a sup
ply of pastry in a pretty little bag, with which they be
guiled the time between the acts. But at Leipsic, I saw a
tender mother regaling herself and her young son, a boy of
fifteen or sixteen, with a more substantial repast — white
bread and salami !* I could hardly believe my eyes at
first, and thought it must be an imitation sausage, from
the confectioner's. But my nose convinced me only too
soon that my remaining'doubts were groundless.
In both instances this did not happen in the higher re
gions of the temple of Thalia, where such a thing might be
witnessed occasionally even with us — no, it was in the re
served seats of the second tier.
Leipsic is surrounded by beautiful avenues. I took a
walk to the Rosenthal, which also boasts of its fair alleys
and grass-plots ; a neat coffee-house, with a very pretty
kiosk of a semi-oval shape, invites the weary to repose and
refreshment, and agreeable music gives additional life and
animation to the scene.
The other environs of Leipsic present nothing to the
eye but one monotonous and immeasurable plain.
April 17th.— I had wished to pursue my journey to
Hamburgh through Berlin, but the weather proved to be so
cold and stormy, and the rain fell in such torrents, that I
m * An Italian sausage, made of asses' meat.— Tr.

MAGDEBURGH. 27
determined to take the shorter route, and went by the rail
way to Magdeburgh. We flew across the dreary plain,
through Halle, Kothen, and other towns, of which I saw
but little, hastily saluting the Sale and the Elbe as we
passed. Towards ten in the morning we were at Magde
burgh, having run over these fifteen miles* in three hours
and a half.
The steamer did not leave for Hamburgh till three
o'clock ; I had therefore ample leisure to explore the town.
Magdeburgh resembles a pattern-card — with its different
buildings belonging to the oldest, the middle, and the latest
. ages. The main street, called the Broadway, which divides
the town, is peculiarly striking ; houses are there of the
most ancient date, which have withstood sieges and set ruin
at defiance ; houses of every form and color, some with
pinnacles and stone figures still standing upon them ; some
are covered with arabesques, and upon one I even dis
covered a few traces of fresco-painting. Among these relics
of antiquity are seen many dwellings of the newest style
and taste. No other street ever made so deep an impres
sion upon me ; and the solemn cathedral, that master-piece
of Gothic architecture, quite took me by surprise, although
I had visited all the finest churches of Italy. The monu
ment with the twelve Apostles, which it contains, is a
worthy tribute to the memory of the distinguished sculptor,
Vischer. It cannot be seen without the permission of the
Commandant. The cathedral square is large and regular ; it is embel
lished by two avenues of trees, and is used for military ex
ercises. I was struck with the number of soldiers here ;
go where I would I continually met men and officers, and
Sixty-seven and a half English miles.

28

JOURNEY TO ICELAND.

frequently passed whole lines of troops ; it could not have
been worse in time of war. This was the natural conse
quence of being in Prussia.
The place is. very much disfigured by the numerous
open canals which flow from the houses into the street.
It was soon three o'clock, and I went on board the
steamer Magdeburgh, of sixty horse-power, to proceed to
Hamburgh. Of this part of my journey I have little to
say, excepting that it was a most tiresome trip, through a
very dull country ; the weather was bad, the boat was
dirty, and, as the distance was twenty-three miles,* I had
the agreeable prospect of a comfortless night on board.
The number of passengers was so great that we were
obliged to crowd close together — and thus we sat, with
saint-like patience, gazing in each other's faces, and heaving
deep sighs of weariness. Order was not to be thought of
for a moment, no one had time to attend to it ; the whole
day and all the night were devoted to smoking and cards.
It is easy to imagine that the scene was not quite so tran
quil as an English whist party. The wind and rain pre
vented my leaving the cabin for an instant, and the only
circumstance which made me any amends for the discom
forts of this passage, was the opportunity it afforded me of
making the acquaintance of that amiable composer, Lorzing,
which gave me all the more pleasure, as I am a great ad
mirer of his beautiful and original music.
April \%th. — Day broke at last and we soon reached
the great commercial capital, which was nearly laid in
ashes by the terrible conflagration of 1842, but has since
arisen from its ruins more magnificent and imposing than
* About one hundred and three and a half English miles. — Trans.

HAMBURGH. 29
before. I alighted at the house of my cousin, who is mar
ried to the royal consul from Wirtemberg a merchant of
the name of Schmidt, where I passed a most delightful
week. My kinsman was so kind as to accompany me every
where himself, and be my guide to all the different objects
of curiosity in Hamburgh.
We first turned our steps towards the Exchange, which
we visited between the hours of one and two, when it is
most frequented, that I might have the best opportunity of
judging of the vast commercial importance of this place.
The building contains a very large hall, with arcades and
galleries^ and several good-sized apartments, which are used
for private conferences and refreshment rooms. It is very
amusing to sit in the gallery and watch the ebb and flow of
the eager multitude in the immense hall, the covered walks
and side-rooms, and listen to the loud buzz of a thousand
excited voices ; — at half-past two the uproar reaches its high
est pitch, and the noise becomes really deafening ; — the rate
of exchange, by which all the affairs of the place are regu
lated, is then announced.
From the Exchange we went to the noble port,
which we crossed and re-crossed in every direction, in a
boat. I endeavored to count the ships with three masts,
but soon gave up the attempt in despair, without even try:
ing to number the crowd of magnificent steamers, the brigs,
the sloops and other craft. In short, I could only behold
and wonder, for no less than nine hundred vessels lay before
me, stretched in rows three or four deep, on both sides of
the Elbe ; add to these the innumerable boats carrying
freight backwards and forwards among the ships ; and with
the shouting of the sailors, the hauling up of anchors, the
rushing by of steamers, a scene will be conceived which
London, alone, that great capital of the world, can surpass.

3Q JOURNEY TO ICELAND.
This unusual animation in the harbor was owing to the
severity of the past winter. Such a season had not been
known for seventy years. The Elbe and the Baltic were
frozen, putting an end to all navigation for several months,
and it was not till very shortly before my arrival that the
path had again been free.
I had expected to see something very remarkable in the
crowded dwellings around the port, having read that many
of the houses contained whole districts within themselves,
intersected by lanes, and capable of accommodating a great
number of families. I visited several, and can testify that
I saw nothing extraordinary about them ; houses-with two
wings, forming an alley from eighty to a hundred paces
long, are to be found in every large town, neither is it at
all unusual that so many families should live under the
same roof, when it is remembered that they are all poor,
and each occupies but a single room.
The favorite walk at Hamburgh is the Jungfernstieg,
a broad avenue which sweeps round the large and beautiful
basin of the Alster. It is only built on one side, and here
are to be found most of those fine hotels so numerous in
Hamburgh, and a great many handsome private residences.
The ramparts which surround the town, and the Botanical
Gardens, resembling a large park, are also agreeable resorts.
The handsomest edifice in the place is the Bazar, which
is conspicuous as a work of art and luxury, as well as for
the durability and elegance of its structure ; it is a gigantic
work, and all the more astonishing as it was not built at
the expense of the public, but by a private individual, Mr.
Charles Sillem. The name of the architect is Overdick.
The building is of freestone ; the walls of the principal
saloon and the hall are inlaid with marble, and both are
surmounted with a high cupola and large glass domes.

HAMBURGH. 31
Handsome statues adorn the upper balustrade. At night
the whole is brilliantly lighted with gas, and every variety
of elegant merchandise from all parts of the world is
spread out before the eye, producing the effect of a fairy
temple. The shops of Hamburgh are generally very handsome,
their goods are tastefully displayed behind enormous panes
of plate glass, often eight or ten feet high and five or six
wide, a single window being not unfrequently worth six
hundred florins, C. M.* This peculiar kind of luxury is not
entirely confined to the shops, but is often seen in the pri
vate residences in Hamburgh, and also in Altona, and the
beautiful country seats of the neighborhood. Many of the
panes cost eight or ten florins apiece, and they are insured
against breakage in the same way that houses are insured
against fire.
This extravagance in window panes entails a correspond
ing degree of expense in the furniture ; nothing but mahog
any is to be seen, and this wood is so common here that it
is used for the balusters of all the handsome establishments,
and mahogany furniture is often found even in the houses
of the pilots.
The handsomest and most animated street in Ham
burgh is the Neue Wall (or New Rampart). I was particu
larly struck, in all the thoroughfares of this town, with the
vast number of shops and dwellings under ground, which
are approached by a descent of six or eight steps, with an
iron railing to protect the passers by from a fall. The
large slaughter-house where all the animals needed for the
* A florin, Conventions Mimze, or conventional value, is worth
about forty-eight cents, American money, according to a standard
agreed upon by several of the German States. — Trans.

32 JOURNEY TO ICELAND.
consumption of the city are slaughtered at once, on parti
cular days of the week, is a very excellent arrangement.
The city of Altona is merely a continuation of Ham
burgh, from which it is only divided by a simple wooden
gate. A wide and handsome avenue, or, to speak more pro
perly, an extended square, with a double row of thick trees,
is the most remarkable street in this town, which is owned
by Denmark, and is the most important place, next to Co
penhagen, in that kingdom.
The drive of two miles to the village of Blankenese is
really delightful, owing to the numerous beautiful country
seats, and the large park-like gardens which line the way.
Blankenese itself lies in a picturesque situation upon the
Sulberg, which being the only elevation in this neighbor
hood, presents an extensive prospect of the wide-stretching
plains around. The course of the Elbe can be traced, as it
quietly winds its way towards -the Baltic, almost as far as
Cuxhaven at its mouth. This river is more than half a
mile* in width at Blankenese.
Another very .agreeable excursion is to the New Mills,
a little village on the banks of the Elbe, at not more than
a quarter of an hour's'distance from Altona, whose entire
population consists of fishermen and pilots. It is worth
while to go there to acquire some idea of the Dutch neat-
. ness and daintiness, than which it is impossible to imagine
any thing more attractive. The houses are prettily built
and mostly of a single story, the door-handles are of
shining brass, the windows bright and polished, and the
white curtains hanging before them are draped with pic
turesque grace.
I had seen many dwellings among the peasantry in
* About two and a quarter English miles. — Trans.

VIERLANDS.

33

Saxony that presented a neat and orderly appearance,
and showed more marks of prosperity than are usually
found in that class, but they could not be compared with
this little village.
The costume of the Vierlander women* was the only
one which pleased me here. They wear short, full skirts
of black stuff, fine white chemises with long and very wide
sleeves, and colored bodices laced with silk or silver cords.
The brims of their straw hats are much higher than the
crowns, which sink in, producing a curious effect. Many
handsome young girls, dressed in this attire, come to sell
flowers in Hamburgh, and the neighborhood of the Ex
change is their favorite resort.
The twenty-sixth of April was the day fixed for my
departure. Frequent leave-takings are a trial from which
the traveller cannot hope to escape, although at times it
may cost him less pain to part than at others. On this
occasion, I need hardly say, that the hour of separation
was a heavy one for me ; I was leaving the last of my re
lations and friends behind me ; I was going forth among
perfect strangers — alone.
At eight in the morning I took the train at Altona for
Kiel. I observed with pleasure on this road that even the
third class cars were excellent conveyances, with glass win
dows, and merely to be distinguished from the others by
their color, and the difference in the seats, which were not
cushioned. We ran over the whole distance of fifteen milesf in
three hours — a quick journey, but one which had nothing
* The Vierlands are four small islands in the Elbe, under the juris
diction of Hamburgh and Lubeck. — Trans.
f About sixty-seven English miles. — Trans.

34 JOURNEY TO ICELAND.
but speed to recommend it. The whole country was one
vast level moor, with spots of sand and heath, and an occa
sional field or meadow. The soil was so dark that the
water in the bogs and ditches was as black as ink. A few
patches of stunted wood are seen near Binneburg. At
Elmsdorf a branch road leads to Gliickstadt and another
from Neumunster, a large village with important cloth
manufactories, to Rendsburg. No other object worthy of
note is seen; but a monastery, where several dukes of Hol-
stein are buried, and a few insignificant lakes, such as Bern-
sholmer, Einfelder and Schulhofer. I should have over
looked entirely a little stream, called the Eider, had not
some of my fellow-passengers laid great stress upon its
beauties. I have never found among the inhabitants of the
most celebrated countries, more enthusiasm for what was
truly grand and wonderful, than this people appeared to
feel for nothing at all. One very respectable woman, in
particular, my neighbor during the journey, was indefat
igable in her praises of her Fatherland ; to her the dwarfish
woods seemed a magnificent park, and the vacant flat was a
boundless prospect, over which her delighted eyes were
never tired of wandering. I silently wished her joy of
this powerful imagination, but could not breathe any of her
animation into my own cold feelings.
The plain changed into a low undulating country as we
approached Kiel, which lies very pleasantly on the shores
of the Baltic, here bearing a great resemblance to a large
lake. The harbor is said to be good, but it did not contain
much shipping. I observed the steamer which was to con
vey me to Copenhagen, and little thought what an impression
that boat was destined to make upon me.
By the kind forethought of my cousin Schmidt, I was
•^ceived at the station by one of his relations, Mr. Brauer,

KIEL. 35
who conducted me at once into his family circle, where the
few hours I passed at Kiel were spenj most pleasantly.
This place has a fine royal castle, which is occupied at
present by the youngest daughter of the late king. The
public park adjoining it has few advantages besides that of
lying close to the sea. A range of low hills surround the
town, on which are situated the country residences and gar
dens of the inhabitants. One of the most beautiful villas
is owned by Mr. Brauer. The highest spots are furnished
with kiosks or arbors commanding a fine view of the sea
and the opposite shores. Since the neighborhood of Dres
den I had seen no landscape which pleased me so well.
Kiel does not rank among the larger towns of Denmark,
but it is a neat and cheerful place. Many of the houses
have rather an unfinished appearance in consequence of not
being plastered with lime and sand ; the roofs are of tiles,
and not unfrequently they are spread over with a coat of
varnish, which gives them a high polish and makes them
much more durable. I observed here occasionally those
expensive Hamburgh plate-glass windows, a species of
luxury which seems to have extended far and wide.
The evening drew near and with it the hour of embar
kation. The amiable Brauer family accompanied me on
board, where I bid them farewell with a full and grateful
heart. The steamer, Christian VIII, of one hundred and eighty
horse-power, proved to be the dirtiest and most uncomfor
table boat I had ever met with in "all my travels by water.
Sweeping and scouring had evidently never been in vogue
here ; the steps which led to the cabin were so steep, that
the greatest caution was necessary not to reach the bottom
by rather too hasty a process. There was no separation
between the accommodations for the male and female pas-

36 JOURNEY TO ICELAND.
sengers. In short, every arrangement was of a character
to impress for ever upon the traveller the remembrance of
the unhappy hours he has spent on board this boat.
We left Kiel at nine o'clock. The days had already
sensibly lengthened as I advanced so far towards the north,.
and the lingering twilight afforded me an opportunity of
observing the faint outline of the fortress of Friedrichsort,
which we passed at ten o'clock, amidst the shades of the
falling darkness. .
April 29th. — To-day I rose with the sun, which it will
not be easy to do much longer, however, for the fair god
dess of light is now requiting these northern regions for
the long hours during which they are deprived of her pre
sence in winter. I went on deck and overlooked the wide
and boundless waters. There was then no land in sight,
but a coast soon appeared, and vanished again immediately,
to be succeeded by another rising from the sea in the dis
tance. Towards noon we reached the island of Moen, about
forty miles* from Copenhagen. It consists of a small but
most beautiful group of rocks, whose sides, white as chalk,
smooth and shining, rise perpendicularly out of the waves.
The highest of the cliffs is four hundred feet above the level
of the sea.
Soon afterwards we beheld the coast of Sweden, then
the island of Malmoe, and finally Copenhagen, where we
landed at four in the afternoon. The distance from Kiel
to Copenhagen is thirty-six sea miles.
I remained here seven days, and should have had ample
leisure to have visited every thing worth seeing in the

* At sea I reckon by sea-miles, of which there are four to a geo
graphical mile.

COPENHAGEN.

37

place, had the weather been more favorable to my wishes.
But the incessant storms compelled me to renounce all
idea of every distant excursion, and it was with great diffi
culty that I found my way to a few of the neighboring
walks. The very first street which is seen by the traveller in
Copenhagen, on his way from the steamer, cannot fail to
make a great impression. This is the Broad Street, lead
ing from the port through a large part of the town. It is
very wide, long and regular, and wonderfully well built,
with its double row of magnificent palaces and handsome
houses. The effect of a ruin which suddenly appears in the
midst of this proud quarter of the town, is very singular ;
it is the remains of what was meant to be a very handsome
marble church, but its weight having proved too great for
the soft soil, it began to sink before the edifice could be
completed, and it was left in an unfinished state, resting
on its gigantic pillars already partly overgrown with grass
and moss.
Besides the Broad Street there are many others equal
ly wide and elegant ; among them may be named the
Amalienstrasse. The Oster and Gotherstrasse are the
most crowded thoroughfares, though by no means the finest
streets ; a stranger does not easily acquire the art of mak
ing his way along their side-walks, which are raised about
a foot above the street ; there is constant danger of stum
bling against the numerous flights of steps, on one side,
leading to the warehouses above or to the shops in the
depths beneath, the latter not being guarded as in Ham
burgh, by a railing; on the other hand is a sober little
stream called by the unromantic a canal, which is swelled
by other rivulets flowing from all the houses. It requires

38 JOURNEY TO ICELAND.
incessant watchfulness not to disappear unexpectedly into
any of the treacherous abysses to the right or left, or even
directly ahead, or to escape injury by running violently
against one of the projecting staircases. There is a flag
walk next to the street, about a foot and a half wide, of
which every one naturally tries to get possession, as it is
so much to be preferred to the sharp and uneven pavement.
It will readily be believed, that with all these disadvan
tages, and the throng of passengers, no one would be
likely to select these streets for a pleasant stroll, particu
larly as the shops are very indifferent, the houses are not
handsome or in good taste, and the streets themselves are
narrow and dirty.
The squares are all large and regular. One of the
handsomest is the King's New-Market (Kongensnytorf),
which is embellished by several beautiful palaces, the
Guard-house, the Theatre, the principal hotels and coffee
houses, the Academy of Painting, and the buildings of the
Botanical Gardens, the two latter better known under the
name of Charlottenburg ; and in its centre is a fine eques
trian statue of Christian V., surrounded by several other
figures. Although smaller than the Kongensnytorf, the Ama-
lienplatz is perhaps still more elegant ; it contains four
royal palaces built to correspond, and is intersected by
four wide streets in the form of a cross. This square is
also adorned by a monument erected to the memory of
Frederick V. I observed a fountain in another handsome
square, the New Market (Nytorf), which attracted my notice
merely because it was the only one I saw in Copenhagen,
for the waters were spouted in very slender streams by
the little figures which composed it.
It is impossible to behold, without astonishment, the

COPENHAGEN. 39
splendid palaces which are so numerous in this place. Co
penhagen will compare in this respect with the capitals of
the richest kingdoms in Europe. The Christianensburg
is a truly imperial pile, which was entirely destroyed by
fire in 1794, but has since been rebuilt with great magnifi
cence. Its chapel is peculiar, and presents more the ap
pearance of a concert-room than that of a place destined for
religious purposes. The galleries and the upper part of
the room are filled with tastefully decorated boxes, resem
bling those at a theatre, the royal box being pre-eminent
among them, while the lower extremity is occupied by
benches covered with red velvet and silk. The chancel
and altar, however, are so completely unadorned, that at
our first entrance they were entirely overlooked.
This palace also contains the Northern Museum, valua
ble for its extensive collection of ornaments, wind-instru
ments, arms, and implements of various kinds once in use
among the nations of the North.
The winter riding-school is a large and regular build
ing where concerts are often given. The stables pleased
me very well, but I was still more captivated by several of
the noble animals they contained ; genuine Arabians, or
wild horses from Norway, with fine, glossy, silky manes and
tails of unusual length and thickness. No connoisseur could
behold them with indifference ; na/, even the unskilled
in horse-flesh must have been struck with their beauties.
Adjoining the Christianensburg is the Thorwaldsen
Museum, a square building with handsome halls, to which
the light is admitted from above. It is still in an uncom
pleted state, and several distinguished artists are at present
engaged in covering the walls with fresco-paintings. The
treasures of art were already there, but unfortunately, still
packed in their boxes. The monument of Thorwaldsen

40 JOURNEY TO ICELAND.
will be placed in the centre of the court, where his remains
will repose, watched by his own celebrated work, the noble
lion, which is to be the only stone upon his grave.
The largest church in Copenhagen is the Frue Kirke.
Its structure is not remarkable— pillars, arches, and cupola
being of wood, covered with sand and gypsum ; but all that
is wanting in outward splendor, is amply compensated by
the interior. Here, are to be found the masterpieces of
Thorwaldsen ; his magnificent Christ is on the high altar,
and in the niches of the walls are his colossal Apostles.
The frame which contains these chefs-d'oeuvres is forgotten
while contemplating them ; but let us hope that this church,
which is half wood, may never be exposed by an unkind
fate to the dangers of a fire.
The Catholic church is small, but extremely pretty.
The late Emperor of Austria presented it with a fine, full-
toned organ, and two oil-paintings, one by Kuppelwieser,
and the other by one of his pupils.
At the Museum of Art, the object which most interested
me was the chair once used by Tycho Brahe.
The Exchange is a very curious old building. It is
narrow, but of great length, decorated with arabesques, and
crowned by nine pinnacles, from the centre of which arises
a singular pointed spire, formed by the tails of four croco
diles entwined together. The small Hall of Exchange,
which is low and 'dark, contains a full-length portrait of
Tycho Brahe. Almost all the upper part of the building
is devoted to a species of bazaar, and the ground floor is used
for small and very dirty shops.
The canals which flow in from the sea lend a peculiar
charm to this town. They are crowded with boats and
barges filled with provisions of every kind, and present the
appearance of so many markets.

COPENHAGEN. 41
The Matrosenstadt (Sailor's Town) lies adjoining Co
penhagen, near the port, and is very neat and pretty. The
streets are wide and straight, and the houses all built so
exactly alike, that it must certainly require a long ac
quaintance to enable their owners to distinguish one door
from another on a foggy night. The whole street seems
composed of one low, endless building, interrupted by a
single house of rather more pretensions, the residence of
the Commandant and the Superintendent.
The lighting of the streets in Copenhagen is managed
very much as it is in our small country towns. If the al
manac says there is a moon, it is enough ; no lamps can be
needed, even if she conceal her face behind a dark cloud,
for it were a great piece of arrogance to attempt to replace
her heavenly light by that of a feeble lamp. A commend
able regulation !
I found the garden of the Rosenburg, which is within
the town, and the fine avenue of handsome trees by the
sea-shore, the most agreeable among the public walks of the
neighborhood ; the latter is also the resort of those who
ride or drive, and is much frequented during the. pleasant
season, when a band of music is stationed in front of one of
the coffee-houses. But the loveliest view is from the Kas-
tell, above the Long Avenue, where you overlook the whole
town spread out in all its "^pride at your feet, the harbor
with its crowded shipping, and the blue, glistening Sound,
stretching out of sight between the coasts of Denmark and
Sweden, with the numerous beautiful groups of islands,
claimed by these two countries, which lie on its bosom.
The background is tame, however, for there is no range of
mountains to serve as a boundary to the prospect, where
the eye wanders over the endless flats of Denmark.
I saw but few vessels with three masts in the harbor,

42

JOURNEY TO ICELAND.

and still fewer steamers. The ships of war looked rather
strangely ; each one was provided with a weather roof,
above which rose the masts, and as they lay very high out
of the water, and displayed their tiers of portholes and
cabin-windows, they appeared like large houses with flag-
staffs. An excursion to the royal pleasure castle of Fredericks-
berg, which is only half a mile* from the water-gate, can
be accomplished with great ease in a very comfortable om
nibus. A beautiful avenue of trees leads to this spot,
which offers every' inducement to tempt the citizens into
the country. There is a Tivoli, a railway, cabinets and
booths, with wax figures, and many other sights, cafes, beer
houses, and music. The gardens contain a number of little
arbors, with tables and benches, where you can sit and over
look the whole gay crowd, a sight well worthy of observa
tion, particularly of a Sunday when the gardens are full.
On our way to this Prater of Copenhagen, we passed
some handsome country seats,- surrounded by beautiful
flower-gardens. The royal castle is situated on the summit of a hillock
at the end of the avenue, and is surrounded by a very ex
tensive park. It commands a good view of the town and of
the adjacent land and sea ; but I give the preference very
decidedly to the prospect from the Kastell. The park
contains a large island formed by an arm of the sea, which
I found at this season of the year very full. This island is
reserved exclusively for the use of the court, but the rest
of the park is thrown open to the public.
Just outside of the water-gate stands an obelisk, by no
means remarkable for its beauty or as a work of art, since
* About two and a quarter English miles. — Trans.

COPENHAGEN. 43
it merely consists of a few stones united together, and is of
an inconsiderable height ; but very interesting from the
occasion on which it was erected. His grateful subjects
raised it to the honor of the late King Christian VI., as
a memorial of the abolition of the feudal service ; a monu
ment which no person of good feeling can behold without
an emotion of pleasure
Having now faithfully related all that I saw during my
short stay in Copenhagen, it only remains for me to describe
a few peculiar customs which fell under my observation ;
and I shall first mention the end of all things — the burial
of the dead.
In Denmark, as well as in all the Scandinavian countries
I visited, not excepting Iceland, it is the usual practice to
defer the funeral for a week or ten days after a death.
In winter this may not be amiss ; but in summer it cannot
be pleasant to be an inmate of a house under such circum
stances. The burial of one of the royal physicians, Dr. Brandis,
took place while I was in Copenhagen. The hearse was
followed, on this occasion, by two royal coaches as well as
many others, both the former being empty, as well as a num
ber of the latter ; the servants walked beside them. Among
the mourners I did not observe a single woman. I thought
this must be the case merely at the interment of males, but
was assured that it is the same when a woman is carried to
the grave. Yes, this care for our tender sex extends so far,
that on the day of a funeral no female can be seen in the
house of death. The mourners assemble at the residence
of the deceased, where cold refreshments are provided and
various kinds of drink ; these hospitalities being again re
newed after the conclusion of the ceremonies.
It gives me great pleasure to record that during my visit

44 JOURNEY TO ICELAND.
to Copenhagen, I did not see a beggar, or even a single
individual poorly clad, such as are unfortunately too often
to be met with in other large towns. There must be
poverty here, as well as elsewhere, but beggary is never
seen. While on this subject, I cannot forbear to mention
an arrangement which is well worthy of imitation. A
number of large houses, some of which are owned by the
royal family, and others by private individuals, or by dif
ferent societies, are devoted to the accommodation of poor
families, who are permitted to occupy them at a much lower
rent than they could possibly obtain a dwelling elsewhere.
The costume of this country did not strike me as partic
ularly pretty. The peasant women wear woollen skirts,
either green or black, which reach to their ankles, and are
trimmed round the bottom with a broad colored border
of worsted. The seams of their spencers and the arm-
holes are also trimmed with a narrow colored border. Their
heads are covered with a handkerchief, which is made to
project in the shape of a hat. On Sundays I saw several
little ornamental caps, worked in silk, with a formal row
of stiff, even points, about as broad as the hand, in front ;
while behind, on the contrary, hung long knots of hand
some ribbon, the ends of which fell half way down their back
I saw nothing remarkable in the dress of the men. In point
of strength and beauty there is no marked difference between
the peasantry of this country and our Austrians, though I
am inclined to give a decided preference to the good looks
of my own countrywomen. Light hair and eyes predomi
nate here.
I saw few soldiers ; their uniform is very handsome, par
ticularly that of the King's body-guard.
At the sight of the little drummers, mere boys of ten
or twelve years old, I could hardly help exclaiming " Drum

/
V
COPENHAGEN. 45
what are you doing with- that boy?" For it seems really
cruel to make those children march, attend the fatiguing
field exercises, carry their large instruments, and industri
ously play upon them all the while ; such a practice must
have many a broken constitution to answer for. I spent
many delightful hours during my visit to Copenhagen
with Professor Mariboe and his most amiable family, and
the excellent Embassy Chaplain, Mr Zimmerman. They
received me with the utmost cordiality into their kind
circle, where I immediately felt perfectly at home. I shall
never forget their friendship, and shall avail myself of
every opportunity of openly expressing my grateful sense of
so much kindness. I am also under great obligations to Mr.
Edward Gottschalk, and Mr. Knudson ; having addressed
myself to the former to procure a passage to Iceland, he
was so good as to apply to Mr. Knudson for me himself.
Mr. Knudson is the head of one of the most important
commercial houses in Copenhagen, which carries on an ex
tensive trade with Iceland. He owns a great many ships,
some of which are engaged in the fisheries, and others
supply the different ports of this island with the various
necessaries and luxuries of life, though he has somewhat
contracted the scale of his operations of late, because his
frequent voyages were becoming too severe a tax upon his
health. He himself accompanies his ships every year, and always
spends several months in Iceland to regulate his affairs in
that island. Upon tjie recommendation of Mr. Gottschalk,
Mr. Knudson was so obliging as to offer me a passage in
the ship he was about to sail in ; an act of courtesy which I
knew how to appreciate, for it was no slight thing to en
cumber himself with a female passenger during such a jour
ney. I was perfectly unknown to Mr.- Knudson ; he had

»
46 JOURNEY TO ICELAND.
no means of judging of my courage or my powers of en
durance. He could not tell if I were equal to the hard
ships of a northern voyage, if I could quietly endure the
horrors of sea-sickness, or if I possessed sufficient self-com
mand to refrain from annoying his seamen with my cries
and fears during the dangers of a storm. The worthy
man was not withheld by any of these considerations ; I
promised not to be troublesome, and he trusted to my word.
He took me with him ; and this was not my only obligation,
for I owed to him every facility for pursuing my travels in
Iceland, and all the comforts I enjoyed during my residence
in that island, were due to his kind exertions. I could not
have undertaken the journey under more favorable aus
pices. Ships bound for Iceland always sail from Copenhagen
at the end of April, or by the middle of May, at the latest.
The Danish government mail packet is the only exception,
which leaves Copenhagen in October, remains in Iceland
during the winter months, and returns in March. The risk
of this expedition is undertaken by the merchants of Copen
hagen on shares.
A French frigate also visits Iceland every spring, and
cruises about in the different harbors till the middle of
August, for the purpose of watching over the interests of
the French ships which crowd these seas in summer, at
tracted by the great profits of the fisheries.
There are frequent opportunities for the return passage
from Iceland during the pleasant months, in the merchant
ships, which often sail with their freig&t for Denmark, Eng
land and Spain, as late as the month of September.

VOYAGE, &c. 47

ftm (Cnpra^ngtu fa %u\m\.
On Sunday the 4th of May, the wind was at last favor
able, and Mr. Knudson sent me word to be ready by noon
to embark on board the fine brig " Johannes."
I obeyed the summons at once. The anchor was raised
and the sails unfurled like magnificent wings, which gently
bore us out of the harbor of Copenhagen. No heavy part
ing from my children, my relations, or long-tried friends,
saddened this hour ; I left the place with a light and cheer
ful heart, upheld by the happy hope of soon reaching that
goal, which had so long been the object of my longing
dreams. Bright skies smiled upon us, and the very wind we
wished for filled our sails. I sat on deck to enjoy the
prospect of the new scenes in store for me. We left
the noble outstretched town behind us, and advanced into
the Sound, a beautiful basin, which recalled to my mind
the large fine lakes of Switzerland ; to the right and left
the coasts of Sweden and Denmark press towards each other,
as if to forbid the bold mariner from seeking an outlet be
tween their shores.
We soon sailed by the little Swedish town of Carls-
skrona, and the desert island of Hreen, where Tycho Brahe
passed the greater part of his life in observing and follow
ing the course of the stars; and rapidly approached the
dangerous passage between the Sound and the Cattegat,
where the narrow sea and the strong current demand the
utmost caution from the sailor.
The two countries approach within a quarter of a mile*
* K.-itlier less than an English mile, and a quarter.

48 JOURNEY TO ICELAND.
of each other at this place. Helsingborg is a pretty little
town on the Swedish coast ; on the Danish side are Elsi-
nore and the fortresss of Kronburg, which lies at the ex
tremity of a projecting point of land, and demands a toll
from every ship that goes by, showing a long line of
menacing brazen throats in case of a refusal. We had
already paid our tribute in Copenhagen, and after an ex
change of signals we sailed fearlessly on.
Having passed this strait, we entered the Cattegat,
where the receding shores soon left us in the open sea, and
most of the ships and barques which pressed around us in
the Sound, bid us farewell ; some sailing to the West and
some to the East — while we alone, in our deserted path,
steered for the cold and rigid North. Twilight did not
fall till after nine o'clock, when the stars began to
sparkle most gloriously in the heavens, and the fires and
light-houses blazed up on the coast, to give warning against
the hidden dangers of its projecting cliffs.
I now returned my devout thanks to God for his former
goodness, and after praying for his continued protection, I
went down into the cabin, where a convenient state-room
and a comfortable berth were awaiting me, and soon sank
into a deep, refreshing slumber.
May 5tk. — I awoke in perfect health, but it was not
very long before there was a great change in my feelings.
We had left the Cattegat and the Skagerack behind us
during the night, and were now tossing upon the restless
waves of the North Sea. It was blowing quite a gale, and
our poor ship was driven about at such a rate that it would
have puzzled an accomplished dancing-master to keep his
'footing ; I was never very devoted to the Terpsichorean
art, even in my young days, and now !— I reeled in the

SHETLAND ISLANDS. 49
grasp of the pitiless Naiads of these stormy seas till I was
completely mastered by that horror of horrors — in my
estimation, though not exactly according to Schiller's
meaning — sea-sickness.
At first I slighted its approaches, and tried to persuade
myself this was one of those evils to which well-trained
travellers can inure themselves if they will only try to do
so; but- the struggle was vain. I grew worse every moment,
and was at last obliged to lie down in my berth, where my
only comfort was the thought that, as we were out of sight
of land, there was nothing in the way of scenery for me to
lose. The next day, however, we made the coast of Nor
way, and I dragged myself, half dead, on deck, to behold a
fine -range of moderately high mountains, whose tops still
glistened in the bright, snows of the early spring ; and then,
nearly stiffened by the icy wind, I hurried back to my good
warm feather bed. No one who has not experienced the
cutting, piercing cold of a northern gale, can form any idea
of its severity. The sun was shining in the heavens, the
thermometer only 3° (Reaumur) ;* and yet, although I had
on twic'e as "much clothing as I should have worn at home
if it were 6° or 8°,t I was chilled through and through,
and felt as if I had nothing around me.
On our fourth night out we sailed by the Shetland
Islands, and towards evening, on the following day, we were
so near the fine rocky group of the Faroe Islands, that we
had some reason to fear we might be driven upon their
shores by the continued violence of the storm.
Iceland appeared in sight on the seventh day ; an ex
traordinarily quick passage, over which our sailors exulted
not a little, boasting that steam itself could not have out-
* 251° Fahrenheit.— Trans. f 18i° or 14° Fahrenheit— Trans.
3

50 JOURNEY TO ICELAND.
stripped us. But I, poor soul ! cared neither for wind nor
steam, and only longed for a few moments respite from my
sufferings, which had reached such a pass, that on the fifth
day I almost thought my last hour had come. My limbs
were covered with an icy sweat, I was feeble to the last
degree, my mouth was parched, and the distressing nausea
had not ceased for a moment. I felt it was time to take
some effectual measures for my relief, and rousing myself, I
staggered to a seat, with the assistance of the cabin-boy,
and promised to try any remedy that was proposed to me.
Grits boiled in water, and flavored with sugar and wine,
were the first prescription ; I was to continue taking them
till they remained on my stomach. This did not answer at
all, and I was then advised to try a little piece of raw bacon,
well peppered, and a few drops of rum. It is needless to say
how much effort it required to swallow such a dose ; but I
had no choice — I quietly opened my mouth for morsel after
morsel, till at last my poor stomach managed to retain a
small piece, and not till then did I begin to improve.
I mention all these minute particulars of my illness
and its cure, for the benefit of my numerous fellow-sufferers,
who have doubtless as much difficulty as *E had myself in
making up their minds to take any nourishment ; and I
advise them not to put it off as long as I did, but to begin
to eat at once, and continue to do so till they can keep
some food on their stomach.
During my convalescence I endeavored to restore the
tone of my mind, scarcely less exhausted than my body, by
a diligent study of the life and manners of the northern
sailors. My companions on board ship were Mr. Knudson,
Mr. Brflge, a merchant we were to land at the Westmann
Islands, the captain, the mate, and six or seven seamen. The
mode of living in the cabin was as follows : at seven in the

DANISH DIET.

51

mornmg coffee was brought in — and what coffee ! — after
drinking it for eleven days, I was not able to form the least
conjecture as to the land it came from. Bread and butter,
cheese, with -cold beef or pork, were served up at ten ; all
excellent dishes for people in sound health. This meal
was washed down with tea-water — as the beverage is always
called in Scandinavia and Iceland — if possible even worse
than its predecessor, the inimitable coffee, and thus I was
disappointed a second time, for the food was too strong
and the drink too — I hardly know what to call it — pro
bably spoilt by too much art. My hopes now rested upon
our dinner, but alas ! this fair dream was destined to vanish
like the others. When I took my* seat at the table, for the
first time on the eighth day of our passage, my eye was
immediately attracted by the table cloth, which had, no
doubt, been clean when we sailed, but as the lurching and
pitching of the ship had covered it with the traces of every
thing which had been on the table since that day, it was
clean no longer. The plates and glasses were secured in a
kind of wooden net, but before they were placed there by
our good cabin-boy, he was careful to wipe them on a towel,
bearing a suspicious resemblance to the floor in color, and
which was actually used in the morning as a wash-towel. I
always turned away my eyes during these preliminary
arrangements, and tried to think my own plate and tumbler
fared rather better than the others, and perhaps entirely
escaped the unkind usage ; fixing, at the same time, my
whole attention on our expected meal.
We began with soup ; but instead of a good meat bro'th,
it was nothing but rice, boiled with prunes, to which red
wine and sugar were added at the table ; and this greatest
of all treats for a Danish palate was far from agreeable to
mine. Our second and last dish was a great piece of roast

52 JOURNEY TO ICELAND.
beef, of which I have nothing to say, excepting that it was
altogether too substantial for my weakened digestion. Our
evening meal was that of the morning over again, every re
past being closed with tea-water. At first this manner of
living was very disagreeable to me, but after a few days,
when I began to feel better, I became more accustomed
to it, and managed to do as much credit to the ship's fare
as my companions.* The rich owner being on board, we
were amply provided with the best of wines, and a bowl
of punch made its appearance almost every evening. An
excuse was always at hand ; we drank to the wind when it
was fair, and when contrary, we drank to a change. If land
were in sight, we toasted it with a bumper, and when it dis
appeared, it was but civil to drink a farewell. Doubtless
many other opportunities presented themselves, which I
was too sea-sick to note ; and thus it went on from day to
day during the whole passage.
The sailors had their tea-water, without sugar, every
morning, and a small glass of brandy ; for dinner they had
vegetables, grits, or potatoes, with codfish, bacon, and other
salted meats ; and they could help themselves to very ex
cellent ship's biscuit whenever they chose.
This indifferent fare is by no means the worst hardship
these poor fellows have to contend with ; they are engaged
in a continual strife with the elements ; they must brave
the most fearful storms, and neither the rain nor the pierc
ing cold can ever drive them from the deck. I could not
* It would grieve me very much if I thought my description of our
hfe on board this ship had wounded the feelings of worthy Mr It
But every one knows that, in his station, living at sea is very different
from living on shore; and I can bear witness to the comforts of his
household, not only in Copenhagen, but in Iceland, where every thing
was carried on exactly as it is in the large cities of Europe.

APPROACH TO ICELAND. 53
but admire the good nature and the untiring cheerfulness
with which they fulfilled their hard duties. And what was
their reward? Scanty wages, the food mentioned above.
and for a sleeping-place the smallest and most uncomforta
ble hole in the ship, dark and offensive as the oil-colors,
varnish, tar and codfish stowed away there, could make it.
Those only who are gifted by nature with a contented
disposition could be satisfied with such a lot. The Danish
sailors possess this qualification to an eminent degree, as I
had many opportunities of observing during my travels,
not only on board this ship, but in several others.
But it is full time after this digression to return to my
narrative. Unfortunately the fair winds which .had driven
us so rapidly towards the coast of Iceland, suddenly de
serted us on the seventh day. and a contrary wind spring
ing up, we were kept beating about for several days and
nights, during which our decks were washed by a great
many Spanish waves.* We made two attempts to laud our
fellow-passenger, Mr. Briige, at the Westmann Islands (be
longing to Iceland), but found it impossible to do so. At
last, at the close of the eleventh day, we reached Haven-
fiord, an excellent harbor, two miles from Reikjavick, the
capital of Iceland.
In spite of this adverse change in the weather, we had
made an unprecedented passage. The distance from Co
penhagen to Iceland is computed at three hundred geo
graphical miles,f in a direct line, and our course must have

* The large waves which approach from the westward are called by
the sailors Spanish waves, or billows.
•j- The geographical, or common mile of Germany, is about four and
a half English miles, making the distance from Copenhagen to Iceland
thirteen hundred and fifty English miles in a direct line. — Trans.

54 JOURNEY TO ICELAND.
heen from three hundred and fifty to four hundred at the
least. If we had not been put back thirty or forty hours
when we were almost in port, we should have landed on the
eighth or ninth day out, and that is more than could have
been done by a steamer.
My first impressions of the coast of Iceland were very
different from the descriptions I had read in books. I had
fancied a barren, desolate waste, without a bush or a tree ;
and I saw grass-covered hillocks, copses, and even, as I
thought, patches of dwarfish woods ; but as we approached,
and I could distinguish the different objects more plainly,
the hillocks were changed into human habitations, with
small doors and windows, and the groups of trees proved to
be great lava masses, from ten to fifteen feet high, entirely
overgrown with grass and moss. Every thing was new and
surprising to me ; I could hardly wait to land.
At last we were at anchor ; but it was not till the fol
lowing morning that the hour of my deliverance arrived,
and we could go on shord
Another night, — and every difficulty being adjusted, I
landed in Iceland, a country I had so ardently wished to
see, and revelled in all the natural wonders of that extra
ordinary island.
Before I proceed any farther with my own adventures,
may I be permitted to offer a few observa'tions on the island
of Iceland, taken from the Travels of Sir George Macken
zie, a work whose merit is universally admitted.
" The discovery of Iceland is attributed to the enter
prise of a few Swedish and Norwegian pirates, who were
wrecked on its coasts in the year 860, while on their way
to the Faroe Islands. No voluntary emigrants found their
way there, however, till 874, when a colony led by Ingulf,

EARLY RECORDS. 55
having become impatient of the rule of Harold the Fair-
haired, removed to this distant country, where the new
comers are believed to have found no traces of human
life, and were consequently the first who peopled the land.
At this period the island is said to have been covered
with a thicket, which was cut through to open a way for the
settlers. The Norwegians brought with them their lan
guage, their religion, their manners, and their historical re
collections, and they also introduced a kind of feudal
system, which assumed rather an aristocratic character
about the year 928, although they were professedly repub
licans,. The island was divided into four provinces, each of
which was governed by an hereditary sheriff or judge.
" The General Assembly of the island (called the
Allthing) met once a year on the shores of the lake of the
Thingvalla. The colonists possessed an excellent code,
which provided for every emergency in their society.
This union lasted more than three hundred years, a period
which may be called the golden age of Iceland. Education,
literature, and even poetry flourished among its inhabit
ants. They took part in the commerce of the Norwegians,
and shared their adventurous sea voyages in quest of new
discoveries. " The Sagas, or histories of the country, contain many
relations of personal bravery. The bards and historians
visited other lands, became the favorites of princes, and re
turned to their island covered with honors and loaded with
gifts. The Edda of Samund is one of the finest poems of
the earlier days of Iceland ; the second part of the Edda,
called the Skalda, is attributed by many persons to the
celebrated Snorri Sturluson, and dates from a later period.
Isleif, the first bishop of Skalholt, was the earliest historian
of Iceland, and was followed by Snorri Sturluson, born in

56 JOURNEY TO ICELAND.
1178, who was the richest and most influential person in
the island. He was constantly attended at the General
Assemblies by a brilliant retinue of eight hundred armed
men. He was a great historian and poet, possessed an ac
curate knowledge of the Greek and Latin languages, and
was an admirable orator. Besides the Edda, he also wrote
the Haimskringla.
" A school was established at Skalholt about the middle
of the 1 1 th century by Isleif, first bishop of Iceland, and
was followed by four other schools and several monasteries.
Poetry and music appear to have been two regular branches
of the education imparted at these schools.
' It would seem that the climate of Iceland was once
less rigorous than it is at present ; formerly corn was raised
there, and the trees and bushes grew to a greater height
than they do now. There were no towns or villages, how
ever, the population being scattered over the country, and
the yearly Assembly was held in the open air at Thing-
ralla. The clothing of the Icelanders was supplied by the
wool of their sheep ; the fisheries furnished their prin
cipal employment, but they had also dealings with foreign
countries, which afforded more distant occupations.
" The doctrines of Christianity were first introduced in
the year 981, through Frederick, a Saxon bishop. Many
churches were then erected, and tithes established for the
support of the clergy. Isleif, bishop of Skalholt. was con
secrated in the year 1057. After the introduction of Chris
tianity, the Icelanders enjoyed for nearly two centuries the
undisturbed exercise of their religious faith. •
" Greenland, and the most northern part of America
are said to have been discovered by the Icelanders.
" Towards the middle of the 13th century, Iceland
passed under the dominion of the Norwegian kings. In

EARLY RECORDS.

57

1380, Norway was united to the crown of Denmark, and
Iceland was made over, without resistance, to that country.
After its submission to Norway and Denmark, peace and
security succeeded the frequent troubles which had dis
turbed the prosperity of the island ; but apathy and indo
lence seem to have crept in as the natural consequence of
this quiet state of things. The maritime enterprises of the
Icelanders were restricted by their new rulers, and commerce
gradually fell into the hands of the subjects of other realms.
The climate seems to have changed, or else the diminished
industry of the inhabitants has allowed all their agricul
tural efforts to fall to decay.
" In the year 1402, the plague broke out in Iceland,
and swept away two thirds of the population.
" The first printing-press was brought to Hoolum in
1530, under the direction of Bishop John Areson.
" The reformation in the church of Iceland was not ef
fected without much disturbance, but the reformed religion
was definitively established in the year 1551.
" The piratical incursions of the 15th century occasioned
much suffering among the Icelanders ; the French and
English nations shared in the guilt of these invasions as
late as the year 1616. A large band of Algerine pirates
made a descent upon the island in 1627, and after murder
ing nearly fifty of the inhabitants, carried off four hundred
of them into captivity.
" The 18th century commenced with a fearful mortality
from small-pox ; more than 16,000 of the inhabitants fell
victims to that disease. A famine carried off 10,000 more
in the year 1759.
" The year 1793 was remarkable for the most terrible
volcanic eruption which had ever taken place in the island.
Enormous streams of lava swept every thing before them,

58 JOURNEY TO ICELAND.
and large rivers, hemmed within their banks, were changed
into lakes. A thick cloud of smoke and volcanic ashes
hung over the whole island for more than a year, and nearly
obscured the light of day. Cattle, sheep, and horses were
destroyed ; famine, with sickness in its train, and above all,
the most virulent kind of small-pox, diminished the sur
rounding population by more than 1 1,000 souls, within a
few years.
" The island of Iceland lies in the Atlantic Ocean ; its
greatest breadth is sixty, and its length thirty-five geo
graphical miles.* The population is estimated at 48,000,
and the superficial area is eighteen hundred square miles."

ftrrinnl at lanBnfinrn, xm it SnurnBij tn
Enkjitntrk.
On the morning of the 15th of May, I disembarked in
the harbor of Havenfiord, and found myself at last on the
soil of Iceland. I was still dizzy from my long attack of
sea-sickness, and the motion of the ship ; every thing
seemed to dance around me, and I could hardly take a
steady step ; but yet I could not remain quietly in the
house of Mr. Knudson, where I had been invited to stay
on my first landing, and I went out at once to see and ex
amine every thing in the place, which I found to consist
merely of three dwellings built of wood, a few warehouses
of the same material, and several huts inhabited by the
peasantry. The wooden houses, occupied by the merchants or their
* Two hundred and seventy English miles in breadth, and one
hundred and fifty-seven and a half in length.  Tr.

HA VENFIORD.

59

factors, are of a single story, with five or six windows in
front ; a low flight of steps leads to an entrance, in the
centre of the building, which opens into a vestibule, with
two doors communicating with the rooms to the right and
left. In the rear is the kitchen, and the courtyard is be
yond. Such a house contains four or five rooms on the
ground floor, and a few small chambers under the roof.
The arrangements are entirely European ; the furni
ture, a great deal of which is mahogany, is all brought
from Copenhagen, as well as the mirrors, and the cast-iron
stoves. Handsome rugs are spread in front of the sofas,
neat curtains hang before the windows ; the whitewashed
walls are ornamented with English engravings, and china,
silver, cut-glass, &c, are displayed upon the chests or
corner-tables. The rooms are scented with roses, migno
nette, and pinks, and I even saw one piano-forte here. Any
person who should suddenly be set down in a house like
this, without having made the journey, would be sure to
imagine himself in some town on the continent of Europe,
and not in that distant region of poverty and barrenness,
the island of Iceland. I found the habitations of the easy
classes in Reikjavick, and the other places I visited in this
country, exactly similar to those in Havenfiord. I next
entered some of the huts, which I found to be decidedly
more Icelandic. They are small and low, built of lava
blocks, filled in with earth, the whole sodded over, with
grass, and they might easily be mistaken for natural ele
vations in the ground, if the wooden chimneys, the low
doors, and almost imperceptible windows, did not betray
that they were tenanted by human beings. A dark and
narrow passage, not more than four feet high, leads on one
hand to the dwelling-room, and on the other to the store
room, where the provisions are kept, which is also used in

60 JOURNEY TO ICELAND.
winter to stable the cows and sheep. The fireplace is gen
erally at the end of this passage, which is purposely built
so low in order to exclude the cold. The walls and floors
of. these huts are not boarded ; the dwelling-rooms are
barely large enough to sleep in, and perhaps to turn round ;
the whole furniture consists of the bedsteads, with a very
scanty supply of bedding, a small table, and a few chests ;
the latter are used for seats as well as the beds. Poles are
fastened in the walls to which clothes, shoes and stockings,
and other things of that kind are suspended ; and a little
shelf, with a few books on it, is generally found in each
hut. No stoves are needed in these crowded rooms, which
are sufficiently heated by the warmth of their numerous
inmates. There are also poles in the fireplaces to hang up the
wet clothing and dry the fish. The smoke often spreads
itself over the room and finds its way very slowly out of the
air-holes. There is no wood for fuel in the whole island.
The rich import it from Norway and Denmark, and the
poor burn turf, to which they often add fish-bones or fat,
and a most offensive smoke proceeds from this disgusting
offal. On entering one of these hovels, it is impossible to say
which is the worst, the suffocating smoke of the passage, or
the stifling air of the inner room, poisoned with the perspi
ration and uncleanliness of so many persons. I am persuaded
that the horrible eruptions, which are so common among
the Icelanders, are more to be attributed to their unparal
leled filthiness than to the climate or their peculiar food.
In my distant travels throughout the country, I found
the huts of the peasantry every where equally dirty and
miserable. Of course I do not mean to say there were no
exceptions, for even here a few rich peasants"can well afford

LAVA FIELD. 61
to live in greater comfort, according to their means and in
clinations. But to my notion, we should judge of the
habits of a people by the mass, and not by the few, as many
travellers are in the habit of doing ; and very rare indeed
were the examples of cleanliness which I saw.
Havenfiord is surrounded by a most beautiful and pic
turesque field of lava, which at first swells to a gentle emi
nence, then sinks again, and finally stretches in one wide
plain to the neighboring hills. The different masses, black
and bare, arise in the most varied shapes, to the height of
ten or fifteen feet, and assume the figures of walls, pillars,
grottoes and excavations, over which large level pieces will
often make a natural bridge ; the whole formed by blocks
of congealed lava, which in some places are covered to their
summits with grass and moss, presenting that delusive ap
pearance of stunted trees which I saw from the ship. The
horses, sheep, and cows scramble about in these fields, in
dustriously seeking out every small green spot ; and I my
self was never weary with scrambling ; I could not suffi
ciently admire and wonder at this fearfully beautiful pic
ture of desolation.
In a few hours I had already so far forgotten my trou
bles at sea, and felt so much refreshed, that I determined
to continue my journey to Reikjavick that very evening.
Mr. Knudson appeared to feel much concerned about me,
and gave repeated warnings of the bad roads and the dan
gerous abysses I was to pass on my way ; but I quieted
him with the assurance that I was a skilful horsewoman
and could hardly meet with worse roads than I had for
merly seen in Syria. Taking leave of this worthy man,
who was to remain a" few weeks longer in Havenfiord, I
mounted my pony and set off boldly with my female guide,
who proved to be one of the most remarkable antiquities of
3*

62 JOURNEY TO ICELAND.
Iceland, and well deserving of a few words' notice. She
was more than seventy years old, though she hardly looked
fifty ; her hair was of a rich light brown, and still curled
on her head ; she was dressed in men's clothes, and would
undertake the most difficult errands — steer a boat with as
much strength and skill as an expert fisherman, manage
every thing better than any man, and was more to be relied
upon, because she never cultivated that intimate acquaint
ance with the brandy bottle so common among her country
men. She strode off before me at such a pace that I was
fain to urge on my pony as much as I could with my whip.
Our route lay at first among the heaps of lava, and it
was certainly rather a rough road to follow ; we afterwards
crossed several plains and slight elevations, from whence we
overlooked the whole wide valley in which lie scattered
the villages of Havenfiord, Bassestadt, Reikjavick, and other
places. Bassestadt is situated on a point of land which
stretches out into the sea, and is constantly in sight from
the road ; it contains an academy, a stone church, and a
few huts. The little town of Reikjavick is concealed by a
hill, and is not visible till you are close upon it, which is
the case with the other hamlets scattered about this plain.
The view is bounded on one side by several ranges of high
mountains, among which the jokuls (glaciers) were con
spicuous, still covered far down their sides with the winter's
snows ; and on the other it is open to the sea. At a little
distance, I was impressed with the belief that many of the
valleys and hillocks were covered with verdure, and I
thought I saw several beautiful meadows ; but upon a closer
investigation, I ascertained that they were marshes, con
taining hundreds and hundreds of little eminences not un
like mole-hills, or small grave mounds, overgrown with grass
and moss.

RIDE TO REIKJAVICK.

63

From one spot I could overlook a wide circuit of eight
or ten miles* without being able to perceive a single tree
or bush, a field or a village. All was lifeless. We passed
a few scattered cottages ; but we rarely heard the chirp of
a bird, and still more rarely a friendly salutation from a
human voice. We were completely surrounded with the
streams of lava, or bogs and swamps ; not a spot was to be
seen in that whole space which could have been turned up
by the plough.
At the end of a long mile, I reached a height from
which I could discover Reikjavick. the only place of any
size in the island, and its capital. I was very much disap
pointed in its appearance, however, for I saw nothing but
an insignificant village.
The distance from Havenfiord to Reikjavick is only two
miles (German), but to avoid tiring my old companion too
much, I was three hours on the way. The road is gen
erally very good, with the exception of a few places where
it leads through the streams of lava. I saw nothing of the
dizzy precipices I had been led to expect, unless a few low
declivities stretching towards the sea, or an occasional hole
fifteen or sixteen feet deep in the lava fields, were the seat
of these hidden dangers.
About eight o'clock in the evening I arrived at Reik- -
javick in perfect safety. Through the kindness of Mr.
Knudson a nice little room was already prepared for me in
one of his own houses, occupied by the family of the worthy
baker, Bernhoft, and I could not possibly have met with
a better reception any where.
This whole family showed a rare degree of cordiality
and affection during my long residence with them. Mr.
* Thirty-six to forty-five English miles.

64 JOURNEY TO ICELAND.
Bernhoft gave up his usual occupations for hours at a time
to devote himself to me, and accompany me on my excur
sions. He spared no pains to collect specimens of flowers
beetles, or shells, and was overjoyed when he had the good
luck to find any that were new to me. His excellent wife
and dear children were equally kind and attentive. I can
say no more : may God requite them a thousandfold for
their friendly conduct !
I had the happiness of hearing my dear mother-tongue
spoken here, for Mr. Bernhoft was a Holsteiner by birth,
and although he had spent many years of his life in Den
mark and Iceland, he had not entirely forgotten our beloved
German. I was now in the capital of Iceland, where what are
called the better classes are assembled, and I shall endeavor
to sketch their life and manners for the benefit of my in
dulgent reader.
Nothing struck me so much as the great dignity of
carriage at which the ladies here all aim, and which is so
apt to degenerate into stiffness where it is not perfectly
natural, or has not become a second nature by habit. They
incline their head very coolly when you meet them, with
less civility than we should use towards an inferior or a
stranger. The lady of the house never accompanies her
guests beyond the door of the room, after a call ; if the
husband is present he goes a little farther, but when this
is not the case you are often at a loss which way to turn,
as there is no servant on the spot to open the street door
for you, unless it may happen to be in the house of the
Stiftsamtmann, the first dignitary of the island. I had
already observed traces of this formality in Hamburgh,
and the farther I advanced towards the north, the more it
increased, till in Iceland it reached its greatest height.

UNGRACIOUS MANNERS. 65
Valuable letters of introduction will not always avail a
stranger to thaw the ice of these northern circles. I will
relate the following incident as an example.
Among many other warm letters of introduction, I had
one for the Stiftsamtmann or governor of Iceland, Mr. Von
H  . When I arrived in Copenhagen I was informed
that he was also in that city, and upon calling to pay my
respects to him, I was shown into a room where I found
two young women and three children. I presented my let
ter, and after waiting for a few minutes, without being re
quested to take a chair, I quietly seated myself, certainly
far from suspecting that I was in the presence of the lady
of the house, and that it was she who had neglected this
common act of civility towards a stranger. After a long
delay, Mr. Von H  himself made his appearance ; he
stated that his time was wholly taken up with the neces
sary arrangements for removing to Iceland with his family,
and with many important affairs which were still unattend
ed to ; regretting that it would be in his power to bestow
so little of it upon me, and ended with the well-meant ad
vice to give up my projected journey, as the difficulties I
should encounter in travelling through that country were
almost insurmountable. But my resolution was not to be
shaken, and he promised me a letter, in case I should reach
Reikjavick before him. I then took leave, fully determined
never to return to ask for it. Upon reflection, however, I
changed my mind, and tried to excuse my unfriendly recep
tion by the press of important and perhaps annoying busi
ness ; I called for my letter at the end of two days, when
it was handed to me by a female servant, as it would have
been too great a piece of condescension forthe high dignitary,
whom I could see very plainly in the next room, to deliver
it himself.

66 JOURNEY TO ICELAND.
When I paid my visit to this worthy family at Reik
javick, I was astonished to recognize in Mrs. Von H 
one of the very ladies who had not done me the honor to
offer me a chair in Copenhagen. Mr. Von H  returned
my call after five or six days, and invited me at the same
time to accompany him on a ride to Vatne. I eagerly
availed myself of his politeness and felt ashamed of having
judged him so hastily ; his good wife however did not find
her way to me till I had been four weeks in Reikjavick,
although we were opposite neighbors ; as she did not ask
me to come and see her again, of course I never went ; and
thus our acquaintance came to a close forever. The minor
functionaries all trod dutifully in the steps of their super
ior, and I did not receive any visits or invitations, although
I frequently heard of the parties of pleasure, dinners, and
evening entertainments which were going on in the place.
If I had not known how to occupy myself more profitably,
time would have hung very heavily upon my hands. It
never seemed to occur to any of these ladies that I was a
stranger, alone, and entirely debarred from all educated
society. Of course, being no longer young, I felt I had no
claims to the attentions of the gentlemen, and the privation
did not cost me much regret. If the women were wanting
in consideration, I could not expect to find it in the men.
I pondered on the cause of this behavior, till I dis
covered its social spring in the selfishness, which is a strik
ing characteristic of the people. As soon as I arrived in
Reikjavick, diligent inquiries were made from all quarters,
if I were rich, if I should entertain much company, and if
there were any thing to be gained by waiting upon me.
Persons of large fortune, or great naturalists, are the only tra
vellers who have a chance of being well received in Iceland.
The last being generally sent by some of the European

festivities: 67
courts, are in the habit of making extensive collections of
minerals, birds, &c. ; • and they come well provided with
presents, some of them very vaiuable, for the officials who
lend them any assistance. They give balls and entertain
ments, buy every thing which is offered, and always travel
in large companies, with a great deal of baggage, requiring
a vast number of horses, which animals are not to be bor
rowed in Iceland ; they must always be bought. On such
ocoasions every man in the island is a dealer in horses or
specimens. The French frigate which pays a yearly visit to Iceland
is the most welcome of all guests ; a great many break
fasts, dinners, evening parties, and even balls are given on
board, and handsome presents are freely distributed, 'the
Stiftsamtmann, alone, receiving six hundred florins every
year from the French government, as a compensation for a
few return civilities to the naval officers. But with me the
case was entirely different ; I brought no presents, and gave
no parties ; there was nothing to expect from me, and con
sequently every one drew back.
I am decidedly of opinion, however, that there is no
better method of judging our fellow-beings, than to step in
among them in this unpretending manner, without holding
out 'any prospect of reward for their attentions. On such
occasions they are seen in their natural light, as they do
not take the trouble to assume the mask of dissimulation,
Painful discoveries will doubtless be the result of this
course ; but the traveller who meets with the good and
virtuous under such circumstances can feel sure that he is
not deceived. And my readers will consider it pardonable
if I make mention of every act of kindness which was paid
to an unassuming stranger like myself, for I have no other

68 JOURNEY TO ICELAND,
means of testifying my gratitude to those worthy persons
from whom they were received.
Having so little intercourse with my neighbors at
Reikjavick, I had ample leisure for my solitary walks, in
which I noted with great accuracy every object which at
tracted my attention. This little town can hardly boast of
five hundred inhabitants, and consists of a single broad
street, where the isolated houses and cottages are scattered
about. The dwellings of the rich are of wood, and built entirely
on the ground-floor, with the exception of a single edifice,
to which the high school now kept at Bassestadt is to be re
moved next year ; this has an upper story. The Stiftsamt
mann occupies a stone house, which was originally intended
for a prison'; but crimes are of such rare occurrence in
Iceland, that it was converted many years ago into a resi
dence for this officer of the crown. Another stone house
can be seen from Reikjavick ; it is the seat of the bishop,
which lies surrounded by meadows, near the sea, at Lau-
garnes, about half a mile from the town.
The church is barely large enough to hold a hundred
or a hundred and fifty persons ; it is of stone, with a wood
en roof, under which is kept a library containing several
thousand volumes. This church possesses a treasure which
might well be envied by others of greater size and preten
sions ; a font by Thorwaldsen, whose parents were natives
of Iceland ; and although born himself in Denmark, he
seems to have been desirous to honor the land of his fore
fathers. Some of the houses in Reikjavick have gardens attached
to them ; by which is to be understood a small spot, where,
with incredible pains and expense, potatoes, parsley, spi-

PERSONAL APPEARANCE OF THE ICELANDERS. 69
nach, salad, and several varieties of turnip are raised. Be
tween the beds are grass walks, about a foot wide, where a
few wild flowers are sometimes made to grow.
The natives of Iceland are of medium height and
strength. Their hair is light, and not unfrequently of -.
reddish shade, and their eyes are blue. The men are
generally ugly, the women rather less so, and among the
young girls I occasionally saw quite a pleasing face. It
is a very uncommon thing for either sex to attain the age
of seventy or eighty years. The peasants have a great
many children, but the proportion of those who live to grow
up is very small ; of the numbers who are born to them few
survive the first year ; which is not surprising when it is
considered that the mothers do not nurse their infants,
who are brought up on the most unwholesome kind of food.
After their first year they seem to be strong and healthy,
though their cheeks are apt to be of a singularly bright
red, as if they were always covered with a rash. Whether
this be owing to the effect of the keen air upon their tender
skins, or in consequence of their wretched diet, I am not
able to decide.
In many places on the sea-coast, during the winter sea
son, when the storms prevent the fishermen from venturing
out to sea for weeks at a time, they live almost exclusively
on the dried heads of fish ; all the other parts of the animal
having been salted and sold, and the money devoted to pay
ing taxes and other debts ; among which those for snuff and
brandy always make a very great figure. The frequent acci
dents in the fisheries will account in some measure for the
diminishing population. Among the number of those who
go forth with songs and merriment, fair skies, and a smooth
sea, auguring good luck to their enterprise, how many are
overtaken by the yiolent gusts and snow-storms, and swept

70 JOURNEY TO ICELAND.
down into the deep with their skiffs, without leaving a trace
behind ! It is not usual for all the men of a family to go
out in the same boat ; fathers and sons are generally sepa
rated, and thus if one boat is lost, the family is not bereft
of its whole support at once.
I found the habitations of the peasants in Reikjavick
even smaller and more wretched than those at Havenfiord ;
though this must have been owing to their own want of
energy, for stone is everywhere to be found, and in this
eountry each man is his own mason. The cows and sheep
are wintered in a miserable kennel in the hut itself, or
near it ; the horses are left out during the year round, and
are obliged to provide for themselves. Their owners will
sometimes shovel away the snow from a little patch of
ground, to assist the poor animals in finding their way to
the grass and moss underneath, after which they enlarge
the places with their own feet. It is easy to imagine how
much this life must harden them ; but it is really surpris
ing that they should survive the winters on such food, and
keep their strength and powers of endurance through the
spring and summer months. They will not touch oats when
they are offered to them, and care very little for hay.
Arriving in Iceland in the early spring I found the
sheep and horses still in their winter clothing ) the latter
were covered with a thick woolly coat, and their tails and
manes were of unusual length and fulness ; these are
thinned about the end of May or the beginning of June,
when the winter wool falls off of itself, and the animals pre
sent a tolerably smooth appearance for a few months. The
sheep have also a very heavy" coat in winter. It is not
customary to shear them, but in June the wool is plucked
from their bodies by handfuls, and when this is done in
rather an irregular manner, as is sometimes the case, they

ENVIRONS OF REIKJAVICK. 7]
look very oddly ; one side, for instance, being nearly bare,
while the other still carries its full weight of wool.
The cows and horses are certainly smaller than ours,
though a race of animals is found among the peasants of
Gallicia quite as dwarfish as those of the Icelanders. The
cows of this island are remarkable for the small size of their
horns. The sheep are also rather more diminutive than
our own.
Every peasant owns several horses; the expense of
keeping them is next to nothing, and in a country where
the distances are so great, the roads so bad, and rivers,
bogs, and moors abound, men, women and children must
necessarily ride. There is not a carriage of any descrip
tion on the island, where the use of such a vehicle is as
little known as it is in Syria.
The immediate environs of Reikjavick are tolerably
pleasant. Some of the inhabitants have spared no pains
to collect the stone and blast the rocks around their dwell
ings, and by mixing the thin soil with turf, manure and
ashes, a small spot of fruitful ground is obtained. But it
is an enterprise of such a gigantic nature, that it excites
little wonder to find the cultivation of this sterile region so
generally neglected. Mr. Bernhoft took me to see a small
meadow, which he has leased for twenty years at an annual
rent of thirty kreuzers, to convert it into pasture land,
which only supplies the winter fodder for a single cow ; he
has expended upon it more than a hundred and fifty florins,
without taking his own toil and fatigue into the account.
The wages for labor are very high here ; no man will work
for less than thirty or forty kreuzers* a day, and at the hay
harvest they expect a florin, t
* Thirty kreuzers are twenty-four cents, and forty kreuzers thirty-
two cents. — Tr. \ Forty-eight cents. — Tr.

72 JOURNEY TO ICELAND.
The soil around this little town is all rock, turf or bog ;
but the marshy spots contain so many hard stepping places,
formed by hundreds of elevations of greater or less extent,
that it is easy, by springing from one to the other, to cross
the whole morass without the least danger, not even that
of wetting one's feet.
Nevertheless, I got into quite a serious difficulty by
being over confident in one of my solitary rambles among
these bogs. While I was walking along very comfortably,
a little butterfly suddenly flew by me, and as it was the
first I had seen in the country, my anxiety to capture it
was proportionably great ; I forgot the danger, and fol
lowed it, not remarking, in the excitement of the chase,
that the hard spots were getting more and more rare, and
farther apart, tilll found myself at last in the middle of the
swamp, where I could neither advance nor retreat. Not a
living creature was to be seen, and the very animals were
at a distance, which ought to have warned me of the risk
I was running. There was nothing to be done but to make
a bold spring for the nearest firm resting-place, which I
found it impossible to reach without taking two or three
steps in the soft earth ; there I paused in triumph for a
few minutes, and then looked round for another ; as long
as I could see the traces of a horse's hoof I was quite easy ;
but when even these disappeared a feeling of desolation
came over me. However, I was resolved to extricate my
self from my perilous situation at all hazards, though I
must confess that when I found the soft turf yielding be
neath my feet, I could not defend myself from a sensation
of terror. But I soon observed that I did not sink above
my ankles, and gaining courage as I advanced, I succeeded
at last in escaping from the bog, thoroughly frightened,
but without suffering any other inconvenience than that of
getting my feet very wet.

SALARIED OFFICERS. 73
The most laborious among the salaried offices in this
country are those of the physicians and the clergy. Their
circuits are very extensive, particularly the physicians, who
are often sent for from a distance of twenty or thirty Ger
man miles. And when it is taken into consideration how
often they are exposed to the fearful tempests of an Iceland
winter, which lasts six or eight months of the year, it must
be confessed that their lot is not an enviable one, and it is
only wonderful that any one should be willing to accept the
post. When the doctor is called for in winter, the country
people present fhemselves with shovels and pickaxes to
clear the road before him, and always come provided with
several horses, as he is frequently obliged to change from
one exhausted animal to another, during his long rides
through the fog and darkness, the snow-drifts and storms ;
life and death often hanging on his speed the while. Some
times he returns to his own fire-side quite worn out with
the cold and exposure, and has barely time to recruit from
his fatigues before another summons arrives, and he must
tear himself again from his family to face new dangers, be
fore he has had time to relate the perils of his former ex
pedition. When he is sent for by sea the risk is still
greater on that stormy element.
The salary of the physicians is by no means in propor
tion to their services, but that of the priests is still less so.
Some of the benefices are only worth from two to eight florins
a year,* and the richest of them does not produce more than
two hundred florins, t The government provides a house
* Two florins are ninety-six cents, and eight florins three dollars
and eighty-four cents. — Tr.
\ Ninety-six dollars. — Tr.

74 JOURNEY TO ICELAND.
for the priests, often no better than a peasant's hut, a small
pasture-ground, and a few heads of cattle ; and they are
also entitled to a share of the hay, sheep's wool, fish, See., of
their parishioners. But most of the clergy are so poor
that they and their families are dressed in the usual garb
of the peasantry, from which it is difficult to distinguish
them. The wife attends to the cattle, and milks the cows and
sheep, assisted by her maid, while the priest goes into the
field and mows with the aid of his man. His whole inter
course is naturally confined to the poorer classes, and there
in consists that patriarchal simplicity of life and manners
which has been lauded by so many travellers. I should
like to know if any of them would be willing to try it ?
Besides all his other labors, the same priest has often
three or four districts under his charge, which are some
times at a distance of several miles from his residence. He
is expected to visit them all in turn, so as to hold divine
service in each district once in every few weeks. The
priest, however, is not compelled to brave all weathers like
the physician, and whenever Sunday proves a very stormy
day he dispenses with his visitations, as it would be impos
sible for his scattered congregations to assemble.
The post of Sysselmann (answering to our bailiff of a
circle), is the most desirable of all, for this officer has a good
salary and very little to do ; in many places he has a right
to all the waifs, which is a privilege of some importance
on account of the wood drifted from the American con
tinent. The fisheries and the chase are free, with the exception
of the salmon fisheries in the rivers, which are reserved for
the crown, who leases them ; it is forbidden by law to shoot
the eider-ducks, and the offence is punishable by a fine.
There is no military duty. Soldiers are not needed in any

EXPORTS AND IMPORTS. 75
part of Iceland, and in Reikjavick, its capital, there are but
two constables to be found.
Trade is also free ; but the Icelanders possess so little
of the spirit of speculation, that even if they had the means
they would never embark in any commercial enterprise.
The whole trade of tho island lies in the hands of the
Danish merchants, who send their ships to Iceland every year,
and the imported goods are retailed at their factories in the
different harbors. These ships bring every thing to the
Icelanders ; corn, wood, wines, colonial and manufactured
articles. There are no duties, as the insignificant commerce
of this island would not repay the government for main
taining the necessary officers to collect the customs. Arti
cles from the colonies, such as wines, are much cheaper, in
consequence, than they can be obtained elsewhere. The
return freight consists of fish, particularly codfish, roe, tal
low, train-oil, eider down, or the plumage of other birds
nearly approaching that of the eider-fowl in quality, sheep's
wool, and salted or smoked lamb. These are absolutely
the only exports which Iceland can produce. When Mr.
Knudson wished to erect a bakery,* about thirteen years
ago, he was obliged to send to Copenhagen, not only for a
mason, but for all the necessary building materials, such as
stone and lime, for although the whole island is covered
with stone, none of it could be used in the construction of
an oven, or to burn ijme, as it is all lava.
Every little cluster of two or three huts is called a
village ; the solitary cottages, as well as these villages, are
generally built on rising ground, and surrounded by mea
dows which are inclosed in a wall of stone or earth to
* This bakery is the only one in the island, and no better bread
or biscuit can be found in Denmark than'is made here.

76 JOURNEY TO ICELAND.
prevent the incursions of the cattle. The grass is cut for
hay and kept to fodder the cows in winter.
I heard few complaints of the extreme cold ; it does
not often reach 20° (Reaumur)* and the sea is rarely frozen
more than a few feet from the shore. But the storms and
snow-drifts, on the other hand, are said to be really fearful,
and it is often impossible to step a foot from the door.
Daylight does not last more than five or six hours, and the
northern lights, which are uncommonly brilliant here, are
the only compensation the poor Icelanders enjoy for their
long night. This summer was one of the finest which had
been known here for years. During the month of June
the thermometer was several times at 20° of heatf at noon.
This weather was very oppressive to the inhabitants, who
considered it impossible to labor, or walk any distance
during the day. On such occasions they did not begin to
make hay till late in the evening, and worked half the
night. The variations in the temperature are very trying.
One day we had 20° of heat, the next it rained and the
thermometer fell to 5°,| and on the fifth of June it showed
1° of cold.§ It is remarkable that thunder-storms, which
are said to be very common here during the winter season,
never occur in summer.
From the sixteenth or eighteenth of June, till the end
of the month, there is no night. The sun disappears for a
short time behind the hills, but twilight and dawn are
blended together, and the last rays of evening have not
faded from the sky before the morning light breaks forth
with renewed brilliancy. I was in Iceland from the 15th
of May till the 29th of July, and although I never went to
* 13" below zero of Fahrenheit. — Tr.
f W Fahrenheit— Tr. % 43i° Fahrenheit.— Tr.
§ 29}° Fahrenheit.— Tr.

LONG DAYS' COOKERY. Y7
bed before eleven o'clock, I did not once require the light of
a candle. In May, as well as towards the end of July, the
twilight lasted about two hours, but it was never dark.
Even at the time of my departure I could see to read till
half-past eleven. At first it seemed very strange to go to
bed at broad day-light ; but I soon got used to it, and no
sunshine was bright enough to keep me awake after eleven
o'clock. It often struck me as very ridiculous, however, to
go out for an evening stroll, about ten. and find myself in
the full light of day, instead of the soft glimmering of the
moon and stars.
I wish I could have accustomed myself to the peculiar
fare of Iceland as easily as to the long days. The wife of
my friend the baker was an excellent cook, after the
fashion of her country ; but unfortunately it was a style
entirely different from any I had ever tried before ; and the
only thing she set before me which I could really enjoy
was her delightful coffee and cream in the morning, with
which the greatest epicure could not have found a fault.
I have not seen such coffee since I left Iceland, and I
should have been glad if some of the good house-keepers in
Vienna could have tasted it with me. The cream was so
thick that I thought at first it must be sour. The butter
churned from the milk of the Iceland cows and sheep, is
not quite so tempting ; it is as white as lard, though it is
generally sweet and good. The common people, not finding
the flavor sufficiently piquant for their palate, are very apt
to mix it with train-oil, which forms an essential article in
Iceland cookery ; it is considered a great luxury by the
peasants, and is often eaten in. large quantities alone.
The dinners were by no means to my taste ; they always
consisted of two dishes, boiled codfish, or haddock, dressed
with vinegar and melted butter, in the place of oil, and

78 JOURNEY TO ICELAND.
potatoes. It is my misfortune not to be fond of fish, and
there was nothing else for me to eat here. In vain I
sighed for a good soup, a morsel of meat, or some vegeta
bles. It was only in imagination that I could feast on the
commonest dishes of my native land.
In course of time, however, I became more resigned to
the fish and potatoes ; but the sweet dishes I never could
endure. My excellent Mrs. Bernhoft, who meant nothing
but kindness by me, was certainly not to blame if her taste
differed so widely from mine ; but her desserts ! — whether
they consisted of hashed fish, hard-boiled eggs and potatoes)
with a thick brown sauce thrown over them, sweet, sour, and
peppered, at once, — or of potatoes roasted in sugar and but
ter, — or cabbage chopped fine, diluted with water, sweetened
and served with a piece of very strongly flavored dried
lamb, — they were all equally intolerable to me.
On Sundays we sometimes had red grits, another Scan
dinavian dish, made of sago, cooked to a jelly in wine or
currant juice, and eaten with sugar and cream. A species
of curds, or soft cheese, is also eaten with cream and sugar.
The table improved a little during the months of June
and July, when we had abundance of excellent salmon, an
occasional piece of roast lamb, and once in a while a bird ;
the snipe are particularly fine. For supper we had butter
cheese, cold fish, smoked lamb, or eggs of the eider-duck,
which are rather less delicate than common hen's eggs, —
and after a while, as I found this mode of living agreed
with me perfectly well, I became quite reconciled to it. I
drank nothing but pure, fresh water ; the men take a small
glass of brandy when they begin their meals, but beer is
the universal drink, and that brewed by Mr. Bernhoft him
self is excellent. A bottle of Bordeaux or Port was often
put on the table on Sundays. All the inhabitants of the

ORDINATION. 79
place who are in easy circumstances lived precisely as we
did. While I was at Reikjavick, I witnessed a great solemnity
in the church, on which occasion three candidates were ad
mitted to the priesthood. Although the Lutheran religion
is universally established here, I believe the ritual varies a
little from that in use on the European continent, and shall
therefore describe the ceremonies which took place at the
ordination. The services began at noon, and lasted till
four o'clock. The men concealed their faces in their hats
for a few moments when they entered the church, and the
women in their handkerchiefs, and this practice was re
peated before they went out. Most of the congregation
were seated, with their faces towards the altar, but a few
were turned away from it. The priests were dressed very
much like our own, and a kind of mass was begun, which
was not unlike ours as far as the first gospel. The bishop
and his clergy then advanced to the altar, and performed
several ceremonies which were new to me ; after which, one
of the officiating priests entered the chancel, where he read
a discourse and sang a psalm, while the others remained
seated in a listening attitude. A second then followed him
to the chancel, and a third ; sermons were read and psalms
chanted alternately, and finally a discourse was pronounced
at the chancel, while a variety of ceremonies were going on
at the altar. The robes were put on and off repeatedly,
and loud amens were frequently pronounced. This was
continued without intermission till four o'clock. The in
cessant changes of place and posture surprised me very
much, as the usages of the Lutheran church are generally
so simple and uniform.
There were a sufficient number of country people present
to afford me ' a very good opportunity of examining their

80 JOURNEY TO ICELAND.
costume. The females all wore long skirts of coarse, black
woollen-stuff, with spencers and colored aprons. Their heads
were covered with a man's cap of the same material as their
petticoats, .ending in a drooping point, to which was at
tached a tassel of silk or wool, falling as low as their shoul
ders. This simple head-dress is very becoming, as they all
have an abundance of light hair hanging in a picturesque
manner about their face and neck ; they wear it loose and
short, and it is sometimes slightly curled. I could not
help thinking of some of the poetical ravings about golden-
haired angels, and I have no doubt our poets have drawn
their inspiration in part from the ancient Skalds, though
they may safely lay claim to the credit of having imagined
the beautiful, languishing faces, which smiled from the
midst of those lovely tresses.
Very few ornaments are worn here. In this whole as
semblage, I only observed four women who were dressed
with any more pretension than the rest ; the spencers and
belts of these were worked with a silver wreath about two
inches wide* and round the bottom of their petticoats, which
were of fine black cloth, there was a colored silk border
about as wide as the hand. On their necks they had a
stiff, black velvet collar, several inches in width, worked
with a silver wreath. Their head-dress was very peculiar
and difficult to describe ; besides a black silk handkerchief
bound around their heads, they had a covering, shaped like
a half bow, fastened to the back of the head, and hanging
loosely above their foreheads ; it was covered with white
muslin laid in plaits, and might have been an inch and a
half behind, spreading in front to the width of five or six
inches. The men appeared to be dressed very much like our
peasants. They wore pantaloons, jackets, and'vests of dark

DRESS. gl
cloth, a felt hat or a fur cap, and instead of boots they had
a piece of skin, either sheep, calf, or seal, cut in the shape
of a shoe, and fastened to the foot by means of a strap.
This kind of covering for the feet is also worn by the
women, and even by the children of the rich. I did not
see an individual in Iceland who had not good warm stock
ings and shoes ; and very few who were ragged or poorly
clothed. The better classes — merchants and government func
tionaries — closely follow the French fashions in their
dress. Silks and other expensive materials are by no
means rare ; some being brought from England, but the
greater part from Denmark. The king's birthday is cele
brated every year with great splendor by the Stiftsamt
mann, and the women have then an opportunity of appearing
in their fine silks and the young girls in their white linens.
The government house is brilliantly lighted up with wax
candles on this occasion.
Some speculative head has established a club-house
here ; by which is to be understood a couple of rooms
where the citizens assemble in the evening and regale them
selves with tea-water, bread and butter, and a glass of wine
or a bowl of punch. In winter, these same rooms are used
for the public assemblies, to which the admittance is twenty
kreuzers.* All ranks meet there, and every thing is said
to be on a very republican footing. The shoemaker invites
the wife of the Stiftsamtmann to dance, and that great per
sonage himself leads out the wife or daughter of the shoe
maker and baker. The refreshments consist of tea and
bread and butter, and the ball-room is lighted with tal
low candles. The worst part of the entertainment is tho
* Sixteen cents. — Tr.

82 JOURNEY TO ICELAND.
music, which is a peculiar kind of violin with three strings,
and a fife.
Riding parties are a common amusement in summer,
and on these occasions there is no want of provisions ; each
of the invited guests brings something, one providing the
wine, one the coffee, another cake, and so on. The ladies
ride on handsome English saddles, and wear becoming
habits, with very neat men's hats and green veils. These
entertainments, however, are entirely confined to Reikjavick,
for out of this little town, as I have already mentioned,
there is not a place which contains more than a few huts
and two or three shops.
To my great astonishment, I found six pianofortes in
Reikjavick, and heard the waltzes of our favorite composers
played, as well as variations by Herz, and even some by
Listz, Wilmers and Thalberg ; but, — I think it very doubt
ful if either of these gentlemen would have known his own
compositions again.
In conclusion, I must make a few observations on the
manner of travelling in this country. The best season for
a journey is from the middle of June to the end of August,
at the latest ; before that period, the streams are still so
much swollen by the melted snows that it is very dangerous
to ford them ; and many patches of deep snow, still un
touched by the sun, and covering deep pits and heaps -of
lava, lie in the travellers way. Here the danger is equally
great ; the horses sink in at every step, and there is reason
to be thankful if the whole soft covering does not give way
at once. On the other hand, the heavy storms and rains
often begin again in September, and flurries of snow are to
be expected at any time during that month.
The traveller should carry his own provisions, and should
have m addition a tent, a cooking apparatus, a pillow, some

DIFFICULTIES OF TRA VELLING. 83
blankets amd warm clothing, all of which are indispensable to
his comfort. Most of these articles were too expensive in my
case, and I was not provided with any of them ; but I was ex
posed, in consequence, to terrible privations and fatigues, and
was often obliged to ride an incredible distance before I could
reach a night's shelter in some little church or hut. I lived
for eight or ten days at a time on bread and cheese alone,
and slept on hard benches or chests, where I was often un
able to close my eyes all night from the cold.
To guard against the violent rains, it is desirable to
have a water-proof cloak, and a glazed broad-brimmed hat,
such as sailors wear ; an umbrella is perfectly useless, for
the rains are generally accompanied by a great deal of
wind, and as one is often obliged to ride at a very quick
pace, it is easy to imagine that it is quite out of the ques
tion to hold one up.
Upon the whole, I found the difficulties and discomforts
of travelling in this country much greater than any I had
encountered in the East. I suffered more from the violent
tempests, the sharp air, the drenching rain, and the cold>
than I had ever done from the heats of Palestine. The
latter did not cause my face and lips to chap ; but on the
fifth day of my journey here, my lips were bleeding, and
my face was all in scales, as if I had had the measles. My
long dresses were another great drawback to mya comfort ;
it was necessary to be warmly clad, and the weight of my
clothes, often increased by the wet, made me at times quite
helpless when I was to get on or off my horse. But the
greatest annoyance of all, was to stop to rest in a meadow
during a violent shower, when my long skirts would soak
up all the water from the wet grass ; and at such times I
often had not a dry thread about me.
Strangers appear to suffer equally from the heat and

84 JOURNEY TO ICELAND.
cold in this climate. I thought the cold was more pene
trating, and the heat more oppressive than I had ever felt
either to be at the same temperature in my own country.
The roads are wonderfully good in summer ; I generally
rode over them very fast. They are not suitable for any
conveyance on wheels, however, being too narrow, and in
spots too rough. There is not a single carriage in the
island. The most dangerous parts of the roads are in the
morasses and in the lava fields, particularly when the lat
ter are covered with white moss, that often serves to con
ceal the fearful pits, into which the horses frequently tread
unawares ; there are also many treacherous places in going
up and down the hills. All trace of the road is sometimes
lost in the swamps, and I was often amazed at the facility
with which the guides would track it out ; they seemed, as
well as their horses, to be endowed with a peculiar instinct
on such occasions.
Journeys in Iceland are more expensive than elesewhere,
because, in the first place, the traveller is generally alone,
and the whole cost of the guide, the baggage, the ferriage,
&c, falls on a single person. Every horse which is needed
must be bought, as it is impossible to hire them ; they are
cheap, however, the price of a pack-horse being from
eighteen to twenty florins,* and a saddle-horse forty to
fifty. The horses cannot carry a heavy weight, and there
fore those who wish to travel with any degree of comfort
must have several pack-horses, as well as an additional
groom to attend to them, as the guide will only undertake
the charge of the saddle-horses and a couple of pack-horses at
the most. If you wish to sell your horses at the end of a
* From eight to twelve dollars for a pack-horse, and from nineteen
to twenty-four for a saddle-horse. — Tr.

ICELAND HORSES. 85
journey, you must almost give them away, as no one will
offer any but the lowest price for them, which proves that
men know how to look after their own interests all over the
world. The people are aware that the animals must be
left behind, and therefore they are careful not to bid too
high for them. I must confess that in this respect I found
the character of the Icelanders far below my expectations,
and still farther below the account of them I had read in
books. The Iceland horses, notwithstanding their scanty fare,
can endure a wonderful degree of fatigue ; they will accom
plish eight or ten miles* for several days in succession.
But it is rather difficult to keep up their speed, owing to a
bad trick they have of stopping, unless they receive frequent
blows in the side ; their owners are in the habit of giving
them an occasional kick there, and they are so used to it,
they will hardly move without. They are very apt to
stumble also, and it is necessary to hold a very tight rein
at the dangerous places in the road. Both these qualities
add a great deal to the fatigue of riding.
There are certainly many difficulties to overcome in
order to bring a journey in these distant regions to a happy
end ; but I was not to be daunted, and in the midst of my
greatest dangers and troubles, I did not repent for a mo
ment of my enterprise, and would not have abandoned it
on any account.
I made excursions to every part of Iceland, and am
therefore able to afford my readers a description of its most
interesting sites. I begin at once with the immediate
neighborhood of Reikjavick."
* From thirty-six to forty-five English miles. — Tr.
4*

86 JOURNEY TO ICELAND.

(torsion tn $ittEE, \\i Sslntrit nf WiUt,
aua tjju §simm fihtynm nt Jurjisilii.
SIDE TO VATNE.
Two (German) miles from Reikjavick.
May 25th. — Stiftsamtmann Von H. was so kind as to
call and invite me to attend a party of pleasure which was
to take place this afternoon at the great lake of Vatne. I
was only too happy to accept his invitation, as I expected,
from his descriptions, to see a perfect Eden, besides enjoy
ing an opportunity of becoming acquainted with the better
classes of society in this country, as well as of increasing
my collection of plants, butterflies, and insects. I was also
anxious to examine more closely into the peculiar qualifi
cations of the Iceland horses than I had been able to do on
my ride from Havenfiord, when I was obliged to accommo
date my pace to that of my aged companion.
The hour appointed for the excursion was two o'clock ;
I, who am punctuality itself, was ready long before that
hour, and should have hastened to the place of meeting pre
cisely at two, if my hostess had not assured me it was too
early to think of going, as Mr. Von H. was still at the din
ner table. In short, it was three o'clock before we were all
assembled, and even then we waited on horseback a quarter
of an hour before the procession was ready to move. Oh
Syrian promptitude and punctuality ! In vain I called
upon you in this opposite quarter of the globe.
Our party included all the nobility and persons of rank
in the place. Among the former were the Stiftsamtmann
(or supreme governor of the island) and his wife, Councillor

PARTY OF PLEASURE.

87

Von B., who had lately been sent from Copenhagen to at
tend the Althing, or political assembly, and a Danish baron,
who had accompanied him. Among the gentry were the
merchants' daughters, and the wife of the apothecary. A
domestic closed the procession.
Our road led through lava fields, morasses, and patches
of scanty verdure, to a wide and desolate valley, traversed
by a range of gentle eminences, and inclosed on three sides
by several mountain ridges, rising to different heights in
the most varied and striking forms. A few jokuls, or gla
ciers, raised their proud heads in the distance, and looked
down scornfully on the hills at their feet ; and they might
well boast of their superior grandeur at this season of the
year, when not only their summits, but their sides as far
down as the eye could see, were still glistening in the sil
very snows of winter. On the fourth side, the valley was
open to the sea, mingling in the distance with the horizon ;
and the coast was indented by a number of creeks and bays,
which presented the appearance of so many lakes.
The path was good, and we were generally able to ride at
a quick pace, as we passed few spots where the sagacity of
our animals was put to the proof. I had a good-tempered
horse, which bore me in perfect safety over stones and
clefts, but I shall not attempt to describe what I suffered
from its gait. Riding is said to be a certain cure for the
liver-complaint ; but I am quite certain that any one who
should take a journey of four weeks on such a pony and an
Iceland side-saddle, would have no liver left at all ; it would
be shaken to a jelly by that time.
All the rest of the company had good English saddles,
and mine was the only one made in the country. It re
sembled a seat with a back ; I was obliged to sit square on
the horse, without having any good hold ; and it was not

88 JOURNEY TO ICELAND.
without great difficulty that I trotted after the others, for
my horse was not to be spurred on to a gallop by any means
of persuasion. In half an hour we reached a valley, in the centre of
which lay rather a pleasant meadow, with what might be
considered in Iceland a very respectable farm-house,* near
a little lake. I did not venture to ask if this were the
celebrated Vatne, and the romantic prospect I had been
led to expect, for my inquiry would have sounded rather
too ironical ; and notwithstanding my astonishment when
Mr. Von H  insisted on all the charms of the scene,
I enthusiastically agreed with him, and declared I had
never seen a lovelier view or a larger lake. We halted at
this spot, and while the rest of the party spread themselves
over the meadow, and preparations were going on for our
sociable meal, I employed the time by endeavoring to satisfy
my spirit of inquiry. The farm-house first arrested my at
tention ; I found it to contain one large and two small cham
bers, a store-room, and extensive stables, by which I could
form some idea of the proprietor's flocks. I was after
wards informed that he owned fifteen sheep, eight cows, and
five horses, and was considered the most comfortable far
mer in the neighborhood. The kitchen was at the extreme
end of the building ; its chimney seemed to be of no use
excepting as a protection against the rain and snow, for
the smoke was spread all over the room, drying the fish
which hung from the ceiling and very slowly finding its
way out of the air-hole.
In the large apartment stood a wooden book-case con
taining nearly forty books. I turned- them over and ascer
tained, in spite of my limited knowledge of the Danish
* Something like a dwelling on a free farm with us.

PARTY OF PLEASURE. 89
language, that they were mostly of a religious character,
though their owner must also have possessed some taste for
poetry, as I saw the names of Kleist and Midler, and even
Homer's Odyssey in his library. I could understand no
thing of the Iceland books, but when I made some inquiries
on the subject, I was told that they were all religious works.
After this survey in-doors I went to collect herbs and
flowers in the field ; I found but few of the latter, but
rather more of the first, including a few specimens of wild
clover. I saw neither butterfly nor beetle ; but to my great
surprise I heard the hum of two wild bees, and was so for
tunate as to secure one of them, which I took to the house
and preserved in spirits.
I now returned to my companions who were still gayly
lingering around the table, which had been spread in the
meanwhile with an abundant supply of bread and butter,
cheese, cakes, roast lamb, raisins, almonds, wine, and a few
oranges. There were no seats, for even the most thriving
peasants never own any thing of the kind, excepting the
benches which are nailed to the spot in their rooms ; we all
sat on the turf, and helped ourselves to the excellent coffee
with which the meal began. There was a great deal of
laughing and jesting ; and judging from the animation which
prevailed, I might have imagined myself in a circle of
lively Italians instead of a party of cold Northerners.
A great many witticisms were made, and I had the mis
fortune to be the object which inspired most of them, for
this reason : the conversation was carried on in Danish, and
though some of the company spoke French or German, I
was unwilling to interfere with their enjoyment by drawing
their attention to myself, and I sat perfectly quiet, finding
quite sufficient amusement in watching their merriment.
But I soon discovered that this conduct was laid to my stu-

90 JOURNEY TO ICELAND.
pidity, and I understood enough of the conversation to hear
myself compared to the marble guest in Don Juan. If they
had suspected the true cause of my silence, I am sure my
companions would at least have given me credit for my
good intentions.
During our repast I overheard an Iceland song from the
farm-house. At a distance it sounded like the humming pf
bees, and on a nearer approach it was monotonous, drawling
and melancholy.
When we took our leave, the farmer and his wife, as
well as his men, all offered us their hands, which is the
customary salutation for such high personages as we were ;
on ordinary occasions the usual greeting is a hearty kiss.
When I returned home, I began to feel the effects of
the strong coffee I had taken, and finding it impossible to
sleep, I amused myself with making close observations on
the length of the day and the duration of twilight. Com
mon print could be read with ease in my little room till
eleven o'clock ; from eleven to one it was not so dark but I
could have seen to read out of doors ; and every object in
my room was distinctly visible, even the figures on my
watch ; and at one I could read again in my own room.
TO VIDOE.
The little Island of Vidoe, about a mile from Reikja
vick, is generally mentioned by travellers as the principal
resort of the eider-ducks. On the eighth of June I visited
the place, and found myself greatly disappointed in the
number of birds assembled there ; for although I saw many
sitting quietly on their nests on the slopes of the meadows
and between the rocks, so far from being in thousands, I
doubt if there were in all more than a hundred, or a hun
dred and fifty nests.

EIDER-DUCKS. 91
The tameness of the eider-ducks, while brooding, is very
extraordinary. I had always looked upon the wonderful
stories I had heard on this subject as fables, and should do
so yet if I had not been an eye-witness to the fact myself.
I approached and laid my hands on the birds while they
were sitting ; yes, I could even caress them without their
attempting to move from their nests ; or, if they left them
for a moment, it was only to walk off for a few steps and
remain quietly waiting till I withdrew, when they imme
diately returned to their station. Those whose young were
already hatched, however, would beat their wings with vio
lence, and snap at me with their bills when I came near
them, rather allowing themselves to be seized than to desert
their broods. In size they resemble our common duck ;
their eggs are of a greenish-gray, rather larger than hens'
eggs, and of an excellent flavor. Each bird lays about
eleven eggs. The finest down is that with which they line
their nests at first ; it is of a dark gray, and is regularly
carried off by the Icelanders with the first eggs. The poor
bird then robs itself of a second portion of its down, and
lays a few more eggs, which are also seized, and it is not
till the nest has been filled for the third time, that the
ducks are left unmolested to raise their young brood. The
down of the second, and particularly that of the third
hatching, is much lighter than the first, and of an inferior
quality. I was so cruel as to appropriate some of the down
and a few eggs myself.
I had no opportunity of seeing the down and eggs col
lected from between the inaccessible rocks and cliffs, where
they are only reached by the peasants by means of ropes,
and at the peril of their lives ; as no such break-neck places
happen to be found in the neighborhood of Reikjavick.

92 JOURNEY TO ICELAND.

SALMON-FISHING.
June \§ih. — In company with Mr. Bernhoft and his
daughter, I made a second excursion of half a mile to see
the salmon-fishery at the Larselv (salmon stream), which
takes place every year from the middle of June to the mid
dle of August. It is conducted in a very simple manner.
After the fish have repaired to the stream at the spawning
time, their way back to the sea is cut off by a wall of stones
lightly piled together, about three feet high. A net is
raised in front of this wall, and several other barriers of
the same kind are erected at a distance of eighty to a hun
dred paces from eacli other, in order to prevent the fish
who have slipped over one of them from escaping altogether.
On the day when they are to be caught, the water is let off
as much as possible, and the poor fish, feeling it diminish
around them, dart about in great confusion, pressing in
throngs against the wall, where they often bruise and injure
themselves on the stones ; the water is deepest at this spot,
and it is soon so crowded with salmon, that the fishermen
who are already stationed there can catch them with ease
in their hands.
The salmon are gifted with an extraordinary animation,
and an equal degree of strength and swiftness. The fisher
men seize them nimbly by the head and tail, and throw
them immediately on the shore, where they are caught up
by others and cast still further from the stream ; without
these precautions, and with the least delay, many of them
would make their escape. It is wonderful how they will
turn round in the hands of their captors and spring into the
air. The fishermen are provided with woollen mittens,
otherwise they could not keep their hold of the slippery

SALMON-FISHING. 93
animals at all. From five hundred to a thousand fish are
generally taken at a time, each one weighing from five to
fifteen pounds. On the occasion when I was present, eight
hundred were caught. This fishery is rented by a merchant
in Reikjavick. The fishermen receive one half the salmon as a reward
for their services, and yet they are often dissatisfied with
this large proportion, and so little thankful that their work
is rarely thoroughly performed. For instance, the mer
chant's share .was brought as far as the harbor of Reik
javick, but the fishermen were altogether too lazy to carry
it from the boats to his warehouse, which was certainly not
more than sixty or seventy paces farther; and sent word to
their employer that some one else must-attend to that part
of the business as they were already too tired to do so. Of
course remonstrances are of no avail on such occasions.
It is the fashion in Iceland, as well as all over the
world, to improve every such opportunity for a feast or
some kind of an entertainment. It was a beautiful sum
mer's day when we attended the salmon-fishery, and the
merchants of Reikjavick immediately determined that it
should be celebrated by a great dejeuner a la fourchette.
Each one contributed something towards the meal, and the re
sult was an elegant, plentiful breakfast, conducted exactly
as it would have been at home, with the single exception,
that for the want of tables and benches our repast was
spread on the ground.
Our sliced bread and butter, with cold lamb or cheese
between, was prepared at the house before we set off, in a
manner that was new to me ; the slices were covered with
the lamb and cheese, and laid two by two in piles ; when
packed in this manner, they can be carried anywhere un
injured.

94 JOURNEY TO ICELAND.
My third excursion was a still shorter one, to a hot
spring only a third of a mile from Reikjavick, which is
slightly impregnated with sulphur, and empties itself into a
cold stream, by which happy union every variety of tem
perature is produced, from the boiling point to the greatest
degree of cold. The inhabitants of the town avail them
selves of this fortunate coincidence for the double purpose
of washing and bathing, more particularly the former ; and
for the accommodation of those who wash at this spot, a
wooden hut has been built here as a protection from the
wind and rain. In former times, the hut had a good door
and glass windows, and the' key, which was kept at a speci
fied place in the town, could be had by any one who would
take the trouble to go for it. But this was far too great
an exertion for the servants and peasant women who wash
at the spring ; the doors and windows were soon broken in,
and nothing now remains but the ruins of the hut, which
can afford in its present state but very little shelter against
the weather. Human nature is very much alike every
where, and men are apt to be good only when no impedi
ment stands in their way ; and even then half the merit is
due to the circumstances, and not to themselves.
Fish and potatoes are often cooked by the poor people
in this spring. It is only necessary to lay them in the
boiling water, when they are done at once. The spring is
very little used for bathing ; a few children are sometimes
brought for that purpose, and once in a while a peasant jrill
take a bath. As a medicine the waters are not known at all.
THE SULPHUR SPRINGS AND MOUNTAINS OF KRISUVICK.
On the 4th of June, the day fixed for my departure, our
store of bread, cheese, coffee, and sugar, being carefully

SULPHUR SPRINGS, ETC. 95
packed, we were in the saddle and on our way by seven
o'clock. I was alone with my guide, who, like most of his
class in Iceland, was by no means an agreeable companion.
He was very lazy, very covetous, and much less inclined to
trouble himself about me and my horse, than to indulge his
own fondness for brandy, which can unhappily be procured
all over the country.
The scenery between Reikjavick and Havenfiord was
already familiar to me, but I found it had somewhat im
proved with the advancing season ; strawberry plants,
though without blossoms, had sprung up between the blocks
of lava, as well as scentless blue violets, and handsome
ferns, sometimes eight or ten inches in height. The vege
tation was more forward here than at Reikjavick, notwith
standing the short distance, for I had seen no strawberry
plants or violets near that place. I believe the difference
may be owing to the mighty lava walls, so abundant around
Havenfiord, which afford a protection to the tender plants
and herbs against the rough winds ; as I observed that they
flourished best in the little clefts sheltered by the huge •
masses of rock.
' About a mile beyond Havenfiord I saw, for the first
time, some birches, which were not more than two feet, or
two feet and a half high, however ; I also remarked some
whortleberry bushes, and a number of little butterflies, all
of the same size, and apparently of the same species, were
fluttering around the plants and shrubs. The manifold
shapes and figures into which the lava was thrown, con
stantly struck me with renewed astonishment ; and short as
this journey was, — for I reached Krisuvick with ease in ten
hours, — I found the scenery indescribably beautiful, and
could never tire of gazing and admiring, as I slowly rode
along, unmindful of the rain and cold, suffering my horse

gg JOURNEY TO ICELAND.
to pick his way at his own pace, and frequently losing sight
of my guide altogether in consequence. One of the most
remarkable currents of lava lay in a wide and long valley,
where it appeared as if by enchantment, covering the whole
centre with a broad stream half a mile in length ; as there
was no mountain in the neighborhood from whence it could
possibly have flowed, it must have concealed some immeas
urable crater ; the stream did not merely consist of isolated
blocks, and stones, but of large masses of porous rock, ten
or twelve feet high, frequently riven in places a foot wide.
In another valley of still greater dimensions, being
several miles in circumference, I saw a wavy stream, which
could only be compared to a sea of stone ; from its centre
arose a high black hill, presenting a fine contrast to the
light gray masses around it ; and here I concluded, of
course, that the lava had originated. But upon examina
tion, I found that it was smooth and clean on all its sides,
and its summit, in the shape of a sugar-loaf, was completely
closed, as was also the case with the other mountains about
this valley, so that I looked in vain for any trace of a
crater. We next came to a little lake, and soon afterwards to a
larger one named Kleinfarvatne ; both were shut in by
high hills, which often rose so abruptly from the water's
edge as to allow no foothold for the horses on their shores.
We were obliged to climb several heights over fearful roads,
and the descent, or the winding paths along the declivities,
were equally perilous ; in some places, the only safe way to
proceed was to get off our horses and crawl through the
crevices on our hands and knees ; in short, these passes,
which were sometimes half a mile (German) in length, were
quite as bad as any in Syria, indeed they were occasionally
worse. I was assured, however, that in all my travels

APPROACH TO KRISUVICK. 97
through Iceland I should not find any other road so danger
ous as this one ; which proved to be true ; and even here
the path was good, excepting in a few of the places described
above. At the end of six miles we entered at last a pleasant
valley, where I soon perceived the numerous columns of
smoke of various sizes, rising from the sulphur-springs and
hills. Krisuvick was still at a distance of half a mile, and
several small lakes lay between us and our place of desti
nation, which I was very impatient to reach. It was even
ing when we arrived there, and although I had eaten
nothing all day but a little bread and cheese, I could not
wait till my coffee was ready, but jumping from my horse,
I immediately turned my steps, with my guide, towards the
smoking hills.
Our road led at first through marshes and meadow
lands ; but we soon reached the hills, where the soft and
yielding soil made the ascent very laborious. A deep im
pression was made by every footprint ; and it was necessary
to be very careful not to break through entirely, which
would have been by no means agreeable in this region of
boiling springs. At last we arrived at the summit, where
I saw a number of basins filled with the bubbling waters,
and many columns of vapor rising from countless fissures in
the hills and the plain ; from one of which in particular, a
mighty pillar of steam was seen to ascend. I could ap
proach very near to these spots by keeping on the side of
the wind ; the ground was lukewarm in a few places, and I
could hold my hand for several minutes at a time over the
cracks from whence the vapor escaped. There was no
crater to be seen. The roaring and hissing of the steam,
and the violence of the wind together, made such a deafen
ing noise that I was glad to escape from the place and feel
5

98 JOURNEY TO ICELAND.
a safer soil beneath my feet. The whole mountain seemed
to be boiling and seething.
There was a fine view from this height, which overlooked
several valleys and ranges of hills, and far in the distance I
could distinguish the isolated black peak in the midst of
the sea of lava through which I. had ridden six hours
before. The tumult of sounds ceased as I descended into the
plain, where I also found much that was interesting ; one
of the basins was filled with boiling mud, which resembled
nothing so much as fine clay of a light gray color, mixed
with water. A column of steam burst forth with so much
violence from another basin, not more than two feet in
diameter, lying among the hills in one corner of the valley,
that I sprang back in alarm as I approached it, expecting
at every moment to see the earth split open at my feet.
Severai'hot springs were bubbling around, but I saw no jet
of water, and was assured by my conductor that such a
thing had never been known here.
These spots are far more dangerous than any on the
hills ; in spite of the utmost caution we often sank in to
our ankles and drew back our feet in affright, covered with
the damp exhalations which immediately streamed from the
opening, from whence steam or boiling water also escaped.
I allowed my guide to feel his way in front of me with a
stick, but notwithstanding his precautions, he went through
in one place half way to his knee, though he was so used to
the danger that he made very light of it, and stopped quite
phlegmatically at the next spring to rid himself of the
mud, while I followed his example, being5 also covered with
it above my ankles. It would be very desirable to be pro
vided with boards five or six feet long, on such occasions
to lay over the most dangerous places.

KRISUVIGK. 99
It was still broad daylight when I returned to Krisu-
vick at nine in the evening. I now allowed myself to look
about the little village more attentively, and found that it
only contained a small church and a few wretched hovels,
into one of which I crawled ; but the light being admitted
by a single narrow aperture, all was so dark within that it
was some time before I could distinguish any thing around
me. When I was able to see, my eyes fell upon several of
those most miserable objects so common in Iceland, victims
of a complaint resembling leprosy ; their heads and hands
were covered with the eruption, which is always fatal when
it spreads over the whole body, when the sufferer gradually
and hopelessly wastes away from its effects.
The churches in this country are not merely reserved
for religious purposes ; they are also used to store away
the provisions, tools, and clothing ; and are generally ap
propriated as night-quarters for the traveller. I doubt if
so great a desecration of a sacred building would be per
mitted even among the most uncivilized nations. It is
true that I was assured the practice was about to be for
bidden ; but it ought never to have been allowed, and I
am by no means certain that it will be discontinued in
future, for wherever I went the church was always at my
service at night, and I was sure to find it half full of fish,
tallow, and every other ill-savored thing.
The church at Krisuvick is twenty-two feet long, and
ten feet wide ; and it was very far from being in a condi
tion to accommodate me on my arrival ; but saddles, stock
ings, dresses, hats, and implements of every description
were hastily thrown into a corner ; blankets were pro
duced, with two or three beautiful soft pillows, and my bed
was made on the chest which contained the priestly gar
ments and altar cloths.

100 JOURNEY TO ICELAND.
When this was done, I would gladly have shut my
self in to prepare my evening meal, and write a few
lines in my journal before I lay down to rest ; but
such a thing was not to be thought of; all the inhabit
ants of the place came in a body to look at me, and I
was soon surrounded by young and old, who streamed into
the church and hemmed me in on all sides. Unpleasant
as was their staring, I was obliged to submit to it, for
it would have been impossible to drive away the crowd
without giving great offence ; I therefore unpacked my
little valise and prepared to boil my coffee in public. Upon
this my spectators all put their heads together and seemed
lost in astonishment when I lighted the spirits of wine, fol
lowing my every movement with their eyes. My frugal
supper ended, I found their perseverance had not flagged
in the least, and being determined to put it to the proof, I
took out my journal and began to write. For a few mo
ments they watched me in silence, when they all suddenly
exclaimed: "She is writing, she is writing!" But still
they made no sign towards leaving me, and remained per
fectly motionless, every eye fixed upon me for a full hour ;
yes, I believe I might be sitting there still, without having
been able to write them out of my presence, if it had not
been too much to endure at last, and I managed to dis
miss my audience by giving them to understand that I
wished to go to sleep.
My night's rest was not very refreshing, for besides
that there is something rather dismal in the idea of finding
one's self entirely alone in a church, in the midst of a bury-
ing-ground, at midnight ; there also arose a terrific storm
about that hour, which shook the wooden walls around me,
till they creaked as if they were about to be torn from
their fastenings. The cold, too, was enough to keep mc

RIDE TO GRUNDIVICK. \Q\
awake ; the thermometer only showing 2° of heat* inside
of the church. In short, I was heartily thankful when it
was morning, and the hour had arrived for continuing my
journey. . June 5th. — Earlier than seven o'clock it is a moral im
possibility to start a drowsy, indolent, Iceland guide ; the
hour of departure, however, is of less consequence here than
elsewhere, as it is never dark at this season of the year.
On my return to Reikjavick. I took the road by Grun-
divick and Keblevick, in spite of the lengthened distance,
because I wished to become acquainted with the most
dreary of the habitable regions in the island.
The ride to Grundivick (three miles) was entirely
through fields of lava, formed by little blocks and rolling
waves which choked up the whole plain, where there was
not a single green spot to be seen. I observed here a new
variety of lava-streams, the effect of which was remarkably
fine. They were composed of black masses eight or ten feet
high, whose bases were covered with whitish moss, which sur
rounded them in thick circles, while the bare summits were
broken into numberless sharp points, presenting the most
fanciful and varied outline. The whole stream had that
glossy, vitrified appearance, characterizing those which date
from a late period.
Grundivick is a small green patch, lying like an oasis
in the midst of this waste of cinders ; and here my guide
was anxious to tarry, for he maintained that there was no
place between this and Keblevick, where I could find a
night's lodging, and to ride the whole distance would be too
much for our horses, already over-fatigued by the bad roads
* 36i° Fahrenheit.— Tr.

102 JOURNEY TO ICELAND.
of yesterday. His real object, however, was to prolong
our journey a day.
Fortunately, I carried an excellent map with me, by
means of which I could judge of the distances with toler
able accuracy ; and I always made it a point to inquire where
the best stopping-places would be before I set off on a
tour. I insisted, therefore, on the present occasion upon
going forward, and we were soon on our way through the
lava-fields for Stad, a little hamlet, about three hours from
Grundivick ; passing a very remarkable mountain as we
rode along, which was exactly the color of iron, smooth and
almost shining on all its sides, and only streaked in spots
with a shade of yellowish brown, resembling ochre.
Stad is the residence of a priest ; and notwithstanding
the assertions of my guide, I found it a much prettier and
more attractive place than Grundivick. While our horses
were resting, I received a visit from the priest, who eon-
ducted me, not as I had expected, to his own house, but to
the church, where, stools and chairs having been provided,
he introduced me to his wife and children, and regaled me
with coffee, butter, cheese, &c. The wardrobe of himself
and family was thrown across the chancel-rails, and was in
no ways to be distinguished from that of the surrounding
peasantry. My new acquaintance proved to be a very well-
informed and well-read man, and as I had now made suffi
cient progress in the Danish language to be able to carry
on a conversation with tolerable ease, we talked on a great
many subjects ; when he learnt that I had been in Pales
tine, he made a multitude of questions, from which I
gathered that he was quite familiar with the geography,
the natural history, and customs of that country. He ac
companied me for two hours on my way, and we chatted
very pleasantly as we rode along.

KEBLEVICK. 103
The distance from Krisuvick to Keblevick is about nine
miles (German), and the whole road lies through a barren
country, and wide, uncultivated plains, often five or six
miles in circumference, without a sign of vegetation upon
them, and covered through their whole extent by currents
of lava — a gloomy picture of volcanic revolutions ! And
I only saw here, where so many traces of fire abounded, a
single mountain whose top was sunken in, and might once
have been a crater. The others all ended in a handsome
cone, a sharp point, or formed long and narrow ridges.
Who can tell from whence these desolating streams have
flowed, and how long they have lain in stony masses upon
the plain !
Keblevick lies on the sea-shore, but its harbor is un
safe, and little used. The ships which visit the place re
main as short a time as possible, and more than tw6 or
three are never seen here at once. A few wooden houses,
two of which are owned by Mr. Knudson, and an equal
number of huts, compose the whole of the little hamlet. I
met with a kind reception from Mr. Siverson, the factor of
Mr. Knudson, and found myself very comfortably enter
tained after all my fatigues.
On the next day, June 6th, I had a long ride of at least
eight miles* to Reikjavick, the greater part of the distance
being through fields of lava. The whole region between
Grundivick and Havenfiord goes by the name of the Lava
Fields of Reikanes.
Tired and stiff, I arrived in the evening at Reikjavick,
with hardly a wish but to go at once to my rest. I had
ridden twenty-five milesf in the last three days, and had
* Thirty-six English miles. — Tr.
f A hundred and twelve and a half English miles. — Tr.

104 JOURNEY TO ICELAND.
endured a great deal from the cold, the rain, and the wind.
To my surprise I had found the roads generally very good,
though in some places they had been difficult and laborious
to the highest degree.
But all these troubles and hardships were forgotten
after the first good night's rest, whereas the magnificent
scenes I had beheld remained indelibly impressed upon my
mind, never, I trust, to be effaced from my recollection
while I live !
From Reikjavick to Krisuvick, 8 miles.*
From Krisuvick to Keblevick, 8£ "t
From Keblevick to Reikjavick, 8J "J
25\
%wst\ to Enklmlt (fUikiakl) raft tlie €m nf
Inrtjtfllii.
The weather continuing favorable, I determined to ac
complish the rest of my tour without loss of time. The
distance was nearly a hundred and thirty German miles,§
and it became necessary to provide myself with another
horse as a relay, partly on account of the supplies I was
obliged to take with me, consisting of rye-bread, cheese,
coffee, sugar, and a pillow, but principally for the sake of
changing daily from one animal to the other, as a single
horse would not be equal to the fatigue of such a journey.
My former guide was not able to accompany me on this
* Thirty-six English miles. — Tr.
f Thirty-eight and a quarter English miles. — Tr.
% Thirty-seven and a half English miles. — Tr.
§ Five hundred and twenty English miles. — Tr.

PREPARATIONS, dbC. 105
occasion, being unacquainted with most of the road, but my
kind friends, Mr. Knudson and Mr. Bernholt, were so oblig
ing as to look up another for me ; which was no slight un
dertaking, as it is not easy to find a sober man, possessing
the requisite qualifications, who is master of the Danish
language. At last a suitable peasant was selected, who
was willing to escort me for two florins, C. M.,* and a
zwanzigerf a day, it being also part of the bargain that he
should have a second horse at his command to change from
day to day, as well as myself.
On the 16th of June we were to begin our journey.
My new conductor did not show himself in the best light
from the very first hour of our acquaintance. His saddle
had to be patched together on the morning of our depart
ure, and he made his appearance with one horse instead of
the two he had engaged to provide ; though he assured me
that he meant to purchase another as soon as we were at
a little distance from the capital, where he could buy one
cheaper. I suspected this was a pretence to escape the
trouble of taking care of it, and so it proved to be ; for a
suitable horse was never to be found, and one poor animal
had to carry not only himself but his bundle during the
whole journey.
The manner of loading the horses in Iceland is exceed
ingly awkward ; a few large pieces of dried turf are laid on
the back of the animal, without being secured in any way,
and a piece of wood, slightly bent in the shape of a bow
and provided with two or three wooden pegs, is buckled
over them ; the trunks and bundles are suspended to the
pegs, but if the burden be not exactly balanced it is per-
* Ninety-six cents. — Tr.
\ Twenty kreutzers, or sixteen cents. — Tr.

106 JOURNEY TO ICELAND.
petually slipping out of place, and it is necessary to stop
and adjust it all over again.
The trunks of this country are of massive wood, covered
with a rough hide and secured with iron as if they were in
tended to last for ever. These trunks are in themselves a
heavy load, and very little additional weight can be laid on
the poor beasts who carry them ; the utmost amount which
a horse can bear on a long journey being a hundred and
fifty pounds.
How many times a day we were- compelled to stop and
alter the whole arrangement of our luggage, I should never
be able to tell. The pieces of turf would not of course
stay very long in their places, and then the whole thing
would be awry again. But no power on earth can divert
an Icelander from his accustomed ways ; thus his ancestors
packed their horses, and thus he will continue to pack his
for ever. We had ten miles before us the first day, but owing to
the damaged saddle, we were not able to get off earlier than
eight o'clock in the morning. The first three miles were
over the great plain which surrounds Reikjavick and across
some of the low hillocks scattered about it. We passed
several streams, among which the Lachselv was the most
remarkable, which opposed some difficulties to our progress,
though they are by no means dangerous to ford at this sea
son of the year. The valleys through which we rode to-day
were mostly strewn with lava, but still they presented many
pleasing prospects to the eye. A few of the hills had the
appearance of extinguished volcanoes, being covered with
colossal sheets of lava, beneath which the crater probably
lay. The lava scattered around them was in smaller pieces
but of the same variety and shade.
We had a good view of the sea from every height for

THINGFALLA. 107
some distance as we rode along ; and this part of the
country is also tolerably populous ; but as we advanced we
passed through a tract of more than six miles,* without
seeing a human habitation. One wide plain succeeded
another, and in the centre of each desolate waste, inclosed
by hills of moderate height, there was generally a solitary
hut, erected as a shelter for the traveller during the winter
nights; but he must not flatter himself that he will find
any thing in the shape of a host there, he must come pro
vided with all that is requisite to make himself comfortable
under the little roof, which only covers a single room, with
four naked walls.
The lava I saw to-day was all of the same variety ; it
was generally broken into small stones, not very porous, of
a light gray color, and in some places mixed with sand and
earth. A few miles from Thingvalla we passed a valley where
the soil was excellent, although it was but scantily covered
with verdure for want of cultivation ; moss grew there in
abundance, and I believe the inhabitants might improve
this, as well as many other patphes of earth, to much
greater advantage, if they would only take the trouble to do
so. The soil around Reikjavick is of the most unpromis
ing character, and yet with pains and labor many a garden
spot and good pasture ground has been obtained. And why
should not as much be accomplished here, where nature has
already done her share?
We were to sleep to-night at Thingvalla, which lies on
the shores of a lake of the same name, but only appears in
sight on a very near approach. The lake is more than
half a mile long,f and at least as wide in some places, and
* Twenty-seven English miles. — Tr.
f Two and a quarter English miles. — Tr.

108 JOURNEY TO ICELAND.
contains two small rocky islands, known by the name of
Sandey and Resey.
My attention was still riveted on the lake and the dark
barren hills which inclose it, when suddenly, and as if by
enchantment, a chasm opened at my feet, into whose depths
it was impossible to look without a shudder. Weber's
"Freischiitz" involuntary occurred to my mind. To add. to
the wonders of this prospect, you approach the abyss from
this side, without the least suspicion that such a gulf exists
between the valleys beyond and yourself. The chasm,
which is not more than thirty or forty feet in width, is
several hundred feet deep ; and we were compelled to de
scend its steep and dangerous sides by a narrow path lead
ing over the fragments of lava. My uneasiness increased
as we went down and could see the colossal masses, in the
shape of pillars or columns, tottering loosely on the brink
of the precipice above our heads, threatening death and
annihilation at any moment. Mute and anxious we crept
along in breathless haste, scarcely venturing to raise our
eyes, much less to give vent to the least expression of
alarm, for fear of starting the avalanche of stone, of whose
impetuous force we could form some idea by the shattered
rocks around us. The echo is very remarkable, and gives
back the faintest whisper with perfect distinctness. Our
horses scrambled down the sides of the precipice after we
had. safely reached the bottom, and from thence they
looked as if they were hanging to a straight wall.
The name of this pass is Almanagiau. It is about a
quarter of a mile* in length, but is impassable for part of
the distance, being choked by enormous blocks of lava.
The rocks are parted towards the right, and form an outlet
* A little more than one English mile. — Tr.

THING VILLA. 109
leading over a rough road to the beautiful broad valley of
Thingvalla. It struck me while wandering through the
chasm, that it must be the depths of a crater, whose own
boundless fury had raised the high walls around it, which
must have been the work of ages.
The vale of Thingvalla passes for one of the most
beautiful in Iceland. It contains some fine meadows, which
furnish the means of support to the inhabitants of the
place, and supply the necessary forage for their cattle. The
Icelander considers this small green valley as the loveliest
spot on the face of the earth. The little hamlet is not far -
from the outlet of the chasm ; it is situated near the lake
on the opposite side of the river Oxer, and merely consists
of a cluster of huts and a small church. A few solitary
farm-houses and cottages are scattered about the plain.
Thingvalla was once the most important place in Ice
land ; and a field near the village is still pointed out to the
traveller as the spot where the yearly meeting of the
Althing, or General Assembly, was held. The people and
their leaders gathered together and struck their tents like
the Nomadic tribes ; here, many a right and many a ques
tion was settled by an appeal to arms. The chiefs assem
bled quietly at the head of their retainers, but not a few
among them never returned to their homes, having been
sent by the stroke of their opponents to that rest, which no
one seeks though all must find.
One side of the valley is bounded by the sea, and the
other by a range of fine mountains, some of which I ob
served to be still partially covered with snow. The river
Oxer falls prettily over some rocks of tolerable height near
the ravine.
It was still daylight when I reached Thingvalla ; the
clear blue heavens shone down upon the landscape ; and
5*

HO JO URNEY TO ICELAND.
yet a few clouds were hovering about the sides of the hills,
which at times would spread over them like a thin veil, or
else form themselves in a crown around their summits, soon
dissolving to appear again in another spot. This is
a phenomenon which is seen in Iceland during the
clearest weather, and one I had often observed near Reik
javick. At times, when the sky was bright and cloudless,
a little speck would suddenly show itself on the edge of a
hill, where it would increase to a cloud, and remain hang
ing over the spot for a while and then dissolve or float
away ; an effect which, however common, can never be wit
nessed without delight.
The pastor of Thingvalla, Mr. Bech, invited me to pass
the night under his own roof; but as it was not better in
any respect than the huts around, I preferred to take pos
session of my old quarters at the church, having only too
easily obtained his permission to do so. This little church
is not much larger than that at Krisuvick, but being at
some distance from the village I escaped the troublesome
inroad of visitors which had annoyed me so much before.
With my cold neighbors in the burying-ground I had
by this time become quite familiar, and therefore spent a
very quiet night on one of the wooden chests which I found
in the church. The first step is the great difficulty on sueh
occasions ; and a very little practice will put to flight all
the gloomy thoughts which would be apt to suggest them
selves in such a situation.
June 17th. — Our destination to-day was Reikholt, or
Reikiadal, which I was told was a distance of at least eleven
miles.* It is not always possible to form a perfectly correct
* Forty-nine and a half English miles. — Tr.

THING VALLA. \ \ \
idea of the distances from the map, for it sometimes happens,
as was the case in this instance, that impassable places inter
vene, compelling the traveller to make a long circuit to
avoid them. From the map one would have imagined
Thingvalla to be much nearer Reikholt than Reikjavick ;
and yet we were fourteen hours in accomplishing the ride,
which made us two hours later than we were yesterday.
Asr long as the road lay through the valley of Thing
valla, there was a constant variety in the scenery. We
first crossed an arm of the river Oxer, then saw a fine
meadow, and soon came to a small clump of what would be
called trees in Iceland, though with us they would be root
ed up as useless brush, as they run along the ground and
rarely rise more than two or three feet above it. A sap
ling that rears its head as high as four feet is considered a
lofty giant of the woods. The greater part of this ima
ginary forest grows among the lava that covers the plain.
I observed the conformation of the lava here to be some
what different from any I had yet seen. It was not in
streams, large stony masses, or rolling waves ; but it
covered most of the soil with enormous sheets of rock, often
split to the depth of ten or fifteen feet, and the width of
eight or ten. In these crevices the flowers bloom rather
earlier, and the ferns grow taller and more luxuriantly, than
in the rough world above.
The country beyond the valley of Thingvalla is monoto
nous and entirely uninhabited ; we rode mile after mile
without seeing a single cottage ; each barren plain through
which we passed being clothed in light gray or yellowish
lava, mixed in spots with a beautiful fine sand, into which
the horses sank at every step above their hoofs. These
valleys are surrounded with low hills, and a jokul (glacier)
is rarely seen among them. The hills have a polished ap-

112 JO URNEY TO ICELAND.
pearance, their sides being perfectly smooth and shining ;
but on some of the heights the lava blocks form magnificent
groups, resembling shattered columns, and the ruins of
ancient buildings projecting in a peculiar manner from the
straight and even walls. The hills vary in color, some
being black, some brown, gray, or light yellow ; and the
gradual shading of these tints produces a wonderfully fine
effect in the brilliant light of the sun.
After an uninterrupted ride of nine miles, we came to a
very large moor, partially overgrown with thin herbage,
where we stopped and rested, while our horses browsed on
the scattered blades of grass ; this being the only pasture-
ground we had seen since we left Thingvalla. Here we
were assailed by swarms of little gnats, which found their
way into our eyes, mouth and nose, and made this delay a
season of perfect torment.
I saw a flock of swans alight on a small sheet of water
in the moor, and as they were the first of these birds I had
yet observed, I watched them with great interest, though I
was obliged to remain at some distance from them, as they
are unfortunately so shy that they will dart off into the air
with the speed of lightning on the nearest approach of a
human being. They appeared to move in pairs, and the
largest flock I saw consisted of four pairs.
I had considered the Icelanders as the laziest people in
existence, from the first moment of my arrival in the
country ; and this opinion was confirmed by a trifling cir
cumstance which occurred to-day. The moor where we
stopped to rest was separated from the lava fields by a
ditch, over which a bridge was formed by a few stones
heaped together, but so carelessly that the horses could
hardly advance without stepping into some of the holes ;
and they resisted so long before they could be made to ven.

INSTINCT OF HORSES. \ 1 3
ture across, that we were obliged to alight and lead them
over. We had just passed this place, and established ourselves
in the meadow, when a caravan of fifteen horses loaded with
boards and dried fish came along. These animals remarked
the danger of the bridge, and could only be driven over it
by repeated blows of the whip. There was abundance of
stone not twenty paces from the spot, but sooner than turn
out of their way, even for that short distance, these indolent
creatures would rather cudgel their horses and let them
run the risk of breaking their ankles. I felt so much com
passion for the poor animals who would have to cross this
bridge in future, that as soon as the other party was out of
sight, I devoted part of my hours of repose to collecting
some large stones, with which I filled up the holes ; a labor
which was easily accomplished in fifteen minutes.
It is curious to observe how the horses will find out by
instinct every dangerous spot in the stones, the moors, or
marshes. They drop their noses to the ground and scent
around till they find a sure footing ; but if there is any risk
in advancing, nothing but blows can drive them forward a
step. After a halt of two hours, we continued our ride through
the lava fields till nine o'clock, when we reached a table
land, from the farther end of which we could see Reikholt,
or Reikiadal, lying at our feet in a broad valley three or
four miles long, shut in by a range of hills, among which
glistened several jokuls (glaciers) in their icy covering.
The wild and sublime scene? y of Iceland never appears
to greater advantage than at the hour of sunset, when" a
peculiar magic light is shed over the wide valleys strewn
with lava, without a tree or a bush, and hemmed in by dark
mountains, whose summits glitter in the last rays of the

114 JO URNEY TO ICELAND.
departing sun ; the jokuls are veiled by a shade of delicate
rose, while the deepest shadows gather around the lower
part of the hills, in striking contrast to the plains, over
which floats a purple haze, imparting to them the ap
pearance of a dark sheet of water. The silence, the perfect
solitude, are still more impressive. Not a sound is heard,
not a living creature is in sight, nor a village, a single cot
tage, a tree, or a shrub. The whole landscape is absolutely
devoid of every sign of life ; and as the eye wanders over
the boundless and monotonous scene, it seeks in vain for
any object of familiar interest on which to rest.
As we reached the extremity of the table-land this
evening about eleven o'clock, I saw a sunset which I can
never forget. The hills, the valleys, and the glaciers were
lighted up by a brilliant red ; I could not remove my eyes
from the glowing mountains, although the view at my feet
had many claims to my attention and admiration.
The whole long valley was almost entirely covered with
meadows, and at its extreme end columns of smoke were
seen to arise from the boiling springs. The atmosphere
was so clear and pure, so much more transparent than I
have ever seen it in any other country, that the light seemed
to be very little diminished by the disappearance of the
sun, and I observed that the smallest objects were distinctly
visible on the plain, a circumstance which was very favora
ble to our progress, for the road was full of danger, leading
as it did abruptly down over the stones and rocks into the
valley below. A small stream on one side of us formed
several pretty falls, some of which were thirty feet high.
In vain I strained my eyes to find a little church where
I might pass the night ; for those who have never expe
rienced it, may rest assured that it is a serious thing to ride
fourteen hours, with nothing to eat but bread and cheese

A HALT.

115

arid not be able to alight after all at the door of some hotel,
a la ville de Londres or de Paris. I was not so unreason
able as to expect a porter to announce my arrival or a
butler and chambermaid to attend to my wants ; I merely
sighed for a hard bench in the neighborhood of my dear de
parted Icelanders, within some sacred edifice, where I might
at least be sheltered from the cold night wind. I was sud
denly aroused from these blessed contemplations by the
voice of my guide, who exclaimed, " Here we are, at last !"
and looking up, I saw a few of those low huts, whose grass-
covered walls and roofs are hardly to be distinguished
from the fields around. We halted, and turned our horsey
loose to graze in the neighboring pastures, while we our
selves were obliged to put up with much worse accommoda
tions and fare. The inmates of the huts had long been
buried in the deepest sleep, and were not even aroused by
the loud barking of dogs which greeted our arrival. A cup
of coffee would certainly have been very acceptable, but I
could not think of waking any one up to prepare it ; so I
quieted my hunger with a piece of bread, and seeking out
a sheltered spot by the side of one of the huts, I wrapped
myself in my cloak and lay down on the ground, wishing
with all my heart that I could fall asleep at once in the
open air, and dream by broad daylight.* I was just sink
ing into a doze when it began to rain ; and I could then no
longer avoid the necessity of disturbing some of my neigh
bors. I was put in possession of a store-room, the best apart
ment in the place, and a wooden chest was offered me for a
bed. Fortunately, such a place is to be found in every lit
tle village ; and although it is generally far from inviting
* Let it be remembered that at this season there was hardly any
twilight, much less any night

116 JO URNEY TO ICELAND.
being filled with dried fish, blubber, tallow, and every other
abominable compound to poison the air, it is still infinitely
to be preferred to the sleeping-rooms of the peasants, which
are without exception the most disgusting holes that can be
imagined. Besides the overpowering effluvia resulting
from a degree of uncleanliness which it is impossible to de
scribe in words, such multitudes of vermin are engendered
by the prevailing filth as could hardly be equalled among
the Greenlanders and Laplanders.
I established myself in the store-room, and endeavored
to wait with patience and resignation for the hour of
leaving it.
June Wth. — Yesterday we made a forced march of
eleven miles,* the last nine of which were through a barren
and uninhabited region, where we did not see a single
dwelling of any kind which could offer us a night's shelter ;
but our ride to-day was all the more easy for the horses, as
we only had to accomplish the short distance of half a mile
to Reikiadal, where I stopped to visit the celebrated springs.
The little village of Reikiadal contains a church and a few
houses, an» is surrounded by beautiful meadows ; the whole
valley, indeed, is covered with rich pasture-grounds, sprin
kled with cottages and farm-houses, and abounding in fine
flocks of sheep ; the horses and cows being somewhat less
numerous, especially the latter.
The church at Reikiadal is one of the largest and neat
est I had yet seen ; and the small parsonage, although
covered as usual with turf, is quite a comfortable and con
venient dwelling. This parish is an extensive one, and more
populous than some of the others.
* Forty-nine and a half English miles. — Tr.

HOT SPRINGS. 117
My first care on arriving was to seek out the priest, Mr.
Jonas Jonason, in order to procure fresh horses as soon as
possible, and a guide to conduct me to the hot springs. He
promised to provide me with both in half an hour ; but it
was full three hours before I was able to obtain what I
wanted, and it was not accomplished in that time without a
vast deal of trouble. The apathy and perfect listlessness
of all the people with whom I had to deal while I was in
Iceland was a constant source of annoyance to me ; I was
always obliged to make up my mind to wait for every thing
I wanted ten times as long as was necessary ; and even on
the present occasion, I doubt if I should have succeeded in
pursuing my journey to-day, if I had left the good pastor's
side for a moment. But at last every difficulty was con
quered, and Mr. Jonason was so kind as to accompany me
to the springs himself.
We rode for three quarters of a mile over this fine val
ley, crossing the river Sidumule at least half a dozen times,
as it wound through the fields, before we reached the first
hot spring, which gushes from a rock about six feet high,
lying in the midst of a marsh. The diameter of the upper
opening of the caldron, where the water boils and bubbles
without ceasing, may be perhaps from two to three feet.
This spring flows perpetually ; the stream rises to the height
of two or three feet into the air, sometimes even as high as
four feet, and is about a foot and a half in bulk. Its size
can be increased by throwing a large stone or a clod of
earth into the pool, when the spring is aroused in a moment
and casts back the stone with violence, dissolving the earth
by which its waters are discolored.
These springs bear a great resemblance to those at
Carlsbad in Bohemia, and a perfectly correct idea of them
can be formed by any one who has visited that place.

118 JO URNEY TO ICELAND.
Near this first fountain there is a crevice where the
waters are always boiling, though they are never thrown up
in a jet. Other springs are to be seen on a rock at a little
distance, immediately on the bank of the river Sidumule ;
three distinct sources, not more than a few feet apart, oc
cupy the whole level surface of the rock ; at its base there
are several other hot springs, with a caldron of boiling
water lying a little above them, which are only remarkable
from the fact of their gushing out of the ground so near the
cold river.
But a large rock, called Tunga-Huer, which rises from
the centre of a morass, and is about twenty feet high and
fifteen feet long, contains the most wonderful group of
springs, sixteen of which are seen to flow from its sides and
base ; on the level summit of the rock there is not one.
The size of the caldron and the dimensions of the jets
correspond with those I have already described. The six
teen streams are all within the compass of two sides of
the rock ; and it is difficult to imagine any thing more sin
gular and impressive than the spectacle they present to
those who have the courage to climb the rock, which is not
difficult of access, though somewhat dangerous. Its upper
stratum is soft and warm, of the consistency of mud, mixed
with sand and pebbles; I could not but feel a little
afraid of breaking through into the boiling caldron under
neath this slight covering, where every footstep left its
mark. The good priest went ahead, and sounded the dan
gerous footing with a stick ; I did not remain far behind
him, and we soon stood on the edge of the rock, where I
could overlook all the fountains at once. Here the view
was even more interesting and extraordinary than from be
low. It seemed like the effect of magic to look down upon
these crowded water-spouts, and their different basins vary-

BOILING SPRINGS. 119
ing in shape and figure ; I forgot my fears, and stood for a
long time lost in admiration of this wonderful prospect,
silently acknowledging the greatness of that Creator, at
whose bidding they had burst forth from their dark prison
to foam and rage awhile in their frothy basins, and then
quietly flow away to swell the neighboring stream. My
companion was obliged to remind me more than once of the
perils of our position ; I had ceased to think of its inse
curity, and lingered there till the mighty columns of steam
spread themselves around us, threatening almost instant
suffocation, when we turned away our dampened faces and
left the spot, where we could not have remained so long if
the waters had been more strongly tainted with sulphur.
The rock which contains these springs is a reddish mass, and
the bed of the stream into which they flow is covered with
red pebbles.
On our return, we saw another curious phenomenon
near a cottage which we passed ; it was a caldron where
the waters were constantly boiling and seething, and in
its neighborhood were two irregular cavities, from whence
periodical columns of steam escaped with a loud and rush
ing noise ; whenever the steam appeared the waters in
creased in the basin, though never so much as to overflow
its brink or rise into the air ; and when it vanished, and the
uproar in both cavities had ceased, they sank again for
several feet.. These alternations lasted about a minute,
and were renewed so punctually, that it would have been
safe to risk a wager on the rise and fall of the waters and
the bursting forth of the steam, which occurred without the
least variation about sixty-five times in an hour. In con
nection with this caldron there is another one lying in a
little crevice a few paces off. When the waters subside in
the upper basin, they begin to roar and rise in the lower

120 JOURNEY TO ICELAND.
one, and are spouted into the air to the height of two or
three feet .They sink again when the upper caldron is filled ;
and this play continues without intermission and with the
most perfect regularity.
The first-mentioned spring is provided with a vapor bath.
formed by a little chamber, close to the caldron, built of stone
and covered with turf ; the entrance is so low that it is ne
cessary to crawl in on one's hands and knees. The floor is of
flat stones, which are very much heated and probably lie above
some hot springs. Whoever wishes to use the bath shuts
himself in this room, where he is soon enveloped in a
stifling heat, which covers the whole body with a dripping
perspiration. It is very little frequented, however, by the
peasants of the neighborhood.
I was also directed to visit a caldron and spring in a
fine meadow near the church, entirely surrounded by a low
stone wall to prevent the cattle from scalding themselves
in their eagerness to reach the grass. About eighty paces
from this spring is the bath of Snorri Sturluson, which is
a round basin three or four feet deep, and about twenty in
diameter ; a few steps lead to the bottom, and a low stone
seat surrounds the whole bath, where the waters, led from
an adjacent spring, are too hot to be used without being
cooled. There is no trace of a covering to this pool, which
serves at present for the purpose of washing linen or wool.
I had now seen all the remarkable sources in this part
of the valley ; the pillars of smoke and steam on the op
posite side arise from those which present nothing worthy
of notice but their heat.
On our way back I was conducted by the priest to the
churchyard, which lay at a little distance from his house,
where he pointed out to me the most distinguished graves
This was a very edifying spectacle, no doubt, but one which

TOMB OF SNORRI STURLUSON. 121
was far from consolatory to me, when I remembered the
coming night which I was to spend in the little church in
their midst.
The grave-mounds are very high, and are generally
covered by a wooden box resembling a coffin, which encloses
the tomb-stone as a protection against the weather ; though
I could not defend myself from the idea that they also held
the dead ; and to assure myself of my mistake, I even
begged the good pastor to remove the lid from one of them,
when I saw, — not as I had half expected, the corpse, which
was in fact lying many feet under ground, — but a stone
such as he had already described to me, with the usual in
scriptions upon it.
Directly in front of the entrance to the church is the
tomb where repose the ashes of the celebrated Snorri Stur
luson;* a narrow Runic stone, of the same length as the
grave, lies above it, and is said to have once been covered
by a Runic inscription, though every trace of it has long
been effaced by the storms of five centuries, as this tomb
was not sheltered, like many of the others, by a wooden
covering. The stone is severed in two pieces throughout
its length. The mound is often renewed, and has all the
appearance of a fresh grave. I plucked every buttercup
that grew around it, and preserved them carefully in a book,
by which means I have it in my power to gratify any of my
* History relates that the great historian of Iceland was the means
of betraying his country, which till then had been free, into the
power of Norway ; and in consequence of this unpopular act he only
ventured to appear in public surrounded by a numerous retinue, and
never attended the Althing at Thingvalla, unless accompanied by an
army of five or six hundred men. But in spite of these precautions he
was surprised by his enemies in his own house at Reikiadal, where ho
was massacred after a short resistance.
6

122 JOURNEY TO ICELAND.
friends who may wish to Own a flower from the grave of the
great scholar and poet of Iceland.
June 19th. — I hired fresh horses to-day, and allowed
my own, which were still somewhat fatigued, to accompany
us unloaded, on our excursion to the cave of Surthellix,
which is about seven miles from this place. The worthy
priest was so kind as to attend to all my wants, and acted
once more as my Mentor on this occasion.
The seven horses, my guide, the priest, and myself,
rode forth together, and retraced our steps for two miles
towards Reikholt, when we turned to the left, and crossed
the hills to a valley, traversed by beautiful lava streams,
and overgrown in places by a magnificent Iceland forest,
where some of the bushes even attained a greater height
than those in the valley of Thingvalla.
At Kalmannstunga we left all the horses we were not
using, and hired a man to conduct us to the cave, which was
still at a distance of a mile and a half. It lies in one of
the most remarkable plains in Iceland, which is covered
with lava of every form and color, and offers a pre-eminent
picture of volcanic disturbances. The lava is sometimes
crisp and glassy, and forms very handsome designs and ara
besques ; in other places it is in enormous sheets, either
single or stretched over each other in layers, with mighty
streams rushing in between them, which have been congeal
ed on their way. The different eruptions can be traced by
the shades of the currents, which vary from a light gray to
black. The hills around this valley are generally dark, and
stand out in bold relief against the neighboring jokuls,
stretching into the distance like a sea of ice. One of
these glaciers is unusually high ; its summit is lost in the
clouds, while its brilliant covering reaches far down into

CAVE OF SURTHELLIX. 123
the valley. The hills are smooth and perfectly regular,
and I saw but one in the foreground whose surface was
roughened by singular groups and excrescences of congealed
lava. The whole scene was wrapped, in the silence of
death ; and it presented that barren, bald, and lifeless
aspect, so peculiar to this great desert of the North.
Instead of penetrating into the hills, as one would
naturally expect, the grotto of Surthellix is situated in the
midst of this extensive level tract, and I was quite startled
when the wide round basin which forms its mouth sud
denly appeared before us ; it is about six fathoms deep, and
fifteen in diameter ; and there is something fearful in look
ing down upon the innumerable heaps of rock, which are
piled above each other to the margin of the opening, and
form the only means of access to the cave.
We found our way down on our hands and knees till
we came to a broad, long alley, which at first has a slight
inclination downwards and then stretches for a long dis
tance under the plain, which formed a rocky roof over
our heads. I estimated the height of this cavern to be
about eighteen feet in the lowest part, and in a few places
to reach the elevation of sixty feet. The roof and walls
were roughened by the continual dripping, but there were
no figures or indentations.
Several side-paths branch out from the principal alley,
but they are not connected with each other, and we were
obliged to return to the main road from every one we
entered ; many were short, narrow, and low ; but there
were a few of more respectable length and height.
In one of the most remote of these side-alleys a large
heap of bones was pointed out to me, said to be the remains
of slaughtered sheep and other animals ; and as fat as I

124 JOURNEY TO ICELAND.
could understand the priest, the story runs that this cave
was once the resort of a mighty band of robbers; though
it must be a very long time since they frequented it, for
nothing remains of their history but traditions and fables.
I was not aware that any robbers had ever existed in
Iceland ; pirates, indeed, had often resorted to its shores,
but this place was too far from the coast to have been
known to them. Neither could it have been the refuge
of beasts of prey, who would have found nothing to sub
sist upon in a region so perfectly desolate and uninhabited.
In short, I tried in vain to think of any satisfactory expla
nation of an apparition which struck me as so very singular ;
the bones were numerous, and still fresh, as if the animals
had lately been devoured. Unfortunately, I was never able
to ascertain with any degree of certainty how they could
possibly have been collected in that spot.
The difficulties we experienced in exploring this cavern
were almost enough to discourage a traveller less persever
ing than myself. The path was obstructed by numerous
loose fragments of rock, over which it was a very toilsome
effort to find our way. I could receive no assistance from
my companions, who were fully engaged in taking care of
themselves, as there was scarcely a spot to rest our feet
where we were not obliged to hold on by our hands at the
same time. In some places we were compelled to slide
down the sides of the rocks, or gather ourselves up and
slip sideways over the higher blocks.
We came to several enormous basins or craters, which
opened from the plain above, though their walls were too
steep for us to climb. The light falling from these
openings was insufficient for the main entrance, much more
for the other passages. I had not been able to procure any

CA VE OF SURTHELLIX. 1 25
torches in Kalmannstunga, as they are only to be found at
Reikjavick, but was obliged to content myself with a few
candles. Beneath these gaps there still lay a great deal of snow,
which added to the dangers of the road ; it frequently gave
way as we stepped upon it, causing us to jam our feet be
tween the stones underneath, and it was not without great
difficulty that we could extricate ourselves. A crust of
ice covered with water was seen in all the side alleys near
these craters ; which disappeared as we advanced into the
cavities, where we usually found a great deal of dirt, formed
by a mixture of sand and water. The large blocks of lava
only abounded in the main road ; that in the other paths
was generally broken up into small pebbles.
The rays of the sun falling perpendicularly through
these craters were reflected back with dazzling brilliancy
from the snow, and spread a soft-colored light round our
heads when we stood within the basins. These bright
points also produced a very singular effect as we advanced
towards them from the dark abysses of the cave, or left them
to plunge again into its gloomy alleys.
This subterranean labyrinth is said to extend for several
miles beneath the plain ; we only examined the main road
and a few of the paths which diverge from it, and when we
returned to the upper world at the end of two hours we
were very tired, though we only allowed ourselves to rest
for half an hour before we rode back to Kalmannstunga, at
a quick trot.
Unfortunately I am no geologist, and cannot take it
upon myself to decide whether this cave be the seat of an
exhausted volcano or not. But in a country where every
hill and mountain is lava, even an unlearned traveller will
naturally look about for the source where it must once have

126 JOURNEY TO ICELAND.
originated ; and it is quite a relief to be able to trace some
of the streams which have formed the wonderful masses
scattered around in every direction, to this spot. I could
not help thinking that I was exploring what was once a
burning crater, for every thing which I saw, the rocks, the
roof, the sides of the different basins, the whole cave, in
short, was lava.
I was obliged to spend the night in one of the three huts
which compose the whole village of Kalmannstunga, where
there is no church. Fortunately it was rather cleaner than
usual, and somewhat larger, being almost worthy of the
name of a farmhouse. The inmates were so attentive as
to prepare the best apartment for me, where every thing was
put in order for my reception when I returned from the
cave. My little room was about eleven feet by seven, and
contained a single window, so small and dirty that I could
hardly see to write although the sun was shining in full
splendor. The walls and floor were of wood, which is a
very uncommon degree of luxury in this country ; the fur
niture consisted of a wide bed, two chests, and a little
table. There were no chairs or benches, of course, any
thing of the kind being entirely unknown to the Icelanders,
who always seat themselves on their beds and chests ; and
I am sure I do not know where a chair could be placed in
their crowded rooms.
My hostess, who was the widow of a wealthy peasant,
presented to me her four children, who were very good
looking and neatly dressed. " I begged the mother to tell
me what she called her little ones, that I might be able to
mention some Iceland names when I returned to my own
country. She was very much pleased with my request.
and named them to me as follows : Sigridur, Gudrun, Inge-
bor and Lars.

UNWELCOME VISITORS. !27
I could have made myself very comfortable here, as I
always endeavor to do, whatever my accommodations may
happen to be, if I could only have been left alone ; but to
my great annoyance, every inhabitant, not only of this hut,
but of alTthe others in the place, gathered round me one
by one, ; and stationing themselves, some in my own room
and some in the adjoining one, I found myself besieged
even more closely than I had been at Krisuvick. There
was something about my appearance entirely new to the
people, who stared at me with untiring earnestness. The
women soon became sufficiently familiar to touch my dress
and feel every article I had on ; while the children laid
their dirty faces in my lap. The horrible uncleanliness
of this crowd of people, their offensive perspiration, their
perpetual snuff-taking (without pocket-handkerchiefs), their
continual spitting — ah ! it was truly fearful ! I suffered
more from these visits than from the longest fast ; though
that was a kind of penance to which I was often obliged to
submit, for I could never taste any thing that was set be
fore me during my travels throughout the whole country ;
and in fact the Iceland peasant has little to offer in the
way of cookery but dried fish and sour milk, the latter often
several months old ; on very rare occasions they have
grits, or unraised bread made of powdered Iceland moss.
I found that most of these people supposed me to pos
sess a degree of information which is generally to be found
only among men; apparently they thought the women of
foreign countries must necessarily be as learned as the
other sex. The priests always inquired if I spoke Latin,
and seemed struck with astonishment when I replied in the
negative. The common people consulted me for all manner
of troubles ; and once when I went into a hut during one
of my solitary rambles near Reikjavick, I was led to an ob-

128 JOURNEY TO ICELAND.
ject which I should hardly have known for a human being ;
it was one of those wretched sufferers from the leprous
eruption, whose whole body, as well as his head and face,
was covered with sores and boils, and almost wasted to a
skeleton from the effects of the disease. Such a spectacle
might have been interesting to a physician, but I turned
from it with horror.
Enough of this revolting picture ! Let me rather de
scribe an angel's head I saw at Kalmannstunga — a child of
ten or twelve years old — so inexpressibly sweet and lovely
that I could not but wish myself a painter to carry back
to my native country, at least on canvas, that soft counte
nance, with its expressive eyes and beautiful dimples. But
perhaps it is best as it is ; a malicious fate might have
thrown the portrait into the hands of some susceptible
youth, whose too tender feelings would perhaps have
prompted him to undertake a pilgrimage through the
world — like Don Sylvio de Rosalba, in Wieland's Comic
Novel — in search of the enchanting original. It is not
probable that he would ever have turned his steps towards
Iceland, for who would expect to find so perfect an object
in that remote quarter of the globe ? and thus the unhappy
lover would have been doomed to wander forever, and be
forever disappointed.
June 20th. — The distance from Kalmannstunga to
Thingvalla is eleven miles, and it is one of the worst and
most fatiguing roads in Iceland, through dreary plains,
shut in by high hills and jokuls. Wherever the traveller
turns his eye it is met by a chilled and lifeless nature ; he
hastens anxiously through the barren wilderness, and
eagerly climbs one eminence after another, in the hope of
seeing some improvement in the scene, but in vain ; he be-

DANGEROUS RIDE. 129
holds the same waste — the same desolation — the same
hills. We found many places on the table-lands still covered
with snow, which we were obliged to cross although we
heard the waters rushing beneath ; and the icy crusts over
which we rode were often thin and soft under the horses'
feet, and of that light blue shade which is a symptom of
danger. The horses frequently resisted with all their
might before they could be driven across by hard blows.
The pack-horse was cudgelled till he led the way ; my
guide followed, and I was the last. The poor animals
often sank, to their knees in the snow, and twice they went
in above their saddle-girths. This was the most dangerous
road I had ever travelled ; my constant thought was what
I should do if my guide were to sink in so deep that he
could not extricate himself ; I was not strong enough to offer
him any assistance, and where should I turn for help in
this desert ? I might wander about in search of a human
habitation, or in the hope of meeting with a fellow-being,
till I perished with hunger, or was lost in the wilderness
without a chance of escape. I approached every snow-field
we were obliged to cross with feelings of intense anxiety,
of which those only who have been placed in a similar situ
ation can form any idea. If I had been in a large company
my alarm would not have been so great ; for, relying on
the assistance of my companions, the peril would doubtless
have appeared much less imminent.
This road should only be used when the snow affords a
secure footing. We did not see a track of man or beast ;
and we were the only living creatures who traversed this
region. I found great fault with my guide for having led
me into so much danger ; but it was then too late, for it
was equally hazardous to advance or retreat.

130 JOURNEY TO ICELAND.
To increase my troubles there was a change in the
weather, which till to-day had been very pleasant. The
heavens were clouded when we left Kalmannstunga, and
we only caught an occasional glimpse of the sun ; but when
we reached the heights we were completely enveloped^ in
the mists and clouds, and an icy wind from the neighboring
glaciers was soon accompanied by torrents of ram. We
had already ridden thirteen hours, and as we were nearly
stiffened by the wet and the cold, I made up my mind to
stop at the first hovel we came to ; we found one, at last,
about half a mile from Thingvalla ; where I was under
cover, it is true, though in other respects my situation was
very little improved. The hut contained but a single room,
with four large beds in it, which must have been occupied
by the seven grown persons and three children who seemed
to compose the household.
Unfortunately, a kind of influenza, called the Kvef, pre
vailed all over the country this season, and I found every
inmate of this hut suffering from its effects ; there was a
constant hacking and coughing, and the floor was actually
slippery from the incessant expectorations.
These poor people were so good as to offer me immedi
ately one of their beds ; but rather than spend the night
in the midst of so much filth, I would have remained seated
on the door-sill till morning. I preferred to eonvert the
narrow passage leading from the kitchen to the dwelling-
room into a sleeping apartment ; it contained a rude shelf
where the milk-pans were kept ; and borrowing a blanket
from the invalids in the next room (my own cloak being
too wet to be of any service to me), I stretched myself upon
it and feigned to compose myself to rest, in hopes of get
ting rid of the company of my curious hosts. After a while
they left me alone, but I could not sleep ; I was still damp

RETURN TO RE1KJA VICK. \ 3 1
and chilled from my long exposure to the storm, and the
cold wind poured down upon me from the air-holes in the
roof ; for this little passage, among the many purposes to
which it was applied, was also- used as a smoke-house ; and
I suffered the greatest annoyance from a long pole directly
over my head, where the fish were hung up to dry, and
which I was apt to forget, till I had fully satisfied myself
of its existence by at least half a dozen hard knocks when
ever I attempted to sit up in my comfortless bed.
June 2\st. — At last the long wished for morning hour
arrived ; it had stopped raining, but the clouds still hung
about the hills and threatened another deluge. Neverthe
less, I determined to brave all their fury rather than tarry
any longer in, my present shelter, and I gave orders that
the horses should be saddled.
Before we set off my hosts offered me some roast lamb
and butter ; I thanked them, but declined eating any
thing, excusing myself on the plea of want of appetite,
which was the truth ; for it was enough to see these dirty
creatures to take away all inclination to taste their food.
As long as I had bread and cheese I confined myself to
that, and never eat any thing else that was set before me.
We took our leave, therefore, without attempting to
make a breakfast, and returned to Reikjavick by the same
route I had come, although my original plan was different,
for I had wished to strike the road to the Geiser and
Hecla from Thingvalla. But the horses were already ex
hausted, the weather was horrible, without promising any
improvement, and I resolved to go back, for the present, to
my cheerful little room in the house of the worthy baker,
and wait for better days.
We rode on steadily through the showers and gusts ;

132 JOURNEY TO ICELAND.
and what was worse, we were obliged to stop to rest in an
open field, as the only hut we passed to-day was one in the
lava desert, which serves as a refuge for travellers in win
ter. We halted at a meagre pasture-ground, where I had
no choice but to walk about for two hours or seat myself on
the damp ground. By way of amusement, I turned my
back to the storm and watched the shifting clouds. More
from ennui than hunger I eat my frugal meal ; and when I
was thirsty I had but to throw back my head and open my
mouth. I think I may flatter myself that I was born to be a
traveller ; I never take cold from any degree of exposure ;
on this whole tour I had not a single warm meal, nor any
substantial food ; I slept every night on chests or benches,
and rode fiftyfive miles* in six days, besides scrambling
about in the grotto of Surthellix ; and in spite of all these
privations and hardships I returned to Reikjavick in per
fect health and spirits.

First day: From Reikjavick to Thingvalla, 10 miles (German. )f
Second day : From Thingvalla to Reikholt, 11 " "
Third day : From Reikholt to the hot springs
and back to that place, 4 " "
Fourth day : From Reikholt to Surthellix, and
back to Kalmannstunga, 84 " "
Fifth day : From Kalmannstunga to Thing
valla, 11 " "
Sixth day : From Thingvalla to Reikjavick, 10 " "
64i "
* About two hundred and forty-seven English miles.  Tr.
f Each of which is four and a half English miles.  Tr.

JOURNEY TO THE GEISER. 133

%xsm\ fa tjjt Mm ml Mmut Wuk.
The weather soon improved so much, that on the 24th
of June I was enabled to set off for the Geiser and Hecla,
riding the first day as far as Thingvalla, through a part of
the country with which I was already well acquainted.
As we approached the lake of Thingvalla, I was so for
tunate as to witness a most beautiful atmospherical phe
nomenon. A soft mist was hanging over the waters and the
shores, with all the appearance of an approaching shower,
and it was illuminated by a few straggling sunbeams which
found their way through the dark clouds spread over one
half the heavens, while the other was shining in the clearest
blue. Every shade of the rainbow was distinctly visible
within that vapory circle, which presented one of the most
lovely apparitions I have ever beheld. It lasted for about
half an hour, when it gradually became fainter, and vanished
at last, to be replaced by the usual atmosphere.
June 25th. — A quarter of a mile from Thingvalla we
came to a fork in the road, which branches off towards the
left to Reikholt, and towards the right to the Geiser. The
latter route we followed, riding for a long distance by the
side of the lake ; at the extremity of the valley we found
a terrible pass in the rocks, similar to the great chasm at
Almannagiau, which we were compelled to cross over a
very bad road.
The first valley beyond this ravine bears a strong re
semblance to that at Thingvalla, but the third was desolate
and gloomy ; it was covered with low heaps of lava entirely
overgrown by whitish moss, the' effect of which is very fine

134 JOURNEY TO ICELAND.
when it only encircles the lower part of the rocks, leaving
their sharp black summits bare ; but in this instance it pre
sented a monotonous and barren aspect.
We passed two grottoes which lay in our path ; at the
entrance to one of them there was a pillar of rock supporting
a huge sheet of lava, which formed a dangerous looking
portal. Unfortunately, I knew nothing of these caves, and
had made no preparations to visit them, which I could not
venture to do without torches ; but from what I afterwards
learned, they were not very extensive, and presented nothing
worthy of interest to the traveller.
In the course of the day, we crossed several valleys far
superior in beauty and cultivation to any I had yet seen
in Iceland. The meadows were free from those little emi
nences so common throughout the island, and often extend
ed over a distance of several miles. These rich pastures
were of course more populous than usual, and we frequently
rode by little clusters of huts, and saw numbers of cows,
horses, and sheep, grazing in the fields. On the left of the
plains was a range of hills, which struck me as containing a
great deal of loam ; although with my limited mineralogical
knowledge, I ought hardly to pass a judgment on such sub
jects ; in color they were brown, black, or blue, like the
others ; and some of them supported a colossal, isolated
block of lava, which was a mysterious weight for their soft
strata to sustain.
In one of the valleys we observed a lake of respectable
dimensions, with a few clouds of vapor hovering over it,
which proceeded from some insignificant springs on its
shores. At the end of five or six miles, we came to a stream
with the most extraordinary channel I have ever beheld ;
it was broad and shelving, formed by layers of lava, and

REMARKABLE STREAM. I35
cleft through its centre to the depth of eighteen or twenty
feet, by a chasm, from fifteen to eighteen feet wide, into
which the waters rushed impetuously with a noise which
was heard from a great distance. A wooden bridge in the
middle of the river leads over this abyss, and the stranger
who reaches the banks is at a loss to account for its ap
pearance among the foam, which entirely conceals the rift
in the bed of the stream, and he would be likely to mistake
it for the ruins of a larger bridge. It is impossible to see
the guide ride into this boisterous flood without feeling
some alarm and a great repugnance to follow him. The
priest at Thingvalla, who had prepared me for the scene,
advised me to walk over the bridge ; but the waters were
swollen at least two feet above it, and I was therefore
obliged to ride across.
The passage of this river is so very peculiar, that it is
difficult to describe in words. The waters rave with the
utmost violence, and dashing wildly into the cavity they
form falls on both sides of it, or shiver themselves to spray
against the projecting cliffs ; at the extremity of the chasm,
which is not far from the bridge, the stream is precipitated
in its whole breadth over rocks from thirty to forty feet in
height. Our horses began to tremble, and struggled to
escape when we approached the most agitated part of the
torrent, where the noise was really deafening ; and it was
not without the greatest difficulty that we succeeded in
making them obey the feins, and bear us through the foam
ing waves by which the bridge was washed.
The valley of this river is narrow and entirely shut in
by a low range of lava-hills, and presents that silent, death
like appearance, well fitted to impress this extraordinary
scene on the mind of the traveller.
This was the last obstacle in my way, and I now rode

136 JOURNEY TO ICELAND.
on to the Geiser without meeting any further impediment ;
though this great object of my eager curiosity was concealed
from my eyes by a prominent hill, till I was within half a
mile of the spot where it lay. At last the mighty columns of
steam were in sight, and approaching to about eighty paces
from the principal caldron, we halted, not venturing to ad
vance any farther without a guide. A peasant, who had
followed us from one of the neighboring huts, now stepped
forward, and perceiving my hesitation, he took me by the
hand and constituted himself at once my cicerone. Un
fortunately it was Sunday, and he had indulged himself so
freely in his fondness for the brandy-bottle, that his gait
was far from steady ; but I could not pause to consider the
risk, and without waiting to ascertain that he was suffi
ciently conscious to remember the dangers of the place, I
confided myself to his directions ; my Reikjavie guide
being of opinion that I might trust him, and promising
to accompany us to interpret his Iceland gibberish into
Danish. He led me to the edge of the basin, which lies on a
gentle elevation of about ten feet. The diameter of the
basin is about thirty feet, and that of the caldron six or
seven. Both were full to the brim with water as clear as
crystal, which was slightly boiling. In this state the neigh
borhood is very dangerous, as they might overflow and
empty themselves at any moment, and we therefore left the
spot at once and visited the different springs.
My new friend pointed out to me those which I might
approach without fear, and warned me against the others.
We then returned to the Geiser, where he left me in order
to make some preparations for my accommodation ; having -
first furnished me with some rules, to enable me to know

ARRIVAL AT THE GEISER. 137
when an explosion might be expected, which I repeat for
the benefit of my reader.
The column of water always rises perpendicularly into
the air, and the waters invariably overflow on the same
side of the basin, which it is best to avoid at all times ;
they run over the other side, it is true, but in irregular
streams, of slender volume, which are so little dangerous
that one can stand at forty paces from them in perfect
safety during the most violent eruptions. The explosions
are always preceded by a low rumbling, which is no sooner
heard than one must hasten to the appointed spot at once,
as the eruption follows immediately. The waters do not
always spout into the air, and to witness a fine explosion,
the traveller must sometimes wait for several days.
A French savant, M. P. Geimard, has generously pro
vided a shelter for those who came after him, in two large
tents which he left behind, one here and the other at Thing
valla ; a piece of thoughtfulness for which all who are de
tained for any length of time at this place must be par
ticularly thankful. The peasant who points out the won
ders of the Geiser has this tent under his care, and receives
a compensation of a few florins for attending to it.
It was put in order for me by eleven o'clock, when all
took their leave and I was left alone.
For fear of missing an explosion, it is customary to
watch during the whole night. An occasional vigil would
present no great difficulty to many travellers, but for me it
was'a serious undertaking. However, there was no remedy,
for an Iceland peasant is not to be depended upon, and few
of them would be roused by an outbreak of Hecla itself.
I sat either beneath my tent, or in front of it, listening
with stretched attention for the signs I had been told to

138 JOURNEY TO ICELAND.
expect. Towards midnight — the hour for spirits — I heard
a few dull sounds, like those of a distant cannon, and rush
ing from the tent, I waited for the subterranean rumblings
and the trembling and splitting of the earth, which, accord
ing to the books I had read, were the forerunners of an
eruption. I could hardly defend myself from a paroxysm
of fear ; it is no slight thing to be alone, at midnight, in
such a scene. And many of my frierids will perhaps re
member how often I told them before my departure, that if
my courage failed me any where during my travels in Ice
land, it would be when I spent a solitary night at the
Geiser. The low rumblings were repeated thirteen times at very
short intervals, the basin overflowed after each noise, and
nearly emptied itself of its waters, the sounds appearing to
proceed from their violent ebullition rather than from any
subterranean commotion. In a minute and a half the whole
was over. The waters no longer overflowed the basin and
caldron, which remained nearly full ; and, disappointed in
every respect, I returned to my tent. This phenomenon
was repeated every two or three hours ; but I heard nothing
further during my first watch, nor all the next day and
night. As soon as I had become familiar with these periodical
outbreaks, I allowed myself to fall into a light slumber
during the period which elapsed between them, or else
amused myself by visiting the different springs, in hopes of
discovering the boiling mud or the colored sources which
have been described by travellers.
All the hot springs lie within a circle of eight or nine
hundred paces ; a few are well worthy of notice, but most
of them presented nothing very remarkable to my observa
tion. They are situated in the corner of an extensive

THE STROKKER. 139
plain at the foot of a hill, behind which arises a chain of
mountains. The valley is well grown with grass, excepting
in the immediate vicinity of the springs, where the vegeta
tion is somewhat thinner. Huts are plentifully scattered
about, and the nearest could not have been more than seven
or eight hundred paces from the springs.
Of the larger basins and caldrons I counted twelve ;
and the number of small ones was still greater.
Among these fountains, the most remarkable is one
called the Strokker, which boils and bubbles with extra
ordinary violence in a basin about twenty feet deep ; it
frequently starts up and throws a spout into the air, some
times as high as forty feet, the outbreaks lasting occasion
ally more than half an hour. I was not so fortunate as to
behold one of the finest eruptions, although I witnessed
many, for the highest I saw did not rise above thirty feet,
and none lasted more than fifteen minutes. The Strokker
is the only spring besides the Geiser which must be ap
proached with caution. The eruptions often succeed each
other with great rapidity, although an interval of several
hours will sometimes occur between them ; they are not
preceded by any noise. There is another spring which
leaps perpetually, but only to the height of three or four
feet ; and one, which lies in a caldron of moderate width,
presents in general a deceptive appearance of perfect tran
quillity, which is sometimes interrupted by a loud roar,
when it boils and bubbles, throwing up at the same time a
number of little jets, which do not rise above the caldron.
In some of the basins I heard a rumbling, not unlike a low
bellowing, but saw no water and little steam.
Two of the most remarkable springs which are perhaps
to be seen in the world, lie directly above the Geiser, in
two openings separated by a wall of rock, which does not

140 JOURNEY TO ICELAND.
rise above the level of the ground, however, but merely
penetrates beneath the surface. The water- boils very
gently, and has an even, measured flow. The extraordinary
beauty of these springs consists in their wonderful trans
parency and clearness. All the prominent points and
corners, the varied outline of the cavities, and the different
holes, can be distinguished far within the depths, till the
eye is lost in the darkness of the abyss ; and the singular
play of light upon the rocks lends an additional charm to
the spot, which bears a resemblance to fairy-land. It is il
lumined by a shade of soft, pale green and blue, like a
Greek fire, which only reaches a few inches from the wall,
leaving the waters beyond as transparent as ever, but perfect
ly colorless. The light has the appearance of being reflected
from the rock ; but as I did not believe this to be the case,
I took the trouble to visit the spring at all hours, when the
sun was shining brightly, and when it was obscured by
clouds, and even after it had set ; but the illumination re
mained constantly the same, and this supernatural play of
colors was always to be seen.
The spring is covered by a thin sheet of rock, sufficiently
strong to permit a very near approach to its margin, where
the peculiar beauty of its transparent waters, and the magic
effect of the light, is seen to the greatest advantage. I
thought of Schiller's Diver when I stood on this spot, and
fancied I could see the goblet on one of the jagged points,
and behold the monster arise from the depths of the cavity.
No better place could be selected to read that fine poem.
I did not see, as I had expected, a number of caldrons
containing boiling mud or colored matter ; but merely
found one small basin in which there was a substance of a
brownish red, rather thicker than water, and a little spring
of a dirty brown, which I should have overlooked entirely,

ERUPTION OF THE GEISER. 141
if I had not been so diligently on the look-out for every
thing of the kind.
At last, after waiting till the second day of xaf sojourn
at the Geiser, the long-desired explosion took place on the
27th of Juno, at half-past nine in the morning. The peas
ant, who came twice a day to inquire if I had yet seen an
eruption, was with me when the first dull sounds which an
nounced the event were heard. We hurried to the spot,
and as the waters boiled over as usual, and the noise died
away, I thought I was doomed to disappointment again ;
but the last tones were just expiring when the explosion
suddenly took place. I have really no words to do justice
to this magnificent spectacle, which once to behold in a
lifetime is enough.
It infinitely surpassed all my expectations. The waters
were spouted with great power and volume ; column rising
above column, as if each were bent on outstripping the
others. After I had recovered in some degree from my
first astonishment, I looked round at the tent — how small,
how diminutive it seemed, compared to those pillars of
water ! And yet it was nearly twenty feet high ; it was
lying rather lower, it is true, than the basin of the Geiser ;
but tent might have been piled on tent, — yes, by my reck
oning, which may not have been perfectly accurate, how
ever, — five or six, one above the other, would not have
reached the elevation of these jets, the largest of which I
think I can affirm, without any exaggeration, to have risen
at least to the height of a hundred feet, and to have been
three or four feet in diameter.
Fortunately, I had looked at my watch when the first
rumbling was heard, for I should certainly have forgotten
to do so during the explosion, and by the calculation I
made when it was over, I found that it lasted nearly four

142 JOURNEY TO ICELAND.
minutes — the actual outbreak occupying more than half
that time.
Whea this wonderful scene was ended, the peasant went
with me to examine the basin and caldron ; we could ap
proach very near them without the least danger ; but there
was nothing farther to be seen. The waters had entirely
disappeared from the basin, into which we entered, and
walked close up to the caldron, where they had also sunk
to the depth of seven or eight feet, though they were still
boiling and bubbling with great violence.
I broke off a few pieces of crust from the interior of
the basin and caldron with a hammer ; those from the first
were white, and the others brown. I tasted the water,
which had no unpleasant flavor and can contain but little
sulphur ; the steam is also free from any sulphurous smell.
In order to ascertain how long it would be before the
basin and caldron were full again, I returned to the spot
every thirty minutes, and found that for the first hour I
could still stand within the basin ; but at my next visit,
the caldron was completely filled and on the point of run
ning over. As long as the water remained in the caldron
it boiled furiously, but the ebullition subsided as it flowed
into the basin, and when the latter was full there was only
an occasional bubble to be seen.
After the expiration of two hours, — it was precisely
twelve o'clock, — the basin was nearly full to the brim, and
I was standing near it, when the waters became violently
agitated again, and the distant rumblings were once more
heard. I had barely time to spring back, when the jets
burst forth ; they continued to play as long as the sounds
lasted, and were fuller than those of the former explosion,
which was perhaps in consequence of their height being
father less — it was hardly more than forty or fifty feet.

THE GEISER. 143
After the eruption, the basin and caldron were about as full
as they were before.
I had now witnessed two explosions of the Geiser, and
felt amply compensated for all my watchfulness. But I
was so fortunate as to see two other outbreaks, which varied
a little from the former ones. At seven in the evening,
-the jets rose again to a greater height than at noon, throw
ing up some stones, which looked like black specks in the
frothy waters ; and on the third night the basin was filled
with waves, which tossed wildly over each other, but did
not spout up any streams into the air. The waters over
flowed the margin, and an immense mass of steam arose,
which was driven by the wind towards the spot where I
stood, and wrapped me in a thick cloud, which prevented
my seeing more than a few feet before me. I could per
ceive no odor, and felt no other inconvenience than a slight
degree of heat from the steam.
June 2%th. — This morning I was informed that one of
the princes of Holland, who had lately arrived at Reik
javick with a large suite, in a fine frigate of war, was about
to visit the Geiser, and I determined to hasten from the
place at once.
My horses were ordered at nine o'clock ; but half an
hour before my departure I had the good fortune to behold
another eruption, which was almost as fine as the first. I
went down into the basin, which was again entirely emptied,
and took leave of the Geiser at the very brink of its caldron,
which had sunk, as on the former occasion, to the depth of
six or seven feet.
During the three nights and two days which I spent in
the immediate vicinity of these wonderful springs, I watched
with the closest attention for every minute particular of

144 JOURNEY TO ICELAND.
their outbreaks, of which I saw five in all ; and I must de
clare, that the descriptions of the Geiser which I had read
in various books are by no means correct ;¦ as I never, for
instance, heard any greater uproar than what I have already
mentioned in the course of my narrative, and never felt the
least symptom of an earthquake, although during one of
the explosions I even put my ear to the ground.
It is really singular how blindly some people will re
peat what they hear ; and how others again will permit
their excited fancies to see and hear what does not actually
occur ; while not a few travellers will not scruple to add
even a downright falsehood to the tale. I met at the house
of Mr. Moller, the apothecary at Reikjavick, an officer of
the French frigate, who asserted, as an instance of what I
mean, that " he had ridden directly into the crater of Mount
Vesuvius." Doubtless he was far from suspecting there was
any one in the company who was likely to contradict him.
But nothing provokes me so much as a deliberate invention
of this nature, and I could not help asking him how he
could possibly have accomplished such a feat ; for I had
also been to Vesuvius, and was probably as reckless of
danger as he was, but I had been compelled to leave my
donkey when I reached the top of the mountain and ad
vance into the crater on foot." At this he was a little em
barrassed, and explained himself, saying he '• only meant
us to understand he had ridden nearly into the crater ;"
and yet I would wager that he has told the game story
many a time, and ended by believing it himself.
Before I take my departure from the Geiser, I must
beg the indulgence of my reader while I relate a few little
incidents which happened to me while I was there ; for such
trifles are sometimes of interest when they relate to a
country so little known, and the most correct opinion can

DISGUSTING HABITS OF THE PEOPLE. H5
often be formed of the peculiar habits of a people from very
insignificant occurrences of this nature.
I have already spoken of my drunken cicerone ; it is
still a mystery to me how he managed to conduct me in
safety over so many dangerous places ; and if he had not
been the only guide to be procured, I should have hesitated
a great while before I trusted myself to his care. After he
had put my tent in order,- he brought a pillow and blanket
to make a bed for me on the moist ground ; but, good luck
to him ! they added very little to my comfort. A small
worm crawled out of the pillow, which I seized at first as a
valuable addition to my collection of specimens ; but to my
horror, I suddenly discovered, on a closer investigation,
that it was a maggot ; and as it was soon followed by a
number of others, of course I threw the pillow and blanket
immediately out of the tent.
Cleanliness is a virtue which is absolutely unknown to
the Icelanders ; their habits are all nasty to an incredible
degree. A little girl of twelve years old, who brought my
supply of cream and fresh water while I was here, once
took the stopper from the decanter in my presence, and
after wiping the cream from it with her tongue, was on
the point of returning it to the decanter, when I prevented
her. She would often sit for hours at a time by my side, and
it sometimes happened that the vermin in her head were
rather troublesome, when she would coolly hunt them out,
and after looking at them quite composedly, very likely
throw them alive on the floor. On this point, the Green-
landers have a decided advantage, for they devour the lit
tle creatures, and put a stop at once to all danger of inheriting
them. The Icelanders are also entirely devoid of every
idea and feeling of propriety. It is perfectly impossible to
7

146 JOURNEY TO ICELAND.
relate many of the disgusting practices to which I was a
witness. I cannot believe that this people was once renowned for
its civilization, its opulence, and its valor. The Arabs and
Bedouins are far superior to the inhabitants of this island
in my opinion, in a sense of decency and refinement.
We rode to-day to Skalholt, which is six miles from the
Geiser ; for the first mile we retraced our steps over the
road by which we came, and then turning to the left, we
crossed the whole beautiful long valley which contains the
springs, whose columns of steam were visible from this side
at a distance of several miles. The road was only good
when it ran along the sides of the hills and hillocks ; in the
plain it was generally swampy and full of water, and every
trace of a path was often lost in the soft soil where we rode,
in fear of sinking in at every step.
No excuse can be made for the indolence of the Ice
land peasantry; if they would but unite and take the
trouble to drain the marshes through which we passed to
day, they would be well rewarded for their pains, as even in
their present state the swamps are well covered with grass,
which, grows luxuriantly on the declivities wherever the
waters can run off; and meadow-flowers, herbs and clover,
are also found there. On these slopes there are generally
a few cottages.
Before we reached the little hamlet of Thorfastadir,
Hecla was already visible in the distance, surrounded by
fine jokuls. Here I witnessed a funeral. When I entered
the church, I found the mourners in the act of comforting
themselves with a drink of brandy ; which is -against the
regulations, it is true, but if nobody ever broke the laws,
where would be the use of a judge ? Doubtless the Ice-

A FUNERAL. 147
landers reason thus, or they would not be guilty of such a
misdemeanor. When the priest arrived, a psalm or prayer
was screamed, under his direction, by a chosen number of
the congregation at the top of their voices, till the perform
ers became very much heated and completely out of breath ;
but as the chant was in the Icelandic tongue, I could not
understand a word of its meaning., The priest next stood
by the coffin,, which for want of room was resting on the
back of the seats, and read in a loud tone a prayer which
lasted more than half an hour. This terminated the ser
vices at the church, and the body was then borne to the
grave, which was the deepest I have ever seen. When the
coffin was lowered, earth was thrown upon it three times by
the priest, while the mourners looked on without taking
any further part in the ceremonies. I observed four skulls,
several bones, and a piece of a decayed coffin among the
earth, all of which were shovelled into the new grave and
trodden down by the assistants, when a mound was raised
and sodded at once with turf prepared for the purpose, the
whole being accomplished in an incredibly short space of
time. The little village of Skalholt, which was our destination
to-day, once claimed the same station in a religious point of
view which Thingvalla held in the political world. Here
was established the first bishoprick, after the introduction
of Christianity, in the year 1098 ; and the former church
in this village is said to have been not only large but hand
some. Skalholt is now a wretched hamlet, with a wooden
church, which could not accommodate more than a hundred
people, and two or three huts. It does not even possess a
priest of its own, but is under the spiritual care of the
pastor of Thorfastadir.

148 JOURNEY TO ICELAND.
Immediately after my arrival I was invited to examine
all that is left of the past greatness of the place ; and I
was first shown an oil painting which hangs in the church,
and is said to be a likeness of Thorlakur, the earliest
bishop of Skalholt, whose austere and pious life has caused
his memory to be held in the greatest reverence.
Preparations were then made to remove the high steps
in front of the altar, and several planks were displaced
from the floor. I looked on with great expectations, and
thought I should certainly be required to descend into the
vault where the embalmed remains of the bishop were pre
served ; and I must confess that I did not feel much elated
at the prospect, when I reflected that I was to pass the
night in the church, and perhaps directly above the saintly
skeleton. I had been already too much in the company of
the dead to-day, and could not rid myself of the foul odors
I had inhaled at Thorfastadir;* and I was therefore
greatly relieved when, instead of the supposed relic, I only
saw a marble slab, on which were inscribed, as usual, the
life, death, &c, of the saint.
An old embroidered robe was next exhibited, and a
plain gold chalice, both dating from the same period ; after
which we went down into what is called the lumber-room,
under the church, and only divided from the lower part of
it by a few boards. Here are kept the clock and organ,
when the parish happens to possess either, besides provisions
* The practice prevails in Iceland as well as in Denmark, of leaving
the dead unburied for a week ; and it is easy to imagine that when a
corpse has lain for eight days in summer in a warm, close hovel, it
requires the organs of smell of an Icelander to attend the funeral ser
vices from beginning to end without disgust ; though I will not affirm
that my feelings on that occasion were not somewhat under the con
trol of my imagination.

MYSTERIO US SLEEPING-PLA CE. 1 49
and utensils of various kinds. A good sized chest was
opened, and when some large lumps of tallow, shaped like
cheeses, had been removed, the library came to light, where
I made some interesting discoveries. Among a number of
very old books in the Iceland dialect, I came across three
thick folios which I could read with great ease, for they
were in German, and contained the doctrines, letters, epis
tles, &c, of Luther.
I had now seen every thing, and could allow myself to
bestow a little attention upon my bodily wants. I asked
for some hot water to make my coffee, when the united
population of the village immediately collectedaround the
door, where they planted themselves no doubt with the view
of increasing their knowledge of human nature by a close
study of my habits and actions. But I soon shut them out,
and prepared a delightful bed for myself on some sheep's
wool, which had attracted my attention the moment I
entered the church ; a long partition was entirely filled
with it, and here I settled myself with my pillow, and lay
on as soft and warm a couch as could be desired. In the
morning I shook up the wool, and it would ' have been im
possible to tell in what particular spot I had passed the
night. The most amusing part of this adventure was the
curiosity manifested by the community, who rushed in as
usual the next morning when I unfastened the door. The
first»question they put to each other, was : " Kvar hefur
hun sovid?" (where has she slept?) and I think they
imagined from my spending a night entirely alone in a
church, surrounded only by the dead, that I was a sor
ceress or half a ghost myself, and would have been glad to
know where such a ourious creature had been stowed away.

150 JO URNEY TO ICELAND.
When I saw their puzzled countenances I was obliged to
turn away my own face to conceal my laughter.
June 29th. — Very early the next morning I continued
my journey. At a short distance from Skalholt we came
to the river Thiorsa, a rather deep and very rapid stream,
which we crossed in a boat ; the horses swimming after us.
It is often very difficult to force these animals into such a
torrent ; they know at once that they must swim across,
and the guide and boatman cannot leave the shore till they
have been driven into the stream, when they must still be
pursued with the whip or stones, and frightened by loud
cries and noises, or they will be apt to turn about even
then. After riding for about three miles through a marshy
country we reached the fine water-fall of the Huitha, less
remarkable for its height', which is not more than fifteen or
twenty feet, than for its breadth and the volume of its
waters. The stream is divided into three distinct falls by
a few fragments of rock lying on the brink of the precipice,
which are reunited, however, a little lower down ; the bed
of the river as well as its shores are lava. The waters
foam' to such a snowy whiteness, that when the sun shines
upon them it does not require a very strong imagination to
fancy that the whole stream is milk.
A short quarter of a mile beyond this fall we crossed
the Huitha, which is one of the largest rivers in Iceland,
in a skiff. The road then led through fields, rather less
swampy than the preceding ones, to a large current of lava,
which reminded me of my near approach to the terrible
fire streams of Hecla, although I had not passed over any
part of the country, during all my travels in Iceland, so

GENERAL PR A CTICE OF KIStilNG. \ 5 )
free from lava as the distance from here to the Geiser ; and
even in this neighborhood the streams had apparently
spared many a fair meadow, frequently parting into two
branches, and leaving the smiling fields between them un
touched. But as we advanced we soon came to a region
where the destructive torrents had swept every thing before
them with irresistible violence, carrying death and annihi
lation wherever they went. Our road was painful and
laborious, in consequence of the dark sand by which the
plains were covered, and the steep hillocks which lay be
tween them, till we reached the little village of Struvellix,
where we stopped and allowed our poor animals to rest for
a few hours.
Here we met a great assemblage of men and horses.*
It was Sunday, and being a bright, warm morning, divine
service was very numerously attended in the handsome
church. When it was over I saw a pleasant country scene.
The people streamed from the church — I counted ninety-
six, an extraordinary multitude for Iceland, — and separat
ing into groups, they chatted and laughed, not forgetting to
moisten their throats occasionally with a little brandy, of
which they had, of course, a stock on hand. They then
collected their horses, and a general leave-taking began ;
kisses rained on all sides, as if the poor creatures could
not feel sure of ever meeting again.
All over Iceland the universal mode of salutation, at
meeting and parting, is a loud kiss — a practice which is far
from agreeable to the non-resident who allows his eyes to
glance at the hideous dirty faces, the snuffy noses of the
old, and the  of the children. But all this is dis
regarded by the Icelander. On the present occasion the
* Every one rides in Iceland. '

152 JOURNEY TO ICELAND.
priest was kissed by every individual of his congregation,
and he embraced each one of them in, return; they then
kissed one another, without any regard to sex or station ;
and I was not a little astonished to see my guide, who was
a common countryman, salute half a dozen daughters of
the Sysselmann,* or the wife and children of the pastor,
or the Sysselmann, the priest or the Provostt himself, and
to find his greeting most cordially returned by them all.
Every country has its customs.
The ceremonies at the church usually begin about noon,
and last two or three hours. The animation at breaking
up is owing to the fact of there being no inn nor stable
to put up the horses, which are always left in the open air.
When the service was over I went to see the priest,
Mr. Horfuson, who was so good as to offer to bear me com
pany for a few miles to the village of Salsun, in order to
inquire for a guide to conduct me to Mount Hecla. I was
particularly glad to have him with me on account of a
dangerous and rapid stream we were to pass, which was so
deep that it reached to the breasts of our horses ; and
although we held our feet as high as we could, they were
thoroughly wet before we reached the opposite shore.
This is as disagreeable an incident as can be well ima
gined ; the horse swims rather than walks, and his gait
produces a most unpleasant sensation. I did not know
where to look ; if my eyes fell on the river it made me
dizzy, and if on the shores it was not much better, for they
seemed to be in motion in consequence of the horse's being
* The officer who collects the royal revenues and superintends the
affairs of the crown in the particular syssel, or district, under his
jurisdiction. f A dignitary in the church, who has the charge of one of the
ecclesiastical districts into which the diocese of Iceland is divided.

APPROACH TO HEOLA. I53
carried away by the force of the current. To my great
comfort the priest did not leave me, and rode close by my
side to hold- me up if I should lose my seat. Fortunately
I stood this fiery — no — this watery trial ; and when we had
reached the other bank, Mr. H. made me observe how far
we had been borne by the stream from the place where we
started. The valley in which lie Salsun and Hecla contains the
most conspicuous contrasts, and offers one of those pictures
which are only to be seen in Iceland. On one hand are
beautiful fields spread with herbage of a velvet green ; and
on the other, hills of black and shining lava. The mea
dows are traversed by lava-streams and patches of sand.
Hecla is known to pour forth the blackest lava and the
blackest sand ; and as every thing we now saw had flowed
from that one source, it is easy to imagine how singular
must have been the effect. A single hill to the left was
of a shade of brown, and entirely covered with sand and
lava of the same color ; it is very much sunken in at the
centre, and seems to have been once a mighty crater.
Hecla itself is inclosed in a circle of lava-hills, and
towers high above them all. It is surrounded by several
glaciers, whose dazzling snow-fields extend to a great dis
tance, and have never been trod by a human foot. Several
of the side-walls are also covered with snow. On the left
of the valley near Salsun, and at the foot of a hill, is a
pretty lake, on whose shores reposed a flock of sheep. Not
far from thence is a fine hill perfectly solitary and severed
from the rest, as if it were banished and discarded by its
neighbors. The whole of this landscape is completely
Icelandic, and so peculiar and striking that it will be im
pressed for ever upon my recollection.
The little village of Salsun lies at the foot of the first
7*

154 JOURNEY TO ICELAND.
rise which leads to Hecla ; but it was not in sight till we
were very near it. When we arrived there my first step
was to secure a guide, and make every preparation to
ascend the mountain. The guide was to find a horse for
me, and accompany my former coiiductor and myself, for
which service he demanded the outrageous price of five dol
lars and two marks, or in our money five florins and twenty
kreuzers,* CM; reckoning his own trouble to be worth
five florins, and only counting twenty kreuzers for the
horse. I am sure he could live a month on the former
sum. But what could I do 1 There was no other guide
to be had, and he knew it well ; so I was obliged to accede
to his terms. When it was all settled my kind protector
took his leave, wishing me good luck in my difficult en
terprise. I then looked about me for a place to spend the night.
Alas ! my only choice was a loathsome hole containing a
chest somewhat shorter than myself, which was to be my
bedstead ; and near it hung a half-spoiled fish, which had
already so poisoned the air of the room that I could hardly
breathe, and was fain to leave the door ajar, although by
so doing I appeared to encourage the inroads of the inhab
itants, who flocked as usual to look at me. Truly a de
lightful preparation against the fatigues of the morrow !
The whole region at the foot of Hecla, and especially
at this place, appears to be undermined, and the heavy foot
steps of the peasants were echoed in hollow, menacing
tones, such as I had never heard at Vesuvius or any where
else. These sounds appeared very awful to me when I was
alone at night, shut up in my dark retreat.
My Hecla guide— I call him so to distinguish him from
* Two dollars and fifty-six cents. —Tr.

ASCENT OF MO UNT HECLA. \ 55
the one who had accompanied me from Reikjavick — an
nounced to me that we must be off by two o'clock. I
readily agreed, though I felt very certain that it would be
five before we were on our way ; and so it proved. In fact
it was past six when we were completely ready to set out.
Besides a store of bread and cheese, a bottle of water for
myself and one of brandy for the guide, we also provided
ourselves with long sticks, ending in a sharp iron point,
which we were to lean upon and use to sound the snow
before we ventured to tread on it.
It was a beautiful warm morning, and we galloped
gayly over the meadows and the adjacent sand plains. This
fine weather was considered a very favorable omen by my
guide, who told me that Mr. Geimard, the French natu
ralist already mentioned, had been delayed three days by a
storm before he could ascend the mountain ; this was nine
years ago, and no one had made the attempt since that
time. A Danish prince who travelled through Iceland a
few years since, had been here indeed, but for some unex
plained reason he had left the place without undertaking to
visit Hecla
The road led at first, as I have already said, through
rich fields, and then across the patches of black sand which
are surrounded on all sides by streams, hills and hillocks
of lava, whose fearful masses gradually approach each
other, and frequently afford no other passage than a narrow
defile, where we scrambled over the blocks and piles with
scarcely a spot to rest our feet. The lava rolled around
and behind us, and it was necessary to be constantly on the
watch to prevent ourselves from stumbling or to avoid com
ing in contact with the rolling rocks. But the danger was
even greater in tHe gorges filled with snow already softened
by the heat of the season ; where we frequently broke

156 JOURNEY TO ICELAND.
through, or what was worse, slid backwards at every step
almost as far as we had advanced. I do not believe there
is another mountain in the world whose ascent offers as
many difficulties as this one.
After a toilsome struggle of three hours and a half we
reached the place where it became necessary to leave the
horses behind ; which I should have done long before, as I
felt compassion for" the poor animals, if my Hecla guide
would have allowed it ; but he maintained that there were
still spots where we might need them, and advised me,
moreover, to ride as long as possible in order to reserve
my strength for what was still before me. And he was
right ; I hardly think I could have completed the whole
distance on foot ; for when I thought I had attained the
last peak, I still found streams and hillocks between me
and my goal, which seemed constantly more remote than
ever. My guide assured me that he had never led any one
so far on horseback, and I readily believe it. The walking
was already horrible — but to ride was fearful !
From every height new scenes of the most melancholy
desolation appeared in sight ; the whole prospect was rigid
and inanimate, and burnt", black lava was spread around us
wherever we looked. It was not without a painful sensa
tion that I gazed about me, and saw nothing but the im
measurable chaos of this stonny desert.
We had still three heights to climb ; they were the
last, but also the most perilous. The road led abruptly
over the rocks by which the whole summit of the mountain
was covered ; I had more falls than I could count, and
frequently tore my hands on the sharp points of lava. It
was, to be sure, a terrible expedition.
The dazzling whiteness of the snow was almost blinding
contrasted with the shining black lava along side of it.

HECLA. I57
When I had to cross a field of snow I did not venture to
look at the lava, for I had tried it once and could hardly
see in consequence. I was snow blind.
At last the summit was attained, after two more hours
of laborious climbing, and I stood upon the highest peak of
Hecla ; but I looked in vain for a crater — there was no
trace of any to be found ; at which I was all the more as
tonished, as I had read minute accounts of it in several
books of travels.
I walked around the whole summit of the mountain,
and clambered to the jokul which lies next to it, but still I
saw no opening or crevice, no sunken wall, or any sign
whatever, in fact, of a crater. Much lower down on the
sides of the mountain I found some wide rents and chinks,
from whence the streams of lava must have flowed. The
height of this mountain is said to be 4,300 feet.
The sun had been obscured during the last hour of our
ascent, and thick clouds now rushed down upon us from
the neighboring glaciers, which concealed the whole pros
pect from our sight, and prevented our distinguishing any
thing for more than ten paces before us. After awhile they
dissolved, fortunately not in rain, but in snow, which soon
covered the dark, crisp lava with large and innumerable
flakes ; they did not melt, and the thermometer showed 1°
of cold.* Gradually the clear and inimitable blue of the heavens
reappeared, and the sun once more rejoiced us with his
presence. I remained on the top of the mountain till the
clouds had opened in the distance and afforded a welcome
and extensive view, which I fear my pen is much too feeble
to describe. I despair of conveying to my readers a dis-
* 29}° Fahrenheit.— TV.

158 JOURNEY TO ICELAND.
tinct idea of the immense waste which lay displayed before
me, with its accumulated masses of lava, and its peculiar
appearance of lifeless desolation. I seemed to stand in the
midst of an exhausted fire. The blocks were piled in heaps
above each other, till they formed high hills ; the valleys
were choked by vast streams of rock, whose length and
breadth I was not able to distinguish, although the course
of the last eruption could be plainly traced among them.
I was surrounded by the most dreadful ravines, caves,
streams, hills and valleys ; I could hardly understand how
I had reached this point, and was seized with a feeling of
horror at the thought which forced itself upon me, that
perhaps I might never be able to find my way out of this
terrible labyrinth of ruin.
Here, on the highest peak of Hecla, I could look down
far and wide upon the uninhabited land, — the image of a
torpid nature, passionless, inanimate, — and yet sublime ;
an image which once seen can never be forgotten, and the
remembrance of which will prove an ample compensation
for all the toils and difficulties I had endured. A whole
world of glacie»s, mountains of lava, fields of snow and ice,
rivers and miniature lakes, were included in that magnifi
cent prospect ; and the foot of man had never yet ventured
within those regions of gloom and solitude. What must
have been the fury of the resistless element which has pro
duced all these effects ! And is its rage now silenced for
ever — will it be satisfied with the ruin it has worked — or
does it only slumber like the hundred-headed Hydra, to
burst forth anew with redoubled strength, and lay waste
those few cultivated spots which are already scattered so
sparingly throughout the land ? I thank my God that he
has allowed me to see this chaos of his creation ; and I
doubly thank him that my lot was cast in those fair plains

HECLA. I59
where the sun does more than divide the day from the
night ; where it warms and animates plants and animals,
and excites the heart of man to happiness and gratitude
towards his Maker.*
The Westmann Islands, which are said to be distinctly
visible from Hecla, must have been hidden by the clouds
when I was there, for I could not perceive them at all. On
our way up the mountain, I had frequently displaced the
lava, either involuntarily when I fell, or purposely, in hopes
of discovering some traces of heat ; but I was never suc
cessful in finding any spot which was even warm. The
snow was a great annoyance to me, as it interfered with my
researches on this point. Neither did I see any smoke,
although my whole attention was fixed on the mountain for
several hours, and from its summit I could overlook all
that lay beneath me.
On our way down, I found that the snow had not melted
for the first five or six hundred feet. Below that distance
the whole hill was smoking, which I attributed to the sud
den re-appearance of the sun, as my thermometer now
showed 9°" of heat. f I carefully examined the side of the
* I cannot refrain from mentioning here a singular coincidence
which occurred to me during my travels. In the year 1842, when I
was at the foot of Etna, I found its dangerous crater at rest ; and it
was not till some months afterwards that it blazed up with new vio
lence. On my return to Reikjavick, I jestingly remarked that it
would be singular if this Etna of the North should now pour forth
another eruption ; and I had not been gone from Iceland five weeks
before such an event actually occurred, and it broke out with greater
fury than ever. This was the more remarkable, as there had been no
eruption for eighty years, and Hecla had long been regarded as an ex
hausted crater. "Were I to find my way back to Iceland, I fear I
should be received as a " bad prophetess," and it might go hard with
me in consequence.
f 52}° Fahrenheit— Tr.

160 JOURNEY TO ICELAND.
mountain and satisfied myself that the smoke did not pro
ceed from fire, as the soil was cold wherever it was seen.
That peculiar glossy, coal-black, shining lava, which is
never porous, is only found at Hecla and in its immediate
vicinity ; but the other varieties, jagged, porous and vitri
fied, are also seen there, though they are always black, as
well as the sand which covers one side of the mountain.
As the distance from this volcano increases, the lava loses
that remarkable jet-like color, and assumes a shade re
sembling an iron-gray, or perhaps a little lighter, though it
sometimes retains the gloss and brilliancy of the black.
After a very fatiguing descent, I reached Salsun again,
having been absent twelve hours ; and I was on the point
of returning, somewhat .discouraged, to my former quarters,
shuddering at the thought of spending another night there,
when my guide surprised me by inquiring if I did not
wish to ride back to Struvellix to-day ? The horses were
sufficiently rested, and there I might find a comfortable
room in the house of the priest. Quick as thought, every
thing was gathered together, and in a few minutes I was
on horseback again. When I rode up to the Rangaa, I
crossed it this second time without the least alarm, al
though I had no longer a protector by my side. Such
is our nature ; dangers once passed have no longer the
power to terrify us ; we meet them with scarcely a thought,
and are only surprised to remember how much uneasiness
we may have suffered at first.
Near this river I observed a very wonderful spectacle ;
no less than five small trees standing together in a meadow.
Their stems were crooked and knotty, it is true, but they
were about five or six feet high, and perhaps four or five
inches in diameter.
My guide was right in assuring me that I should find a

CONVERSATION IN DANISH. 161
nice little room and a good bed at the parsonage. Mr.
Horfuson is one of the most worthy men I have ever known ;
he took the greatest pains to gratify me, and go beyond my
wishes in every respect. I owe him my particular thanks
for several minerals, and an Iceland book dating from the
year 1601. May he be rewarded for all his kindness to me.
July 1st. — We now returned to the river Huitha, and
were ferried across, when our road branched off in a new
direction, through beautiful valleys, generally overgrown
with grass, which was unfortunately mixed up with so much
moss, that these great plains do not afford any good forage,
and can only boast of the merit of offering an agreeable
variety to the eye of the traveller. They are free from
marshes, however, and dry throughout.
The valley in which lies Hjalmholm, whither we turned
our steps to-day, is traversed by a great lava-stream, which
has been so considerate as not to choke up the whole plain,
but allows a space for a pretty little rivulet, called the
Elvas, and a few meadows and eminences, the latter being
the site of an unusual number of huts. In fact, this valley
was the most populous of any I had yet seen in Iceland.
Hjalmholm is situated on one of the heights. The
Sysselmann of the Rangaarsyssel has his residence here,
which was the largest and handsomest house I had seen
since I had left Reikjavick. I was most kindly and hos
pitably received by his daughters, he himself being absent
in attendance at the Althing, which was then assembled at
the capital.
We chatted and talked a great deal. I endeavored to
make as grand a display as possible of my knowledge of
the Danish language, and probably committed a great many
ridiculous blunders, for my young companions often found

162 JOURNEY TO ICELAND.
it rather difficult to command their countenances. But I
did not allow myself to be disconcerted, and generally
joined in the laugh ; I produced the vocabulary which was
my constant companion, and conversed more fluently than
ever. My personal appearance, I regret to say, was not
calculated to convey a very favorable idea of the attractions
of my countrywomen, upon whose mercy I must throw my
self, assuring them that no one could deplore the circum
stance more sincerely than I did. But our worthy mother
Nature is apt to deal rather spitefully with persons of my
age, and sets a terrible example to youth in that respect ;
instead of the regard and consideration we might with
reason expect from her, she usually sides with the young
folks, and gives the advantage to every child of sixteen
years old over us venerable matrons. And this was not all ;
the keen air and the rough winds, to which I had constantly
been exposed of late, had made sad havoc with my face, which
was more disfigured than it had ever been by the glowing
heat of the East. I was very brown, my lips were chapped,
and my nose was just beginning to rebel against its un
natural color, and being bent apparently on possessing a
new and tender skin of dazzling white, it was in the act of
shedding its old covering piecemeal.
I was only redeemed in the eyes of my young hostesses
by accidentally shoving back my hair rather farther than
usual, when a lighter spot made its appearance, and they
all exclaimed as if with one voice : " Hun er quit !" (she is
white). I could not help laughing, and drew up my sleeve
to prove to them that I did not actually belong to the Arab
race. I was not a little surprised myself at a discovery which
I made in this house. While I was rummaging the book
shelves of the Sysselmann, I found there Rotteck's Uni-

RIDE TO REIKUM. 163
versal History, a German dictionary, and several poems
and other writings by different German authors.
July 2d. — We had as little variety in our road to-day
as on a former occasion from Kalmannstunga to Thing
valla ; then we rode through continued fields of lava, and
here we saw nothing but morasses ; we had hardly left one
behind when another presented itself before us. Still, even
this marshy district was not entirely free from lava, and
little patches of that rock occasionally rose like islets from
the surrounding bogs.
The prospect was gradually becoming less confined ; the
glaciers disappeared from our view, and the high hills to
wards the left sank in the distance to the rank of hillocks,
while those in our immediate neighborhood no longer ex
ceeded that height. After a ride of about two miles, we
crossed the Elvas, a tolerably full stream, in a boat, and
thence traced our careful steps over a narrow and very long
dike, leading across a meadow which is entirely under
water. Had we met a traveller here, I really do not know
what we should have done, for it is equally dangerous to
turn back or descend into the morass. Fortunately, one
never meets any thing in Iceland.
We then skirted the dark lava-hills and hillocks for
several miles ; the rocks on these eminences are loose and
tottering, and many a colossal fragment lay in the fields
below, which must have been precipitated from their
heights ; while others looked as if on the verge of rushing
down, though we accomplished this dangerous pass without
being eye-witnesses to such a spectacle.
I frequently heard a dull rumbling in the hills, which
sounded to me at first so much like distant thunder, that I
looked round at the horizon in the expectation of behold-

164 JOURNEY TO ICELAND.
ing the lightning and some threatening clouds ; but nothing
of the kind was to be seen, and I then decided that the
hollow sounds must have their origin very near me, and
most probably in the hills.
The high range to the left fades gradually from the
prospect, and the river Elvas expands and parts into so
many branches, that it bears a likeness to a large lake with
a great number of islands, before it empties itself into the
sea, which was now in sight.
The valley of Reikum, like that of Reikholt, is the seat
of a great many hot springs, which lie together in the plain,
or among the heights, within a circumference of half a
mile. When we had reached Reikum, I ordered my few
effects to be immediately deposited in the church, and en
gaged a guide to conduct me at once to these boiling foun
tains. I found that although very numerous, there were
but two worthy of my attention, and those two were among
the most remarkable sources of this kind in the world.
One is called the little Geiser, and the other the Arched
Spring. The former has a caldron about three feet in (Mameter ;
the water boils violently at the depth of two or three feet,
and remains within those bounds till it begins to leap, when
it throws up a full stream, from twenty to forty feet into
the air.
I was not obliged to watch here as long as I had done
at the great Geiser, but was so fortunate as to witness a
fine eruption, at half-past eight o'clock, on the very evening
of my arrival. It lasted for some time, and was tolerably
uniform, the jet only sinking occasionally to be thrown up
again with greater power than before. It did not subside
entirely in the caldron for forty minutes. The stones we
threw in were either rejected immediately, or else shivered

THE ARCHED SPRING. 165
to fragments and cast up, at the end of a few seconds, to
the height of twelve or fifteen feet. The column may have
been from a foot to a foot and a half in diameter. My
guide assured me that more than three explosions of this
spring never occurred within the twenty-four hours, and
consequently they do not happen every few minutes, as I
had read in some book. I remained on the spot till mid
night, and saw no other "outbreak. This spring may be
aptly compared to the Strokker, with the single difference,
that in the latter the water sinks much deeper into the
caldron. The otherremarkable fountain, called the Arched Spring,
is not far from the little Geiser, on the slope of a hill which
we were obliged to climb. I have never seen such an ex
traordinary basin to any spring ; it possesses no caldron,
but lies half open in a little , grotto divided into various
holes and cavities, and nearly surrounded by a circular
wall, which gently leans above it for about two feet, and
then rises perpendicularly for ten or twelve more. The
spring is hardly ever at rest for a moment ; it rises rapidly,
boils and throws up a thick spout, which dashes against the
inclined wall and is scattered, before it streams up into the
air, like an arched and outstretched fan. The height of
this wonderful column is about twelve feet, and it describes
an arc of fifteen or twenty feet, its breadth being perhaps
from three to eight. The period of the eruption is often
lorger than that of repose, and when it is over the waters
• .ways sink for a few seconds into the cavity, affording a
short glimpse of its conformation. But they soon mount
again into the basin or grotto, boil, and are thrown up into
another jet.
I lingered for more than an hour at this wonderful

166 JOURNEY TO ICELAND.
spring, which is entirely peculiar of its kind, and afforded
me far more pleasure than the little Geiser.
There is still another, bearing the name of the roaring
Geiser, which is nothing but an irregular hole, where the
waters are heard to boil though they are never seen. The
noise is quite insignificant.
July 3c?. — Near Reikum we crossed the little rivulet
which receives all these springs, where it forms a pretty
fall. We then went up a hill in the neighborhood, and rode,
for at least three miles, in an elevated plain, presenting in
itself a very monotonous aspect, being entirely covered with
waves of lava, but affording a varied and delightful pros-
feet of the land and sea ; and as the latter lay stretched
out before me, I saw — what the clouds had invidiously
concealed from my eyes at Hecla — a fine range of hills in
the distance, which I knew to be the Westmann Islands.
A few small houses lay at our feet, forming the little har
bor of Eierbach, not far from whence the Elvas flows into
the sea.
At the extremity of this table-land was a valley filled
with lava, of that black and jagged kind which produces so
very singular an effect ; it traversed the plain in a mighty
current, and presented the appearance of a black lake shut
in from the ocean by a ridge of the same color. ,
We went on our way through this dark valley over
fragments of rock, and patches of snow, through valleys and
gorges, lava-fields and meadow-flats, by blackened hills and
hillocks, till we reached Reikjavick, my head-quarters
during my residence in Iceland.
The whole country between the capital and Reikum, a
distance of ten miles (German),* is perfectly uninhabited ;
* Ninety English miles. — Tr.

ANIMATED SCENE. 167
the only sign of life being the little pyramids of lava-stones
piled up in the fields, to point out the road to the traveller ;
and two sheds erected at different stations as a refuge dur
ing a winter journey. We met with a great many living
creatures on this road, however, frequently passing cara
vans of fifteen or twenty horses. It was now July, and
that month is the great period for trade and traffic in Ice
land. The country people then flock to Reikjavick from a
distance of twenty miles or more in order to sell their
produce, and provide themselves with the necessaries of
life. The merchants and factors are hardly able to attend
to them all ; they have not hands enough to barter their
goods or settle the accounts, which are often wound up
for a year on such occasions.
An unparalleled degree of animation prevails at Reikja
vick during this busy season. Numerous groups of men
and horses are every where to be seen. Wares are loading
or unloading in one direction ; and friends who have not
met for a year or longer, are embracing in another. Some
are taking their leave and others striking their tents ;*
here children are scuffling and tumbling about, and there
staggers a drunkard, whose fruitless attempts to mount his
horse you watch with some anxiety, expecting at every
moment to see him roll over on the ground.
Unfortunately this life and excitement lasts but five
or six days ; the hay-harvest is at hand for the farmers, and
the merchant must hasten to put order in his affairs and
freight his ships, that he may sail for his distant haven be
fore the gales of the autumnal equinox set in.
* Every countryman, in tolerable circumstances, who absents him
self from his own house for a few days, carries a little tent with him
which he sets up wherever he may happen to stop. These tents are
not more than three feet high, five or six feet long and three feet wide.

168 JOURNEY TO ICELAND.
From Reikjavick to Thingvalla, 10 miles.
From Thingvalla to the Geiser, 8 "
From the Geiser to Skalholt, 6 "
From Skalholt to Salsun, 8 "
From Salsun to Struvellix, 2 "
From Struvellix to Hjalmholm, 6 "
From Hjalmholm to Reikum, 1 "
From Reikum to Reikjavick, 10 "
57 miles.*

FURTHER OBSERVATIONS UPON ICELAND AND ITS
INHABITANTS. «
During my travels in Iceland I had naturally many
opportunities of becoming familiarly acquainted with the
manners and habits of its people. I must confess that I
was disposed to form a high opinion of the peasantry. . I
had read in the histories of the country that the inhabit
ants of this island had wandered from enlightened lands,
whose science and civilization they had carried with them
to the bleak shores of their new home ; and from the stress
laid by the earlier travellers upon the simple and friendly
manners of the people, and their truly patriarchal mode of
life, as well as from the well-known facts that every pea
sant in Iceland can read and write, and that no hut is with
out the Bible, and generally possesses other works of a re
ligious character, I was naturally inclined to regard the
nation as one of the most refined and intellectual in Europe.
These advantages seemed to be sufficiently secured by the
* Two hundred and fifty-six and a half English miles. — Tr.

CHARACTER OF THE ICELANDERS. 169
solitary lives of the Icelanders, the poverty of their soil, and
their slight intercourse with foreigners. They have no large
towns to furnish opportunities for extravagance and display,
or offer temptations to crime. Strangers rarely find their
way to the island, whose rude climate, sterility, and remote
situation, present so many obstacles to the traveller, while
its sublime and peculiar scenery does not compensate for
the want of those advantages which generally draw the
crowd. I believed, therefore, that I should find Iceland, as far
as its population was concerned, a perfect Arcadia ; and re
joiced in my inmost soul at the thought of being an eye
witness to the primitive and pastoral state of things which
prevailed there. When I first landed I was so overjoyed
that I could have pressed every person I met to my heart ;
but alas ! the scales soon fell from my eyes, and every
thing struck me in a very different light.
I have often grieved over my own want of imagination,
a conspicuous trait in my character, which always dooms
me to see things in a much more prosaic light than other
travellers. I will not affirm that I am never wrong, but I
possess at least the merit of stating what I have seen ex
actly as it appeared to me, and not embellishing my tale
with the inventions of others.
The want of courtesy and unfriendliness of the so-called
" better classes," I have already alluded to. Of them I
soon lost my preconceived good opinion ; and I next
turned my attention to the working people about Reik
javick. The proverb which says, "point d'argent, point
de Suisse," may be applied with equal propriety to the peo
ple of this country. Never was there a truer word than
" no money, no Icelander."
It was hardly known, for instance, that a stranger had

170 JOURNEY TO ICELAND.
arrived than I was assailed by a crowd of persons offering
for sale the commonest kind of specimens, such as can be
found any where ; for which a high price was always asked.
At first I bought a great many of them from pure com
passion, or to get rid of my pursuers, and generally threw
them away again immediately ; but I was soon compelled
to stop making purchases, or I should have been besieged
at all hours by a throng of every age and sex. It was not
with their wish to earn money by such an easy process
that I found so much fault, but the effrontery with which
they tried to impose upon me by exacting the highest price.
For a beetle, that could be picked up under any stone,
they would ask five kreuzers, C. M.,* the same for a snail,
when thousands were lying about the coasts ; and for a
common bird's egg, ten or twelve kreuzers. t It is true
they would often take off two thirds of the price, if they
found I refused to buy ; but this did not raise them much
in my estimation, or go to prove that they were more than
usually honest. The baker, at whose house I lived, men
tioned to me a striking instance of the national covetous-
ness. He had hired a poor day-laborer to spread a coat
of tar. over his house. In the midst of his work the man
had a chance to do another job, and without considering it
worth while to ascertain if it were convenient for the baker
to spare him for a few days, he went off, and did not return
for a week to finish what he had begun, this conduct being
all the more inexcusable as Mr. Bernhoft was in the habit
of supplying his children twice a week with bread, and often
gave them, butter too.
I had the good fortune to experience something of the
same nature myself. Mr.' Knudson had engaged a guide
* Four cents,— Tr. \ Eight or ten cents. — Tr.

THEIR TRUSTWORTHINESS. 171
for me, and one of my excursions was to begin in a few
days, when the Stiftsamtmann, wishing to make a journey
at the same time, sent for my conductor, who immediately
agreed to accompany him, in the expectation of rather
higher wages. He did not even take the trouble to come
and make his excuses to me, but merely sent me word the
day before I intended to set off, that he was sick and could
not go with me. I could relate innumerable instances of
the same kind, which are by no means creditable to the
Icelanders. But I still allowed myself to think that I should meet
with greater simplicity and uprightness in the more remote
regions I was about to visit, and looked "forward with great
satisfaction to my journey into the interior of the island.
Here I found much that was praiseworthy, it is true, but,
sad to relate, the dark side of the picture was also very
conspicuous, and I am compelled to acknowledge»that the
Iceland peasantry, upon the whole, are far from being wor
thy to be held up as models.
The most pre-eminent of their good qualities is their
trustworthiness. I could leave my things lying about
any where, for hours at a time, and never missed the least
trifle. They never touched any thing that belonged to me
themselves, nor suffered their children to do so. On this
point they are so conscientious that when a countryman
comes from a distance, and wishes to enter a hut, he will
not fail to knock at the door even if it be open. If no one
says " come in," he goes off again without offering to in
trude. It would be perfectly safe to sleep here without
either bar or bolt.
Crimes are of such rare occurrence in the country that
the building erected for a jail at Reikjavick has long
been converted into a residence for the Stiftsamtmann (or

172 JOURNEY TO ICELAND.
governor.) Small misdemeanors are punished at once
either at the capital or wherever the Sysselmann may hap
pen to be sitting. Great criminals are sent to Copenhagen
to be tried and punished there.
My landlord at Reikjavick, Mr. Bernhoft, informed me
that during the thirteen years he had spent in Iceland,
only one great crime had been committed. A married
peasant, having become the father of an illegitimate child
by his servant maid, had burnt the infant immediately after
its birth. The small offences generally consist in cattle
stealing. As for the information possessed by the Icelanders, I
was struck with astonishment to find, that almost without
an exception, they could read and write ; though the latter
accomplishment is rather more uncommon among the
female sex, than with the men. These last, as well as the
boys, often write firm, good hands. Books I found where-
ever I went ; at least the Bible, and often poems and tales ;
some of which are in the Danish tongue.
Their understandings are generally very good. When
I unrolled my map they would look at it intelligently, and
apparently form a tolerably correct idea of its use. Their
acquirements are all the more surprising when it is remem
bered that every father of a family instructs his own chil
dren as well as the orphans of his neighborhood. This takes
place during the long winters, which last eight months of
the year, and are consequently quite sufficient for the pur
poses of education.
There is but one school in the island, at Bessestadt
(which was removed in 1846 to Reikjavick). Boys only
are received at this establishment who can read and write.
They can go through a course of preparatory instruction for
the priesthood or the bar ; but those who choose the latter

SCHOOLS. 173
profession, as well as the future physicians, apothecaries,
or Sysselmanns, must finish their studies in Copenhagen.
In addition to the theological course, geometry,' geo
graphy, and history are also taught at this institution, as
well as several languages, such as Latin and Danish ; and
since the year 1846, also French and German.
The principal occupation of the Iceland peasantry con
sists in the fisheries, which are conducted with the greatest
activity during the months of February, March and April.
The people from the interior then crowd the harbors and
enter into a bargain with the dwellers on the coast, who are
the fishermen proper, to help them for a share of the profits.
The fisheries are also carried on at other seasons, but gene
rally by the coast population. During the months of July
and August many of the latter go in their turn to the in
land country, and lend their services 'during the haying
time, for which they are paid in butter, wool, and salted
lamb: Others resort to the mountains and gather the Ice
land moss, which they use as a decoction, mixed with
milk ; or they sometimes grind it to meal and make un-
raised cakes with it, which serve them in lieu of bread.
The labors of the female sex consist in preparing the fish
for drying, smoking, or salting ; in attending to the cattle,
in knitting and collecting moss. Both men and women
knit during the winter season.
The hospitality for which the Icelanders "are so cele
brated has been greatly overrated, in my opinion, as I do
not consider them entitled to much credit on that score.
It is true that the priests and peasants will readily receive
any traveller from Europe, and entertain him to the best
of their abilities. But they are well aware that neither
adventurers nor beggars are likely to intrude upon them,
and feel pretty sure that they will be well paid for their

1 74 JO URNEY TO ICELAND.
trouble. The compensation I offered on such occasions was
always received, without the least hesitation, by peasant
and priest ; though I must mention, to the credit of the
latter, that I found them universally obliging and disposed
to be of use ; they always appeared perfectly contented with
my presents, and their demands, when I employed their
horses on any of my excursions, were very moderate. Not
so with the peasants; whose charges were exorbitant in
those parts of the country where a traveller is rarely seen.
For ferrying me across a river they usually asked
twenty or thirty kreuzers,* and then only myself and the
guide were rowed over in a skiff; our horses were obliged to
swim. The guide who accompanied me to Hecla demanded
five florins and twenty kreuzers, and seemed to be confer
ring a great favor upon me at that. He knew that I had
no choice, and I was not likely to turn back for such a
cause. From all these facts it must be admitted that the Ice
land character is not remarkably disinterested, and that
the people here know just as well how to take advantage of
the traveller as the landlords and servants on the Con
tinent. One great passion of the Icelanders is drinking ; they
would be much better off if they were only a little less
partial to brandy, and rather more industrious. But it is
horrible to think what deep root this vice has taken here.
Not only on Sundays, but often during the week, I met
with countrymen so drunk that I could not understand how
they managed to keep their seats on horseback ; but, thank
Heaven ! I did not see a single woman in that condition.
Snuff-taking is another of their master-passions ; and
* From sixteen to twenty-four cents. — Tr.

SNUFF-TAKING. 175
this habit seems to have as great a charm for them as
smoking has with us. They also chew incessantly. Their
manner of taking snuff is so peculiar that I must be for
given for describing it. Most of the peasants, and even
many of the priests, have no boxes, but they make use in
stead of a piece of bone, turned in the shape of a little
powder-horn ; and when they wish to indulge themselves in
a pinch, they throw back their heads, and putting the point
of the horn to their nostril, shake out the snuff; and these
genuine sons of nature are so little fastidious that they fre
quently exchange horns from nose to nose, without consider
ing it at all necessary to wipe or cleanse them in any way.
Upon the whole, I doubt if the Icelanders can claim to
be much in advance of the Greenlanders, Esquimaux, or
Laplanders, in point of cleanliness. I am sure the sto
machs of my gentle readers would be turned were I to re
late half of what took place directly under my eyes while
I was in that country ; and I should lay myself open to
the charge of deliberate exaggeration, besides ; but I defy
the most powerful imagination to conceive any thing in the
way of filth and disgusting practices, which I have not
witnessed in an Iceland household.
In addition to these unenviable characteristics, they are ex
traordinarily lazy. There are many extensive meadow-lands,
at a little distance from the coast, completely covered with
bog, which can only be crossed with the greatest caution.
and for which the people are more in fault than the soil.
A few ditches would drain the fields, and excellent grass
would spring up in abundance ; for it is well proved that
such will grow in Iceland, as the little eminences which rise
above the swamps are luxuriously overgrown with forage,
herbs, and wild clover. I also saw many places where the
earth seemed of an excellent quality, and others where it
was mixed with sand.

176

JOURNEY TO ICELAND.

I often conversed on this subject with a gentleman by
the name of Boge, who has resided in Iceland for forty
years, and possesses no little knowledge of husbandry. Of
him I inquired, if by labor and industry it were not possi
ble to cultivate the fields and meadows to much greater
advantage ; and he not only assented, but thought good
potato-fields, as well as fine pasture grounds, might be ob
tained if the people were not so thoroughly inactive as to
endure hunger, and deny themselves every luxury in the
shape of cleanliness and comfort, rather than acquire it by
work. What nature freely yields must suffice ; to force
any thing from her never occurs to them. I only wish I
could see a few German peasants settled here, and things
would soon look very differently.
The north side of the island is said to afford the best
soil. Potatoes grow there, and also a few trees, which
reach the height of seven or eight feet, without any par
ticular pains or culture. Mr. Boge, who lived in that part
of the country for thirty years, had set out a few sorb-apple
and pear trees, which even grew to the height of sixteen
feet. In this northern region, the principal occupation is
breeding cattle, particularly in the interior, where some of
the farmers own three or four hundred sheep, ten or fifteen
cows, and a dozen horses. ' Not many are in such flourish
ing circumstances, it is true ; but as a general thing, they
are better off than the miserable population of the coast,
who have to contend with an indifferent soil, and are, more
over, almost entirely engaged in the fisheries.
Before I take my leave of Iceland, I must relate a
wonderful circumstance which I heard from a great many
different quarters, and which is received as the truth not

MYSTERIOUS TRIBE. 177
only by the country people, but by those who are considered
the well-informed classes of the community.
It is affirmed that the inland and inhospitable regions
of this island are not, as is generally supposed, uninhabited,
but that a singular race resides there, who are acquainted
with all the pathways among these barren wastes. They
are savages who hold no intercourse with their countrymen,
excepting in the month of July, when they present them
selves for a day at one of the harbors, where they lay in a
store of the various necessaries of life, for which they.
always pay in ready money. This is no sooner done than
they suddenly vanish, and no one can tell where they are
gone. Nobody knows them ; they never bring their wives
and children with them, and never answer any questions
which are put to them about their residence or their mode
of life. Their speech is said to be somewhat more difficult
to understand than that of the other inhabitants of Iceland.
A gentleman, for whom I have too much regard to mention
his name, once expressed a wish in my presence that he had
twenty or twenty-five armed men at his command, when he
would soon follow up this mysterious people to their secret
recesses. Those who profess to have seen them, maintain that
they are taller and larger than the other Icelanders ; that
their horses are shod with horn, and that they have a great
deal of money in their possession, which can only have been
obtained by unfair means. But when I inquired who had
ever been robbed by them, and when and where any such
event had occurred, no one could tell. And as I doubt if
a single individual could make a comfortable living in Ice
land by rapine, much less do I believe that it would furnish
the necessary support for a whole tribe.

178 JOURNFY TO ICELAND.

iBpitrtor* frnnt Snlnnn.
PASSAGE TO COPENHAGEN.
I had now visited every part of Iceland which possessed
any claims to my attention, and having happily concluded
all my travels in that country, I had nothing farther to do but
to wait with inexpressible impatience till some vessel should
sail which could bear me nearer to my beloved home. Alas !
I was detained week after week in Reikjavick, and my pa
tience was daily put to the proof, till at last, after a long
delay, I availed myself with eagerness of the first oppor
tunity which offered.
Several ships went to sea during that period, it is true ;
and Mr. Knudson, with whom I had made the passage from
Copenhagen, invited me to accompany him on his return ;
but they were all bound for Spain or England, and I was
not inclined to follow that route at present. I was anxious
to visit Sweden and Norway, as I was determined, if possi
ble, to take at least a short look at those picturesque
countries. At last I heard of two sloops which were to leave Reik
javick about the end of July ; one was bound for Altona,
and the other for Copenhagen ; but I tried in vain to pro
cure a passage in the former, which was the best, as the
only state-room had already been secured by a merchant
from Reikjavick, and more than one passenger cannot be
accommodated with any degree of comfort in these small
vessels. I was therefore obliged to consider myself very
fortunate at being able to obtain a berth in the second ;
although my friend Mr. Bernhoft was of opinion that it

DEPARTURE FROM ICELAND. 179
was not in a fit condition for me to venture on so long a
voyage, and offered to inspect it carefully before I trusted
myself on board. But this I declined, for I had made up
my mind to go ; and as I preferred to remain in ignorance
if I were about to run any particular risk, I begged him to
dispense with his proposed examination, and enter into a
negotiation for me at once with the captain.
Finally, we were informed that a Danish girl, who had
been living here at service, was also desirous of embarking
in this vessel i she had become so thoroughly home-sick
that she was resolved to return to her own country, let what
would happen. And that settled the question with me ;
for if home-sickness could make a girl like this so perfectly
reckless of danger, my own eager longings to escape could
surely do as much for me ; and I immediately determined
not to be left behind.
Our sloop bore the consolatory appellation of " Haabet"
(the Hope), and was owned by a merchant named Fromm in
Copenhagen. Her departure was fixed for the 26th, and
from that day I hardly ventured to leave the house for fear
of missing a summons to embark, which might be sent to
me at any hour ; but unfortunately a heavy storm prevented
our sailing till the 29th, and then came the oft-repeated
trial of leave-taking.
It cost me little to bid farewell to the country ; although
I had seen so much that was wonderful, new, and interest
ing, I still pined to behold once more my native plains,
where nature is less grand and striking, it is true, but in
finitely more pleasing and attractive. But it was much
harder to part with Mr. Knudson and the Bernhoft family,
from whom I had received so much real kindness, and to
whom I owed every facility and assistance I had enjoyed
during my travels. A grateful remembrance of these ex
cellent p'eople will live in my heart for ever.

180 JO URNEY TO ICELAND.
At noon I found myself on board the Hope, and could
admire at my leisure all the flags and streamers displayed
by the French frigate, which lay at anchor in the harbor,
to celebrate the anniversary of the revolution of July. It
was my best policy to divert my attention as much as pos
sible from the ship ; for what I saw against my will
convinced me that there must be a great deal to wish for
in all the arrangements, and I determined not to inspect
the cabin at all till we were fairly at sea and had parted
with the pilots ; and with them every possible means of
retreat was cut off.
Our crew consisted, besides the captain and the mate,
of two sailors and a lad who bore the title of cook ; but as
it was also part of his duty to wait upon us, we employed
him during the passage in the capacity of a valet.
When the pilots had bid us farewell, I looked about
me for the cabin, which was to be our common apartment,
as it was the only one, and discovered that the entrance
was a hole about two feet wide, which opened at my feet
and revealed a perpendicular ladder of five steps. I stood
before it for some time, meditating upon the best way to
descend, and at last thought it advisable to apply to our
host, the captain, for information. He solved the mystery
by seating himself on the deck and letting his feet down
into the hole. Conceive of such an undertaking for us
women, with our long dresses, while the ship was rolling
and pitching during the bad weather ! However, a great
many worse things might have happened to us ; and this was
the consolation to which I always clung oil such occasions. I
soon managed to reason myself into the persuasion that I
was of the same clay as my companions, only rather more
spoilt and indulged ; therefore I ought to be able to accom
modate myself to any inconvenience which they endured •

THE HOPE. 181
and with that I took my seat at the entrance, and soon
found myself at the foot of the ladder.
At first, I could not distinguish any thing around me
on account of the prevailing darkness ; but I saw only too
much when my eyes had become accustomed to the dim
light, for dirt, disorder and discomfort, were reigning para
mount in the little cabin. I shall endeavor to convey
some idea of the scene to those of my dear countrywomen
who intend to accompany me through my travels in this
book, as so few of them have ever enjoyed any opportunity
of making a sea-voyage, and upon them a minute and de
tailed description will not be entirely thrown away ; and I
call any one who is used to a sea-life to witness that my
account is true.
This delightful sloop vied with myself in point of age,
for we both dated from the past century. Unfortunately,
in those days very little consideration was paid to human
comfort in ship-building, and as much as possible of the
space was reserved for the cargo ; which was perfectly natu
ral, after all, as the life of the sailor is properly spent on
deck, and this vessel was never intended to accommodate
passengers. The whole length of the cabin measured ten
feet from one state-room to another, and its width was six ;
the latter being encroached upon, moreover, by a chest on
one side and a little table and two benches on the other,
leaving barely room enough to pass between them.
At dinner and supper we ladies, that is, the Danish girl
and myself, were seated upon the benches, where we were
squeezed so tight that we could hardly move. Our two
cavaliers, the captain and mate, were forced to eat their
meals standing, and the table was so small that they were
obliged to hold their plates in their hands. In short, every
thing about this ship was proportioned to its class, and not
calculattd for the convenience of travellers.

182 JOURNEY TO ICELAND.
The air of the cabin was naturally rather close, as, be
sides being used for our eating, sleeping, and reception
room, it was also appropriated to the purposes of storage,
provisions of every kind being kept in the side-closets, be
sides oil-colors and many other things. I generally pre
ferred sitting on deck, where I was exposed to the storms
and cold, and frequently wet through by the waves, to re
maining in the stifling air below. But I was sometimes
driven down by a violent gale, or when the ship pitched so
furiously that it was not safe for me to remain on deck.
My Danish companion and myself could often neither sit
nor stand ; we passed many a long day lying in our misera
ble berths ; and I could not help envying my fellow travel
ler, who could sleep uninterruptedly from morning to
night, while I remained wide awake to count the tedious
hours. The hatches were always closed when it rained,
and we were left to breathe an oppressive atmosphere in
Egyptian darkness.
The fare on board this ship was exactly the same for
passengers, captain, mate and crew. For our morning's
meal we had wretched tea, or more properly dirty water of
the color of tea, which the common hands drank without any
sugar ; the officers making use of a small lump of candy,
which they hold in their mouths, where it melted rather
slower than refined sugar, while they poured down cup after
cup to moisten the ship biscuit and butter which composed
our breakfast.
The dinners varied from day to day ; first we had a
piece of salted meat, which having been soaked all night in
sea-water, and cooked the next day in the same, was so in
tolerably hard, tough, and over-salted, that it required a
seaman's palate to relish it. Instead of soup, vegetables.
or dessert, we had barley grits, plainly boiled, without salt

MISERABLE FARE. 183
or butter, and eaten with syrup and vinegar. This dish
was considered delicious by my companions, who could
never cease wondering at my perverted taste when I pro
nounced it uneatable.
The second day produced a piece of bacon, boiled in
salt water, and the barley grits again. On the third we
had codfish and peas ; and although the latter were hard,
and cooked without butter, I found them more palatable
than any thing I had yet tasted. The first dinner was re
peated on' the fourth day, and so it went on during the
whole passage ; a cup of coffee without milk always closing
our noonday meal. The evening's repast was like that of
the morning, tea-water and ship biscuit.
I would gladly have provided myself in Reikjavick with
a few fowls and some eggs and potatoes, but I found it im
possible to buy any thing of the kind. Chickens are only
raised by the great people of the place ; the eggs of the
eider ducks and other birds are to be had, it is true, but a
sufficient quantity is barely obtained for daily use, and that
only in the spring during the breeding time ; and potatoes
were not yet in season. It may readily be imagined, there
fore, what a luxurious life I led on board this vessel. Had
I been rather more comfortable, and better fed, I think I
should have escaped sea-sickness altogether ; but in conse
quence of the bad air in the cabin, and the miserable table,
I suffered a great deal the first day ; though I was well
again the next morning, and felt so hungry, that I attacked
a piece of salt meat, and some bacon and peas, as heartily
as if I had been a sailor ; but the codfish, grits, tea and
coffee, I never could meddle with.
A genuine seaman never drinks water ; and I observed
that our captain and mate, having neither wine nor beer,
made use of tea in their stead, swallowing a vast quantity
of it cold between their meals.

184 JOURNEY TO ICELAND.
On Sunday evenings we had a grand supper ; eight eggs
were cooked for us four people, being some the captain had
brought with him from Denmark ; and the men were al
lowed a few drops of punch-essence in their tea.
Having made my female readers sufficiently acquainted
with our sumptuous fare, I must now enlighten them a lit
tle about the table-linen, and the usual method of cleansing
it. The cloth was a piece of an old sail, and it was so
soiled and dirty that I never sat down to table without
thinking what a pity it was that our appetites should re
ceive the additional shock of such a sight, and imagined
that it would be infinitely preferable to have our dinner set
out on the uncovered board ; but like most people who are
apt to fancy themselves a great deal wiser than their neigh
bors, I found myself very much mistaken. One day I saw
our valet belaboring a piece of sail-cloth, which was stretched
on the floor under his feet, and was receiving a good- sweep
ing from the ship's broom. By the manifold spots of dirt
and grease, I immediately recognized my old acquaintance ;
and that evening the table was bare. But the consequence
was, that no sooner had the tea-pot been placed upon it,
than it began to slide, arid nothing but the adroitness of
the captain prevented the whole contents from being poured
into our laps. It was the same with all the other dishes ;
and I was obliged to acknowledge that, bad as our table
cloth had been, it was better than none at all.
Enough has been said, I think, to convince my readers
that the hours I spent on board this ship must have dragged
very heavily ; but another circumstance soon came to light
that added a great deal of uneasiness to my other discom
forts. I found out, after a few days, that the vessel was
leaking incessantly, and that it was necessary to pump it
out every five or six hours. The captain tried to reassure

FLYING-FISH. 185
me, by maintaining that this was the case with every ship,
and that ours only leaked rather more than usual because
it was old. I thought it best to believe him, since there
was no escape for me ; and fortunately we had no serious
gales, or else we might have been in real danger.
We were twenty days at sea, and for twelve we were
out of sight of land. The wind drove us so far to the west
ward, that we saw neither the Faroe nor the Shetland
Isles. This I regretted less than I did our meeting so few
whales and sharks, for I should have enjoyed very much
falling in with more of these monsters of the deep. We
were only fortunate enough to see the spout of a single
whale in the distance, which rose in the air exactly like
the jet of a fountain ; but the animal itself was too far off
for its bulky form to be distinguished. One shark had the
gallantry to swim round us for a few minutes, which afford
ed us an opportunity of observing it quite closely ; and we
thought its length might have been from sixteen to eighteen
feet. I was very much amused with watching the flying-fish,
with which the sea was completely covered for two even
ings, as far as the eye could reach. The nights were calm
and mild, and we sat on deck by a brilliant moonlight, and
looked at the happy little creatures at play all around us.
We could easily tell the young fish by their high leaps.
They were three or four feet long, and jumped five or six
feet out of the water. Their springs resembled a little an
attempt at flying, though their fins made but poor substi
tutes for wings, and they fell back almost instantaneously
into the sea. The older fish seemed to have lost the power
of flying, and only described a semicircle like the dolphins,
not more than half their bodies appearing above the sur
face of the water. These flying fish are never caught, as
they are not fit to eat, and have no oil.

186 JOURNEY TO ICELAND.
On the thirteenth day, land was at last in sight again.
We were then in the Skaggerack, with the peninsula of
Jutland and the little town of Skaggen on our right. The
former presents a very barren appearance from this side,
being low and almost entirely covered with sand.
On the sixteenth day we were in the Cattegat, where we
were becalmed or driven about by head winds for nearly a
week, being hardly able to accomplish more than fifteen or
twenty sea miles a day.* When the weather was still, I
amused myself with fishing, but I cannot say that I was
particularly successful ; and although fish are generally
said to be rather a stupid kind of animal, I found them
quite cunning enough to decline biting at my hook. I was
m daily hopes of having a good mess of mackerel for my
dinner, but with all my efforts I only caught, — one.
It also afforded me some entertainment to watch the
numerous ships sailing from all directions into the Catte
gat ; I counted more than seventy ; and as we approached
the Sound, and they all thronged together through that
narrow passage, the sight became still finer and more im
posing. We were favored with a glorious moonlight, other
wise I think we should hardly have escaped coming in
collision with some of our neighbors, in spite of all our
care and caution.
We southern people can form very little conception of
the extraordinary clearness and brilliancy of the moonlight
at the north, where part of the light of day seems blended
with the evening stars. All the lovely nights I have ever
beheld in the Mediterranean, and on the coast of Asia,
were far surpassed by those I saw in these Scandinavian

* Nearly the same number of English miles. — Tr.

SOUND TOLL. 187
I fancied myself in the midst of a large fleet of mer
chantmen, and remained all night on deck to enjoy the rare
spectacle of the crowd of sails pressing at once towards the
entrance of the Sound.
On our twentieth day out, at three o'clock in the morn
ing, we entered the harbor of Elsinore, where a toll is ox-
acted, or as the sailors call it, the ship must be " made
clear." This is a very troublesome interruption, and gen
erally occasions a delay of several hours. The captain
must go on shore, and before he returns the wind has often
fallen ; and, thanks to this detention, it is later by many
hours when the ship arrives at Copenhagen than it would
otherwise be. Those vessels which reach Elsinore on a
dark night must anchor in the Cattegat till daylight ; and
those which arrive there earlier than four o'clock in the
morning, must wait till that hour before the toll-office is
opened. The sailor is at liberty, indeed, to run by this passage
without stopping ; but the privilege costs him five dollars
more when he arrives at Copenhagen, where the toll can be*
adjusted as well as at Elsinore ; the vexatious detention at
the latter place seems, therefore, to be only a pretext for
exacting a higher tribute, as any officer who is pressed for
time, and is favored by a good wind, would willingly sacri
fice that sum for the sake of sailing on his way unmolested.
Our good captain, however, took neither time nor money
into the account, but he laboriously settled the transaction
by making the ship " clear" according to rule ; and the
consequence was, that it was two 'o'clock before we hailed
the good city of Copenhagen, which seemed almost like
home to me, and struck me, in comparison with the land I
had just left, as infinitely superior to any other place I had
ever seen. After having been cooped up so long in the

JOURNEY TO ICELAND.

ship, where I had hardly room to move, I could have
thrown myself on the ground when I landed, and raptur
ously kissed the earth, like Columbus.

Htyrarta frnut (Cnfralwgra.
CHRISTIANIA.
The 19th of August, the very day after my arrival
from Iceland, I embarked again on board the fine royal
Norwegian steamer " Christiania," bound for the port of the
same name, a distance of three hundred and four sea miles.
We rapidly swept through the Sound, and reaching the
Cattegat in safety, we turned to the right, and drew near
to those shores which I had only seen as yet from afar.
The fine chain of mountains, which forms the eastern
boundary of the Cattegat, was soon in sight, and its ex
treme point, the Kulm, could be distinguished, stretching
far out into the sea, with its light-house, the first of a long
line of fires which reveal the manifold dangers to which the
navigator is exposed on the rocky shores of Sweden and
Denmark. August 20th. — Bad weather is a very great trial for a
traveller, and more especially when he is surrounded by
the most beautiful scenery, as was the case with us to-day,
when it rained in torrents while we were sailing by a very
interesting part of the Swedish coast, and into the little
" fiord" which leads to the harbor of Gottenburg. The sea
resembled a wide stream at this point, shut in by noble
cliffs, aud interspersed with single rocks and reefs of various
heights, over which the foaming surf was breaking with a

GOTTENBURG. 189
wonderfully fine effect. Scattered about among the cliffs near
the town are the different buildings belonging to the royal
Swedish iron-works ; and even American ships are attract
ed to the place in great numbers in search of that metal.
The steamer remains at Gottenburg rather more than
four hours, affording an opportunity of visiting the town
proper, which is at a distance of about a short half mile
(German), although its suburbs extend to the port. Very
near the landing-place there resides a captain, who always
keeps a carriage and horses in readiness to convey travellers
to the city ; one-horse vehicles can also be obtained, or a
seat in an omnibus, though the latter is said to move so
slowly that nearly all the time is consumed in the drive ;
and on the present occasion, all the former were engaged.
Two of my fellow-passengers and myself, therefore, agreed
to hire the captain's equipage, and we set off on our excur
sion with the rain pouring down upon our heads in streams ;
an inconvenience of which we made very light, as my com
panions were entirely engrossed by the thoughts of their
business, and I by my usual eager curiosity. I was not then
aware that I should visit this place again, and to be so near
such a pretty little town without seeing something more
of it, was perfectly out of the question.
The suburbs are built throughout of wood, and contain
a great many pretty houses of a single story, which are
generally surrounded by little gardens. Great rocks are
scattered along the streets, and some of them have even
been blasted to admit a thoroughfare ; small fields and
meadows also lie among the houses. There is a magnificent
view from one of the heights, where we looked between two
gigantic cliffs, which formed a striking foreground to the
picture, and saw the North sea stretched out beyond.
The town has two fine squares, in the smallest of which

190 JOURNEY TO ICELAND.
is situated a large cathedral, while the other contains the
town-house, the post-office, and a number of handsome
dwelling-houses, of which there are also many to be seen
in the other streets. All the buildings in Gottenburg are
of bricks. The large square is divided by the river Ham, which is
crowded with ships and barges loaded with provisions and
fuel, adding greatly to the animation of this part of the
town. , The fish-market is worth visiting ; the greatest
abundance of fish is seen there ; and some of them are of
remarkable size.
Here I found myself for the first time in a Swedish
room, where I observed that the floor was strewn with the
small, fine leaves of the fir-trees, which spread around a
fresh and pleasant smell, much more wholesome, I have no
doubt, than any perfume produced by art. This custom
prevails throughout Sweden and Norway, but it is confined,
unfortunately, to the taverns and the houses of the poor.
At about eleven A. M., we continued our journey. Slip
ping carefully through the numerous rocks and reefs, we
were soon once more in the open sea, though we continued
near enough to the coast to observe the telegraphs standing
out on the prominent cliffs. In the evening we reached the
fortress of Friedrichsver, but it was too late to see it very
distinctly. Here begins a ridge of cliffs called the " Scheren,"
which extends uninterruptedly for more than sixty sea
miles, and forms the boundary of the Christian Sound.
As far as the failing light would permit us to decide, the
scenery in this gulf appeared to be wonderfully beauti
ful. Islets without number were scattered about, some
of them showing a rocky, barren surface, and others
overgrown by tall and slender firs. We took a pilot on
board, who understood his craft perfectly well, and brought

S ANDES UNO. 191
us safely to the port of Sandesund, where we anchored, as
the intense darkness made it dangerous to advance any
farther ; and we were also to wait for the steamer from
Bergen, which was to take off some of our passengers in ex
change for some of her own. Unfortunately, the sea ran
very high, and there was great difficulty in accomplishing
the removal, as neither of the steamers was willing to lower
a boat till nearly midnight, when one was let down from
our side. I pitied the poor passengers from my heart, for
they were evidently terribly frightened ; though, thank
God ! no accident occurred, and they were soon safely deposit
ed in the other steamer.
August 2lst. — When I had an opportunity of taking a
look at Sandegund by daylight, I found that it only con
tained a few houses. The sea is confined by steep walls of
rock at this place, and barely retains the breadth of a good-
sized stream, though it soon widens, and gains in beauty as
the shores retreat. The bay resembles a magnificent lake,
the islands being in some places so close to the background
of mountains that they might be mistaken for part of the
continent, while the creeks are like the mouths of so many
rivers. A little farther on a whole chain of lakes appears to be
in sight ; and we thought ourselves at the end of our jour
ney, till a narrow passage among the crowded islands re
vealed another lovely scene beyond. A range of high hills
stretches along the shores, clothed in dark woods to their
very summits ; the rising hillocks are covered with rich
fields and meadows, scattered with cottages and farm-houses,
the whole forming an indescribably beautiful prospect on
the mainland ; while an equally attractive variety exists
among the islets, some of which were barren, some merely

192 JOURNEY TO ICELAND.
sprinkled with a few firs, and others again clad in fine woods
and pastures. Occasionally the mountains are parted, and
display a beautiful perspective through the ravines and
valleys. The course of a bay coul-d often be followed till it
was lost in the distance, where it seemed almost to mingle
with the clouds ; and the lovely valleys were frequently
enlivened - with little villages and hamlets. Were I but
capable of doing justice to this rich and glorious Nature !
But I can hardly hope to convey an idea of my own enthu
siasm, much less to lay such a description of the scene before
my readers as will induce them to share it.
At the little village of Walloe the country loses much
of its beauty ; the mountains sink to hills, and the groups
of islands disappear from the bay. The village itself is
partly concealed by the hills, though a row of huts and
wooden houses appears in sight, which all belong to the
salt-works, that article being here obtained from the sea.
In order to reach the town of Moss, we made a stretch into
one of the bays, which are so numerous on both sides ; that
little town is built like an amphitheatre, and stands in a
beautiful position. A large house with a conspicuous por
tico, near the shore, attracted our attention, and proved to
be a bathing establishment.
Near the village of Horten, which also lies in a very
picturesque situation, there is a dock where ships are built
for the government ; but their number must be small, for I
saw but one at anchor, and none on the stocks. During
the sail to Droback, we often passed groups of islands,
through which a glimpse of the high seas was obtained.
About eight sea miles beyond Horten, there is a mountain
which forms a very striking object in the view ; it stretches
out into the sea, which is divided here into two streams,
and only reunited beyond.

ARRIVAL AT CHRISTIAMA. 193
Christiania was not in sight till we were within ten sea
miles of the place. This town and its suburbs, the fortress,
the lately erected royal castle, the freemason's lodge and
other buildings, surround the harbor in a handsome semi
circle, which is inclosed in its turn by fields, meadows,
woods, and hills. The sea, reluctant to leave this enchant
ing region, winds in small creeks through the fields and
hills, to quite a distance behind the town.
We reached Christiania by eleven o'clock, having ac
complished the distance from Sandesund in seven hours,
although we had stopped four times. But as every arrange
ment was made beforehand on such occasions, they caused
very little delay, and we had soon exchanged passengers,
sent our mails and merchandise on shore, and were generally
on our way again in a few minutes.
CHRISTIANIA.
I had no sooner arrived here, than I went in search of
one of my countrywomen, who is married to a lawyer, and
resides in this place ; which proves that the saying, so often
thrown in the teeth of the Viennese women, that " they
cannot exist out of sight of their beloved St. Stephen's
steeple," is not founded on fact ; for I have never seen a
couple who appeared happier or more contented than this
husband and wife, and yet Christiania is above two hundred
miles* from the tower of Saint Stephen's.
On my way from the port to the hotel, and from thence
to the house of my friend, I crossed the whole city, which
did not strike me as either very large or very handsome.
The best part of it is that which has been lately built, where
there are some wide streets of tolerable length, with a num-
* Nine hundred English miles. — Tr.
9

194 JOURNEY TO ICELAND.
ber of very good houses both of stone and brick. The other
thoroughfares abound in wooden tenements, which seem to
be on the eve of a downfall. The square is large, but irre
gular, and as it contains the market, where every thing that
can be imagined is for sale, it is also very dirty.
The suburbs are generally built of wood. Among the
public edifices there are a few which are rather handsome,
particularly the new castle and the fortress, which are the
finest buildings in the place. They are both most beauti
fully situated on a slight elevation, and command an en
chanting view. The old royal residence is in the town, and
has nothing to distinguish it from an ordinary private
dwelling. The building in which the " Storthing" (or Na
tional Assembly) is held, is large, with a conspicuous en
trance supported by pillars ; but the steps, like those of
every stone house in these countries, are of wood. The
theatre struck me as being of a good size for a place like
this ; on the outside, at least, for I was never in it. The
Freemason's Lodge is a handsome edifice, and contains two
halls, which are also used for scientific meetings and public
assemblies. The University appeared to be planned on al
together too large a scale ; it is not yet finished, but from
its style and dimensions it would be an ornament to any of
the great capitals.
The situation of the butchers' stalls is very convenient ;
they are built in a semicircle, and surrounded by an arcade,
where purchasers can be sheltered at all times from the
weather. The building is of brick left in its natural condi
tion, without mortar or cement. No other edifices of any
consequence are to be seen, and most of the houses are of
a single story.
The custom, which is so common "in all the Scandinavian
cities, of putting the name at the corner of every street

CHRISTIANIA. I95
is a very great convenience to strangers, who are never
obliged to go very far without being able to find out exact
ly where they are.
This town has open canals, and, like many others, no
lamps are lighted when the moon is, or ought to be, visible.
Round the port there are wooden quays,, and a number of
large warehouses, also of wood, but roofed, as is generally
the case, with tiles. The shops are simple and unpretend
ing, but the goods are handsome, though few are of domes
tic manufacture ; there is little enterprise of this kind here,
and almost every commodity in use is imported from foreign
countries. I was grieved to see the number of ragged, ill-clad peo
ple who crowd the streets ; the young lads had a particular
ly bad expression. I thought ; and though they did not beg,
I should have been sorry to have met any of them alone in
a solitary part of the town.
I was so fortunate as to arrive at Christiania during the
session of the Storthing, which only occurs once in three
years. It meets in January or February, aDd usually ad
journs at the end of three months ; but on this occasion an
accumulation of important business had induced the king to
prolong the session, and it was this fortunate circumstance
that afforded me an opportunity of attending several of the
meetings. The sovereign himself was not present, how
ever, and was only expected in September to close the As
sembly. The room where this body meets is of an oblong shape,
and of respectable dimensions. Four rows of cushioned
benches, rising one above the other, are stretched along the
wall where more than eighty members can be accommo
dated. Opposite these benches there is a table on an ele
vated platform where the president and secretary are seated ;

196 JOURNEY TO ICELAND.
and a gallery surrounds the rest of the hall, to which any
one who chooses may obtain admittance.
Although my knowledge of the Norwegian language
was very limited, I still made it a point to pass an hour in
this Assembly every day during my residence in Christiania.
I could judge, at least, of the fluency and length of the
speeches ; but unfortunately the only orators I had an op
portunity of hearing, dropped their words in such a slow
and formal manner, that it was easy to see they did not
possess the gift of eloquence. I was informed there were
not more than three or four speakers who could make any
pretensions to that art ; and during my attendance no oc
casion seemed to present itself to call forth their powers.
I have never seen any where so great a variety of con
veyances as I found in this place. The most common, but
at the same time the least convenient, are those which are
called carriols ; they consist of a very narrow, long, and
uncovered box, reposing between two enormously high
wheels, and provided with a very small seat, into which you
must squeeze -yourself, with your feet stretched out before
you, a leathern apron drawn over your lap ; and there you
must stay, without moving an inch, from the moment you
get in till you get out again. There is a place behind for
the coachman, in case the person who occupies the carriol
should not be inclined to drive himself ; but as it is by no
means agreeable to have the reins shaking about your head,
and the whip constantly flourishing in your ears, the services
of a driver are generally dispensed with, even by women.
Besides these curious vehicles, there are also phaetons,
droschkis, chariots, and other light conveyances, but no
covered carriages are to be seen.
The beer carts struck me as very peculiar ; but I must
mention first that there is a great deal of beer consumed in

ENVIRONS OF CHRISTIANIA. 197
Christiania, and that it is not conveyed to the different
houses in barrels, but in bottles. The carts are large cover
ed waggons, not more than a foot and a half in height, and
divided into numerous compartments, each one of which
contains a beer bottle. I observed that tin baskets with
handles were used by the servants of this place to carry fish,
meat, or vegetables ; straw baskets being only employed for
clean and dry articles, such as bread, &c.
There are no public gardens in Christiania, but the defi
ciency is compensated by all the roads leading into the
country, which not only furnish delightful walks, but pre
sent a series of lovely views from every height in the neigh
borhood. Laadegardoen is the only resort" much frequented by the
citizens, either in carriages or on foot ; this place commands
a magnificent prospect of the sea, with its innumerable
islands, the surrounding hills, villages, and woods of fir and
pine. There are also a great many country-seats scattered
about, which are generally small but very neat, and pleas
antly situated amidst their gardens and orchards. Every
thing about me looked so green and blooming that it wore
a very southern aspect to my eyes ; it was only by the corn
fields that I recognized the North. Not that the grain was
poor ; on the contrary, I noticed many ears of wheat so full,
that they were bowed to the ground with their own weight ;
but it was now the end of August, and the harvest was
hardly begun.
The woods are traversed by delightful roads, where many
a ravishing picture opens to the eye which one might pause
for hours at a time to admire. These woods contain two
monuments, neither of which is of much interest, however ;
one is erected to the memory of Christian Augustus, crown
prince of Sweden, and the other to that of Hermann Wedel,
Count Jarlsberg.

198 JOURNEY TO ICELAND.

SmtrrtBtj tn Dtlrautrfoii.
I was so much delighted with that part of Norway I
had already seen, that I found it impossible to resist my
desire to visit the wild and romantic region of Delemarken;
although I was frequently assured that for a woman, alone,
and possessing so little knowledge of the language, it was
an undertaking which presented great difficulties. But as
no one seemed inclined to accompany me, and I was deter
mined to go, I did not hesitate to trust to my usual good
fortune, and set off alone.
Upon inquiry I found that I must not expect much in
the way of accommodations or conveniences for travelling,
during my journey. It was necessary to provide myself
with a conveyance, and hire a horse from station to station,
for although a little chariot can be procured at any of the
villages, it is nothing more than a wretched and uncomforta
ble cart. I therefore engaged a carriol at Christiania for
the whole tour, and a horse for the first five miles to the
little town of Drammen.
I left Christiania on the 25th of August, at three o'clock
in the afternoon : seated in my little vehicle, with the reins
in my hand, after the fashion of the Norwegian women, I
drove off as rapidly as if I had followed this occupation
from my childhood, flourishing my whip to the right and
left, to the evident astonishment of my horse, who plunged
and ran in a surprising manner.
The road to Drammen is beautiful beyond description ;
every landscape painter should visit a spot so highly favor
ed by nature, where all her charms are blended to entrance
the spectator ; every prospect would furnish a number of

BEAUTIFUL PROSPECT. 199
pictures unsurpassed in loveliness. The vegetation was
much more luxuriant than I had expected to find it so far
North. Every hillock, yes, every rock or stone, was shaded
by fir-trees ; the verdure was of the most lively shade ; the
rich grass mingled with herbs and flowers ; and at this sea
son the fields were swelling with the full and ripening ears
of grain. I have seen many countries, and gazed upon many a lovely
view ; I have been in Italy, in Switzerland, in the Tyrol,
and at Salzburg ; but I have never been more enraptured
than I was at the scene which was now displayed before my
eyes. On one hand was the sea, which followed us with its
numerous creeks and bays as far as the Drammen ; here it
formed a pretty lake with a few boats on its still waters,
and there again a stream which forced its way through hills
and fields ; it next appeared like a wide and extensive plain,
crossed by tall ships, which looked in the distance like
gigantic swans ; and sprinkled with its countless islands
varying from isolated rocks to smooth meadows, enlivened
by a number of cottages half buried among the trees. Thus
I drove on for five hours, through wood and dale, with the
most romantic prospects to attract my eyes on every side,
till I reached the little town of Drammen, situated on the
sea-shore, near the bank of the river Storri Elb, and sur
rounded by country-seats, many of which I passed as I ap
proached the place.
The river is spanned by a long and beautiful wooden
bridge, which is provided with a very handsome iron railing.
Drammen is a well built town of 6.000 inhabitants. The
hotel where I alighted was exceedingly neat and comforta
ble ; I was shown to a room which might have satisfied the
most fastidious traveller in every respect ; but my supper,
on the other hand, was rather a slender one, for it merely

200 JOURNEY TO ICELAND.
consisted of a few eggs, boiled very soft, without bread or
salt ; and I was expected to eat them with a knife and fork !
August 25th. — Having hired a fresh horse I drove on
to Kongsberg, four miles from Drammen. For the first
mile and a half I saw a continuation of the romantic scenery
of yesterday ; the sea had now vanished from the view, but
my road lay by the side of the river till I reached a little
eminence, from whence I could overlook a large and well
cultivated plain, where clusters of houses, or solitary cot
tages, were scattered about. It is singular that throughout
Norway there are so few towns or villages ; every peasant
prefers to build his house in the midst of his own field.
From this point the prospect becomes rather more mono
tonous ; it loses especially from the disappearance of the sea.
The mountains are less elevated, the valley is narrower, and
rocks and woods now surrounded me on all sides. The
Norwegian rocks have a peculiarity which I have never
observed elsewhere,— they are always wet, the water trickles
down their sides, which are covered with just sufficient
moisture to make them shine like mirrors in the sun ; they
are very abundant among the woods, and are often of a
great size.
This part of Norway, which bears the name of Dele-
marken, appears to be tolerably populous ; even in the exten
sive, dark, and wooded tract which I crossed to-day, I saw
a number of solitary cottages, which gave some life to the
otherwise inanimate landscape. The Norwegian 'peasants
are industrious, and every spot of ground, even on the
steepest declivities, is covered with potatoes, barley, or oats.
Their houses are cheerful and pleasant, and are generally
colored of a brick-red.
The roads were very good, particularly between Chris
tiania and Drammen ; though I had little fault to find with

'UNGRACEFUL COSTUME. 201
those from the latter place to Kongsberg. There is such
an abundance of wood in Norway, that the roads are in
closed on both sides by a fence, and every field or pasture
is guarded in the same way from the inroads of the cattle ;
in the woods, large logs are often placed across the worst
places in the road.
The dress of the peasantry in this part of the country
is not in any way remarkable ; the only thing about the
costume of the women which I particularly observed, was
their absurd head-dress, which resembles an old-fashioned
bonnet, shaped like a small turban, with an enormous front.
It is made of any old material, and generally with the re
mains of worn-out dresses ; though the Sunday bonnets are
sometimes a little more elegant, and I even occasionally saw
one of silk.
This head-dress is not worn in the neighborhood of
Kongsberg, where the women have small caps like the
female peasants of Suabia, and petticoats which fall from
their shoulders, with very short waists, — a most unbecoming
attire, which ruins the whole appearance of their forms.
Kongsberg is rather a large place, most beautifully situ
ated on a little elevation in the midst of an extensive and
finely-wooded valley. The whole town is built of wood,
which is used for that purpose all over Norway, Christiania
being the only exception I have seen. The streets are wide,
and many of the houses are very pretty. The church is
particularly handsome, and stands on a conspicuous emi
nence above the rest of the town.
The river Storri Elb runs by the place, and a short
distance below the bridge it forms a pretty little fall.
When I visited the spot at noon, I found the. waters lighted
up by the bright sun, and as they dashed against the rocks
they appeared to be of the color of the clearest amber.
9*

202 JOURNEY TO ICELAND.
There are two objects of especial interest near Kongs-
berg, — the rich silver mines, and the beautiful cataract of
Labrafoss. As my time did not admit of my visiting both,
I decided in favor of the water-fall, taking all the wonders
of the mines upon hearsay. I was assured that the deepest
shaft is sunk eight hundred feet into the ground, and that
it is exceedingly difficult for those who are accustomed to
the light and air, to endure the cold, the damp, and the
strong gunpowder smell of those subterranean regions.*
I therefore hired a horse and drove to the falls, which
are situated in a wooded valley about a mile from Kongs
berg. A short distance above the cataract the stream is
perfectly calm and tranquil ; but it suddenly rushes towards
the precipice, and is thrown in its whole width from a great
height. A huge rock, standing like a wall in the basin
below, offers an impediment to the progress of the waters,
which are heaped up behind it till they overflow this boun
dary, and form several other smaller falls beyond.
I stood on a high rock, but was not out of reach of the
spray, by which I was almost blinded. My conductor also
led me to the foot of the cataract, and made me look at it
from every side. I was equally impressed with the variety
and grandeur of the spectacle wherever I saw it. I observed
in these waters that same transparent yellow shade I had
already noticed at Kongsberg, and which was probably
owing to the color of the rocks, as they are of a reddish-
brown, although the stream itself is clear and colorless.
At four in the afternoon I left Kongsberg, and drove to
the little village of Bolkesoe, four miles from that place.
This part of my journey was not particularly agreeable.
* In the mines of Sweden and Norway the ore is generally blasted
with gunpowder.

COMFORTABLE QUARTERS. 203
The roads were generally very bad, and we were surprised
by a dark night, among the steep hills and wooded ravines.
I could not help fancying how easy it would have been for
my guide, who sat close behind me in the waggon, to send
me out of the world by one quiet blow, and possess himself
of my effects. But, relying on the excellent character of
the Norwegian peasantry, I dismissed the thought, and
devoted my whole attention to guiding my horse in safety
over all the dangers of our road. I heard no sound but the
loud roar of a torrent, which at times seemed to be very
near, and then again was lost in the distance.
It was ten o'clock before we arrived at Bolkesoe. We
drove up to the door of a mean-looking hut ; and all the
uncomfortable nights I had spent in Iceland being still fresh
in my memory, I was seized with horror at the prospect of
undergoing something of the same kind again. How agree
able was my surprise, therefore, when my hostess led me
up stairs to a large, neat room, containing several good
beds, besides benches, a table, chests, and even an iron
stove. Wherever I went in this country I found the accom
modations equally good.
In those parts of Norway which are rarely visited by
travellers, there are no regular inns or post-houses ; the
peasants who are sufficiently well off, open their cottages to
the wayfarer, and supply him with horses. But it is advisa
ble that those who undertake a journey through this part
of the country, should carry a store of bread with them, and
other provisions, if possible, for there is not much to be
obtained from the larders of these peasant landlords. Their
cows are sent for the summer to the mountain pastures.
fowls are too great a luxury for them to pretend to, and
their bread which is rolled out into large round cakes not
more than an inch thick, and sometimes even less, is very

204 JOURNEY TO ICELAND.
hard, and for those who are not used to it, scarcely eatable.
Fish and potatoes can always be counted upon, however;
and when there is sufficient time to send to the hills, very
excellent milk can also be procured.
This scarcity of food was not the greatest annoyance to
which I was exposed, by any means ; it was still worse with
my other wants ; but as I shall have more to say on this
chapter by-and-by, when I have had greater experience,
I shall dismiss the subject for the present.
August 26th. — It was not till this morning that I could
form an idea of the situation of Bolkesoe, as it was too dark
for me to see any thing of the place last night. It lies in
a pleasant, wooded valley, on a little eminence, near the
pretty lake of the same name.
There is no carriage-road from here to Tindersoe (three
and a half miles), and I was therefore compelled to leave
my conveyance behind me and ride the rest of the distance
on horseback. This region is quite still and uninhabited ;
the valleys are narrowed to ravines, and two lakes of some
extent lie among the mountains ; the larger one, called
Foelsoe, is of a regular outline, being about half a mile
(German) in diameter, and encircled by a fine range of hills.
The dark shadows cast by the fir-clad summits of the hills
on its smooth waters have a very fine effect. I rode for
more than one hour by the shores of this lake, and had am
ple time to examine it very minutely, for it is a slow pro
cess to accomplish a journey on horseback in this part of
the world. The guide always accompanies you on foot, and
the horse, who knows his master's pace 0/ old, is only too
willing to accommodate his own gait to that of his owner.
We were five hours on our way to Tindersoe, where we
were obliged to cross a large lake in order to reach the
water-fall, which was the object of my day's ride.

LAKE OF TIND 0 SOE.

205

It had been raining steadily for the last mile, and the
sky looked any thing but promising ; nevertheless I deter
mined to proceed at once, and hired a boat with two men
to row me across the lake. I was afraid of a storm, when
I knew it would be impossible to find any one to accompany
me to the falls. Every thing being in readiness in an hour
or two, I set off in a pelting shower, though the clouds were
not so thick, fortunately, as to prevent my seeing something
of the beautiful scenery around me. The lake is four miles*
long, and in places not more than half a mile in width. It
is entirely shut in by mountains, many of which are ter
raced, and effectually exclude every glimpse of the prospect
beyond. ' The waters are dark, almost black, from the deep
shadows of the firs by which these hills are generally cloth
ed ; and the numerous rocks, rising perpendicularly from
the bosom of the lake, are very dangerous during a gale,
when a boat could hardly escape being dashed to pieces
against some of them, and the adventurous traveller would
be very likely to find his grave on this distant strand. We
had a favorable wind, which bore us safely to our destina
tion. One of the ridges of rock affords a very remarkable
echo. This lake is divided at its centre by an island, about a
quarter of a mile (German) in length ; here the hills press
forward and form many beautiful little bays, few of which
we could enter, however, on account of the rocks and cliffs
which abound there, and make it impossible to approach
the shore.
The little patches of fields and meadows spread out
among the cliffs, and the cottages, frequently lying on the
brink of the most dangerous precipices, often arrested my
* Eighteen English miles. — Tr.

206 JOURNEY TO ICELAND.
attention ; the latter were sometimes situated immediately
beneath a hanging rock, which looked as if it might have
rushed down into the lake at any moment, carrying with it
every thing which lay in its way ; and I was completely at a
loss to know whether to attribute the choice of such a perilous
position to the recklessness or the stupidity of their in
habitants. A great many beautiful falls are formed by the count
less streams flowing into the lake, though their number was
probably increased to-day by the torrents of rain, which
trickled in slender, silvery rills, down all the cliffs and
precipices. This was a fine sight, but one I would willingly
have dispensed with for the sake of feeling the sun again.
It is rather a serious thing to be exposed to such a deluge
from morning till night. I was wet through ; and seeing
no chance of improvement in the weather, as the heavy
clouds were now spread over the whole sky, my courage
nearly failed me, and I was on the point of turning back,
without having obtained a sight of the finest cataract in
Norway, when it suddenly occurred to me that every drop
of rain must add to its beauty, — and I resolved to go on at
any cost.
At the end of three miles and a half, we reached Hau-
kaness, a place where it is customary to pass the night, as
there is a very comfortable farm-house there, and the falls
are still at a considerable distance.
August. 27th. — When I looked out at the sky this morn
ing, alas ! it was as dark as yesterday, and my weather-wise
hosts assured me that it was not likely to amend. Never
theless, as I was willing neither to turn back nor to wait, I
had but one course, which was to go on. So I ordered my
boat, wrapped myself in my damp cloak, and re-embarked
in spite of the threatened showers.

FALLS OF THE RYKANFOSS. 207
I was well rewarded for my resolution by the beauties of
this end of the lake ; a wide mountain boldly advances and
divides it into two deep bays ; we steered for the one to the
left, and landed at the little village of Mael, at the mouth
of the river Rykaness, and half a mile from the place we
had just left.
Here I engaged a horse for the other two miles and a haL
to the cataract ; the road leads through a very narrow val
ley, constantly decreasing in width till there is only room
for the bed of the stream, when the path winds up the
heights and along the sides of the cliffs and precipices. The
foaming torrent is generally in sight, but we were some
times at so great a distance that we could neither see nor
hear it. The last half mile we were obliged to walk, as
there were so many dangerous places that it was impossible
to proceed on horseback. We crossed a number of little
falls on a bridge of logs, and the path was sometimes not
more than a foot wide. But I leaned fearlessly on the arm
of my guide, who led me safely through all these perils.
On a pleasant day, this ride from Haukaness must be
perfectly delightful ; and even in spite of the rain and my
soaking garments, I was lost in enthusiastic admiration of
the wild and romantic scene, and would not have abandoned
my enterprise for any consideration. Unfortunately, the
weather became less favorable every hour, the valley was
shrouded in the thickest mists, and the rain streamed from
the hills till our path became a perfect brook, and we often
walked up to our ankles in water.
At last we reached the spot where the falls are seen to
the best advantage. At that moment the clouds had broken
away, and I was so fortunate as to obtain a single glimpse,
though it was but a short one, of the vast rocky mountain
which divides the plain, and the wide torrent rushing over

208 JOURNEY TO ICELAND.
it. dashing against the projecting cliffs, and filling the air with
spray, — when an impenetrable veil sank once more over the
wild ravine and hid the whole scene from my eyes. I seat
ed myself on a rock, and remained there two hours, waiting
for the clouds to disperse again, but in vain ; and had it
not been for the deafening noise and the trembling of the
rocks beneath my feet, I should not have known I was so
near this magnificent fall.
After long tarrying and hoping — straining my eyes
without success for the sight of a solitary sunbeam, I was
reluctantly compelled to leave the spot. 'I could hardly re
frain from tears as I turned away ; and had the sky become
only a shade lighter, I should not have been able to make
up my mind to go.
But I could not flatter myself with the least symptom
of improvement, and was therefore obliged to follow my
guide to Mael, where I sorrowfully entered my boat, and
proceeded to Tindersoe without interruption. It was ten
o'clock when I arrived there. The cold, the rain, and above
all, my disappointed hopes, had affected me so much that I
went to bed quite feverish, and felt convinced I should not
be able to continue my journey the next day. My hardy
nature prevailed, however, and at five on the following
morning I was ready to mount my horse for Bolkesoe.
* I had not a moment to lose on account of the departure
of the steamer from Christiania ; this excursion had taken
more of my time than I had been led to expect, which was
principally owing to the constantly recurring difficulties and
delays in procuring horses, boats and guides.
August 28th. — My horse had been ordered this morning
at five, but it was seven o'clock before it was brought to the
door.

DIFFICULTIES OF TRA VEILING. 209
A short tour through the interior of tins' country was
sufficient to make me somewhat acquainted with the annoy
ances and extortion to which a stranger is exposed in Nor
way. I think there is no country in Europe where the ar
rangements for travelling are so completely in their infancy
as this. Horses, boats, and wagons can be procured every
where, it is true ; and the price is settled by law ; but the
peasants and landlords who manage the whole thing, know
how to wear out the patience of .the traveller by their in
tentional delays, till he is ready to pay double or triple the
sum they ask, for the sake of hurrying their movements a
little. The stations are very short, not often more than
a mile, or a mile and a quarter (German) ; which makes it
necessary to be constantly changing horses. When you
arrive, there is generally no horse to be had, or the landlord
will try to make you believe there is none ; you are in
formed that one must be brought from the mountains, and
that it will be an hour or two before it is ready. Thus you
travel an hour and wait two. It is also absolutely necessary
to have with you an authentic list of charges, as every
trifling service, such as fetching the horse, or the saddle and
bridle, must be paid for separately, as well as the boat or
the carriage. If you do not happen to know the regular
sum allowed by the law, you will be very much imposed
upon ; and although it is all set down in a book kept at
every station, this is not of much use to strangers, as it is in
the language of the country, with which so few are familar.
Complaints can be entered in this book, which is examined
once a month by the nearest justice ; but the peasants and
hosts appeared to stand little in awe of that tribunal ; the
guide, for instance, who accompanied me to the falls of the
Rykanfoss, tried to impose upon me by exacting eight times
as much as he was entitled to for the use of a saddle, and

210 JOURNEY TO ICELAND.
six times as much for bringing my horse to the door. I
threatened him with the book, but to no purpose, for he in
sisted on his demand, which I was finally obliged to pay.
When I arrived at Mael, however, I kept my word, and en
tered a formal complaint in the presence of a number of
peasants. It was not that the amount was so exorbitant,
but I was provoked by his extortion ; and I am of opinion
that we should all endeavor to seek redress when we are
wronged ; for even if we are not benefited thereby ourselves,
those who come after us may be.
I must mention to the credit of the peasants at Hauka-
ness, that when I informed them of the misconduct of their
companion, they were very indignant, and made no effort to
prevent my writing down his imposition in the book.
I had my choice of two roads to conclude my journey ;
one of which was said to offer the most beautiful scenery in
Norway, particularly at Kroxleben, where there is a magnifi
cent view. But although the rain had ceased, the sky was
still lowering, and heavy mists hung about the valleys ; for
which reason I preferred to return to Christiania by the
shorter route, or the same I had already travelled.
When I reached a little village called Muni, about a
mile beyond Kongsberg, where I arrived at seven in the
evening, the accommodating landlord found means to keep
me waiting three hours for a horse. As the same thing
was likely to happen at every station, I hired one for the
whole distance, paying three times the usual amount ; I
then lay down to rest for a few hours, got up again at one,
and drove the six miles* to Christiania, in eleven hours,
having arrived there safely the next day at two o'clock.
During this short trip, I found the people exceedingly
* Twenty-seven English miles. — Tr.

NOR WEGIAN PEASANTR Y. 211
kind and obliging whenever I had no occasion to hire their
services ; but the whole race of innkeepers, boatmen, guides,
and drivers, was selfish and covetous, as is usually the case
all over the world. To find perfect uprightness and houesty
in that class of people, I believe one should be the first tra
veller who has ever appeared among them.
This excursion was quite an expensive one ; but I think
I could have accomplished it more reasonably by taking the
steamer to Hammerfast, and purchasing a horse and chariot
there ; when I could have driven about the country without
any trouble, or annoyance. But it would be a very dear
way of travelling for a family, with a covered carriage, and
in some places it would be out of the question to proceed
in that manner.
The Norwegian peasants are strong and vigorous, but
they are by no means handsome ; their faces are not even
agreeable. They do not seem to be very thriving, and pay
little regard to cleanliness. They are barefooted, and gener
ally poorly clad. Their cottages, which are built of wood,
and usually roofed with tiles, are larger than those of the
Icelanders, but almost as dirty and comfortless. The Nor
wegians seem to have a great weakness for coffee, which
they drink without sugar or milk. The old women smoke
their pipes in the morning and evening, as well as the men.
From Christiania to Kongsberg, 9 miles, (German.)
From Kongsberg to the falls of Lakafoss, 1 "
From Kongsberg to Bolkosoe, 3 "
From Bolkosoe to Tindosoe, 3i "
From Tindosoe by the Lake to Maelen, 3J "
From Maelen to the cataract of Rykanfoss, 2 J "
22J miles.*
* Ninety-nine English miles. — Tr.

212 JO URNEY TO ICELAND.

3nran| front ^{jristitraia ta Itarkljiilm.
August "&0th. — Followed by the good wishes of my kind
countrywoman and her husband, Mr. M., I left Christiania
at seven in the morning for Gottenburg, in the same steam
er which had brought me there a few days before. On this
occasion I was able to- see much of the fine scenery in the
Christiansund or " fiord," which had been concealed by the
darkness during my former trip. In the afternoon we
reached the little town of Lauervig, beautifully situated on
a natural terrace, with a range of high hills in the back
ground. The fortress of Friedricksver lies on a rock before
the town, and is encircled by cliffs, among which are scat
tered a number of sentry-boxes. The sea is spread out to
the left.
Here we were detained an hour, in order to surrender
the passengers. for Bergen to the steamer which awaited
them. This spot is the keystone of the " fiord ;" we now
steered for the open sea, and the land soon disappearing
from the view, nothing but sky and water were in sight till
we reached the " Scheren," or cliffs, the next morning, and
shortly afterwards entered the harbor of Gottenburg.
August 31 si. — We had a high sea in the night, which
delayed us several hours, though the same circumstance
added much to the beauties of the scene as we approached
the fort, near which the breakers were still dashing wildly
over the cliffs and islands. The few passengers who could
keep their feet, and were not too sea-sick to remain on
deck, had a great deal to say of the dangers of the late
gale. My astonishment has often been excited by the wonder-

THE KING OF SWEDEN. 213
ful accounts of terrific storms I have received from people,
who have never made a longer trip than fifty or sixty miles
perhaps, on sorrre canal or other ; but I began to understand
what their stories were worth when I heard my fellow-tra
vellers call the sharp breeze of last night, which made ra
ther a rough sea for us, I must admit, a violent gale ; and
no doubt they all made the most of it when they returned
to their homes. But storms, thank Heaven ! are not quite
so frequent. In all my sea voyages I have been exposed
but to one when there was real danger (for I do not con
sider that I • ran any serious risk during my tempestuous
passage to Iceland), and that was when I was crossing the
Black Sea to Constantinople, in the year 1842.
It was nine o'clock before we arrived at Gottenburg,
though we should have been there at six. I was rowed to
the town at once, in order to take the first steamer for
Stockholm by the great ship canal, which unites the river
Gotha to several inland lakes, and opens a communication
between the North Sea and the Baltic.
I found the city of Gottenburg in an unusual state of
excitement ; the king of Sweden was there on his return
from Christiania, where he had been to close the session of
the Storthing. It happened to be Sunday, and the king had
just gone to church with his son ; the streets were thronged
with dutiful subjects on the watch for their sovereign when
he left the cathedral. Of course I immediately mingled
with the crowd, and was so fortunate as to behold the royal
pair come out of church and get into their carriage, which
drove directly by the place where I stood. The' appearance
of both father and son was very prepossessing ; and the crowd
could never tire of gazing and striving to catch the friendly
salutations which they dispensed to the right and left, as
they returned to their dwelling, followed by the whole con-

214 JO URNEY TO ICELAND.
course of people who surrounded the palace when they
alighted, and impatiently waited for the moment when they
would show themselves again at the window.
I could not have seen the inhabitants of the place to
greater advantage, as every one was dressed in their best
attire ; soldiers, clergy, officials, burghers, and populace,
all being desirous of doing honor to the presence of their
sovereign. Among the crowds of country people, I observed two
women whose costume was rather peculiar. They wore
black petticoats, reaching half way up to their knees, red
stockings, a bodice of the same color, and white chemises
with long full sleeves. A handkerchief was tied round
their heads. A few of the burghers' wives had little caps
like those worn in Suabia, with a small, black embroidered
veil thrown over them, which did not conceal their faces,
however. I noticed here, what had already struck me in Copen
hagen, a number of boys among the drummers and musi
cians, who could not have been more than ten or twelve
years old.
The king remained two days at Gottenburg, and during
that time all the windows were illuminated, and festooned
with fresh flowers, every evening. A few transparencies
were also exhibited at some of the houses, but they did
little credit to the ingenuity of the worthy Gottenburgers,
being all exactly alike, with an enormous " 0" (for Oscar),
surmounted by the royal crown.
I was detained here till Thursday, and found to my sor
row, that I must not expect to travel much more expedi
tiously in Sweden than I had done in Norway. A steamer
had left the place for Stockholm the day I arrived, but un
fortunately it had gone before I landed ; and at this season

CROWDED STEAMER. 215
there are but two a week. Thus I lost four days. The
time seemed very tedious to me, as I had already seen the
town and all the fine views from the suburbs, when I was
here before ; and the other environs of the place afford little
variety, as it is entirely surrounded by bare cliffs and
rocks.

September 4th. — The crowd of passengers was so great,
that it was impossible to obtain a berth on board the steamer
two days before it left Gottenburg ; and many gentlemen
and ladies who were unwilling to wait till the next oppor
tunity, were obliged to content themselves with a place on
deck. This was also my case, for I had not thought of such
a contingency, and made no attempt to take my passage till
it was too late to secure the best accommodations. When
ever we stopped we added to our numbers, and it was amus
ing enough to see the disconcerted looks of the new-comers
when they found where they were to fass the night. It
was evident that most of them were quite unaccustomed to
the discomforts of travelling. Every nook and corner was
appropriated as a sleeping place ; a few favored ones got
possession of the tiny cabins of the engineer and mate ; and
others ensconced themselves on the stairs, or in the pas
sages. I was offered a little corner in the engineer's state
room, which was intended for one person, and already held
three or four ; but I preferred spending the night on deck,
and one of the gentlemen having been so kind as to offer
me a large cloak, I rolled myself in it, and slept more com
fortably than my companions in their close quarters.
The accommodations on board the steamers which ply
on the Gotha Canal, are not very delightful at the best ; the
first class state-rooms are well enough, and each contains
two or three berths. But the second cabin is very inferior,

216 J° URNEY TO ICELAND.
hammocks are swung in the saloon which is used in the day
time for an eating-room. The arrangements for the lug
gage are worse yet ; the boats are small, and somewhat
crowded for space, and the trunks, chests, portmanteaus,
&c, are piled up on deck, with nothing to keep them in their
places, and no protection from the weather. The sequel
will show the result of this culpable carelessness. The rain
and the high waves of some of the inland seas covered the
lower deck with water, and most of the trunks were wet
through before we reached the end of our journey ; and dur
ing a storm on the lake of Wenner, the boat pitched so
much that the passengers were often threatened with the
downfall of the whole pile, or came occasionally very near
having a trunk or two roll over on their heads. The fare, on
the other hand, is very reasonable, which surprised me not
a little, as the numerous locks must make this canal a very
expensive one.
But now to my journey. We were off by five in the
morning, and soon found ourselves in the River Gotha, whose
shores are flat and uncultivated, and its valley bounded
with a chain of barren, stony hills. At the end of two
miles (German) we reached the little town of Kongelf,
which has about 1 ,000 inhabitants ; it lies among rocks
which partially conceal it from the view ; the ruins of the
old fortress of Bogas are seen on a cliff opposite the town.
From here the prospect improves in beauty. Patches of
wood are seen among the cliffs ; little valleys open on both
sides, and the river itself, which is divided by an island,
expands a little beyond this place to a considerable width.
The cottages of the peasants appeared larger and neater
than they^ were in Norway ; they were generally of a brick-
red, and often grouped tegether in clusters.
At Lilla Edet we came to the first lock, of which there

LOCKS OF TROLHATTA. 217
are five at this place, and while the boat was passing through
them, we had an opportunity of seeing the falls of the Gotha,
which are broad and full, though rather low.
The canal then sweeps for some distance behind the fall
and is either dug through the rock or confined within stone
walls. The scenery around Akerstrom resembles a beauti
ful park; the valley is narrowed by fine hills, and the
stream occupies its whole width, barely allowing space
enough for a few little paths leading through the fir-woods
which skirt the shores.
In the afternoon we reached the celebrated locks of
Trolhatta, a magnificent work, well worthy of the most
powerful nations, and much beyond what one would expect
from a country like Sweden. The eleven locks rise by gra
dations to the height of a hundred and twelve feet in the
distance of three thousand five hundred feet. Their chan
nel is wide and -deep, dug through the rock, and paved with
flags ; they rise like the solitary steps of a gigantic stair
way, under which name they might take their place among
the wonders of the world. Each lock is closed by a heavy
gate, while the boat is slowly lifted to the level of the next.
The scenery around is wild and romantic.
As soon as we arrived at this spot, we were assailed by
a crowd. of boys, who offered themselves as guides to con
duct us to the Falls of Trolhatta. There is ample time for
this excursion, as the steamer is detained here four hours,
and it can be accomplished with ease in two. But the tra
veller should first take a bird's-eye view of the locks from
a pavilion standing on a high rock which overlooks them
all. The road through the woods to Trolhatta is exceeding
ly pretty, and the village itself is beautifully situated in a
lovely valley, surrounded by hills and woodland, on the
10

218 JOURNEY TO ICELAND.
bank of the river, whose white and foaming waters are
strongly contrasted with its dark fringe of evergreens. The
canal is only partially visible from this point, the last locks
being concealed behind a small group of rocks ; and it was
not without astonishment that we saw first the masts and
then the boat itself appear above them, as if it were shoved
into our sight by invisible hands.
This fall is less remarkable for its height, than for its
variety and the great volume of its waters. The principal
stream is divided into two nearly equal cataracts by a rocky
island on the extreme edge of the precipice, which is ap
proached by a long and narrow chain bridge, so frail that
only one person can cross it at a time. It is kept locked
by the owner, who charges ten kreuzers C. M.,* for admit
tance. I must confess myself to have been very much frighten
ed while I crossed the foaming torrent alone, and hardly
ventured to look to the right or left, till I reached the
island, where I could stand in a place of safety and look
down upon the two falls on either side of me, and four or
five others above and below the bridge. It was a sight
upon which I could have gazed for ever.
The stream expands almost to the midst of a lake be
yond Trolhatta, being divided into several arms by a num
ber of islands. But the banks soon lose most of their beau
ties, and become quite flat and uninteresting. We reached
the fine lake of Wenner (ten or twelve milesf long and seve
ral wide), too late in the evening to pass judgment upon its
scenery ; and at the insignificant little borough of Wen-
nersborg we were detained several hours. In the course of
* Eight cents. — Tr.
f From forty-five to fifty-four miles.

TEDIO US DEL A Y. 219
the day we had met at least six or eight steamers all owned
by Swedish and Norwegian merchants, and it was a curious
and interesting spectacle to watch these boats as they pass
ed up and down through the different locks.
September 5th. — We were overtaken by a storm short
ly after we left Wennersborg, quite late in the evening, and
our captain, after driving about the lake all night, consider
ed it prudent to return to his anchorage till the wind abated,
as our steamer was none of the strongest, and we had al
ready lost a boat during the gale, which was carried off by a
large wave, having been probably no better secured than
our luggage.
At nine in the morning, the captain gave notice that we
should proceed no further to-day. If all went well we might
resume our course towards midnight. Fortunately a fisher
man's skiff lay near us, and a few of the passengers took the
opportunity of going on shore. I was among the number, and
to kill time I visited some of the cottages lying on the edge
of a wood near the water. They showed traces of poverty,
but generally contained two rooms, with several beds and
other articles of furniture. The inhabitants were rather
better clothed than in Norway, and they seemed to be mak
ing a tolerable meal of coarse black flour, boiled to a thick
pap, and eaten with sweet milk.
September 6th. — Shortly after midnight we were on our
way again, and five hours afterwards we reached the little
rocky island of Eken, which is. surrounded by others of still
smaller size. This is one of the most important landings
of the lake. A wooden warehouse of respectable size near
the shore, contains the produce of the neighborhood, which
is shipped on board the steamers at this place, where there
are always several boats at anchor.
Passing through the group of islands we found ourselves

220 JOURNEY TO ICELAND.
once more in the wide lake, which has little to distinguish it
beyond its size. The shores are generally bare and monot
onous, only displaying a few hills and woodlands, and the
back-ground is equally tame. The Castle of Leko occupies
one of the best situations, lying on a rock surrounded with
thick woods. A little farther on is the Kinne Kulle (kulle is
the Swedish for hill), commanding an extensive prospect,
not only of the lake but the adjacent country ; and it is said
to contain a remarkable cave ; but unfortunately we flew by
fll these wonders, without being permitted to pause and
visit them.
At Bronioe there is a large glass manufactory, exclu
sively devoted to window panes ; we stopped here and took
a great quantity on board. The buildings of the factory
and other small houses, are very pleasantly situated on a
height among the woods.
At Sjotorp we passed through several locks out of the
lake into the river again. The sail across Lake Wenner
had occupied above eleven hours. The stream winds through
woodlands, and while the boat is toiling through the locks,
we were able to enjoy an agreeable variety by walking part
of the distance over a shady road. The wide valleys be
yond this place offer nothing remarkable to the eye.
September 7th. — Early this morning we passed through
the pretty little Vikensoe, which, like all the other Swedish
lakes, is rich in islands, and sprinkled with rocks and cliffs.
The islets are generally overgrown with.trees, which give an
additional charm to their appearance. This little sheet of
water lies three hundred and six feet above the level of the
North Sea ; we had now reached the highest point, and we
began to descend at every lock ; the whole number through
which we passed was seventy.

MONUMENT OF COUNT PLATEN. 221
A short canal leads to the Bottensee, resembling a
glassy mirror, broken by a few islets. The sail through
this little lake is exceedingly pleasant ; the shores are diver
sified by ranges of hills, woods, valleys, fields and meadows.
Lake Wetter, the next m the chain, is guarded by the for
tress of Karlsborg, and possesses two peculiarities ; one is
the extraordinary clearness of its waters, and the other the
frequent storms by which it is agitated, when the immediate
neighborhood is quiet and undisturbed. The gales are said
to spring up so unexpectedly, that it is often impossible to
escape them, and many wonderful stories are told of the
misdeeds of the genius of this little lake ; but we defied his
malice and p assedgayly on without feeling its effects. Wad-
stemi is a beautiful building on the shores of the lake, used
as a convent, or chapter, for single ladies of noble birth.
Near Mount Omberg a celebrated battle was once fought.
The next canal is short, and leads through pleasant
woodlands to the little lake of Norrby. Travellers often
walk this distance for the sake of seeing the monument of
Count Platen, who conceived the plan of this gigantic enter
prise. It is inclosed within an iron railing ; the tomb is
covered with a marble slab, on which there is a simple
inscription, with his name, and the date of his birth and
death, in Swedish. On the opposite side of the canal is the
little town of Motala, with its great manufactory of iron
ware. There are fifteen locks between the lakes of Norrby and
Roxen, and the descent is a hundred and sixteen feet. The
canal leads here through a pleasant country, crossed by fine
roads and enlivened by neat houses and a few large buildings.
The steeples of the village of Norrby are seen, though the
place itself is nearly concealed by the woods ; and we only
caught an occasional glimpse of it as we hurried along. The

222 JOURNEY TO ICELAND.
waters of this canal were of a bright, transparent green, and
shone in the sun like the purest chrysolite.
There is a very fine view from a height near lake Roxen,
overlooking a large plain, scattered with woods, rocks and
hillocks ; a deep bay stretches far into the woodlands, and
on its shores lies a little town, whose varnished roofs glisten
ed in the last rays of the evening sun. While the boat was
making its way through the locks we visited the church of
Vretakloster, where the remains of several Swedish kings
are preserved in handsomely wrought metallic coffins. We
then crossed the lake, which is at least a mile in width, and
stopped for the night at the entrance of the last canal, which
was to lead us on the following morning into the waters of the
Baltic. September 8th. — This canal is one of the longest, and
crosses a large and rather handsome plain, where the little
town of Soderkoping lies among a group of picturesque
rocks, extending to a great distance, in several directions.
In Sweden, as well as in Norway, every valley, and every
spot of earth is inhabited, and industriously cultivated.
The country people seemed to be tolerably well dressed,
and their houses were generally very comfortable ; many of
the windows were ornamented with neat white curtains. I
had ample time to visit a number of cottages, during the
journey, which was a very tedious one ; I really believe I
could have walked the whole distance from Gottenburg to
Stockholm, and arrived as soon as the steamer ; for we not
only lost a great deal of time in passing the locks, but we
were also obliged to stop every night, because it is impossi
ble to go through in the dark, and consequently we were
five whole days in accomplishing less than forty-five German
miles.

END OF THE GOTHER CANAL.

223

It was not till afternoon that we reached the shores of
the Baltic, which bear a perfect resemblance to those of the
North Sea ; the same islands and reefs, the same cliffs an.d
rocks, and we were as much at a loss as before to imagine
how we could steer our course unharmed through so many
impediments. The shores are indented by bays and rivers,
lakes of various sizes are formed among the islands and
woodlands, shut in by fine hills. The site of the castle of
Storry Husby, on a high mountain in the bosom of one of the
bays, is unsurpassed. A beautiful meadow is spread like a
carpet from the rocky prominence to the water, and the back
ground is filled in with magnificent fir-woods. Not far from
this beautiful scene is a wooded islet, with a tower belonging
to the great ruin of Stegeborg. It is not easy to imagine a
more romantic prospect than the whole sail through this
fiord, which presents an incessant variety of lovely views.
Gradually, however, the hills decrease in size, the islands
become less frequent, and the sea, repulsing every other
object of attraction, appears desirous to engage alone the
attention of the traveller ; nothing remaining in sight but
the sky and water, excepting the numerous cliffs, which it
requires all the skill of a careful pilot to avoid.
September 9th. — To-day we left the sea again, and sailed
through a short canal into the lake of Malar, celebrated for
the number of its islands. The little town of Sotulje is
beautifully situated in a valley at its outlet, at the foot of a
steep hill. The lake at first is like a broad river, but it
soon widens to a great extent ; we Were four hours crossing
it, and were in constant raptures at the beauty of the sce
nery. There are said to be a thousand islands scattered
about in these waters, which we could readily believe when
we observed how they were crowded in ever-changing groups,

224 JOURNEY TO ICELAND.
forming streams and bays and a chain of smaller lakes, like
those in the magnificent fiord we had just left.
The shores are equally attractive ; the hills and moun
tains sometimes press close to the water, and dangerous
ramparts are formed in places by their steep and rocky
sides ; the same beautiful variety, which I have already
described so often, of dark woods and smiling valleys,
meadows, fields, villages and farm-houses, rapidly succeed
each other. Many of my fellow-passengers thought there
was something monotonous in these very changes, but I
could not agree with them ; and I could have crossed this
lake times without number and not have been satiated with
admiring its beauties. The majestic accessories of the Swiss
lakes were wanting, it is true ; but no other sheet of water
possesses the peculiar charm lent to this one by its thousand
islands. On the summit of a steep declivity, such as there are
several around the lake, a high pole is erected to which is
fastened the hat of the unfortunate Eric. History relates,
that this king having fled from the field of battle was over
taken by a soldier on this spot, and, overwhelmed with shame
at the reproaches of his subject, he desperately put spurs
to his horse, and, clearing the precipice with one bound, dis
appeared for ever beneath the waters of the lake. His
hat, which fell from his head as he made the plunge was
preserved to commemorate the event.
Not far from this point the suburbs of Stockholm first
appear in sight, stretching along an arm of the lake ; they
are built like an amphitheatre on the rocky shores. Many
pleasant country-houses are scattered about the slopes and
hillocks; and the magnificent royal castle, built in the
Italian style, and the Ritterholmer Church, with its towers
of cast-iron and filagree-work, are already conspicuous in

APPROACH TO STOCKHOLM. 225
the distance, while the city itself, which covers the whole
extremity of the lake, is spread beyond the suburbs on both
sides. We had hardly anchored in the haven of Stockholm,
when several herculean women stepped forward and offered
us their services as porters. They were Dalecarlians * who
abound in this capital, and earn their living by carrying
luggage or water, rowing boats, and other occupations
usually appropriated by the stronger sex. They have no
lack of employment, being honest, industrious, and as strong
and capable of enduring fatigue as any man.
They wear short black .petticoats, red bodices, white
chemises with long sleeves, short and narrow aprons of two
colors, red stockings, and shoes with very thick wooden
soles. They generally bind a handkerchief around their
heads, or else they have a very small black cap which
merely covers the back of their hair.
It is easy to procure furnished apartments in Stockholm,
or even single rooms, which can be hired from day to day
at a moderate price, and they are consequently in great
demand. I looked out for such a little chamber, and found
a neat and cheerful one, which I engaged for a rix dollar a
day, or, according to our money, thirty -two kreuzers ;f my
morning's coffee being also supplied for that sum.

itnrkjinlra.
As the principal object of the journey I am now relating
was my visit to Iceland, and my hurried excursion through
* Dalecarlia is a Swedish province, twenty German miles north of
Stockholm. \ About twenty-five cents. — Tr.

226 JOURNEY TO ICELAND.
this small part of Scandinavia was a secondary considera
tion, I shall no doubt be forgiven if my account of it is as
short as possible ; and these countries have also been so
well described by other travellers, that my relation can
possess but little interest for most readers.
I remained at Stockholm six days, and did not lose one
moment of that time. The town is situated at the junction
of the Baltic and the lake of Malar, or, more properly, these
waters are united here by a short canal, on whose banks
are many of the finest buildings of the place.
My first visit was to the magnificent Ritterholm Church,
which is more like a vault and an armory than a religious
edifice. The lower part is devoted to the royal sepulchres,
and the monuments of the departed sovereigns are in the
side-chapels. Equestrian statues of armed knights are
ranged on both sides of the nave, whose equipments were
once worn by different kings of Sweden. The walls and
corners of the upper part of the church are adorned with
flags and standards, said to number as many as five thou
sand. The keys of conquered fortresses and towns are
suspended in the side-chapels, and drums and kettle-drums
are piled on the floors, all of which trophies have been
wrung from the enemies of Sweden on the field of battle.
Besides these warlike ornaments, the chapels contain,
inclosed in glass cases, parts of the dress and accoutrements
worn by some of the Swedish monarchs. The uniform worn
by Charles XII. at the time of his death, and the hat
through which passed the bullet that killed him, were par
ticularly interesting to me ; his riding-boots are near them
on the floor. Not less remarkable is the contrast presented
by the modish attire and the hat covered with gold and
feathers which once belonged to the late king, the founder
of the present dynasty.
The Church of Saint Nicholas, on the same side of the

CHURCHES AND PALACES. 227
canal, is the handsomest Protestant place of worship I have
ever seen. Traces of the former Catholic times in which
it was built are plainly visible, and its ancient ornaments
have been left in a great measure as they were in those
days. Several oil paintings, a number of monuments of
different ages, and a great deal of gilding, adorn the interior.
The organ is large and handsome. The entrance of the
church is embellished by bas-reliefs in stone, and above it
is a wooden statue, larger than life, of the archangel Mi
chael on horseback, with the vanquished. dragon at his feet.
Not far from this edifice is the royal palace, which I
shall not attempt to describe, . for my pen could not do
justice to the magnificence and splendor not only of its
exterior but of the decorations of the apartments inside.
It is enough to mention, that I have seen nothing to equal
it in all my travels, with the exception of the residences of
the King of Naples, in which I include Caserta. It is not
without astonishment that I beheld such a profusion of
luxury and ornament in this northern kingdom, which is by
no means endowed with a superfluity of riches.
The Schifferholm Church is only remarkable for its
situation and its temple form. It stands on a rock nearly
opposite the palace, on a bay of the Baltic, which reaches
to this spot and is crossed by a long bridge of boats. Saint
Catharine's is another large and handsome church, near
which is a stone where one of the Sturre brothers* was
beheaded. * The Sturre family was one of the most distinguished in Sweden.
Sten Sturre introduced printing into Sweden, endowed the University
of Upsala, and attracted many learned men to the country. He was
mortally wounded in a battle with the Danes, and died in 1520.
• His two successors in the regency, Suante Nilson Sturre and the
son of the latter, Sten Sturre the younger, also live in the grateful
remembrance of their countrymen for their patriotic exploits.

228 JOURNEY TO ICELAND.
The Ritterplace contains the Ritterhouse, a remarkably
fine structure, the old royal castle, and several other private
and princely residences, by no means to be compared, how
ever, either in size or numbers, with those at Copenhagen.
The streets and squares are also much inferior to those
in that town.
Gross-Mossbecken, one of the hills in the suburbs, affords
the finest view of Stockholm. It overlooks the sea and the
lake, the town and its suburbs, extending to the tops of the
rocky hillocks, and the pleasant country-houses, which lie
in all directions on the banks of the water. The rocks and
islands crowded in among the houses, and included within
the limits of the city, offer a peculiarity which Stockholm
possesses alone, and the situation of that place is certainly
unsurpassed by that of any other capital in the world. The
whole scene is inclosed in ranges of rock and wood-covered
hills, stretching far out of sight in the distance ; few mea
dows or fields are mingled with this grand and magnificent
picture. On leaving this hill one should not fail to visit the
enormous iron-warehouses of Sodermalm ; the metal is plied
in huge bars in two large squares. The corn-market is not
remarkable. Among the other edifices deserving of notice,
are the bank, the mint, the guard-house, the palace of the
crown-prince, the theatre, and a few others. The last men
tioned building is interesting from having been the scene
of the murder of Gustavus III., who was shot at a great
masked ball given in this theatre, and survived but a few
hours. The theatre is not open every night. The evening I
visited it, a great festivity also took place at the Museum
of Ancient Art: the distinguished artist, Vogelberg, a.
native of Sweden, had finished three colossal statues of the

THE THEATRE.

229

heathen deities, Thor, Valdor, and Odin, which had lately
arrived from Rome, and they were to be exhibited for his
benefit in the great saloon, which was lighted up for the
occasion. A numerous company had been asked to at
tend, and hymns were to be sung when the statues were
uncovered. I was so fortunate as to receive an invitation
to this ceremony, which was to commence at seven o'clock ;
but first I went to the theatre. I was told it would open
at half-past six, and thought I could spend half an hour
there before I met my friends at the palace, from whence
we were to go to the fete. I was at the theatre by six, and
waited impatiently for the first stroke of the overture ; but
at half-past six there were still no signs of its beginning.
Upon examining my bill I thea discovered, to my great
dismay, that the opera would not commence till seven ; but
as I was unwilling to go without having at least seen the
curtain rise, I amused myself for another half hour with
observing the decorations and arrangements of the house.
It is rather large, and consists of five stories, but is not
conspicuous for ornament or luxury. The price of the
tickets is very high, and there is a great difference in the
seats ; I counted twenty-six of various kinds, each of which
had a settled price.
At last the overture began, — I heard it through, — the
curtain rolled up, and I saw the fatal spot where the king
had fallen. This satisfied me, and as soon as the first
air was finished, I rose to go. The person who sold the
tickets hastened after me, and, seizing me by the arm,
wished to supply me with a return-ticket ; but when I told
him that I did not need it, as I had no intention of coming
back, he insisted that the performance had just begun, and
I had thrown away my money if I did not stay. Unfortu
nately, I knew so little Swedish I could not plainly set

230 JOURNEY TO ICELAND.
before him all the important reasons which hurried me
away ; so, without explaining myself, I silently took my
leave. As I went, I overheard him telling an acquaintance,
" Well, here is a woman who has sat for half an hour before
the curtain, and as soon as it is raised she hurries off." I
turned round, and saw him lay his finger significantly on
his forehead and shake his head in a doubtful manner. I
smiled, and considered this adventure as the second act of
the dumb guest in Mozart's Don Juan.
Having joined my friends at the royal palace, we pro
ceeded to our engagement, and I spent a delightful even
ing in the illuminated hall of the antiques and in the
picture-gallery. I also had the pleasure of becoming per
sonally acquainted with Mr. Vogelberg, whose modest and
unassuming deportment would have prepossessed me in his
favor, even had it not been for the additional claim which his
remarkable talents confer upon the admiration of all who
know him.
The royal park near Stockholm is a place well worth
visiting, as it is difficult to imagine any thing finer of its
kind. Nature has done every thing for the place, which
abounds in beautiful woodlands, meadows, rocks, and hills ;
and among them are scattered delightful country-houses,
surrounded with flower-gardens and tasteful cafes and hotels,
which are crowded with visitors from the city on Sundays.
The park is traversed by excellent roads, and numerous
paths lead in every direction to the most beautiful sites and
views. A bust of the celebrated and favorite poet Bellmann is
placed in a pleasant spot, where a festival is held in his
memory every year.
The Vale of Roses, a favorite part of this park, is a
perfect little Eden. This resort was much beloved by the

PARKS AND CEMETERY.

231

late king, who is said to have passed many hours in the
small pleasure-castle which lies in a retired spot among the
woodlands and flower-beds. There is a magnificent basin,
cut out of a single piece of porphyry, in front of the castle.
I was assured that it was the largest in Europe, but I am
of opinion there is one in the Museum at Naples of much
greater size.
In the garden I passed the last agreeable hours which
I was destined to spend with a most amiable family from
Finland, called Boje, whose acquaintance I had made du
ring the passage from Gottenburg to Stockholm ; and the
place will always be doubly dear to my recollection on their
account. I made another very pleasant excursion to one of the
King's palaces at Haga, and visited at the same time the
great cemetery and the military school at Karlberg. Haga
is surrounded by a fine park, to which art could add but
few attractions ; it is beautifully diversified by patches of
woodland, meadow, majestic alleys, and lovely hills, the
whole crossed by a number of roads and paths in excellent
order. The castle itself is not large, and bears witness to
the simple tastes of the reigning family. It is said to be
the smallest of their country-seats.
Opposite this park is the cemetery, which, having only
been planned about seventeen years ago, still presents rather
a new appearance. This would be of little consequence in
any other land, but in Sweden the burying-grounds are used
as public walks, and have fine alleys, with arbors and seats.
This one is surrounded by dark woods, which shut it in
completely from the outer world. It is the only burying-
place outside of the city, the others all lying near the
churches, and amid the houses, whose fronts often form
their walls. Interments are still allowed to take place

232 JOURNEY TO ICELAND.
there, which is certainly familiarizing oneself very tho
roughly with the presence of the dead.
A fine road leads from the great cemetery through a
wood to Karlberg, where cadets and midshipmen receive
their education. The large building appropriated for the
school is situated on a rocky hill, washed on one side by
an arm of the sea, and surrounded on the other by a hand
some park.
Before I left Stockholm, I had the honor of being pre
sented to her Majesty, the reigning queen, who had heard
of my travels, and took an especial interest in my journey
to the Holy Land. In consequence of this distinction, I
was allowed the uncommon privilege of visiting the interior
of the palace, when not only the state apartments, but even
the private rooms of the whole court were laid open to my
inspection, although they were occupied at the time. I
should hardly know how to begin,' were I to attempt a de
scription of the splendid furniture, the treasures of art, and
the exquisite taste which prevailed every where through
out the building. I was bewildered by the number of rare
and costly objects I saw ; but the friendly and gracious in
terest which her Majesty expressed in my wanderings, made
a still deeper impression, and the moments I was permitted
to spend in her presence will always form a bright spot
among the recollections of my northern tour.
dFirnrstnit fa tljt nib: Enpl dfetle nf fripsjjnlm, nn
\\t ICttfe nf Bittlnr.
Every Sunday morning, at eight o'clock, a small steam
boat leaves Stockholm for this castle, and accomplishes
the distance of eight German miles in four hours ; after re-

CASTLE OF GRIPSHOLM. 233
maining at that place for the same length-of time, it returns
to the capital in the evening. I found this excursion a
very interesting one, although the only part of the scenery
which was new to me was the deep bay, at the extreme eod
of which is situated the castle of Gripsholm ; equally re
markable for its size, and its architecture, and above all.
for its colossal projecting towers. Unfortunately, the build
ing is greatly disfigured by being colored of that favorite
shade of brick-red so common all over Sweden.
The fore-court contains two enormous guns very hand
somely wrought, which were captured in one of the wars
with Russia. The apartments in the castle, which are still
in good order, are not furnished with any degree of prodi
gality or splendor ; though the beautiful theatre may per
haps be considered an exception, as its walls are covered
with mirrors from top to bottom ; the pillars are gilded,
and the royal box is lined throughout with costly red vel
vet. It has not been used since the~days of Gustavus III.
The walls of this ancient building are extraordinarily
massive ; those of the lower stories are at least three ells
in thickness. The upper rooms are large and high, and
most of the windows command a very fine view of the sea.
With a sigh we turned from these lovely pictures, and re
verted to the sad events which had taken place in this
castle. King John III. and King Eric XIV. spent many years
in close confinement within its walls ; the latter was accom
panied by four of his councillors, who afterwards lost their
heads on the scaffold.
The imprisonment of John III. was far from rigorous,
as he was allowed the use of a large and handsome room.
and enjoyed the society of his wife, who occupied two small
apartments near his own. She was a voluntary captive,

234 JOURNEY TO ICELAND.
and was at liberty to leave the castle whenever she chose.
Sigismund, son of this royal pair, was born here in 1566,
and the room where he first saw the light was pointed out
to me. The monarch was not permitted to cross the thres
hold of his magnificent saloon, which he would no doubt
have gladly exchanged for any peasant's hut, for the sake
of calling himself free.
Eric XIV. endured a much harder fate ; he was con
fined to a small, dark room, in one of the towers, with grated
windows and a heavy oak door, through an opening in which
he daily received his meals ; for greater security, there was
also an iron door beyond. The room was- surrounded by a
narrow gallery, where guards kept watch over the king by
day and by night. The Unhappy prisoner is said to have
stood for hours at a time at one of the little windows, with
his head resting on his hands, gazing at the beautiful scene
without. What must have been his feelings, when he looked
upon the bright heavens, the smooth green turf, and the
glistening sea 1 How many of his sighs must have mingled
with the breath of heaven, — how many sleepless nights, —
how many days of anxious solicitude for the future, — did
he wear away during the two long years he spent in this
narrow room !
Our guide assured us that the floor was more worn in
that particular spot, and even the window-sill showed marks
of his repeated visits ; but I cannot say that I observed
any such traces. After two years of close captivity in this
place, Eric was removed to another dungeon.
The castle of Gripsholm has a picture-gallery of some
extent, containing many royal portraits not only of the Swe
dish monarchs, but those of other countries; from the middle
ages to our own time. There are also likenesses of distin
guished statesmen, generals, painters, poets, historians, and

JOURNEY TO UP SALA. 235
men of science ; every Swede, in short, who has gained any
reputation for himself or his country, and the most cele
brated beauties of the nation, are also allowed a place in
this distinguished band. The name and the date of the
birth of each individual is placed on their portrait, and it
is easy to seek out one's favorites without having recourse
to a catalogue or a cicerone. For correctness of design or
beauty of coloring, these pictures are certainly not remark.
able ; let us hope, however, that the fidelity of the likeness
atones for their want of merit in those respects.
On my return several interesting sites were pointed out
to me by some of my obliging fellow-passengers. Among
them was Kakeholm, where the lake attains its greatest
width ; the rocky island of Esmoi, on which a battle was
won by a noted Swedish heroine ; Norsberg, where an en
gagement also took place ; and Sturrehof, the fine estate of
a great Swedish family. A simple cross at Bjarkesoe is
stationed on the spot where Christianity is said to have
been first preached in Sweden. The lake of Malar is
equally remarkable for its historical reminiscences and for
the constant variety of its natural beauties, in which two
respects it is not surpassed by any sheet of water in
Europe.
%niu\ fa SLpsula n\ tlie Stmt IBnrks nf BmtBmnrfl.
September \2th. — Between Stockholm and Upsala there
is a constant intercourse; a little steamboat plies daily
(Sundays excepted) between the two places, the distance
being nine German miles,* which is accomplished in six
hours. * Forty and a half English miles. — Tr.

236 JOURNEY TO ICELAND.
Attracted by this facility for visiting so renowned a
city, I took my passage one beautiful evening in the steamer
for Upsala, and found myself very unpleasantly surprised
the next morning by torrents of rain. However, I was too
old a traveller to allow myself to be much disconcerted,
and embarking at half-past seven, I was conveyed to my
destination exactly as if I had been a bale of merchandise ;
being obliged to remain quietly seated in the crowded ca
bin, without even, enjoying the privilege of looking out of
the window, for the rain without and the heat within made
it impossible to distinguish any thing through the moisten
ed panes. Contrary to my custom, I did not go on deck,
because I relied on being able to see all I was now losing,
on my return.
At three o'clock, after I had been an hour at Upsala,
the weather began to clear up, and I immediately went out
to explore the town.
My first visit was to the beautiful cathedral. I paused
at the main entrance and admired the high roof, which
rests on two rows of pillars, and covers the whole church in
one unbroken line. The interior of the building is devoid
of ornament, with the exception of a chapel near the princi
pal altar, where the remains of Gustavus I. are deposited
between those of his two consorts ; the ceiling of this
chapel is blue and sprinkled with golden stars, and the mo
nument which covers his tomb is of marble, but in no way
remarkable excepting from its size ; it consists of a sarco
phagus on which repose the three figures as large as life, and
is surmounted by a marble baldaquin. The walls of the
chapel are covered with fresco paintings commemorating
the most important events in the life of this monarch ; one
of the pictures represents him in a peasant's dress, on the
point of entering a hut at the very moment when eager in-

UPSALA. 237
quiries about him are addressed to its owner ; and another
when, in the same attire, he is standing on a barrel and har
anguing his subjects. The pictures are all explained in two
large tablets, framed in gold and painted in fresco ; but, unfor
tunately for stangers, they are in the Swedish language, and
not, as is generally the case on such occasions, in Latin.
Thus every native has an opportunity of becoming familiar
with the history of this king.
The most remarkable monuments in \he other chapels
are those of Catherine Magelone, John III., Gustavus
Erickson, who was beheaded, and the brothers Sturre, who
were murdered. That of Archbishop Menander, is a speci
men of more modern art ; it is of white marble and in very
good taste. The great Linnaeus also rests under a plain
stone in this church ; his monument is not above his grave,
but is placed in one of the side chapels, and consists of a
remarkably beautiful slab of dark brown porphyry, on which
his likeness is cut in high relief. The organ in this church
is uncommonly fine and nearly reaches to the ceiling. A
few precious relics are kept in a separate room, where I saw
in a glass box the blood-stained garments of the unfortu
nate brothers Sturre, and observed the rents made by the
blows of the poniard by which they were laid low. A
wooden image of the heathen god Thor, is also preserved
here, which appears to have been originally an Ecce Homo,
and probably adorned some village chapel, from whence it
was torn by the unbelievers, who have mutilated and dis
figured it even beyond the attempts of the first artist, who
must have possessed no small talent in that way, and it is
now an absolute scarecrow.
The burying-ground, not far from the church, is re
markable for its beauty and extent ; it is surrounded by a
stone wall, surmounted by an iron railing, each about two
•

238 JOURNEY TO ICELAND.
feet high, with a row of stone pillars at equal distances.
This cemetery, like that of Stockholm, resembles a pleasant
garden, with wide alleys, arbors, and grass-plots ; but it has
the advantage of being much older, and in a more finished
condition. The graves are half concealed by shrubbery ;
many are adprned with flowers and wreaths, or encircled by
hedges of roses. The whole place is much more like an
agreeable resort for the living than a place of repose for
the dead.
There are only two tomb-stones that are at all conspi
cuous, and these are formed by huge rocks left in their na
tural state, which stand erect above the grave. One of
them is exactly like a mountain ; it covers the ashes of a
general, and is certainly large enough to accommodate
those of all his host ; his survivors must have heard of the
Trojan mounds. The inscription on the enormous tablet
is peculiar, and appears to be in the Runic character ; this
extraordinary monument thus uniting two vestiges of the
ancient times from very different quarters of the globe.
The University of Upsala is a large and handsome build
ing, situated on a hillock and offering a fine facade to the
town ; a park has been lately inclosed in its rear. Near this
edifice, and upon the same eminence, is a royal castle conspi
cuous for its red walls ; it is very large, and has two mas
sive towers at the corners in front. In the centre of the
vestibule is a bust of Gustavus I., larger than life ; a few
artificial mounds like bastions are mounted with guns, and
this spot, which is the highest in the neighborhood, com
mands a very fine view.
The little town itself is built of wood and stone ; it is
a pretty place, intersected by three fine wide streets, and
adorned with a great many handsome garden spots ; but I
could not admire the dark brownish-red with which the

MINES OF DANEMORA. 239
houses were colored, as I thought it gave a sombre appear
ance to the place even during the brightest sunshine.
The environs are agreeable ; a wide and fruitful plain
was sprinkled with light green meadows and yellow stubble-
fields, contrasting with the dark woodlands ; the silver
course of the river Fyris can bo traced in the distance, and
in the background are deep woods, in whose shades the
eye is completely lost. The plain is crossed by excellent
roads. Before I left my post on the bastion, I cast a look at
the garden stretched out at my feet and separated by a
street from the castle ; it was not large, but appeared to be
beautifully laid out.
I should have been glad to visit the botanical gardens
which were the favorite resort of Linnaeus, where a fine
bust of that great botanist is to be seen ; but the sun had
now sunk behind the hills, and I repaired to my little cham
ber, to prepare for my journey to Danemora on the morrow.
September 13th. — I left Upsala at four o'clock in the
morning, on my way to the celebrated mines which are seven
miles from that place, having set off so early in the hope of
being present when a rock was blasted in the pits, which
were closed as soon as it was over. I had been told so
often of the perpetual delays I must expect in travelling
through this country, that I was resolved to have time
enough before me on this occasion.
About half a mile beyond Upsala lies Gamla, or old
Upsala. I only saw the ancient church and burying-ground,
containing a few large mounds, though most of them were
small and insignificant. It is conjectured that these mounds
contain the bones of several Swedish kings. I have seen
tumuli of the same description in Greece, and also on the

240 JOURNEY TO ICELAND.
spot where Troy once stood. The church is not allowed to
go to decay ; it is still in use, and I saw with regret the
traces of fresh plastering among its gray and aged walls.
Half way between Upsala and Danemora, there is a
large castle, which has nothing but its size to recommend
it. The river Tyris was then seen, and the long and re
markable lake of Danemora ; both were covered with sedge
and reeds, and their shores flat and tame. The whole drive
was through an uninteresting plain, where I observed no
thing worthy of notice save some rocks, which attracted
my attention, because I could not imagine how they came
there. The hills and mountains were far removed, and the
surface of the plain is by no means stony.
The little village of Danemora lies in the woods, and
contains a small church and a few scattered houses of vari
ous sizes ; the usual mining apparatus appeared in sight as
we approached, and I found I was so fortunate as to have
arrived exactly at the right moment, and in time to witness
the blasting of the ore. From the wide opening of the
largest mine it is easy to see what is going on below ; and
it is a rare and wonderful spectacle to look down into this
abyss, four hundred and eighty feet deep, and observe the
colossal gates and entrances, which lead to the different
pits ; the rocky bridges, projections, arches, and caverns
formed in the walls of the mine, some of which extend to
the upper world. The miners appear like puppets ; their
movements can hardly be distinguished, till the eye has be
come somewhat accustomed to the darkness, and to their
diminutive size ; the dim light was sufficient, however, to
enable me to see several ladders, which seemed like play
things. It was nearly noon, and most of the workmen were leav
ing the mines ; they were drawn up in little casks by means

MINES OF DANEMORA. 241
of a pully, and it was really a fearful sight to see them sus
pended in the air in those small vehicles, each one of which
often held three miners, one standing in the middle and the
other two seated on the edge. I should have been glad to
go down into the pit myself, but it was too late for to-day.
The descent had no terrors for me, as I had been let down
into the celebrated salt mines of Wieliczka and Bochnia in
Galicia, many years ago, by a single rope, in a conveyance
quite as dangerous as this one.
On the stroke of twelve, a match was applied to four
trains ; the man who lighted them immediately sprang back
and hid himself behind a wall of rock. In a minute or two we
saw the powder flash, a few stones were cast into the air,
and immediately afterwards a loud detonation was heard,
and the blasted mass fell in fragments around ; the tremen
dous explosion was caught up by the echo, and resounded
to the farthest extremity of the mine ; and to add to the
terrors of the scene, one rock was hardly shivered before
another crash was heard, and immediately afterwards a
third and a fourth. These trains are laid every day in the
different mines.
The other pits are still deeper, one of them being six
hundred feet beneath the ground ; but their openings are
smaller, and as they are not always perpendicular, the eye
is soon lost in their depths, which produces a dismal effect
upon the spectator. I would not be a miner on any ac
count ; life would be unendurable to me, shut out from the
light and sun, and I turned my eyes from the dark caverns,
to gaze with new delight on the bright and cheerful land
scape around me.
I returned to Upsala the same day. On this short ex
cursion I had travelled post ; and having no carriage of my
own, I found it necessary to engage a conveyance at every

242 JOURNEY TO ICELAND.
station, which was nothing more than a common cart with
two wheels ; the seat being a bundle of hay covered with a
horse-blanket. If the roads were not remarkably good, a
drive in such a wagon would give one a serious shaking,
though I certainly preferred them to the Norwegian car-
riols, where I was obliged to sit so long in the same posi
tion. The stations are unequal, some longer and some shorter.
The post-horses are owned, as in Norway, by the country
people, who go by the name of JDschus peasants ; every even
ing they are obliged to collect a certain number of horses,
and when a traveller presents himself, he can ascertain from
a book how many horses a peasant owns, how many are
then in use, and how many still in the stable ; he must, on his
side, enter his name on the book, as well as the hour of his
departure, and the number of animals he requires ; in this
manner the whole thing is easily settled, and if any diffi
culty arise it is soon adjusted.
There are also demands upon the patience of the traveller
here, but by no means as many as in Norway. At every
station there was a delay of fifteen or twenty minutes, to
prepare the wagon and harness the horse, but never longer ;
and I must do the Swedish postmasters the justice to say,
that they never exacted a double price, or endeavored to tire
me into offering it. The speed naturally depends upon the
quality of the horse and the inclination of the driver ; but
as a general thing, the animals have a very easy time of it.
It is really ridiculous to see the small loads they are re
quired to draw, be it grain, bricks, wood, or any thing else,
and the slow pace at which they move.
The innumerable wooden gates in the road are a terrible
nuisance to travellers ; the roads are all cut up into short
divisions, and the driver is sometimes obliged to alight six

SINGULAR COSTUME. 243
or eight times in an hour to open and close the gates; this
happens even on the great post-routes, though rather less
frequently than in the by-roads. Wood is as abundant here
as in Norway ; every thing is inclosed, even to scraps of
land, which certainly do not seem worthy of the labor be
stowed upon the fence.
The little villages through which I drove, or saw at a
distance, were generally very pleasant and neat ; and the
huts I visited, while the horses were changing, I found
tolerably clean and comfortably furnished.
The peasants of this part of the country wear a singular
costume. The men, and often the boys, have long over
coats of a dark-blue cloth, and cloth caps ; at a distance,
they might almost be mistaken for gentlemen in their tra
velling dress ; and it is curious to see so many persons ap
parently of that class following the plough, or mowing hay.
Upon examination, however, the resemblance is not so
striking, as their clothes are apt to be ragged and dirty,
and under their surtouts they wear leathern aprons like
those used by carpenters with us. I observed nothing pe
culiar about the dress of the women, excepting that they
were generally poorly clad and often very ragged. As far
as regards their clothing, the Swedes and Norwegians are
much behind the Icelanders, although they, have greatly the
advantage in the comfort of their dwellings.
September lith. — I returned to Stockholm to-day by the
lake of Malar, and as the weather was favorable, I remained
on deck to observe the country. For the first mile we follow
ed the course of the River Fyris, which winds between its
level banks through woodlands and meadows to the sea.
The large plain, in which lie New and Old Upsala, was
soon lost in the distance, and after having passed two

244 JOURNEY TO ICELAND.
bridges, we found ourselves once more in the lake, which is
here a wide and expansive sheet of water, without islands.
The shores are surrounded by a range of low and wooded
hills. We soon reached the region of islands, where the
scenery became much more interesting ; several fine coun
try-seats were pointed out to me, among which were the
pretty little Castle'of Krusenberg, lying most picturesquely
on a beautiful height, and the magnificent Castle of Skuk-
loster, a large, handsome, regular building, flanked by four
mighty towers, which is situated close to the water's edge
in the midst of a splendid garden.
This part of the lake abounds in all those varied beau
ties which I have described before ; rocks and islands are
scattered about, and in some places the latter are so crowd
ed as apparently to offer no further outlet for the waters ;
or so near the shores as to seem a part of the mainland. The
little town of Sixtuna lies in a small but lovely valley,
scattered with ruins, said to be the remains of the old Ro
man town of Sixtun ; among them are several round
towers. The Latin name is revived in that of the new place.
The rocks and cliffs at this point are not without danger
during a storm. We saw several other castles, one of
which was unusually large for a private residence ; that of
Rouse was only revealed by three fine cupolas rising above
the trees ; the building itself was concealed by a low and
bare hillock. The bridge of Nokeby is said to be one of
the longest in Sweden. Here Stockholm appears in sight
again, and steering towards that place, we landed once more,
at two o'clock, in the capital of Sweden.

PASSAGE TO TRAVEMUND. 245

/rnm Ifarltrjnlitt in 'tammrafc rail Inmlmrglj.
On the 18th of September I bid farewell to Stockholm,
and embarked at noon in the steamer " Svithiold," of a
hundred horse power, for Travemund.
The fare for this passage was enormous; the dis
tance is about five hundred sea miles, the time three days
and the price of the second cabin, without any meals, was
forty dollars, or, according to our money, thirty-five florins
C. M.* The table is, moreover, exorbitantly high, and as
it is under the control of the captain, there is no one to
whom one can complain of the extortion, which must be
submitted to without any hopes of redress.
One of the poorer passengers, who suffered exceedingly
from sea-sickness, was anxious to obtain a bowl of soup from
the steward, who referred, him to our amiable commander ;
he was informed that no deduction would be made, and if he
wanted some soup, he must pay for his whole dinner ; this
he could not afford to do, without scraping together every
kreuzer he possessed, as the charge was several rix-dollars
every day ; fortunately a few benevolent persons compas
sionated his case and paid for his meal. Some of the gen
tlemen had a few bottles of wine with them, which were
taxed at almost as much as they were worth.
The Swedish steamers do not appear to be remarkable for
the strength of their machinery ; at least, in the opinion of
some of my fellow travellers, no other reason could be assign
ed for our running into port whenever the wind or sea was
high. We were detained twenty-four hours between Stock-
* Sixteen dollars and eighty cents. — Tr.

246 JOURNEY TO ICELAND.
holm and Calmar, and at the latter place we anchored, and
waited for a more favorable breeze. Several gentlemen who
had important business in Lubeck, left the steamer here,
and pursued their journey by land.
The scenery of this part of the Baltic bears the same
character as that of lake Malar. One of the islands is
united to the mainland by an extraordinarily long bridge,
called Lindenbrog. We stopped at the little town of
Wachsholm, in one of the bays, and saw a fine fortress, on a
rocky islet opposite that place, with a colossal round tower,
and from the formidable number of cannon, it must be con
sidered a fortification of the first class. A few hours later
we observed another, called Friedricksborg, which does not
stand out so boldly as the one we had seen before, being
partly surrounded by woods, as is also the case with the
large castle on the opposite side.
The only object now visible on our right was the craggy
group of rocks on which lies the fortress of Dolero, and a
sufficient number of houses to form a little village.
September \9th. — -To-day we were in the rough and open
sea. About noon we reached the Gulf of Calmar, formed
by the peninsula of Scholand, and a long island called
Oland. The " Jungfrau," a high mountain, of which the
Swedes are very proud, was visible ; it stands on an island,
but only appears so striking on account of the level scenery
around it ; compared with its proud, and gigantic namesake
in Switzerland, it is a mere insignificant hillock.
¦ September 20th. — Last night we anchored on account of
the head-wind, and it was not till to-day at ten o'clock that
we arrived at Calmar. This little town lies on an immense
plain, and possesses no object of sufficient interest to induce

OLD CHURCH AND CASTLE. 247
a delay, excepting, perhaps, its fine church and its old castle ;
these we had only too good an opportunity to examine, as
our captain gave us notice that we should remain here for
an indefinite period ; at first the_ sea was so rough that he
declined sending us on shore, but after a while a boat was
lowered, and the most curious among us were permitted to
land. From its exterior, the church might be mistaken for a
fine old specimen of ancient architecture, and it looks much
more like a castle than a church. It has large corner towers,
and its dome, as well as the other tower, are too low to
attract attention. The inside of the building is remarkable
for its extent, its height, and its extraordinary echo, which
is said to lend a wonderfully fine effect to the tones of the
organ. We sent for the organist, but unfortunately he was
not to be found, and we were obliged to content ourselves
with trying the echo with our own voices. From hence we
went to the castle, which is not more than a ten minutes'
walk from the church ; it was built in the reign of Queen
Margaret, during the sixteenth century, and internally it is
in such a state of dilapidation, that we considered it by no
means advisable to remain very long in the upper rooms.
The lower story has been kept in repair, and is now used as
a prison ; many hands were stretched out of the grated
windows, and piteous voices begged an alms from us as we
went by. More than a hundred and forty criminals are con
fined here.
The wind abated a little in the afternoon, and at three
o'clock we continued our journey. The Gulf of Calmar is
tame ; its shores are flat, and without wood.
Sept. 2\st. — When I came on deck to-day, the gulf was
far behind us ; nothing but the open sea was visible on our

248 JOURNEY TO ICELAND.
right, and to the left was the barren Schmoland, and still
more barren Schonen, which last showed no signs of life but
a few fishing villages.
At nine we cast our anchor in the haven of Ystadt ; this
town is rather pretty, and has a large square which contains
the house of the governor, the theatre, and the town hall.
The streets are wide, some of the houses being of wood and
some of stone. The old church is the most interesting
object in the place ; it possesses an altar-piece carved in
wood, which is preserved in the vestry, the composition and
carving of which are admirable, although the figures are rather
clumsy and irregular. The reliefs on the chancel, and a fine
monument by the side of the high altar, must not be over
looked ; both of them are in carved wood.
In the afternoon we had passed the Danish island of
Malmoe, and at last, having, been nearly four days on the
journey, instead of two and a half, we happily reached the
harbor of Travemund on the 22d of September, at two
o'clock in the morning. My sea voyages were now at an end,
to my great regret ; for I love the sea. Whether it be calm
or ruffled, there is always something to admire in its bound
less surface ; to me it was equally delightful to glide along
smoothly on the still waters, or to be rocked on the rest
less waves, which I have often watched for hours at a time
during a storm, till- I was wet to the skin by the rain and
the sea. I had now become so good a sailor, that I was no
longer troubled with sea-sickness, and there was no further
drawback to interfere with my admiration of this element,
so grand and so fearfully beautiful when it is roused, and so
peculiarly fitted to raise our minds to the Creator.
We had hardly anchored, when we were accosted by a
whole host of drivers, each anxious to induce us to engage
his services to conduct us across the country by Lubeck to

TRAVEMUND TO LUBECK. 249
Hamburgh, a distance of eight miles (German),* which is
usually accomplished in nine hours.
Travemund is a neat little village, with a single street, in
which almost every house is a hotel. The drive to Lubeck
(two miles) is perfectly delightful ; the road is excellent
and leads through a pleasant wood, by a cemetery almost
equal to that of Upsala in beauty, as it might be mistaken for
a magnificent park if it were not for the monuments it con
tains. I regretted exceedingly my not being able to devote one
day to Lubeck; this old Hanse town, with its time-honored
cathedral, and other churches, its handsome square and
pyramidical houses, held out many temptations to detain
me. But I could not stop ; and could only gaze and admire,
as I hurried through the place. The side-walks and pave
ments are superior to those in any other northern city ; and
the houses are generally provided with wooden balconies,
where the inhabitants apparently spend the pleasant even
ings. The dazzling Hamburgh plate-glass windows re
appeared here. The Trave, which we had crossed between
Travemund and Lubeck, encircles the latter town on one
side. Near Oldeslo we saw the innumerable smoke columns
and fine buildings of the salt-works ; and in the neighborhood
of Arensberg an old and romantic castle, entirely surround
ed by water. From this place to Hamburgh the country
becomes flat and uninteresting, although it was rich in
fruitful fields and meadows.
This short excursion from Lubeck to Hamburgh is rather
an expensive one ; and there are an incredible number of taxes
and tolls, which the driver pays. First, it cost him a florin
* Thirty-six and a half English miles.

250 JOURNEY TO ICELAND.
and sixteen kreuzers to obtain a permit to _pass from the
territory of Lubeck to that of Hamburgh ; he then paid
double at the gates of Lubeck, because we left the city before
five o'clock, at which hour they are first opened ; and at
almost every mile he was obliged to hand over five or six
kreuzers for the turnpike.
This last annoyance is unknown in Sweden and Norway,
where, after a certain sum has been paid yearly for every
horse, they can go all over the country without restriction.
The houses of the peasants are very large in this part of
the country, which is explained by the fact that stables,
sheds and barns, are all under the same roof; the frames
are generally of wood filled in with brick.
The towers of Wandsbeck and Hamburgh appeared in
sight soon after we left Arensberg, both of those places
being like a single town, as they are only separated by
the grounds of some pleasant country-houses ; though in
comparison with Hamburgh, Wandsbeck cannot be ranked
above a village.
At two in the afternoon I reached the residence of my
kind relatives, who received me with as much astonishment
as if I had been raised from the dead. When I left Iceland
I had forwarded to my cousin in Hamburgh a little box of
minerals, by a ship which sailed at the same time for Altona ;
and the sailor who had charge of it gave such an indifferent
account of the vessel in which I had taken my passage, that
as no news had ever reached him of my safe arrival in
Copenhagen, although I had written from that place, he took
it for granted I had gone to the bottom ; and hence his
unlimited surprise at my re-appearance.

DEPARTURE FROM HAMBURGH. 251
/ram Iitrrtkrgif fa 3klk
My time was now very short ; and after spending a few
plasant days with my relations, I took leave of them on
the 26th of September, and set off in a small steamer on
the Elbe for Haarburg, which place I reached in .three
quarters of an hour, when I changed my conveyance to the
stage-coach, and proceeded to Celle (fourteen miles). There
is little to be said of the scenery ; the country is flat and
marshy, with a few fruitful fields and pastures scattered
about. Sept. 27th. — We arrived at Celle in the night. Here I
was obliged to hire a private conveyance for Lehrte (a mile
and a half), where I took the cars for Berlin, passing a
number of towns and villages by the way, though they were
too far from the railroad to see any thing of them, as we
flew rapidly by.
The first was Brunswick, with its pretty ducal castle,
built in the Gothic style, and lying just out of the town in
a fine park. Wolfenbuttel appears to be a large place, from
the number of its houses and churches ; it possesses a hand
some wooden bridge over the Ocker, with an elegant iron
railing. There is a delightful public walk near this town,
leading to a gentle eminence, crowned by a fine building,
which is used as a coffee-house.
Upon leaving the confines of Hanover, the swamps and
heaths also disappeared, and were succeeded by a well cul
tivated country, with a number of villages and pretty little
towns, which I was loth to pass so rapidly.
We soon came to Schepenstadt, Jersheim, and Wegers-
leben, which last belongs to Prussia. At Aschersleben we
changed cars, as well as at Magdeburgh. At Salze I ob-

252 JOURNEY TO ICELAND.
served the fine buildings belonging to the extensive salt
works in that place. Jernandau is the scat of a Moravian
settlement. I should have been glad to visit Kothen, as
nothing can be more delightful than the situation of that
little town, in the midst of blooming gardens ; but unfor
tunately, we only stopped for a few minutes. The environs
of Dessau are also very pleasant. There are several bridges
here over different branches of the Elbe ; and that over the
river itself rests on mighty pillars. Of Wittenburg and
Jiiterbog we saw nothing but a mass of roofs and steeples ;
the last-mentioned plaoe has a very new appearance, as if it
had lately sprung up. The sandy region begins at Luke-
walde, and stretches uninterruptedly to Berlin, with the
exception of a short range of wooded hills in the neighbor
hood of Trebbin.
I had accomplished forty-six miles* to-day, between the
hours of six in the morning and seven at night. In that
distance the cars had been changed repeatedly ; there was
an extraordinary number of travellers, in consequence of
the Leipsic fair, and the train often consisted of thirty-five
or forty cars, three locomotives, and at least seven or eight
hundred passengers. Every thing was conducted with the
greatest order, however ; and what was a great convenience,
we could take our places at Lehrte for Berlin, although we
passed through so many different states, and we had no
farther trouble about our seats or our luggage. The at
tendants were all very civil. At every station the con
ductor announced with a loud voice how long we should
stop — two or three minutes, half an hour, &c. ; and those
who felt inclined to refresh themselves, knew exactly how
many minutes they might loiter at the neighboring hotel or
* Two hundred and seven English miles. — Tr.

CONVENIENT ARRANGEMENTS. 253
station-house. The cars are very easy of access, as they
run into deep furrows at the stopping-places, and are flush
with the ground ; consequently no steps are needed. They
are divided into wide carriages, with two seats opposite
each other, and a door at each end. Eight persons are ac
commodated in the first and second-class cars, and ten in
the others. They are all numbered, so that every passenger
can find his place with ease ; and no one is locked in. By
these simple arrangements, it is easy for any one to get out,
even when the train only stops for a couple of minutes, and
take a short turn, or buy something to eat, without the least
trouble or confusion.
But when the cars are as long as a house, and hold
sixty or seventy people, who are sometimes fastened in, I
would not advise any one to attempt to make a move when
the conductor opens the door and merely calls out the name
of the place, without mentioning how long a delay there
will be ; — for by the time they have fought their way to
the end of the car, slipped through the little door and down
the steps, the whistle is heard again, and the train is in
motion immediately, as the signal is given for the engineer,
and not for the benefit of the passengers.
Another great advantage on this road is, that there was
not the least trouble with the passports, or the still more
insupportable passirsehein. No troublesome police-officer
intrudes to prevent the passengers from leaving the cars
till they have found out all about each and every one of
them. I should like to know how many days this journey
would take, if it were necessary to produce one's passport
as often as in some other states ; particularly if they
could not be examined on the spot, but must be carried to
the office for that purpose.
And all these annoyances, hard as it is to be believed,

254 JOURNEY TO ICELAND.
must often be submitted to more than once in the same
territory ; one need not come from a foreign land ; but
merely in passing from one provincial capital to another,
the most vexatious investigations are repeatedly endured.
This is the only country where I have ever experienced
any thing of the kind ; my passport was always demanded
at the hotel at every capital where I remained any length
of time. In Stockholm, a singular arrangement prevailed,
however ; every stranger who visits that place, if it be but
for twenty-four hours, must provide himself with a Swedish
passport, for which he pays one florin and twenty kreuzers.*
This can only be viewed in the light of an ingenious con
trivance to obtain that sum from the traveller, as the offi
cials are apparently ashamed to exact as much for a simple
visi on his papers.

98*rlhi, nun %thm In % mm.
Berlin is the handsomest and most regular town I have
ever seen ; the finest streets, squares, and palaces of Copen
hagen, can hardly bear a comparison with this place.
I had but few days to spend there, and lost no time in
visiting all the most remarkable objects of curiosity, many
of which, such as the magnificent palace of the king, the ex
tensive picture-gallery, the museum, and the large cathedral,
are all within an easy distance of each other.
The cathedral is large and regular ; on each side of
the entrance there is a chapel surrounded by an iron lat
tice-work, where several kings lie buried, beneath antiquated
* Ninety-two cents. — Tr.

BERLIN.

255

sarcophagi, which bear the name of the royal graves, and
near this spot is a huge monument under which reposes one
of the dukes of Brandenburgh.
The Catholic church is built in the style of the Rotunda
at Rome, with the only difference, that it is not lighted from
above, but by a circular row of windows. This church is
adorned by several statues, and a tasteful, though simple,
altar ; the portico contains several fine bass-reliefs.
The architecture of the Werderische church is more
modern, though it may also be called Gothic. The towers
have handsome bass-reliefs in bronze ; the walls of the in
terior are wainscoted to the galleries, inlaid with colors
and terminated by a row of carved wood-work. The organ,
has a clear, full tone ; it is adorned with a painting, which
savors more of mythological taste than our present religious
notions. A crowd of Cupids hover among labyrinths of
flowers above three beautiful female figures.
The mint, and the academy of architecture, are very
near this church ; the first is adorned with handsome stat
uary, but the latter is an unpretending building of a quad
rangular form, and resembles a very extensive private
dwelling. It is painted red.
Near the king's residence is the Opern-Platz, in
which is situated the celebrated opera-house, the arsenal, the
university, the library, the academy, the guard-house, and
several royal palaces. The square is ornamented by the
statues of three generals, Count Biilow, Count Scharnhorst
and Prince Bliieher ; they are all fine works of art, but I
was not impressed with the costume, which was an ordinary
cloak, thrown open in front to display part of the magnifi
cent uniforms.
The arsenal, which is one of the handsomest edifices in
Berlin, is a large square building ; but as it was, unfor-

256 JOURNEY TO ICELAND.
tunately, undergoing some repairs during my visit, I was
not able to see the interior, with the exception of a few
enormous halls on the ground-floor, which I looked at
through the window, and found to contain whole rows of
formidable guns. The guard-house is near the arsenal ; it
has a portico, with a row of columns, bearing a resem
blance to a fine temple.
The opera-house is built in the shape of a parallelo
gram, and stands alone. The entrances are unworthy of so
fine a building ; even the principal one is narrow, and of a
dark color, like the door of an insignificant church ; the
others are even lower, and no one would guess that they led
to such a magnificent scene within. The interior of the
theatre is elegant and luxurious beyond description. The
seats of the parterre are comfortable and well cushioned
arm-chairs ; they are not inclosed, and each seat is num
bered. The boxes are only divided by a partition, not more
than a foot high, and the fashionable world who frequents
them is full in sight ; the boxes of the first and second
tier, as well as the seats in the pit, are covered with dark
red silk damask. The royal box is carpeted like an elegant
saloon. The ceiling of the theatre is adorned with fine oil
paintings, framed in gold. But the master-piece is the
enormous chandelier, which has the appearance of being in
massive bronze, and has a threatening look, suspended over
the heads of the spectators ; in reality, however, it is made
of pasteboard, and its weight is far from dangerous. Nu
merous gas-lights illuminate the whole building ; and the
only thing I missed, in the otherwise complete arrangements,
was a clock ; no Italian theatre is ever without one.
The other palaces and edifices of the Opern Platz are
more conspicuous for their size than their architectural
merit.

KONIGSTADT.

257

An extraordinarily wide stone bridge, with a handsome
railing, leads across a small branch of the Spree, and con
nects this place with the one which contains the palace of
the king. The royal museum is a fine building, with a
high portico painted in fresco. The picture-gallery pos
sesses many chefs-d'oeuvres, and I regretted extremely that
I had so little time to devote to these treasures of art, and
to the collection of antiques ; I could allow myself but
three hours to see them all.
An uncommonly broad and long street stretches from
the academy, and is adorned by a double row of lime-trees,
from which it takes its name of TJnter den Linden (or
under the limes) ; this beautiful promenade extends to the
handsome Brandenburgh Gate, near which is the public
park. Among the streets which abut upon the Linden, the
longest and finest are the Friedrichs and the Wilhelms-
strasse. The Leipzigerstrasse is also a well-built thorough
fare, but does not run in this direction.
The French and German churches stand in the Gens-
d'Armes Platz ; but they are only conspicuous for their
high cupolas, pillars, and porticoes ; their interior is small
and unpretending. The royal theatre, in the same place,
is a large and tastefully fitted up building, with colonnades,
and statues of the Muses.
I went up to the top of the telegraph tower, for the sake
of the view over the level environs of Berlin. A very civil
attendant was so good-natured as to explain the signals to
me, and allowed me to look at the distant telegraphs
through the telescope.
Konigstadt, on the opposite side of the Spree, offers
little that is worthy of notice. The principal street, the
Konigstrasse, is long, but narrow and dirty. This place
presents a striking contrast to Berlin proper ; the only re-

258 JOURNEY TO ICELAND.
markable buildings are the post-office and the theatre, and
all the streets are narrow, short, and full of angles.
The shops in some parts of Berlin are very magnifi
cent ; and I saw many window-panes which reminded me
of Hamburgh, though they did not attain the extravagant
dimensions so common in that city.
There is not much to be seen in the neighborhood of
Berlin ; the Thiergarten (or public park), and Charlotten-
burg, are the most agreeable excursions ; and now that the
railroad has lessened the distance so much, Potsdam may
also be said to belong to the immediate vicinity of the
capital. The park lies just outside of the Brandenburgh Gate ; it
is cut up into several divisions, one of which reminded me
of our beloved Prater. The beautiful alleys were crowded
with carriages, horsemen, and pedestrians ; the woods were
enlivened by elegant coffee-houses, and children were frol
icking on the turf; all of which carried me back so vividly
to the Prater, that I could hardly understand why I saw
no greeting on any familiar face. The Krollische Casino, or
winter garden, is situated in this part of the park ; I hardly
know what name to bestow on this edifice ; it resembles a
fairy palace. The most costly decorations, gilding, paint
ing, draperies, &c, are exhibited in the splendid saloons,
halls, temples, galleries, and boxes. The principal hall,
which can accommodate eighteen hundred persons, has no
windows, but receives its light from a glass roof; the galleries
and smaller saloons are divided from this one by colonnades.
All the niches and corners are adorned with flowers, in
costly jars ; and in winter the scene is one of perfect en
chantment. The Sunday reunions and concerts are always
crowded, in spite of the prohibition against smoking. The
building will hold five thousand people.

CHARLOTTENBURG. 259
Near the Potsdam Gate the park has all the appearance
of a pleasure garden, with its trim alleys, flower-beds, ter
races, islands, fish-ponds, &c. The Luiseninsel, where there
is a fine monument to Queen Louisa, is well worthy of a
visit. The Odeon is the best coffee-house in this part of
the park, but it cannot be compared with the Casino. The
numerous country-houses in this neighborhood, are exceed
ingly handsome, and generally built in the Italian style.

Cfrnrlnttralrarg.
This place is at half an hour's distance from the Bran
denburgh Gate, and omnibuses are always in readiness to
convey any visitors to the spot. The road crosses the park,
at the extremity of which is a. pretty little village, adjoining
the royal castle, a long but shallow building of two stories,
the upper one being very low and occupied only by ser
vants. The roof is terraced, and in its centre is a hand
some cupola.
The garden is unpretending, and far from large, but it
contains a fine collection of orange-trees. In a dark ar
bor, is the small building which contains the mausoleum of
Queen Louisa and her fine statue by the celebrated sculptor
Rauch ; the remains of the late king also repose here, by
the side of his beloved consort. A little beyond is an island
with statuettes, and a large pond where some swans were
proudly sailing about. It is to be regretted that no dirt
will adhere to these white-feathered birds ; for if it did, we
should see here a wonderful race of black swans, as the
stream where this island lies is one of the dirtiest puddles
I have ever seen.
Let no one who is already tired visit these grounds, for

260 JOURNEY TO ICELAND.
there are very few seats ; though musquitoes abound in any
quantities. ^nfakm.
The distance from Berlin to Potsdam is hardly four
German miles, which are accomplished by the railway in
three quarters of an hour. The arrangements on this road
are very convenient ; for instance, the cars are marked with
the names of the different stations, which prevents a vast deal
of confusion, as all the passengers for any particular place
can get in and out at once without running against the
other travellers.
The drive is by no means interesting ; but Potsdam
itself is a place so well worthy of notice, that one day bare
ly suffices to see all that it contains. The Havel flows di
rectly by the town, and is crossed by a long and remark
ably handsome stone bridge, with iron rafters and railing.
The royal castle lies on the opposite bank ; it has a garden
in the rear, not very extensive, indeed, but sufficiently so to
be an agreeable resort for the public, to whom it is thrown
open. The building is on a very grand scale, but it is not
a favorite residence with the court ; the preference being
given to the beautiful summer palaces in the neighborhood,
and in winter to the capital.
The place in front of the castle is far from handsome,
as it is neither large nor regular, and not even level ; it
contains the principal church, which is still uncompleted,
but promises to be a fine edifice. The town is well built,
and rather large ; the streets, particularly the Rauner-
strasse, are wide and long, but very badly paved, the point
ed side of the stones being generally uppermost. There is
a side-walk, however, about two feet wide, for foot-passen-

POTSDAM.

261

gers. The only public promenade is a place near the canal
with several alleys.
The first that I visited among the royal country-seats
was Sans-Souci, lying in the centre of a pleasant park,
on an elevation which is cut into six terraces ; on each of
these is a conservatory, with whole alleys of orange and
lemon-trees. The castle is of a single story, and is so com
pletely shut in by trees, arbors, and vines, that very little of
it is to be seen. . I was not admitted to the interior, as it
was then occupied by the royal family.
A little path leads to the artificial ruins of two temples
of various sizes lying on a hillock, which commands a view
of the rear of the palace of Sans-Souci, and of the new pa
lace, only separated from the first by the park, and at a dis
tance of less than a quarter of an hour. There is also an
extensive pond on the same hill with the ruins.
Nothing more magnificent can be conceived than the
new palace, built by Frederick the Great. It is in the
shape of a parallelogram, ornamented with columns and
arabesques, and covered with a terraced roof, surround
ed by a stone balustrade, and embellished with statues.
The saloons and other apartments are large and high,
splendidly painted and furnished ; all the walls being hung
with tapestry and adorned with numerous oil paintings,
some of which are master-pieces. One of the rooms on the
ground-floor is entirely inlaid with the handsomest shells.
There is really no end to the wonders of this fairy palace,
which, nevertheless, is not inhabited. In the rear are two
small but very elegant buildings, communicating with each
other by a colonnade in the shape of a half moon ; and very
handsome flights of steps lead to terraces which surround
the first floor of these little castles, which are now used for
barracks, and are certainly the finest edifices I have ever
seen devoted to that purpose.

262 JOURNEY TO ICELAND.
From here a pleasant road" led to the delightful little
castle of Charlottenhof. Coming from the new palace, I
could hardly imagine it to be the residence even of the
crown prince ; it appeared much more like a small pavilion
attached to the great palace, where the royal family might
occasionally assemble for a collation, than a dwelling for
one of its members. But when I had examined all its
rooms, and admired the prevailing luxury and taste, I was
ready to admit that it was worthy to accommodate the heir
to the throne. Fountains were playing on the upper ter
races ; the walls of the corridors and vestibules were paint
ed in magnificent frescoes, like those of Pompeii ; the
rooms themselves being adorned with the finest paintings,
engravings, and other treasures of art. The greatest
splendor was displayed throughout the whole establish
ment. Not far from this little gem is a Chinese Kiosk with a
number of figures, which are mostly in a mutilated and
damaged condition.
Each of these royal palaces is surrounded by a fine
park, all three of which are so close together that they might
be mistaken for the same inclosure ; they contain hand
some woods, and fields, with shady walks and drives ;
though not many flowers are to be seen.
After having leisurely examined the whole, I returned
to Sans-Souci, to witness the celebrated play of the foun
tain's, which takes place twice a week, on Tuesdays and
Fridays, from noon till evening. The streams of water
from the two basins in front of the palace, are extraordi
narily high and powerful. It is delightful to stand near
them when the sun is shining, and watch the rainbows in
the spray. The water also flows from a high vase sur
rounded with wreaths of living flowers, and forms a beau-

MARBLE PALACE. 263
tiful fall, as clear and transparent as the purest crystal ;
the fall is surmounted by two wreaths of flowers twined
together. The little grotto of Neptune has a miniature
cascade thrown from a vase over a basin of shells.
I had still to visit the marble palace on the opposite
side of Potsdam, at about half an hour's walk from the
other castles. The park around it is flanked on the left by
a row of exceedingly neat cottages, all built exactly alike,
and only separated by orchards, and flower or vegetable
gardens. The palace is near the end of the park, on the
bank of a little lake formed by the river Havel. The
name of the Marble Palace, which it bears, is not entirely
undeserved, though it differs in many respects from the
marble buildings of Venice, or the mosques of Constanti
nople. The walls are of bricks, left to their natural color,
but the facings and window-sills are of marble, as well as
the wide portal. The castle is partly surrounded by a
colonnade. The steps are of handsome white marble, and
several of the rooms are paved with the same. The interior
is not so luxuriously fitted up as the other palaces in
Potsdam. I had now seen every thing worthy of note of which
that place, and the other environs of Berlin, could boast ;
and on the following morning I continued my journey to
Vienna. In conclusion. I must mention one regulation in Berlin
which strangers have great cause to approve, and that is,
the moderate price of hack hire. It is not necessary to
make any bargain; you merely take your seat and say
where you wish to go, in whatever part of the city it may
be " it will only cost you five groschen.* A number of
* About eleven cents. — Tr.

264 JOURNEY TO ICELAND.
droschkis are also to be found near the railroad, which can
be hired at a very reasonable rate, and will convey the tra
veller to any hotel in the place. I wish the Viennese hack-
men were equally accommodating.
October 1st. — I went by the railroad through Leipsic
to Dresden, where I took the mail-coach at eight o'clock
in the evening, by which conveyance I reached Prague in
eighteen hours.
The beautiful scenery of the Nollendorfer hills was
lost upon us of course, as we passed it in the night. We
observed two fine monuments on the following morning ;
one, a pyramid fifty-four feet high, is erected to the memory
of Marshal Count Kolloredo, and the other to the Russian
troops who fell in the wars of Napoleon.
We went on through a lovely country to ^Teplitz, a
bathing place, equally celebrated for its medicinal springs,
and the uncommon loveliness of its environs. The remark
able isolated rock of basalt, called Boren, which attracts
the attention of the traveller in this neighborhood, is well
worth the trouble of a closer inspection, though we could
not spare the time for that purpose, as we were hurrying
towards Prague in the hope of reaching that place in season
for the six o'clock train to Vienna.
Our dismay can be imagined, therefore, when on arriv
ing at the gates of Prague, our passports were deliberately
carried off and not returned to us. In vain we referred to
the vise of Peterswalde on the frontier, in vain we pleaded
our hurry. We were coolly dismissed with the consolatory
remark, " That is nothing to us ; to-morrow you may
come to the public office, and you will get your papers."
From this there was no appeal, and twenty-four hours were

RETURN TO VIENNA.

265

I must be allowed to mention an amusing little incident
which occurred to me during the journey from Dresden.
The coach was occupied by one female passenger besides
myself, and two gentlemen. The lady happened to have
read my travels in Palestine, and inquired, when she
heard my name, if I were the author of that work ; I ac
knowledged the fact, and the conversation turned upon that
country, as well as those I had lately visited. One of the
gentlemen, Mr. Katze, was a very well-informed man, and
spoke quite»fluently on travelling, the manners and customs
of other lands, and various topics of the same nature. Our
other fellow-passenger no doubt possessed a great fund of in
formation, but he took little pains to display it on this occa
sion. Mr. K. left , us at Teplitz, but the unknown went
on to Vienna with me. In the course of the day he ad
dressed me with the following remark — " Don't you think
Mr. K. told you his name on purpose to have it mentioned
in your next book of travels 1 If you will promise me as
much, I will tell you mine." I could hardly conceal a
smile, and assured him he was probably quite mistaken in
his suspicions ; and, as we poor women are often unjustly
accused of being curious, to refute the accusation I must
beg him to let me remain in ignorance as to who he was.
This the worthy man could not do, however, and before we
parted, he introduced himself as Nicholas B  ; but I
think I shall not betray his confidence any farther to the
public ; in the first place because I- did promise to do so,
and in the second place, I fear it would not be rendering
him a very great service.
The railway from Prague to Vienna passes through
Olmutz increasing the distance to sixty-six miles.* This
Two hundred and ninety-seven English miles. — Tr.
12

266 JOURNEY TO ICELAND.
road is far from being well managed. There are no hotels,
and we were obliged to content ourselves all day with fruit,
beer, bread and butter, and things of that sort. The con
ductor called out at every station that we were going on
immediately, and although we were often detained half an
hour, no one ventured to leave the cars. The conductors
were not remarkable for the suavity of their manners, a
peculiarity which I was half inclined to ascribe to the cli
mate, for we had hardly reached the limits of the Austrian
territory, at Peterswalde, when we were acaosted very
gruffly by the controller ; twice we wished him good even
ing, but without taking any notice of this civility, he im
mediately asked for our papers in a pretty loud and harsh
tone, no doubt supposing we were deaf, as we certainly
thought he must be. At Ganserndorf, six miles from
Vienna, something of the same kind occurred again.
On the 4th of October, after an absence of six months,
I hailed once more the celebrated tower of St. Stephens,
so dear to most of my countrywomen.
I had endured and suffered much ; but had the diffi
culties and dangers of this journey been tenfold what they
were, they could not have dampened my courage, or ex
tinguished my ardent longing for a change of scene. I felt
myself amply repaid for them all. I had seen life under a
new aspect ; I had seen a people different from almost every
other ; and above all, I had increased my store of recollec
tions, and laid up a treasure upon which I shall look with
delight till the latest moment of my existence.
I now take my leave of my kind readers, begging them
to receive with indulgence these unassuming sketches,
which have at least the merit of truth to recommend them.
If they have derived any gratification from their perusal,
let their countrywoman claim a slight place in their me
mory as her reward.

CONCLUSION. 267
In conclusion, I must beg leave to offer as an appendix
to my work, two papers which may not be entirely without
interest for some of my readers.
No. 1. is a document I obtained in Reikjavick, giving
an account of the salaries of the different functionaries
employed by the Danish government in Iceland ; as well
as several other taxes and fees.
No. 2. is a list of the insects, butterflies, fhrwers and
plants I collected in that island, and brought back with me
to my native place.

SALARIES OF THE DIFFERENT OFFICERS OF THE
DANISH GOVERNMENT, DRAWN FROM THE PUB
LIC FUND OF THE ISLAND.
FLORINS, C. M.*
The Stiftsamtmann (or governor) of Iceland, . . 2,000
Office expenses,  600
The Amtmann of the Western Amt, . . ^ . . 1,586
Office expenses, ..... 400
" House rent, . .... 200
The Amtmann of the Northern and Eastern Amt, . 1,286
Office expenses, ...... 400
The bishop of Iceland, in addition to a salary from the
School fund, receives from the public fund, . 800
The members of the Superior Court : —
A Justice,  1,184
First Assessor, ....... 890
Second Assessor, ....... 740
The Sheriff of Iceland,  600
Office expenses,  200
House rent,  150
Bailiff of Reikjavick,  300
First Constable of Reikjavick, who is also jailer, and
has fifty florins more than the other constable, 200
Second Constable, . . . . . . .150
The Provost of Reikjavick draws from this fund his
house rent of ...... 150
Sysselmannn of the Westmann Isles  296
The other Sysselmanns, each, . » . . . . 230
• A florin, C. M., is forty-eight centa.— Tr.

SALARIES. 269
Medical Department : — FLORINS, M. M.
First Physician of the island,  900
House rent,  150
Apothecary at Reikjavick,  185
House rent,  150
Second Apothecary at Sikkisholm, .... 90
Six Surgeons, each,  300
House rent of one, ...... 30
The others,  25
A practising physician in the Northland, . . . 100
Two sages femmes at Reikjavick, each, .... 60
The other sages femmes in the country, of which there
are thirty, each, ....... 100
These women are under the superintendence of the
head physician, who examines them and pays
their salaries.
Organist at Reikjavick  100
Salaries paid by the School Fund : —
The Bishop,  1,200
Teachers of the High School : —
The professor of Theology, . . . 800
The first Adjunct, besides his lodging, receives, . . 500
The second Adjunct, or deputy, 500
House rent, . . 50
Third Adjunct, .... .500
House rent, . . . .50
The housekeeper of the school, . .117

270 LIST OF INSECTS.

LIST OF INSECTS COLLECTED IN ICELAND.
(Animalia evertebrata Cuv.)
I. CRUSTACEA.
Pagarus Bernhardus. Linne'.
III. INSECTA.
a) Coleoptera.
Nebria rubripes. Dejean.
Patrobus hyperboreus.
Calathus melanocephalus. Fabr.
Notiophilus aquaticus.
Amara vulgaris. Duftsihm.
Ptinus fur. Linn.
Aphodius Lapponum, Schh.
Otiorhynchus lae vigatus. Dhl.
Ot . . . Pinastri. Fabr.
Ot . . Ovatus. Fabr.
Staphylinus maxillosus.
Byrrhus pillula.
6) Neuroptera.
Limnophilus Lineola, Schrank.
c) Hymenoptera.
Pimpla instigator. Gravh.
Bombus subterranus. Linn.
d) Lepidoptera,
Geometra russata.
Geom. Alche millata.
Geom. spec nor.
e) Diptera.
Tipula lunata.
Scatophaga stercoraria.
Musca vomitoria.
Musca mortuorum.

LIST OF PLANTS. 271
Helomyza serrata,
Lecogaster islandicus scheff.*
Anthomyia decolor Tallin.
in. MOLLCSCA.
Littorina (Turbo Linn.) obtusata Ferus.

LIST OF PLANTS, COLLECTED IN ICELAND DURING
THE SUMMER OF 1845, BY MADAME IDA PFEIFFER.

Felices.
Cystopteris fragilis.
Equisetaceae.
Equisetum uniglumis.
Graminffi.
Festuca uniglumis.
Cyperaeeae.
Carex filiformis.
" caespitosa.
Eriophorum caespitosum.
Juncaceae.
Luzula spicata.

" Mr. J. Schefler, of Miidling, late of Vienna, has drawn the following sketch of
this new insect, which belongs to the family of Muscidae, and is most nearly related to
the species Borborus.
Antennas deflexae, breves, triarticulatae, articulo ultimo phaerico ; scda nuda.
Hypoctoma subproninulum, fronte lata, setosa.
Oculi rotundi, remoti.
Abdomen quinque annulatum, dorso nudo.
Tarsi, simplices.
Alae, incumbentes, abdomine longiores, nervo primo snnplicl.
Legocasler islandicus.
Niger, abdomine nitido, aiitenis pedibusque. rufopiceis.

272

LIST 'OF PLANTS.
Luzula Campestris.
Salicineae.
Salix polaris. Polygoneae.
Rumex arifolius.
Oxyria reniformes.
Plumbigineae.
Armeria alpina. (In the high regions of the interior.)
Compositeae.
Chrysanthemum maritinum. (On the sea-shore, and plentiful
in the damp meadows.)
Heriacium alphemim. (On the low meadow lands.)
Taraxacum alpinum.
Erigeron uniflorum. (West of Havenfiord, among the rocks.)
Rubiaceae.
Gallium pusillum.
" verum.
Labiateae.
Thimus serpyllum.
Asperifoliae.
Myosotis Alpestris.
Myosotis scorpiodes.
Scrophularineae.
Bartsia alpina. (In the northwestern valleys of the interior.)
Rhinauthusalpestris. Utricularieae.
Pinguicula alpina.
" vulgaris.Umbellifera.
Archangelica officinalis. (Havenfiord.)
Saxifrageae.
Saxifraga caespitosa. (The genuine plant of Linnaeus. At
Hecla among the rocks.)
Ranunculaceae.
Ranunculus auricomus.
" nivalis.
Thalictrum alpinum. (Around Reikjavick, growing between
the lava blocks.)
Caltha palustris.

LIST OF PLANTS. 273
Crueifereae.
Draba verna.
Cardamine pratensis.
Violarieeae.
Viola hirta. Caryophylleae.
Sagina stricta.
Cerastium semi decandrum.
Lepigonum rubrum.
Silene maritima.
Lychnis alpina. (On the mountain pastures near Reikjavick.)
Empetreae.
Empetfum nigrum
Gereniaceae.
Geranium sylvaticum. (Near the lake of Thingvalla, in
ditches.) Troseraeeae.
Parnassia palustris.
Oeno thereae.
Epilobium latifolium. (At the foot of Hecla, in the crevices
of the rocks.)
Epilobium alpinum. (West of Havenfiord, in the valley of
Reiker.) Rosaceae.
Rutus articns.
Potentilla auserina.
Potentilla gveenlandica. (Around Kalmannstunga and Kollis-
mula, on the rocks.)
Alchemilla montana.
Sanguisorba officinalis.
Geum rivale.
Dryasocto petala. (Around Havenfiord.
Papillionecere.
Trifolium repens.

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