New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1853-03-18
SCANDINAVIA.


,
u,cn HpaDola that the coast Of Massach lsctts had
en visited and in degree settled by the Vikings
,pd their descendants early the tenth century
mere bas been gradually increasing interest among
The people Of this country and England to zee and learn
more Of the present representatives, Of those hardy
.jyepiurers from the North. Denmark and Sweden
hsy. been explored and curious travellers have Aocked
10 the slmost unknown 6ords and haullets o. Norway
bare dared the snowy precipices of the DovreGeld
yslehed the midnight from the North Cape
and heard music Ia the roar Of the Maelstrdm Den.
ozark b Germanized and modernized far. that the
superficial observer see nothing Of the character
iies Of the Vikings who once made Jurland name of
tssror to all Europe and il OILY in her mounds and
r dscsyng archives that the ethpologst finds traces
Of the olden time Sweden is much the same: the
overthrow Of odin and Thor the destruction Of slgtuna
md the consequent substitution of the Roman religion
ropsgated with zeal satisfied only By des.ruc
Ton Of an traces Of the old Paganis, has left little Of
Interest," the bsrrows of the chief. and the rune
tones which mark the resting places of their followers
IN Norway, while monumental remains are less com
non there fingers far of the old spirit Of the Hea
then period, and the songs and legends Of the Eddas
and sages still vocal, and many of them still be-
heved But while the introduction of Christianity and
Re southern civilization changed the whole aspect of
lie in scandinsvls there spot le where for
hundreds Of years the worship of Odn undisturbed
d where the blood and the character Of the ancient
Vikings has been preserved comparatively unchanged
b the present day. This in Iceland land of
snow and fire. la ocean OF storms aud icebergs To
his remarkable land, the attention Of few Ameri-
en- travellers has recently been directed; and among
aem PLrNY MILES, Esq. Of jefferson Co, N. Y, who
kas aboy read two papers embracing his observations
here before the Historical and the Geographical Socl
sizes Of this City Mr.. Miles spent some months in
iceland end Travelled over a considerable district
d the Western and Southern portions of
be country He found the people bosptabe, intelIi.
rnt and happy. The climate delightful, and his
Fhole sojourn Of unslloyed enjoyment The
ptyca features of Iceland already pretty widely
ksown. The country is about large the State Of
Eew-York. of an oval shape, lying between 60 aud
O. degrees north latitude and - and "a degrees west
opgtude, being just below the Polar Circle The eli
mite however, Is much milder than might be supposed
ng ess cold In the winter than Ia the northern New.
Englsnd States The volcanic character of the country
bits most peculiar feature The whole island seems
bbe uphesved over lake of ire; there are dozens
volcanoes snd Thousands Of hot springs constantly
ndiDg evidences of the terrific free of heat beneath
he awful crtions of Hekla and Skaptar Jokull have
ever been equaled by Etna, Stromboli or any
dthe American volcanoes. Not more than 20 years
hve passed at one time, since the settlement of tho
country without eruption of magnitude from Hekli
/ nd often there have been dozen eruptions within
nch period. Ite last was Ia l745 and when Mr..
Niles was there lin 1850 the long black river of lava
/ which ran out in rs had not done smoking. But
Hekla had never equaod SkRptar Jokull 10 its effects,
ain the amount of matter thrown from its crater.
/ hhay of 1873 new volcano from the
/ niles from land of the southwest coast 80 miles
/ rom Skaptar An island Of considerable size
hmed and there thrown out vast quantities OF
pumice and a light substance which hoaied over the
/ va for 40 miles in such quantities rs to retard
he proercss of ships. Hearing OF this new island,
he King of Denmark sent ship 70 annex IL
70 Iceland II was taken into D inish ession but
n, wear sfterwsrd it suddenly sunk into the sea- aud
b. never since been heard of In 1913 Skaptar began
\ b be troubled and threw up such clouds OF smoke
nd sshcs that for several days the whole region
hdarknces. Ashes, sand and sulphur filed the mir,
rered the land and destroyed the vegetation. For
tnatcy Che volcano being in the southern portion oil
hsi,land) a strong north wind drove the Stream oil
pbes out 10 sea and ii IL recorded upon the best au
aOry that the ashes fell over the Farce, She,lands
Okneye Great Britain Holland. and even as tar az
Sutherland sknptar Itself was terrible and SUB
line spectacle. Lightnings and flames filled the a'r
hsce that had reeted for centuries on the mounthn
ve melted. and produced flood IN the river SkapA
whereby much land submerged and whole farms
sehed away On the tenth day after the commence
reat of the eruption Skaptar threw up torrent Oh
hu which took the course OF the Skapa compieteB
dying up that river and filling It's bed, which was
anne ,laoes 600 feet deep and 200 wide, aud over
6osine a large tract of country. The earSquakes'
aposion. hissina of steam, cracking Of cooling lava
S ove, All the terrible roaring of the volcano with
h smoke. and fire, and lightning made up n scene
Aamaht i,,y have represented the Raginarok, or DE-
arc,ion of the Universe as pictured in the Mythic
Edo The flow of lava continued for three months,
ud of hot stones and ashes for much longer pcrou
TIE effects of THE eruption were very disastrous huea
Il Inc adjacent country was rulnedi the hsh 'as'
wullv Creouen,cd the coast were frightened away ana
/ rs,r returned famine ensuedi l9oVV sheep,
S0o borses and IL 900 cattle starved TO oeat aad
NcD pcople persisted from want ana exposure
1 nssmount of matter thrown up by SSap'ar uu'lns
Aserun,ion IL is estimated would have covered "oo
.ue miles 500 feet deep while tie lava e'ohe "ou'
have al,ed ff channels oil the size otthe HUDSON '"er
hu NewYork to Albany. Skepiar JoSal Is more
.a soo mile, in circumference a, the base - high
ssuoipt be,np 1000 feet 1t is covered with eternal
No, and i,stop Is almost Inaccessible. Me-. Mlessiw
Ssrss, from, the summit of lieSla looked Ike an
,nse Glacier rs il contains ia the hollow at the top
,ueat lake of water or ice, called Wanna JokeiL Inc
seeunt of Skaptsr Is mcasursby rae O' many Que,
niler volcanoes in Iceland IheIe ae ON T Ist
hornains which net volcanic mere Ht s'so iS-eN
sdlarge rivers some of which are very htiie kno"a
hour eeocraphers Among the lakes, hyVato 70 the
lcgsst situated in the interior lf Is about 40 1es IA
eurumferepcc situated In a barren region whica has
teen covered with lava from LioArnnsr and h'Sos,
two neirhboring volcanoes, There are several small
sles soae OF them on the tops q; mountains ohe
Sse mud lake Is thus situated Oar maps Snow large
HE between Heka and Sksptar, called tiska VAN,
esh lake. but no such lake exists having been drsaS
q by volcano a great many years ago. Lac hos
E.xa feat.
he well known 10 need description. They Ssnersiiy
speHG the base of his and are almost nnauerao'e
eSofevey size from the oozins Of ntaroaSa
hemad % the great Gyser (StuS) with ia eoamnoi
Ssnrin. ..n. 10 fnt IN an1 % DOT hiVh The