New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1869-02-05

Uop "
Tors thcr glcbe but they nsuay 90 80 ID we
canactv of gentlemen farmers; put VEG sii ~ ,I %
III ciergy compel them 10 peEiOl III all thOsS uu
les Which are atched to farmers calling ior tere
arc PARISHES in Iceland wlee ire :; 20 oc,
49, pd't "a more than GOETHE average H. perh>ps, SOD
Do "io"', a.r uI0pOltion OF these arc in needy cir
cnmEtanccs it readily be conceived lat tne ei.Fsy
rnJ Iix dollars | believe, Is considered 10 DC kood
income!
The churches in Iceland are Of a singularly unim-
posng appearance, but the people are none the less
devout for that They repose great confidence
in their priests and cherish almost superstious
respect for their authority, which the author illus
traes by a little anecdote. "Once. by some mistake,
the communion wine in a church up in the country
had been changed for cognac, which, 1T must bo al
lowed. was an unfortunate circumstance. The men,
however being used to strong drink and to their IA
yorite corn brandy, swallowed the cognac without
taking any notice of the mistake but poor woman,
who found il too strong could not restrain her feel
ings but mutered so loud that those next her could
hear III the Iceandic vemacular; Thou art angry
today. O Lordp" Another incident shows that the
clergy though generally noted for their classical at
tanments are by no means always entitled TO the
character of walking dictionaries" Il was SIT
ting one day at the dinner table with worthy but
rather supplemented pastor in the eastern districts
of the island when the conversation turned upon
the subject of the foreign mission to Iceland. WISH
ing to pay the good pastor compliment stated that
thought the Icelandic clergy must be very Jealous
and excellent pastors as the foreigners had not sue
ceeded in making q single proselyte. Proselyte!
what is that p said my reverend companion, inter
ruptjng me; 'we-we generally call it orthodox
And had great difficulty in convincing the worthy
pastor that his Interpretation of the word was moor
rect; but when at last he perceived his error ho
navely remarked Proselytel Well l never heard
that word beforo!"
The lifo of the Icelander represented by the
author bears curious resemblance TO that OF inc
Arabs of the Desert. With both, tho horse is their
trustv COMPANION. The Icelander can scarce go
single step without his horse. In passing over the
long and barren wastes, where not even blade OF
grass relieves tho sterile monoony of tho scene. If
the faithful horse should fail him. his life is placed
in peTl
Iceandlc horses arc generally small and do not reach
hirher than the breast 81 n fullgrown They
moreover rather short but for all that they can go
good pace and arc very COMFORTABLE TO ride either ~
canter gallon. 1t not however, every horse tha
canter and somo can never be taught to DO So
good Cantcrer I'm Iceland priced at much higher Vaue
than trotter The first Will cost from forty to nifty Tx
dollars while the latter may be bought for twenty or
twenty-five rix dollars. Occasionally hundred rix
dollars have been given Tor horse put inns Tsor 10
political event OF the last importance IN consequence
OF the low prices Of horses they do not receive much at
tenton the hands OF their owners On the coast tey
allowed TO run loose during tho Winter, when they
keep themselves on seawecdi ana by some or inc l1CS
are allowed 10 search the grass underneath the
that has been mown in tie summer; or else pick mp
in parts OF the country they have to provide them
with food Sometimes they get little hay in very
sheep, with the exception of the mIlch ewes,
| aud have TO find their own food all the
year round In tho Autumn they assembled on the
mountains, and driven home to their parish where as Ear
freeze to death the Winter. Thus, thorgh there is
troubles feeding them a their manure 8 lost, which in
ceandi great loss Indeed orsebTeedng too as well
many other things much neglected In the country.
Stations allowed run loose all year round so that
there can be no choice IN the breeding OF foal and Is
well known Of course what great Influence careful selec
zion a 10 , Of foas horn every year bnEce
the of put TO the Inconvenience Of being
| not fetch nearly such high prices as horses To
obyiate the above inconvenience they generally put
If at first che is not inclined TO receive her step.
child kindly, resort is had TO clever stratagem. The
after little while she gets to be iond OF her adopted
pFeyng the breed Of Horses in Iceland Their numbers
rather large In 1868 there were, in round nunbe
horse for each person. A good many of them are
ported. In the above year S2s were exported princ-
paly to Scotland and few Belgium. Owing 20 their
mnutiye hight they would be very seryicenjle in coal
inines indeed It IS for this pprrose they are Chiefly
RS hdE are ser than the
strong and as stoutly built In part OF tho south
coast Of Iceland tie people eat horse esh and thrive
a good complexion. When it is generally known that II
possesses this virtue borseesh will probably be sought
after in all countries especially by the fair sex Possibly
NAV have been this fare which gave ancestors those
beautiful compilations for which they are renowned In
the Sagas they regular guttOns when horse
| flesh came in their way. The three commandments OF
the Catholic priests TO their prOselytes were" Not TO
have than one wife, mot 10 expose their Children;
! and not to cat hOrse1esh."
In addition to the details illustrative Of the life Of
the people, considerable space in the volume is de-
voted to geographical descriptions, and to tho dis
cusson of several important questions in geology
The political and mercantile relations Of the country
are treated at length, and good deal of statistical
information is presented with apparent accuracy,
and free from the dryness which usually makes Mr..
Gradgrind disagreeable companion on journey or
in book