The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1874-10-07

The hole is guarded on the inside
against exits by long, converging
sticks, and the adventurous fish,
swimming up the river, find the lit
tie waterfall flashing before them,
and seeming to come from a pleasant
pool above, jumpit With sufficient force
to plunge them into box; and there
they are as safe as mice in trap into
which they have crawled through
sharp wires that yield them admis-
sion readily, but forbid return. The
salmon's well-known power and
gameness in jumping waterfalls gives
rise to this contrivance. The King
caught the salmon by inserting in
the trap where they were taken q
basket net on a pole and scooping
them out. In this way 6fty-oDe
were captured during his visit, the
largest weighing twelve pounds and
a half When bis Majesty was weary
of leading out the fish he passed the
spoon net to bis son.
1t may be bad to look at bonnets
in church, though / am told very ex-
cellent ladies have been known to do
it, and whatever the measure of
wickedness the gala head dress of the
ladies Of Iceland would command the
attention ofeven the most pious Wis
itors We first saw this head dress in
all its glory in the Cathedral, and it
must be described. The basis of it is
short horn, made Of pasteboard, |
believe, the mouth of which fits the
head as snugly as silk hat. This is
mistake, but I allow it to stand to give
the first impression. The linen
covering of the pasteboard horn
widens toward the head, and is
fastened to the hair with pins; and
the veil is attached to the front of the
structure thus reared, next the hair,
and thrown back over the horn,
which displays it to great advantage.
The point of the horn is by short
curve presented to the front Then
it is covered with snowy linen, or in
case OF extravaganza satin, and about
it at the bottom is belt of gold or
silver, while over all, supported by
the horn, is thrown and fastened a
white veil. 1t is at once unique and
superb, and produces fine effect in
public assembly.
A section of the band of the Kings
| frigate discoursed most excellent
music in the neighborhood of the
dancing platform, and there the
dancers were dancing in tune. Many
of the girls looked very nice, and
dance gracefully, their peculiar head
dresses decking them with appro-
pirate splendor. The dancing is some
thing between a German waltz aud
Highland fling, and must be highly
enjoy able by those endowed with
suppleness of limb and elastic consti-
tutions. The dancing by this ex-
tremely religious people was on Sun
day evening, and there was no ques-
tion among them that it was the
proper supplement to the solemn ex-
ercises in the Cathedral in the morn
ing.
Mr.. Bayard Taylor was introduced
rs the Skald from America. He
quite surprised the people by address
ing them in Danish briefly, but fluent
ly, expressing sentiments of respect
and congratulation. When he had con
cluded the King, who was standing
in the thick Oi the crowd, led the
cheering, giving the Skald the full
and regular three times three. At
the Geysers O few days afterwards
the King told Mr.. Taylor he was ex-
ceedingly surprised to hear him speak
| in Danish, and complimented him
upon his command Of the language.
The immediate approach to Thing
valla is through an awful volcanic
fssure, peopled by the raven and the
thrush. A tract of many square
miles has been torn apart from the
rest of the island, and where split
and scattered by the convulsion has
sunk from sixty to one hundred feet,
there is reason to suppose, literally,
into q lake Of FIRE and birthstone.
| The Ailments Pass is the best en-
trance to the sunken valley, when
approaching it from the west side.
Half mile from the Thingvalla
/ Church a hill of black rock has been
rent in twain, and the inner part has
fallen away so as to make a gap
nearly one hundred yards in width,
and into this was tumbled by the
earthquake, to which we are indebt-
ed for the temple of freedom, from
the west, heap of debris, over which
we scrambled, leading the ponies, if
we obey our guides; and that is the
pass. Southwark from the valley is
beautiful lake, and beyond it a
mountain with bold out lines. In
the centre of the sunken region is the
holy ground of Iceland. This is the
valley in miniature-that is to say, as
the valley is marked by huge crack
through the solid rock, the sacred
spot is separated from the surround
ing country by like assures. The
sancti6ed soil comprises, perhaps,
three acres, and is almost surround
ed by dark clefts, deep in which, in
the heavy shadows, may be seen
crystal streams that flow transparent
as air and without a ripple or mur-
mur. A narrow-neck of rock, afford
ing an irregular and crsmped footway,
saves the solemn enclosure from being
an island, and leaves it an irregular
promontory famed for exclasiyenets.
1t was here that the Republican Al
thing (Parliament) met, and that
the Judges delivered the law from
A. D. $50 to 1862. The central eIe-
vation. the Holy of Holes, is the
rock of the law, an easily sloping
hillock, covered with closely shaven
turf
We had observed near the Thing.
yalla parsonage brush heap 1--WE
should have denominated it in Ohio,
and learned that it was invaluable
frewood. Before reaching the ravine
we had an opportunity of viewing
the forest whence this treasure was
obtained, and where happily much
more of the same sort may be had.
The timber" is for the greater part,
dwarf birch, and is wonderful gnarl-