The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1874-08-29

them, bounced alternately on the lore ana ninu
legs OF lively little nly Of q muddy hue that
seemed to be greatly enraged at being neglected
by the foreigners and compelled to carry an
lcelander, which 1t could do any day in the year.
OUT INTO THE OPEN COUNTRY.
About every house In ReikiaviK there Is little
garden, and very pretty and fresh and well Guilt
waited may OF them are. II was a great change
therefore, after leaving this little snuggery by the
sea, and coming ont into the open country. 10
find ourselves In an almost perfectly barren desert.
Not o tree the semblance OF one not even OF
the most tiny description, was anywhere TO be seen'
not even the little dwarf willows and Drches winch
occur everywhere IN Greenland. and wnlch nave
met there on mountain sides more than fifteen
hundred feet above the sea. Indeed, uniii we hau
gone inland quite ten miles, discovered no trace
OF them. and scarcely any OF the very pretty Ice
laadic heather, and not much OF the stoLecrop,
! which IL hardy enough almost to grow on a
glacier. Here and there, however, there was dis
covered little of very pale green color, and
when a patcn OF IL was descrled long way or
the size OF an ordinary pocket handkerchief, by
our spare ponies, away they all darted Tor 1t. pel
nell the PACK animals also dashed away after
them, rafting the sacks to the infinite risk OF
the destruction of everything eatable and drink
able in them. Away went the guides IN pursuit,
shouting and whipping the air, as If the air only
were at fault and not the ponies, and away with
them dashed our Iceland friend on two legs OF his
indignant flly.
A GREEN MEADOW.
few miles out from the town there is O long
strip OF meadow land. near some little lakes,
through which lies the road to Eyrarbakla and the
southern coast This furnishes pasturage for the
great multitude OF horses required for the inhab.
itants OF Reikiavk. The Kings ponies were there,
and o dozen or more guides were gathering them
together to take them into town In readiness for
the start which was to occur about noon. When
turned out to Craze in this manner the ponies are
hoobled by having their fore legs tied together
within ABOUT six inches of each other. or course
they cannot walk, and, therefore, cannot stray
away, and they can be caught when
wanted, which would not otherwise happen for
II there is one thing which an Iceland pony dis
likes more than another 1t Is 10 be caught.
In order to get from place to place as they nibble
the grass they compelled to lift botn fore legs
at once, and 1t Is rather amusing to see two or
three hundred OF them skipping about on their
| hino legs like kangaroos or rabbits in warren.
THE PEAT BoGs OF ICELAND.
On the opposite side Of the path there is another
low plain which does not. however. furnish pastur
age but fuel. 1t Is vast peat bog, and such beds
| are very numerous over the island Many families
| in Reikiavik use 1t Tor fuel entirely; while
all use 1t more or less mixing 1t
with coal. which Is, OF course, imported
from abroad, mainly from Great Britain. None OF
this coal, however, finds its way into the interior.
In places where turf Is not found, far as have
observed they are sufficiently supplied with birch
brush, which, while 1t gives little warmth, fur
nshes fuel Tor cooking-and in TRUTH this is all the
average Islander ever does with fire. Except on
the seaboard did not see single stove, and there
was no means whatever provided for warming the
houses. This was not prepared to see in so cold
and bleak q country. Even In Greenland the Es-
quimaux have the means OF warming their huts
But it may be said that the lcelandic hu: Ia almost
impenetrable TO the cold.
THE ICELANDERs' HUrs.
In the seaboard towns, where timber can be
landed from ships as at Reikiavik, you see many
neat little nicely painted, frame cottages, warmed
in winter as any cottage would be warmed else
where; but those not 30 situated and those In
ReikIavik not rich enough to AFFORD timber, build
great walls OF turf and stones. l measured one
that was eight feet In thickness. Usually the
| gables are Of wood, painted, or rather pitched,
| black, and the interior is lined with
planed boards and the moor is laid with boards
Even this found to be the case ninety miles in
land; and one can readily understand the labor
ana bother OF getting sufficient supply from the
| capital over such villanous roads upon the backs
OF those little Icelandic ponies. Yet they have an
eye to comfort even here, and do the best they
know to make life ENJOYABLE.
LOVE OF COUNTRY.
They seem quite contented with their lot, and
| like the Swiss, the Icelander loves his rugged
mountains and his farm life Very few of them
emigrate to other countries. A small number
| went to America short time ago and founded q
colony in Wisconsin,; but 1t Is said in Reiktavik
| that the most 0lefu accounts are returned from
there, and those who had entertained the idea Of
following them have become discouraged from so
doing. I learned however, that an effort had
been made to get together party this seaso n.
and under the promise of being taken out by some
contractor or other few had converted all
their earthly possessions into ready money; but
! the contractor did not come in his steamer, &C.
cording to agreement. and So to the great present
inconvenience OF few who find themselves with
out house or home and with nothing in the world
but few rlx-dollars, but have no doubt to the
| happiness II not the future comfort Of great
many more there will be no additions this year at
| least to the American colony
| asked our young guide why he did not go to
| America. IL don't Know" he said, and then
seriously added. s'why should Isu When looked
at his bright, happy face knew him to be inte
gent, and he seemed to have no unsuppied want
except books. l must confess this was poser !;
however, replied IN the only way could, "Wou.d
you not be better OF there ?" Whereupon he put
an end to ali further questions on that SUBJ
ject by saying that he did not want to
be better or He was quite satisfied
as he was. Indeed, ne might 60 very much fur
Their and fare considerably worse. He lives with
his uncle Zeoga. from whom we hired our horses
In comfortable little farm house. 10 ReiSiavik. and
his uncle is the owner Of great many horses and
two fishing smacks. ana the boy seems TO enjoy
this rough riding as guide over the country. He Is
a good guide and an excellent horseman, If horse
manship may, in any sense, be said to consist IN
thoroughly managing an lcelanaic pony.
COUNTRY LIFE IN ICELAND.
Not far out from ReiKiavik is the nrst farm house
l had seen. and as we passed by rode into the
'tun" to crafty my curiosity The "tun" is the
enclosed or cultivated space about the house. 1t
may be three or four acrea In extent or OF many