New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1874-08-29
two centuries. Notwithstanding the unusual fertility

of the women, the number increases very slowly,
owing to great mortality among the children out OF
oOO born less than half reach the 14th year. Eighty
one per cent of the population live by raising cate'
and only about 10 per cent by fishing In 1865 there
were on the island $4,000 sheep, 5000 horses, ana
5000 cattle and the value Of the trade with Den
mark estimated at little more than Sl,OOO,oco.
The first requisite for Iceland is an Improvement
in the physical and domestic lives OF the people.
The Winters are not very severe and the habit OF
living in such close reekng bovels of turf evidently
originated in the cost of lumber and fuel. Coal.
but Of what quality am not able to state, has been
discovered the island yet it will be OF little all
vantage until there are a few practicable main
lines of communication. The fisheries around the
coast which might yield so much, a source Of
much greater wealth to France than to Iceland;
there at this moment, 5000 French fishermen in
these waters, with two frgates in Rejkiavk harbor
to take care of them. Potatoes, beets, rurnips and
many other vegetables might be cultivated to
much greater extent than at present. Wild fowl is
very abundant, yes there seem to be no hunters.
The temper of the people has come TO be that OF
grim, patient, chronic endurance, and they have
neglected even the few scanty of help which
lie within their reach.
We rode the remaining twenty miles to Rejkiavk
in dilapidated condition of mind aad body. In
stead Of gallant, compact cavalcade with whistle
sounding and banners advanced the members of our
party struggled along the road for miles, sngly in
mutually commiserating pairs. Capt. Won Schroeder,
whose horse refused to carry him, was picked up by
a merry company of Icelandc theological students,
| furnished with fresh pony, and entertained with
songs and wine at the last byre on the road But
the storm, fortunately, retreated and rested on the
| black northern mountains: the even came out,
soon AFTER we had forded the Salmon River Then.
the last yigOr called out Of ponies; in trot
and galop cleared the long. stony ridges until.
at O'clock in the afternoon, all the comfort and
civilization of the world seemed to beckOn us, we
| reached the beacon-tower Of Rejkiavik and saw
! again the snug houses on shore and our floating
| home in the harbor
Invitations were waiting for bali to be given the
following Sunday evening. The King was to leave
| on Monday morning, the characteristic festivities
were already at end, and we speedily decided to
leave the next morning ball is ball all over the
world the presence of SO many strangers IN Rejki-
avik made it difficult to get fresh supplies, and the
members of the more important families were get
ting and unhinged after ten days of greater
| excitement than had been packed into the whole
previous course of their lives. So, longing for rest
after our week of chis and bruises, we yielded to
| the proposal of our leader and said goodbye to
| Iceland.
| Zoega and GER took supper with us on board and
Eyvndur and Jon, hearing at a late hour OF our pro-
posed departure, engaged boat and came of spe-
cially to say farewell may add that Zoega's bill
for the whole expenses of the inland trip was per-
fectly honest and not even the cost of single item
was stipulated in advance. The boy Geir went
away supremely happy, with an armful of books,
and small present made the two guides our friends
for life The King who had sent his captain during
the afternoon to pay us official visit in his name
ntrusted us with his kilograms and letters for En-
| gland and Denmark the French, Swedish, and Ger
man frgates sent us considerable mail; and it was
quite evident that, in being the first to depart, we
! were doug service TO all the Others.
| EDINBURGH Aug. 14.-Thank Heaven there is
| something frmer than the waves of the Northern
Ocean under my feet! For four days our toy of
steamer Registered at 1856 tona tossed and bounced
| on the lonely waters, leaking through the deck
blanks. until a state of sodden misery seemed to be
| our DOOM Mr. Gladstones lcelandic pony, on the
! deck refused hay and water for two whole days
| but Capt Howng's BODYBUILDING ram, with face
like that of a mischievous child, looked out of the
| door of dog house, and seemed to say: You've
put me in a strange position, but I'm equal to it,"
Saqri mare mogno-the line of Lucretius always re-
turns to my memory with special force after such
voyage.
We had had no observation for a day, and the
strong currents in those seas are uncertain and per-
picking: but our gallant captain, who stood By the
pilot house in the storm for 81 hours found himself
| in the dark of Thursday mornings twilight. just
| between the rocky isets of ROna-a sort OF outer
sentinel Of the Hebrdes. BY o'clock in the morn
ing we reached Thurso, the most northern port OF
Scotland where Messrs. Field and Hastead decided
70 20 ashore and continue their journey to Edln-
| buygh by rail. The sea had become perfectly calm
soft blue sky greeted us for the first time since
leaving Iceland and all the aspects were so fayora
BILE that the rest of our party remained on board
| Yesterday. in fact was the pleasantest of the
whole VOYAGE, We passed the Pentland Firth, be-
! tween the high Orkneyau cliffs of Hoy and John
| oCroats House. made a broad stretch across the
! mouth of Murray Firth. and during the late after
noon ran down the Scottish coast through fleets OF
! fshing-craft literally thousands in number. warm
air level seas Sleek PanOpe with all her sisters
pIayed n-sight of trees on shore, which we had not
seen for month, made the run delightful; but tile
night brought such a hurricane as has not Deen eX-
! perenced for years. Pitchy darkness covered the
| water; the rain fell in sheets; mass of dlitused
lightning descended directly upon our vessel en-
veloping it in heat like that OF furnace ana the
captam was obliged to heave to and wait until the
first fury was over. This morning, nevertheless We
were safe inside one of the Leith docks
| The end of our strange and adventurous journey
| occurred this afternoon. Having been Obliged to
| shin "a British seamen at Aberdeen, we must, OF
necessity. be formally mustered out of the service
before the Captain could be released from his ob-
| cations on our behalf So we were summoned from
| Edinburgh 20 the Marine Office at Lcith. where
certificate of discharge was gravely delivered to
| each of u.s. we wrote Our names IN portentous
folio volume. and then received, each one shilling
of Her Maesty's currency, as bounty On examln-
ing my discharge, was highly gratiiied to ma tbat
opposite to the record: Character tor ADiii'y III
whatever Capacity engaged stood the written re-