Middletown transcript., 1874-08-29
THE ISLAND OF ICELAND.
An Interesting sketch OF Its History and Of
Its People.

The celebration OF the one th0usandth
anniversary Of the settlement Of Iceland
naturally brings that country prominent
ly before the world
The island Of Iceland lies between lati-
tude 63 deg. % min. and &c deg 80
min. north, and no part of il is, therefore,
more than two miles beyond the arctic cir
Gle West Of Greenwich it stretches from
longitude l3 deg. 3s min. to "a deg. 40
min; or. to simply convert degrees and
minutes into English statute miles. it is.
from its extreme west point. 306 miles
long, while from north to south it is 1873
miles broad 1t is, however. the most ir-
regular Of all islands. Its deep, narrow
inlets. or fords cut it up into series Of
Peninsnas. and, Notwithstanding that its
length and breadth are greater than Ire
land its actual area scarcely exceeds 30
900 square miles. At one point it is only
four miles and half wide. Physically
considered, it is one Of the most remarka-
bic islands in the world. 1t is nothing
but a nest Of volcanoes 1t has no strait
fed rock of any kind, and is simple mass
of once molten matter that had bubbled
up out Of the sea. and after cooling off had
taken on an Arctic snow cap as II for pro-
lection. Nothing can possibly exceed the
rugged grandeur Of its scenery. The clefts
in the enormous beds of once fluid lava
are of the most picturesque and startling
description Its rivers are formed from
the melting SHOWS of the mountains and
are very numerous and beautiful Their
waterfalls seem to keep the air in one CON
tiuuous hum of dashing spray. The whole
interior is but one vast desert waste for
the most part so elevated above the sen
that the SHOWS never melt Surrounding
this desert, where volcanic fires from time
to time burst forth in the midst of bound
less frost, there is a belt of land overlook
ing the sea on which grows in places a
vegetation of considerable luxuriance -
Formerly there were other trees, but the
climate has grown colder and the trees
have diminished into mere bushes Flow
erng plants are, however, abundant and
there is plenty of grass for herds of cattle
and focks of sheep, and population of
from sixty to seventy thousand find a COM
Portable subsistence, partly from their pas
toral life partly from fishing, which, cspe-
cially on the north side of the island, is
abundant and profitable
As for the interior parts of the island
there have been there eighty-si volcanic
uptions-some of them the most wonder
full known in any part of the world-since
the island was first inhabited OF these
twenty-six have been from Hecla, which
is at oil times crossed by assures from
which stone and sulphurous yapors are
emitted. The last eruption of Heca was
in 1S45-46 The most destructive of all
was tha: Of Skaptar Jokull, in 1893, when
not only vast streams of lava desolated the
adjacent country, but whole farms were
buried in ashes. clouds of which were
waited by the winds as far away as the
Shetland Islands 1t seems surprising
that such an island should be peopled !;
but the truth is, the inhabitants seem fond
of their homes, and cannot be persuaded
to quit them. The last proof of this is
found in the fact that very few of them
emigrate to other countries. The island
itself has a peculiarly interesting history
in connection with the achievements of the
old Mortimer who found there a refuge
from the tyranny of Harold Haariager,
King of Norway, who having conquered
the minor Kings, or jars, of Norway
forced them to Punishment or submission
the former of which alternatives many of
them accepted. preforring freedom in an
island bristling with volcanoes to their ma
tive homes with tyranny and oppression
The first settlers in Iceland were, there
fore, the best people in all Norseland -
Many of them were actual kings. Aban-
doning their warlike habits they became
peaceful, and cultivated learning. In
time they became the most learned peo-
pie of the north of Europe, and the dis
tinction they then acquired has not yet
been lost, although the people have clear
ly degenerated inst ad of the vigorous,
hard headed, hard-fsted sous of Vikings
and Sea-kings that they were in oden
times, they are now rather puny, indo-
lent race, without thinking much of I'M
provement or of energy They have, in
deed, become diminutive in stature and
dwarfed in intellect since the days OF
Eric with the Red Hand, who discovered
Greenland, and of Snorro, who wrote
the Edda.
They care little for Injuries, since they
seek for nothing beyond what nature
yields. Having food aud rament, let
us be Herewith content" Yet, for all
theil peaceful disposition, they once had
areligious war. Their republican govern
ment was founded in 874. under the old
religion of Odin, who taught that "to ride
u horse and cast spear and bend bow"
was the chief end and aim of man Chris
tianity was introduced, and the cross tool,
the place of the gods Thor and Odin in
the year 900, but there was no particular
hostility manifested until the time of the
Reformation. in the sixteenth century
Then, as was the custom elsewhere, Cath
olics and Protestants killed each other
promiscuously and in all possible ways
The Protsstants in the end triumphed and
the prevailing religion has since that been
the State religion of Denmark. Even now
the Cath lie mission at Reykjavik does
| not flourish because p]aees of publif