The New York herald., 1874-08-01

| piue vaumal and out OF it make garments
much to answer for in the wretchedness
OF e an iceander's lodging and food. There is no
timber the stone bad for building purposes,
and one need not complain or the absence or
luxuries when everything comes over LOCO miles
burrow. as 1T mostly is. /. is Quilt OF sods and
covered on the top with grass and weeds, looking,
e wmen IL stands with hill behind IT, itself SO IKE
nliock tnat you are In some danger OF riding over
1t and finding the horses leet half way
| , DOWN THE SMOKE HOLE
| laDyrinth OF low. dark and narrow passages, with
tiny chambers opening OF them-one OF which has
dong duty Tor table, q couple OF stools and one
or TWO beds.eads (often in the hollow OF the walll
that 1t cannot be opened the air therefore, is
never changed, and as the room is seldom or never
cleaned as the chambers are half full of dried
stocKhsh ana reek with variety or other smells,
any one can fancy what the interior OF an lcelan-
dc farm house is like, and can understand why
the first thing to be done entering it is to light
pipe and smoke furiously till the room is
IN cloud" 1t must be said, however,
that other travellers have not found matters as
bad in Iceland as they are described by Messrs.
Browne and Bryce. One OF the first circumstances
that attracted the attention OF some earlier
visitors to the island was the attainments of the
natives in ancient and modern languages and their
devotion to the study OF the sciences. These trav-
elers beheld with wonder men whose habits be-
| spoke wretched state who suffered numerous
! prlvatiOns and who. amid the storms oil the sur
boats the provisions upon which alone their iami-
hes depended. Among these men was an init
tiqulty and o susceptibility to all the beauties
which these models disclose. The lceianders de-
geav a Ge sssds az yet OF e in or
and their passionate devotion to their homes seems
almost inconcelvabe. The ns,st favored nation OF
the earth cannot furnish examples Ol such intense
and all-absOrbing love OF home and country. The
Lutheran clergymen are well informed. simple IN
are e' paid in kind by the people. Usually they get
sheen. or OK or perhaps one OF these animals Is
taken when young, and after being fattened by
member OF the Congregation is returned to the
pastor. Schools are IN all the settlements, and
rarely can native De found who can neither read
from that of the modern Scandinavians. 1t ls the
old Morse tongue, and national pride Is felt In its
preservation. In their late address to the King
the ICeanders dwell pontedy on this subject.
THE DISCOVERY OF AMERICA.
The claim that an lcelander was the first discOv-
OF America Is not so destitute OF substanti tial
grounds to st upon as many would be inclined to
think Tne records OF the ancient SGgndnayans IN
anCe. However, they state very clearly and mi
nutey that in the year 1902 Herjulf "a descendant
OF Ingull, famous navigator of that age and his
son Barf, both Icelanders, subsisted by trading
between Iceland and Norway, and that in the lat
ter country they passed the winter seasons. At
the close of the year their vessels, was the Gus.
tom, were divided and Bart, sailing to Green
Greenland before. He steered westward for many
days, and strong north wind bore him consider
ably to the south. After long interval he arrived
In sight OF u low, woody country, which com
pared with the description he had received
OF Greenland he was sure could not be that coun-
y.
father. The information that Bairf gave OF this
discovery induced Lei, who had already discovered
the Comment OF America. With tnirty.five COM
paniOns he sailed towards the south in the direc-
tion indicated by Bairl. Arriving at a nat, strong
coast, with
MOUNTAINS COVERED WITH SNOW,
visible at great distance, they callei 1t Hallu-
land. Proceeding still south, these adventurous
Icelanders came to country OF more attractive
appearance. From the pretty full description given
this was probably Nova Scotia. They called 1t Mark
land. brisk north wind BLOWING da
brought them TO finer country, woody and unduat-
ing and abounding with natural produce. They were
unable to find port; nevertheless they landed, as
there was an abundance OF fish in the river, which
flowed into bay. They ventured to pass the WIN
Wlneand. They found the nights and days less
unequal than in Iceland or Norway. On the short
that the sun rose at hafpast seven in the morning
and set at ha.fpast four IN the evening. During
their stay, which continued year. they were APP
preached by some natives (red mem, whom they
Killed. The naylgaLors we are told. returned to
their homes and carried with them the story
ceedlng hundred years, followed In the
pain their countrymen had trOdden, but
troubles arose, and some Scandinavians who
brought their wives and children with them had
! difficulties IN reference to their conduct. The
Vineland colonlsts treated the aborgines as
| 1t is believed by many who have investigated the
matter that the Vineland OF the northern navi-
! gators the coast OF New England, probably
Massachusetts, II Christianity was established on
this Continent 800 years ago it died away iOr
/
who left Copenhagen about HOO Tor vineland was,
on his arrival put to death by man who spoke
his own tongue
MONUMENT TO THE DIsCovERER OF AMERICA.
There are legends of navigatOrs visiting America
during the thirteenth ana fourteenth centuries,
but there Is nothing definitely known from the
Scandinavian writers after the year 1120 when
bisnop sailed from Greenland for Vineand, OF
whose fate nothing thereafter was ever heard.
There Is blank up to The time when Columbus set
out on his voyage OF discovery. 1t may be men,
toned that Ole Bun was last year collecting subscrp.
a a
monument to Lief, the first alleged dscOverer OF
America, who touched American soil 400 or 500
years before the landing OF Columbus; and there
are indications tnat the GenOese not only &C
quainted with the voyages OF the Morse sailors to
on his plan and It's execution. lcelanders fire.
quently visited the Mediterranean, nOtwthstand
by frozen seas from the more favored portions OF
Europe. Their fame as mariners was we'll known
and their acquaintance with southern navigatOrs
af1Orded favorable opportunities OF spreading q
knowledge Of their voyages TO distant and then
unknown lands. In the journal or the London
Geographical Society 1885 it is shown that Co
lumbus IN l477 made a voyage to Iceland, which he
considered the Thile or Thule of Ptoemy. Thule
reached the North Pole SO that ON this Island the
longest days were twenty four hours, and there
was constant day during the six summer months
and constant night during the six winter months.
From the time OF It's discovery 1t was regarded
as the most northern part of the known
obtained respecting 1t until 1t was settled by the
NOrwegans In the ninth century. Columbus had,
therefore, an opportunity OF learning OF VIne-
land, which had been cOlonzed over 400 years pre-
yous TO his visit to Iceland by the natives OF that
country and OF Norway. AT all events, 1t is now
contended that the Scandinavians preceded Co.
lumbus IN discovering the American Continent.
1t is not likely that this incident in the history OF
Iceland will be forgotten during the ceremonies
that are to take place to-day aud tomorrow in
that distant and rugged country 1t is understood
that several Americans including Mr. Cyrus w.
Field and Mr.. Murat Halstead, OF Cincinnati, will
be present at Reykjavik to assist at the solemni-
ties. From all that has been said on the subject it
would appear that the festivities, literary exer-
cises, &C.. in which the entire population OF Ice
land are to Join, will be OF very novel and highly
interesting nature.
THE KING AMONG HIS ICELANDIC SUBJECTS
Preparations have been made grand scale
for the reception OF Christian lX 1t will be the
first time that o crowned head visits the shores OF
the distant island, SO long the home Of the fierce
and proud Vikings, who preferred exile to SUB
mission, and who resisted for centuries all temp.
tations and threats to make them exchange their
republican poverty for golden chains OF vassalage.