, 1874-09-19

1uOTdEGuS6IS "
fosterland, thou wilt be beloved by thy
sons as long Us the ocean enclrcles the
land, as long as men love women, and
the sun shines on the mountains" Then
also are represented the discoveries of
America and of Greenland by the Iceland
ers, the former having taken place early
in the eleventh century by Leltr Heppni,
commonly called Leifr the Lucky, and the
latter in 9s2 by Erikr the Red. Between
these and the i0kull are the symbols of the
achievements of Iceland-vlz., poetry,
science, and warfare represented by a harp,
books 1.-THE Edda), and weapons. Then on
this same chart we find Icelandic views,
with rocks, mountains, o waterfall and a
glacier in the midst, gllttering in the
morning sun-to the left IS Geyser, and to
the right, in the distance, Hecla. On the
garlands entwining the columns support
ing the stone edi6ce are the names of such
Icelanders as have distinguished them
selves in the fine arts or in poetry. 1t
must not be forgotten that Thorvaldsen
was of Icelandic origin. But to return to
the festivities.
There was o general exodus from the
capital on Tuesday, Wednesday, and
Thursday to T~hingvellir, six or seven
hours ride from Reykiavik on ponies, the
only means of communication. Through
out the country there are no roads, simply
tracks, that after a heavy rain get entirely
washed away. Without q guide, there be-
ing no guide-posts, it is impossible to
travel. The ponies, however, are excellent.
Tents, wines-in fact everything to salts
fy the hunger and thirst of many hundreds
of men at ThingvelIir for three, or four
days-had to be conveyed on the back Of
these sturdy, patient, aud enduring ami
mails and were this means Of transit to
be by an epidemic, or any other cause, sud-
denly cut off there would ensue q deadlock
throughout the land. Many hundreds Of
late years have been disposed of to Eng
lish buyers for use in the north country
coal mines but should this expectation
be carried to too great an extent, it would
be the worst thing that could happen to
the country, although, perhaps, it would
be the means of forcibly impressing up on
the Ic~elanders that the making Of roads
II perhaps the first and greatest step to
lead to q future development of
the wealth that lies hidden aud useless
beneath the surface of their land. With
out roads the coal, iron, and sulphur to be
found in no small qualities in certain
parts are practically as valueless as the
great blocks of lava that everywhere meet
the eye. Opals may also be found. Ice
land presents entirely a new field for com.
mercial enterprise, based upon scientific
knowledge, but it would be perfectly fu-
tile for any but capitalists to turn their at
tention in this direction. The greatest
blessing the Danish Government could
confer upon the Icolanders would be to
grant an annual sum to be expended in
road making, Labour could be found, al
though the population of the whole island
does not exceed seventy thousand souls.
Want of capital is the great drawback to
the develop ment c. tho resources and
practical advance of the nation towards
modern civilization and culture. Their
fisheries, for the lack of sea-going boats,
are monopolised by the French, who, dur
ing the summer season, send several hum
dred fishing boats to cast their nets near
the Icelandic coasts.
On Thursday evening the King and his
mn -. Ill a. H..