The New York herald., 1874-08-07
What WOman'S Whim Brought Around
a Thousand Years Ago.
DESCRIPTION OF THE ARCTIC ISLAND
How the Descendants Of the Vikings Have
Become Degenerated.
"A PEEP INTO MORSE HISTORY.

On my arrival In London decided upon cnar-
tering vessel especially for the trip to the mil
aennal celebration OF the Icelandic Republic and
found placed at my disposal by Mr.. Aitken.
manager Of the London ana Edinburgh Steamship
Company, the fine, stancn steamer Albion, OF 800
tons register, Captain Abraham Howling, master,
an act OF courtesy which was duly acknowledged
by the HERALD commissioner. There were many
people in the British capital at the time eager to
join in the Iceandic celebration, and when 1t be-
came known that had q steamer ready to start
for the land of snow, applications for passage
poured In thick and fast. Mr.. Cyrus w. Field who
viii represent the New York Chamber Of Com
merce on the occasion, ana myself selected the
following gentlemen from the host Of candidates.
Hon. W. Gladstone, M. P. (son OF the Extremely;
Mr.. Bayard Taylor, Mr.. Murar Halstead DR.. 8.
Kneeland, Of the Boston Institute OF Technology;
Nr. Lawrence Hutton Mr.. T. g. Appleton, OF Bos-
ton; Mr.. Il. G. Halliburton and Eirikr Magnusson,
Librarian at the Cambridge University Library and
translator OF several Icelandic songs
The number of persons seeking information and
desiring passage passes all reasonable belief As
soon as 1t became rumOred that the HERALD com
missioner had such scheme in contemplation,
letters poured in from all quarters. No doubt
many were Influenced by the HERALD's well known
hberality, and others might perhaps have thought
that Mr.. Field was overnowing with pounds,
Bhillings and pence; but at the least calculation
nifty applications were made to accompany the
expedition ''in any capacity" One was practsed
In climbing mountains another in scaling glaciers
nj
any number Of volcanoes. No one presented
himself who had been shot up to the moon
after the fashion Of Poe's wonderful hero
nor did there come an applicant from
any friend OF Jules Verne who had gone
down into the bowels of the earth through Skap-
tar Jokull. But number did come who wanted
10 be paid for their invaluable services, and q
Number more who would regard their services as
m equivalent for bed and board. One applicant
must have been all ready provided with a stuffed
eagle for he spread himself largely on the Icelan
'nic republic, ana offered promptly to write or If
needs be, deliver speech or hand to the Iceland
Frs in any known tongue with which he was
tamiliar on the superior gories OF republican inst
tutions.
1t is possible one or two members of our party
may fall at the last moment; but here we are to
rendezvous, and we sail hence for the capital of
Iceland, Reykjavlk, tomorrow afternoon. Nearly
are expected in the morning. The vessel left
Edinburgh yesterday at eight O'Clock P. NJ. and
arrived here in ten hours, rate of speed which
speaks well for her qualities. 1t is likely that we
VIII make short halts at the Orkney. Shetland and
Farce islands on the way and will reach the capt.
sa about the 2sth, the distance not being above
NO0 miles.
THB KING OF DENMARK CHRISTIAN TX,
1s to open the milennial ceremonies in person by,
IN a formal manner. granting new constitution
70 the island August /. The Danish government
1s very reticent on the proposed constitution, but
am given to understand that practically it frees
the Icelanders from the Danish supremacy and
gives them absolute control over their own AFFAIRS
~ they had in the beginning
wOMAN's wHIN LEADS TO A REPUBLIC
Iceland was originally Tree republic, having
been founded by those unhappy subjects OF Harold
Haarlager the lair haired) King Of Norway, who
IN the year s72 consolidated his kingdom, an event
which was duly celebrated with great solemnities
TWO years ago. This, like the Iceland celebration
OF the present year, was called the rhousandth
anniversary, but what difference A more de-
termined tyrant than Harold never lived.
Yet at the bottom OF everything good
or evil In this world there Is usually iound q wo
Snan. Good we must believe IL to be more COM
monty than evi OF course, but exactly how it
worked in this particular case we can hardly say
Tor the tyranny OF Harold begot the Republic OF
Iceland, gave MIN queen, and gave the Norwe-
CLANS in 1872 chance to celebrate their millen-
nial Though why they should glorify the event.
since they have become subject to sweden, one
can hardly see). The case was q simple one. This
fair-haired harold, whom every woman loved for
that very hair and his well known valor and who
loved only one of them and this one he desired to
make his queen, took most wise course in his
Anr
minded by this proud object OF his idolatry that
he was not q king in fact, but only the chief of a
number Of small kings or Jarls, and that If she
welded at all she would wed nothing less than q
whole King he vowed that he would
NEVER ALLOW HIS HAIR TO BE CUT
until there was no part of q king wanting to
him. And he kept his word, for he conquered
every little king or jarl who set himself up to say
he had any rights OF his own ana, having won
the famous battle OF Hafens Fiord, he at once cut
OF his lair hair, married his wife, and drove num-
bers Of the best people of Norway to seek refuge
In some place '.where men had nothing to lear
from the oppression OF kings and tyrants." This
place was Iceland The poor conquered jarls,
with their followers, fed to the sea, and, embark
ing in their unlocked boats, sought the rocky
island which they had never seen, but Of which
1hey mad all heard. For 1T had been familiar to
the Northmen Of that period many years.
THE MORSE PIRATES.
wonderful people were those old N0rthmen.
They went everywhere. All the ships of all their !
neets might have been slowed away In the Great
Eastern, but they swarmed over the ocean, which |
they playfuly termed "The Pirates FIeld,n like |
bees In a clover field. They cruised about with |
their little boats in the Baltic. among Islands
OF Denmark and Sweden and through the narrow
nords of Norway, and won the title OF Vikings or
men OF the lnlets and secret places. A soaking
was very different thing from viking, for while
Soaking was king in reality, a viking was
nothing but pirate, the one taking his name
from his landed right and rule, the others |
from the vicks where they hid themselves. As we
all know, the vikings, with Sea-kings often |
their head, stole out into the sea and sailed far
and wide. They founded on the banks OF the Seine |
the Dukedom OF Normandy and made fool OF the |