Clearfield Republican. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1851-1937, 1874-09-16
NOTES ABOUT ICELAND.
CUT FROM MURAT HALsTEAD's CORES
PoNDENcE.


On stepping ashore the first thing
the geologist notices is the volcanic
character of every stone and pebble
and grain of sand The beach is not
white, but black. The gravel on the
streets has the appearance of black
lead. The door steps are blocks of
black lava boneycombed by the in
tensity of the heat to which it has been
subjected. One who travels in Iceland
must know the pony-wisely if not too
well-for be is the sole dependence on
the roads, which are mere pony paths
There was great lot of the little iel-
lows in town yesterday. They go
about in strings Il stout cord or small
rope fastening the lower jaw Of one to
the tail of the other. Thus half doz-
en- are attached in line-and the farm.
er who has come TO market trots home
ward on the foremost of his string Of
ponies. and the rest, tied tail to jaw,
with pack saddles piled with Gods
heads, or other merchandise, follow,
and keep step nicely. The prevailing
color among the ponies is sorrel-they
are of all the horse colors thought
and they are distinguished byan abund-
ant growth of hair. 1t is not unusual
to see their tails clipped squnrely TO
prevent them dragging on the ground.
This abundance Of tail hair gives a
fastening for the useful rope that regu-
lates the next pony in order. A ques-
tion arose whether the little rascals
were shod, and an examination of their
feet answered il in the affirmative. |
speak of the ponies as small rascals,
but the term should be understood in
this case as one of endearment, |
think one might be justified in petting
a neat and docile, long-tailed, sorrel,
Iceland pony. 1t is funny and admir-
able to see them rattle along with dain-
ty and nimble steps over the everlast-
ing lava, swift and sure-footcd under
burdens that would seem sufficient for
a large horse-an animal, by the way,
that conld not get along here at all
was mistaken in assuming that
there was no road ON the island There
is one of three miles in length, leading
from Relkiavik toward the Geysers,
,u 'n"adan in ihaI od do not evtend II ot least
. Mia or Two further / am able 10
give in addition TO this information
about the road the fact that there is a
cart ON the island. Yesterday | saw
49, % ,raot and today I saw he thing
;,aoic H. 49,
~, v. .a,a ., a,o .,,,o.
lne hing .ooN i,io " n,e NM, 'n''L,
ln,o .he County % a yes.cru"s :, "aJ ash;u ta, =
salmon, ny Pavvoss J;e,an,. rha
whch nc 'hau,geu Is not ,oo,a u,,e"'o o,,o ~ ~
n ls1, "Imo e,o,,o =, nnd ai = dammod 90 tha, ,be
wo,or rms INTO large boxes and tum.
hIes ,brough n hole in each box. max.
;ng n sl;gbf fail Tho hole il Guarded
on 9 Tho inside ooaist exits by long
convcroing sticks and the adventurous
fisb swimming up the river find the
little water fall flashing before them
and seeming TO come from pleasant
pool above. lump il with force suflicen,
TO plunge them into the box; and there
they arc as safe as mice in a trap into
which the, have crawled through
sbarp wires that Weld them admission
readily. but forbid return. The salmon's
well.known power and gamcness in
jumping water falls gives rise to this
contrivance. The King caught the
salmon by inserting in the trap where
they were taken basket net on pol,
and scooping them out In this way
fny-onc were captured during his visit
the largest weighing twelve pounds