, 1874-08-30


| h chosen. and m ot1,er snot cort,in1v rou1,
| have invested the ANh;n1 viii, sncn :. mr. =
awe and so2emnity. Tho rreat i.Y. n1ain n
Tningyalla (or. in icelAnd:c' ThinoUefI;r} il ron
| bE deep tre nendous assures, III q roue,,l d1rec
| ton II ON north to south. Ona of fheae o1 II,
eastern edge of tue valley, forms almUs
| an island, attached to the main mas
| Of rock by a narrow natural bridge
| It is about 300 yards 1ony, but no
more than 60 or 10 feet wide ut the broadest mart
Tho summit is uneven, rising as you arnroac]
the further end, until its Jagged pinnaclos lool
down on either side into ciasms i5O feet deem
where dark mysterious ind1po-colored waite
flows onward whence or whittier no one can tell
| The character OF the placo 1s more than aayape
it ia diaboical<
Near the entrance ono ancian, Ja,1 xrs ann
posed to be ahla to dafend tho who1a Tnount
since access was iunoss;hle at anv nther 1n;rt
4 part of the rock Inu.t niteruard java o;~a,
way and fallen acroae tho cnnsm for Il IL nov
bridged toward the other extren1ty. The uhi,t
falcon OF Iceland dapped lonely in thf
rain, as We stood mon fhe monnd whara ti,e
forty-eight Judges sat upon the middle bencl,
each with deputy before and snother }ahind
him. making III in all. At first this mound vas
iucfosed by circle OF nnzlo sticks. bound with
tho sacred cords or filits The Lawc1yer. who
was chosen for three years, directed tie proceed.
ings. Afterthe yea1 s99, the ANhinq was opened on
the Thursday hetwaan the 19th and 81 ~ T-no
and remained in session fourteen davs. Since
agriculture could not be- carriad IN ~ 1ceI.n
and The racing Of catt1e renu;red 1tic 1,bor ~,
men enrly acduired the habit Of tt.velno n
Thingyalla every yoar. 30 that finally monv
thousands of nersnns nssennhIad in the va1Ioy
exchanged information. Graded feaated. md t1,na
established q kind of National Fair. Tie civil
aud criminal cases were practically tried before
the whole peop1e. and whnterar 1aw w,s
decreod went immediatelv into action.
After Iceland fell to Norway and thar, In
Denmark the form of holding tie ANhino vas
still observed. aIthourn it Saa searcav morc
than an empty form. The meetings were held
until tho wear 1850 when a we val a Of b,octs .e ~
il 10of
weather. Hero Danish lav was proclaimed to
the people IN to the yoar 18{}0 uhen the seat IT
justice vas removed to Keikiayik. Even the old
wall has been taken away and the Hill of fhe
Law is now as bare and grand ~ Whom it vii
Messed the deliberations of free neonIe.
Was surprised to remark that 80 few natiyea
visited the place, Nov and then q man. rroha-
bly, from some remote part Of tho island ciimbed
tho uneven. crest. and looked m in a y.cant
way at the ancient banner or down into The
AWFUL chasms Of cold. syirlinc water: bnt tba
phvilions aud flags, the music and the malt
tudes beyond the river were tho chief attractona-
In truth, it Was an uncanny spot. and did not
myself feel Inclined to hnser there longer than
was necessary. By this time light but steady
landers moved toward the place 1T ceremonies in
waterproof coEts. After crossing the punk
brldge which had been thrown acioss the river,
tho King was arrested BY the
FORMAL ADDRESS OF THE PEOPLE OF ICELAND
On the occasion OF the Thousandth Anniversary.
It was read by Herr Thomssen, Of Brossastadr.
llea1ty loyalty. covering strong expression
Of the distinct desire OF the people for
independence IN their own government,
characterized this as all the other ad-
dresses. The King. responded briefly, there
were cheers, the band struck up the Danish na-
tlonal anthem, md the procession moved for
ward to the mound The people heemed to have
lost, at last, their apathetlc expression their
faces were bright aud animated, they cheered
Justify, and even We, who came last in the ranks,
received onr full share OF greetings.
;, Iho rcmnnlng ceremony conslsted simply in
tue reception OF COMMEMORATIVE addresses which
lad been forwarded TO Iceland. Ihe National
Comm1ttee. With Frednksaon az Presldent and
MMaSnusson ~ Us cnle1 actlse member, took Their
places on the tribune the hlng and other high
ofhcla's ,, formed circle below, on the slope OF
E1e mound. ana tile people scattered themselves
~ f.,,- c.1jin.-;' 1r,,;,.o-.;.;e eCa1
-a.s ,,.,a I1.""Ia 't"u ~
3rat,,,otn4 aacn-nt. ~ ;,s.r;ho5 on -za4 eou
aa,;3aoai1 hon1,J ne;n,;ea Va at.da
- nen,earp anJ goeas eo ea+e5 s"uu9n:e tta:e
.,d;n fpan-e,,n1;nos;,, = hr.t,,ror
10 acado,,Sr ~ Ena ~ j., Cn1a-,'