Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1885-12-06
SAGES OF ICELAND.
EDUCATION VERY GENERAL.

why Emssratiss 10 this Country Hss Proves
q Fsslsre 50 Fsr-A Breezy Letter from q
FsrloH Land.
Albert Hanson writes from Reykia,
yik to the Pittsburgh Dispatch /: The
climate Of Iceland is believed by many
10 be undergoing q change for the
worse. Articles occasionally appear in
our American papers in reference to the
number Of icelandic immigrants that ar.
rive from time to time the indications
we now and then have Of q general
movement Of this kind about to be in.
augurated, and the desire Of many OF
these people to move to more congo
MIA, cline. AS a reason for this il is
stated that the weather of each decade
in this country is little more severe
than the last, and that before long the
island will De among the uninhabitable
ice-bound lands Of the northern oceans.
When we look at the changes that
have taken place in its neighbor, Green
land, since the tenth century, when our
history Of that country began, and
compare the condition Of Iceland at
that time with its present state, we see
that the idea is not altogether I'M
founded. Then. too, there is an i'm
preston quite prevalent among the
lcelsnders themselves that toward the
end OF every century the climate is
more severe than at other times, and
some Of the older people claim that it
is much hsrsher now than it was in
their youth. 49,
BY the more intelligent people and
those who are in positions to know this
is said TO be wholly erroneous, and sta
tistics do not show any reason for be-
leying that the climate has undergone
any noticeable change for several hun
bred years. or that any periods are
marked by unfavorable years or subter-
ranean disturbances. In the tenth and
eleventh centuries, the sages tell us,
timber grew on the island snd the peo-
pie cultivated grain, but whether the
former gradually disappeared through
the agency Of any climatic change, or
was entirely consumed by the people,
we have no definite means Of knowing.
Now We find nothing more than few
"foTests " of scrubby birches not more
than three or four feet high, and the
only grain in the country is a very
scant and scattered grewth Of wild
wheat upon the sands Of the south
coast. The two agencies which affect
the climate Of the island are the Gulf
stream and Greenland ice. To the
former it is due that Iceland is at all
inhabitable, and the latter it is that by
drifting across the channel and filling
the bays Of the north and west coast
causes the late springs and cold sum-
mers so menacing to the people.
Depending upon his animals for
greater part Of his food, the failure Of
the hay crop is a serious thing to the
farmer, and when such seasons follow
each other in succession they are at
tended by serious results, as was the
case two cars ago when famine was
only averted by the timely aid that ar
rived from other countries.
EMIGRATION FROM ICELAND.
As regards lcelandic emigration,
there are large numbers Of people here
who are only prevented from going to
America by the want ofsuilicient money
to pay their passage but if they should
make the change, America would hard
ly be the loser in receiving them among
its citizens. The movements that have
been set on foot TO form large colo
MES Of lcelanders in the north
western States or Alaska have failed
only through want of sufficient means
TO transport the people. Could aid be
obtained from the Government or other
wise thousands of the people would
gladly make the change but as for a
general desertion Of the island. it need
never be looked for unless the same
powers that threw it up from the bot
tom of the sea and have been at work
on il ever since so combine to alter its
surface that nothing can grow or no
man live upon it.
We are told that the best time for a
visit TO this country is during the
months Of July and August, but if all
Septembers are like this, or any idea
can be formed from the season Just
passed, il would seem that from the
middle Of August to the lst Of Octo-
Der is the proper time for a glance at
the country. The last spring came on
late. and for time the people looked
glcomily forward, foreboding bad
year, but toward the end of June things
frightened, and, taken altogether, the
season has not been very bad one,
although the people say there has not
been a summer for years when there
were so few bright, warm days. Through
July and much Of August there were
hardly more than dozen days when
little fire would not have added to
ones comfort, and some there were
when artificial heat was absolutely ne
cesSary to keep one from shiyering.
Toward the end Of August the weather
improved, and all through September
it has been bright and warm, just the
kind to invite one into the fields along
the seashore upon the hill where the
first settler built his home, or on the
grassy slopes of the dismantled battery,
and there
And watch the sailing clouds 20 by
Like ships upon the sea.
The last of September seems rather
late for wild flowers, but in the "city
OF the dead" on the hill behind the
town, and in other places where they
have been in bloom since the middle of
July. buttercups, daisies, and forget
me-nots were, until the frosts Of few
nights ago, still to be found in some de-
gree Of profusion. Our days are grad
ually growing shorter, but the sun is
still above the horizon nearly twelve
hours, though at noon ones shadow is
three times ones own length. The
moon describes small arc in the south
ern heavens, and when at its height is
hardly seen above the tops Of neighbor-
ing houses.
If the almanac says she is to appear,
the street-lamps are not lighted, and
although her majesty never fails to keep