The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1889-10-30

tions have been recorded from these and
other cratcrs, tho last being in 1862, all
being more or less violent and destruc-
tive.
Iceland has several lakes, though all
have been partly filed up by lava flows.
The Nudge Lake is in the north and the
Thingvallavata in the south, and each is
ten miles long by four wide. The rivers
of Iceland arc numerous and of good
size, but untitled for navigation because
of her torrential and broken character.
Perhaps the most celebrated feature of
Iceland scenery is the great number OF
intermittent hot springs, which have
given the name of geysers to similar
springs elsewhere.
The principal town is Rcyjavll, small
and rather picturesque town of 14OO,
modelled after Copenhagen. 1t has three
principal streets and an irregularly built
suburb, ond as the capital, does a fair
amount of business. A bishop resides
here, it publishes two weekly papers, and
is the centre of the national educational
facilities, which are confined to element
ary instruction.
The only mode of travelling in Iceland
is on horseback. Roads do not exist, land
the bride paths, though certainly good,
arc at the same time remarkably simple
in their construction. Bridges are
rarity, and the general methods of cross
ing stream are by ferry or swimming.
The houses are partly of earth and partly
of stone and have turf roof, which in
summer time is so green that it can
scarcely be distinguished from the sur.
rounding fields. Timber work is seldom
to be found, Iceland being a woodless
country and the cost of transportation
from the seaports being great Wooden
houses arc only found in the two prin-
cipal towns. The Icelandic house, how
ever, is no hut, but possesses intricate
interiors, and is sometimes quite artistic
ally arranged. Sometimes, too, the
house is little more than an carthen
burrow. low. oke-staincd and filthy.
A good deal of the interior dirt is due TO-
the fact that the house Sr'' m0stlylbnilt
without tireplaces. Fog the acDonmoda-
tion of their sheep aud cattle the farmers
have small turf windowless houses,
erected a. short distance from the
residence. The stables have no stalls,
and the horses move about as they like.
Generally speaking the farm houses
are built close together, each farmer
requiring a large grass walk 1or
his focks, which sometimes arc very nu-
merous, and for hay for the winter store.
The Icelandic agriculturist cares nothing
for gay colors, and his house is always
painted of somber gray or dark red.
Cereals cannot be grown with any sue
cess in this country, the only native grain
being wild sand-oat. from which an
catablc kind of bread can be made. In
addition to grass, which is the principal
vegetable produce of the country, little
else is grown beside potatoes and turnips.
The every day costume of the women
consists OF tight-titting woolcn knitted
bodice, of a dark color, with narrow
sleeves buttoned at the wrists and full
skirt. As set-off striped or checked
apron, usually green or red, is worn.
The characteristic head dress is small
black cap, furnished with a long, silken
tassel. When the state costume is put
on the cap il supplanted by high white
head dress, something in the shape Of