New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1903-08-01
TRAVEL IN ICELAND.
Dissertations of an Engishman.

ACROSS ICELAND. BY, "; Blslker. F. r G; E
With Illustrations and Maps and an AppenolX
~ A w Hill. NJ A, on the rants Coilec'eo'
svo, PIP. 2Se. Longmans Green & co.
semi-scientihc party OF six English people
travelled in the summer Of 1900 across and about
Iceland. and the geographer Of the group set
down in this plump volume the story Of the
Journey. An excellent idea of the country and
the life Of its inhabitants may be gathered
from his unaffected record and from the reason
ably successful photographs accompanying 1t
Travel IN Iceland, the reader perceiyes at once,
is far from comfortable; it must all be done on
ponyback across rough moraines over noun
tains and lava heaps and through rivers, quick
sands and hurmocks. Roads are not roads, but
merely ancient tracks. Those leading across the
hummocky ground have been so deepened by
the traffic Of years that the ruts sometimes
reach almost TO the riders knees, and the feet
have TO be raised alternately to prevent their
being crushed. There are queer, hard looking
surfaces here and there-places which look like
gravelly areas with a few stones scattered
about-and the wise pony balks thereat- The
traveller who urges his steed forward regrets
his rashness, for the graveily places are simply
boys. and grievous trouble follows All trans
portation in Iceland in summer is by means Of
ponies; the author only three carts in the
country and these were used merely for haul
towns Big loads of wool, timber and gaIvan-
lied iron these small but sturdy beasts carry;
things too heavy for them must be left until
winter. when rough sleighs come into use. The
Iceland ponies marvellously surefooted; the
hardy creatures. bred in the hills, get nothing
but green feed, and on this, the author says, can
jog along for twelve hours or more and be fresh
the end.
We learn from Mr.. Bisiker many agreeable
things about the Icelanders. They are polite
people as a rule, and, even better than that. they
kind and uncommonly hospitable. All farm
ers who can afford il keep ready one or two
great chambers for the use Of the casual trav-
eller; and every new arrival is welcomed in the
best room Of the house, where excellent coffee
sometimes favored with cinnamon and de-
licious pastry offered to him. Coffee is
emphatically the national drink and Icelandic
housewives are noted for the quality of their
cakes. When 10 guest chamber is available
the traveller is often accommodated in the near
est church. In the loft of one OF these the
authors bed shared the space with seachests
lockers Of wool, number of agricultural i'm
PIGMENTS, rocking chair and, hanging on
hooks. clothes enough for half dozen men and
women.
The clergy by the way, are often farmers as
well; and all are appointed and paid by the gov
eminent Mr.. Bisiker says concerning one ser
vice which he attended with his companions:
The minister was attired in black robes, which
he with a white ruff and flattened hat he
looked exactly as if he had just stepped out of a
Nelasquez picture, for his face and dress were
quite typical It Is a popularity Of the Ice
landic services that the members Of the congre-
cation come and go just as they please; evil
IDENTIFY they consider the service Of too long
duration, for many leave the church and absent
themselves for periods varying up to fifteen
minutes. l inquired why and was Informed
that the Icelanders. being used to open air life
could not remain still and cooped up for any
length of time, so they left while the service was
in progress in order to stretch their legs and
occasionally to have a smoke. They were quite
regardless of the time Of commencement of the
service, and came in at any time during its
progress.
one Of the parsonages at which the author
stayed was built on the site Of the house Of
Snorri Sturluson, the historian. who died In 1241.
4 hot spring is near, and connects by an aque-
duct with a bath which Snorri is said to have
built seven hundred years ago It is still in use,
but the water is boiling at the spring the
warm morning bath must be drawn overnight
that the fierce temperature may be abated. EX-
ceedingly useful in the domestic sense are the
many hot springs of Iceland The people of this
parsonage, for example. kept a big iron cal
dron beside the spring. and all the family wash
ing was done there At Reykjavik the capital.
al the laundry work of the town is done at
hot spring just outside its limits, the women
going to and fro with their wooden washtubs.
\ strange land is Iceland with its desolate
stretches Of lava, its leaping geysers. its low
lying birches. There is only one group of trees
that reach height Of twenty feet, and that is
a particularly favorable situation Wool, hay,
eiderdown and whale oil are the principal pro-
auctions OF the country-and graphic, indeed, is
the authors description of the odorous terrors
Of the factories at the whale fishing stations. It
is possible now TO see great deal of Iceland
easily and in comfort, q good line Of steamers
calling at most Of the towns on the coasts.