The Tomahawk. [volume] (White Earth, Becker County, Minn.) 1903-192?, 1919-02-13

SCOtluQu anu 1relauU were COuoIAulAy
on the alert in case Of depredations
and sudden descents. The distant
lava peaks of Farce ultimately became
the homes of those who dared not
return to Norway, until at last one of
their number, the Viking NaddOdd, loft
the isles and was driven by contrary
winds in sight of the snow-capped
peaks of Iceland. A landing was ef-
fected, but Naddodd found no trace of
human beings. Christening the newly
discovered country Snaeland, he i'm
mediately took his departure. -Four
years later, in 1854, came Gard pr,
Swedish Viking, who was the first to
circumnavigate the island. He re-
christened the land Gardar's Holm.
Then came Floki, who found his way
to the island by the aid of ravens, and
who gave to the then inhospitable
land the present chilly name of Ice
land.
Reykjavik, the smoking Greek"
now the principal town, was recog-
nized from the earliest times as an
unfortunate location for settlement
and a capital. The original colony
was settled here by Ingolfr Arnarson,
a high-born Jarl of Norway, who left
his native land in the company Of his
foster-brother, Hjorleifr, ten years
after the descent of Floki upon its
shores.
Within 60 years from the coming
Of Ingolfr, the population of tho island
is said to have numbered over 10000.
So much land, however, had been taken
by the first corners that an agreement
was made by which all late Corners
could take only as much land IFS they
could encompass by fire in a day. This
was done by building a huge fire in
the center of the lot, whence the claim
ant Travelled in n circle as far away
from the fire as he could see the
smoke.
Kindly and Hospitable.
From this virile race, which s',orned
to bend the knee to Harald, the mod
ern Icelanders are descended. They
are kindly and hospitable to the
stranger within their borders, while
their homes are simple and quaint.
Some are old dwelling places Of turf
and stone with an inclOsed moving
patch, the sheep folds, the byre and
q small garden for vegetables. The
spoken tongue Of Iceland is no longer
heard in the Morse valleys, but In the
arctic isolation of. their island home
the 1celanders have retained 1t In
its ancient purity; and sagas and ira
ditions of the remote past are as
familiar as household words to the in.
habitants.
The government, down to the grant
ing of autonomy, had at its head
minister, appointed by the king OF
Denmark, resident ut Reykjavfk. and
responsible to the althing, or the
parliament of the colony, for all acts
concerning Iceland. The a1thing con-
sisted Of 80 members, Of whom 30
were elected by the people and six by
the crown. It was elected every two
years, and was divided into two cham
bers, of which the upper was composed
of six elected and six appointed men,
bers, while the lower consisted of "a
elected members. The king of Den
mark had the nominal right of veto.
In 1911 suffrage was extended to
women and servants, and the right is
now possessed by al competent ad'
ults. The revenue Of the country is
derived almost entirely from customs.
Elementary education is we'll provided
for, and the number Of illiterates IL
remarkably small.