Year: 1874




low on all the hills, rainy gusts swept the haroor'
and the thermometer on deck stood at 4S'. But tine
Danish vessel, the Fvlla, got up steam early ana
went down the ford in search OF the royal fgates'
The preparations on shore were completed by this
time. although as late as yesterday some persons
were engaged in giving the black paling around
their gardens a gayer coat of paint. Whether the
town has been specially cleaned for the occasion
know not. but it is certainly very trim and tidy.


By 10 o'clock the vessels were signaled in the
distance and Immediately the men-ofwar oeeah
their decorations Hooked for an increase OF naes
on shore. but there were not half so many as at
Thorshayn In half an hour the foreign iriea'cs
were all in hutter Of brilliant coors, ana even our
little Albion made gallant show Inc Peop,o
crowded the beach even before the Dan'Sn ,n"','
made their appearance above the low wes'ci, no"u
land Then the yards were manned, frencn, "oi-
man and Swedish officers came on deck ID iu'i UNI
form. boatswains and gunners took their stations
and-it began to rain Nearer but very slowly, came
the expected vessels as the Iyland appeared IN fu
view between the islands. the first cannon blazed'
flash smoke and thunder followed in rapid sue
cession from the FIVE hulls the rocky shores
sent hack their echoes and the whole harbor rang.
There was no fort on shore, scarcely cannon; the
peope stood as a dark line in front OF the houses'
silent and motionleSs. The salute was answered. oy
the Hcimdal while the Kings vessel passed De-
tween the foreign frgates the sailors OF the latter
cheering Justify. The quarterback was left TO Ills
Majesty who stood beside the mizzen-mast, with the
prince at little distance. The cannon-smoKe
drifted over the water and thus the national song
of Denmark was suggested:


king Christian stood by the lofty mast


In mist and smoke!"


Then anchors dropped. boat pulled ashore, Gov
Finsen came off and the commanders OF the foreign
vessels called to pay their respects Our party was
hungry and went to dinner


We had scarcely been helped to q superb Iceland
salmon when there were signs that the royal land
ing was about to come off, The boats were made
ready in all haste; we rushed from the table and
pushed off, but His Majesty was already under way.
His boat and our two were nearly abreast, but he
had eight oars, and we but three apiece. / saw no
other small craft moving in the harbOr; everybody
seemed TO be ashore. The Danish flag on one side
and the American and English the other seemed
to be running desperate race; the Icelanders must
have enjoyed the spectacle. if they had not been,
probably, to excited to notice It, Urged by words
aud promises of reward. sailors did their best
and Just as the King stepped upon the scarlet cloth
of his landing place, sprang upon the nearest
jetty.


The formal reception by the authorities of Iceland
and the delegates of the people was almost priv ate
in its character. The royal pier slOped down to a
platform, between double row of Danish flags
hung with green gaIlands The gentlemen stood on
this PLATFORM and none of their addresses or the re-
plies thereto were audible at distance of thirty
feet. small crowd of people, gathered on the sand
at the edge of the water cheered with some hearth
ness but the main body of the people, about 1900 in
number, kept silent, as they heard nothing. In ten
minutes all the Governor came up the
pier followed by the King and Prince, both walking
rapidly and looking very cheerful and amiable.
They were received with a cheer which was evil
IDENTIFY genuine, if not loud nor universal. The
people seemed unused to such demonstration; in
fact. noticed several who opened their mouths as
they took off their hats, made the beginning of q
shout and then timldy gave it up.


After the Kings suite came the chief officials, the
bishop in velvet and satin, snowy Elizabethan
ruff and high hat, the clergyman, and the mem
bers of the native committee-the latter strong
ruddy, farmer-looking men. whose white gloves did
not harmonize with their heavy brown coats. There
were about forty persons in all, and the whole
crowd fell in behind them as they advanced toward
the Governors residence. number of men, run
ming along the beach, gained the little open
before the King appeared and greeted him again
with much the most enthusiastic cheer of the day.
The door of the Governors house opened and Mad
ame Finsen appeared dressed in simple black silk,
without any ornaments. She descended the steps of
the first garden terrace, curtsied at the right
ment to the royal guest. little less deeply to the
Prince, and accompanied them to the door. This
sounds like very simple matter; but not all ladies
would have accomplished it with such admirable
grace, tact. and selfpossession. All Rejkiavik was
looking on; the sun flashed out if purpose to
lubt nm enis hus ha firatl
ing of Danish King on the soil of Iceland came to
an end.


The Bishop, Committee and other officials
waited at the bottom of the garden until summoned
by a chamberlain in red coat when they too disap-
peared behind the Governors door, now turned
to inspect the crowd and found to my surprise that
the women were much more picturesque hgures than
the men. Many of them wore square boddlces OF
some dark color, gown with many pleats about
the waist with bright blue red aprons Nearly
all had q fiat cap--or, rather, a circular piece of
black cloth-on the top of the head with long
black tassel on one side. hanging from silver or
gilded cylindrical ring. an inch or two in length.
These rings are precisely like those which the
women of Cairo wear over the nose. to hold the
vail in its place. Some of the girls had their hair
braided but many wore it loose; and l saw
one maiden whose magnificent pale yellow name
suggested descent from Brynhilde. The men
showed only two colors-the brown of their wadmal
coats and rowsers and the ruddy tan of their faces
Few of them are handsome, and their faces are
grave and undemonstrative but they inspire conf
dence by the simple strength expressed in the steady
blue eye and the firm set of the lips There were
plenty of tawny or piebald ponies with names like
lions in the streets. i suppose many healths must
have been drunk during the day. for the old Morse
habit still flourlshes here; but saw only one
who was somewhat unsteady on his legs while he
managed to keep his face sober


In the afternoon. under the guidance Of Herr Mag
ntisson we made number of visits. Bishop PETER