Year: 1874

tnelr cndracter ana standing, ndu ridden forward


to meet HIS Majesty at the farm Of Skyrcot-s little
oasis in the lava field. about a mile distant-and
had escorted him to tho place of the festival Hero
| ranging themselves six on each side Of the path,
| they made a sort of gateway to the Thingyalla
ground The Chairman of the Committee, Fre-
drksson, made short address of welcome, which
was followed by such loud and repeated
| cheers that many Of the ponies took fright
Gov. FInssen unhorsed but the King who
is most accomplished rider sat firmly patting his
intelligent pony the neck. Then twenty-four
girls came forward, scattering the native flowers of
Iceland-thyme, anemOne, saxIfrage, and geranium
in the royal path, while the choir, posted thu
lava rocks struck up Of their solemn, sou-str-
ring chants. The camp was pitched, az before ON
the little hill in front of the church, but there was
now quite little village of tents around it. THIS
welcome was almost improvisation, but it was
entirely successful and struck favorable keynote
for the following day.


Slowly making our way our jaded horses
through the friendly crowds we fell in with Capts.
Won Schr0der and Won Pawels OF the German friQats
Nlobe to whom we had offered the shelter Of our
tent for the occasion. The camp was soon made.
behind the church and beside the icy crystal Of the
Thingvala spring. For the rest Of the evening the
greater part of the crowd ate. drank and made
themselves comfortable. The Rekiavik students
sang their songs, believe some speeches were made
to various separate circles but all the proceedings
had free informal character. There was no dark
ness to cover as as with cloak somebody walked
and somebody talked through the long nocturnal
twilight and we should have slept little but for tho
grievOus fatigue left from the preceding days.


Morning came and brought sun. The fair
weather was gone; cold wind blew down from the
central deserts of the Island and the Broad-Sheid
Mountain, in the northeast. soon grew dim under
a vail of rain. The plovers piped on the heather
covered ridges of lava, and the weird laughter OF
the looms heard along the shores OF the Ihins-
valla Lake. Our friend Magndsson came early
with an invitation from the National Committee to
breakfast with them and the royal party in the
pavilion at II o'clock. The exercises at the Mound
of the Judges were to commence at 10, so, after
taking coffee, set out with our German guests to
visit the famous L6gberg Hill of the Law. where
the Althinq or Popular Assembly of Iceland was
held for nearly 900 years.


History states that when the Independent chiefs
who first took up the habtable part of Iceland found
it necessary to unite and form superior govern
ment for ALL they had some difficulty in seectlnga
suitable spot for its deliberations In the year $50.
Thingvalla was finally chosen and no other spot.
certainly could have invested the Athing with such
an air of awe and soemnity. The great lava plain
of Thingvalla Or in Iceandic, 7hingrer Is rent by
deep, tremendous assures, in general direction
from north to SOUTH One Of these, on the eastern
edge of the valley, forms almost an island.
attached to the main mass of rock by narrow
natural bridge 1t is about 800 yards long, but not
more than 60 or 10 feet wide at the broadest part.
The summit is uneven, rising you approach the
further end until its jagged pnnaces look down on
either side into chasms $50 feet deep, where dark.
mysterious, Indgo-colored water flows onward.
whence or whittier can tell. The character
of the place IS more than savage: it is diabolical.


Near the entrance one ancient Jarl supposed to
be able to defend the whole mount since access was
impossible at any other point. A part OF the rock
must afterward have given way and fallen across
the chasm for it is now bridged toward the other
extremity The white falcon of Iceland Happed
lonely in the rain, as we stood upon the mound
where the 4s judges sat upon the middle bench.
each with deputy before and another behind him.
making IA in all. At first this mound was in
closed by a circle of halle sticks. bound with
the sacred cords fillits. The Lawgiver.
who was chosen for three years. directed
the proceedings. After the year $685. the Althing
was opened on the Thursday between the 18th
and 23d of June and remained in session IA days.
Since agriculture could not be carried on in Iceland
and the raising of cattle required little labor the
men early acquired the habit of travelling to Thing
vaTa every year. so that finally many thousands Of
persons assembled in the valley. exchanged informa-
ton, traded, feasted, and thus established kind
of National Fair The civil and criminal cases were
practically tried before the whole people, and what
ever law decreed went Immediately into action.


After Iceland fell to Norway, and then to Dem
mark the form of holding the AHhing was still OBJ
observed although it was scarcely more than an
empty form. The meetings were held in the open
air. as in the old and glorious ages, until the year
1890, when wall of blocks of lava was erected and
roof anauDpd il tn DrOtpct the deI6-
gates from inclement weather. Here Danish law
was proclaimed to the people up to the year 1900.
when the seat of justice removed to Rejkiavik.
Even the old wall has been taken away, and tha
Hill of the Law is now as bare and grand as when
it witnessed the deliberations of a free people.


was surprised to remark that 80 few natives
visited the place. Now and then man. probably
from some remote part of the island, climbed tho
uneven crest and looked up in a vacant way at tho
ancient banner or down into the awful chasms OF
cold, swirling water; but the pavilions and flags.
the music and the multtudes beyond the river were
the chief attractions. In truth, it was uncanny
spot, and did not myself feel inclined to linger
there longer than was necessary. BY this time Q
light but steady rain had set in. and all but the
hardened Iceanders moved toward the place of cer-
emonies in waterproof coats. After crossing the
plank bridge which had been thrown across tho
river the King was arrested by the formal address
of the People Of Iceland the occasion Of the Thous
andth Anniversary, 1t was read by Herr Thomson.
of Bressastadr Hearty loyalty, covering a strong
expression of tho distinct desire of the people for
| independence in their own government character
lied this as all the other addresses. The king re-
sponded briefly, there were cheers the band struck
up the Danish national anthem, and the procession
moved forward to the mound. The people seemed
to have lost at last their apathetic expression their