The smallest livings bring in six to eight florins annually, the
richest 200 florins. Besides this, the government supplies for each
priest a house, often not much better than a peasant's cottage, a
few meadows, and some cattle. The peasants are also required to
give certain small contributions in the way of hay, wool, fish, &c.
The greater number of priests are so poor, that they and their
families dress exactly like the peasants, from whom they can
scarcely be distinguished. The clergyman's wife looks after the
cattle, and milks cows and ewes like a maid-servant; while her
husband proceeds to the meadow, and mows the grass with the
labourer. The intercourse of the pastor is wholly confined to the
society of peasants; and this constitutes the chief element of that
"patriarchal life" which so many travellers describe as charming. I
should like to know which of them would wish to lead such a life!
The poor priest has, besides, frequently to officiate in two, three,
or even four districts, distant from four to twelve miles from his
residence. Every Sunday he must do duty at one or other of these
districts, taking them in turn, so that divine service is only
performed at each place once in every three or four weeks. The
journeys of the priest, however, are not considered quite so
necessary as those of the doctor; for if the weather is very bad on
Sundays, particularly during the winter, he can omit visiting the
most distant places. This is done the more readily, as but few of
the peasants would be at church; all who lived at a distance
remaining at home.
The Sysselmann (an officer similar to that of the sheriff of a
county) is the best off. He has a good salary with little to do,
and in some places enjoys in addition the "strand-right," which is
at times no inconsiderable privilege, from the quantity of drift
timber washed ashore from the American continent.
Fishing and the chase are open to all, with the exception of the
salmon-fisheries in the rivers; these are farmed by the government.
Eider-ducks may not be shot, under penalty of a fine. There is no
military service, for throughout the whole island no soldiers are
required. Even Reikjavik itself boasts only two police-officers.
Commerce is also free; but the islanders possess so little
commercial spirit, that even if they had the necessary capital, they
would never embark in speculation.
The whole commerce of Iceland thus lies in the hands of Danish
merchants, who send their ships to the island every year, and have
established factories in the different ports where the retail trade
is carried on.
