We sometimes lost all traces of
a road, and only pushed on towards the quarter in which the place of
our destination was situated; and feared withal to sink at every
pace into the soft and unresisting soil.
I found the indolence of the Icelandic peasants quite unpardonable.
All the valleys through which we passed were large morasses richly
overgrown with grass. If the single parishes would unite to dig
trenches and drain the soil, they would have the finest meadows.
This is proved near the many precipices where the water has an
outlet; in these spots the grass grows most luxuriantly, and daisies
and herbs flourish there, and even wild clover. A few cottages are
generally congregated on these oases.
Before arriving at the village of Thorfastadir, we already perceived
Hecla surrounded by the beautiful jokuls.
I arrived at Thorfastadir while a funeral was going on. As I
entered the church the mourners were busily seeking courage and
consolation in the brandy-bottle. The law commands, indeed, that
this be not done in the church; but if every one obeyed the law,
what need would there be of judges? The Icelanders must think so,
else they would discontinue the unseemly practice.
When the priest came, a psalm or a prayer - I could not tell which it
was, being Icelandic - was so earnestly shouted by peasants under the
leadership of the priest and elders, that the good people waxed
quite warm and out of breath. Then the priest placed himself before
the coffin, which, for want of room, had been laid on the backs of
the seats, and with a very loud voice read a prayer which lasted
more than half an hour. With this the ceremony within the church
was concluded, and the coffin was carried round the church to the
grave, followed by the priest and the rest of the company. This
grave was deeper than any I had ever seen. When the coffin had been
lowered, the priest threw three handfuls of earth upon it, but none
of the mourners followed his example. Among the earth which had
been dug out of the grave I noticed four skulls, several human
bones, and a board of a former coffin. These were all thrown in
again upon the coffin, and the grave filled in presence of the
priest and the people. One man trod the soil firm, then a little
mound was made and covered with grass-plots which were lying ready.
The whole business was completed with miraculous speed.
The little town of Skalholt, my station this night, was once as
celebrated in religious matters as Thingvalla had been politically
famous. Here, soon after the introduction of Christianity, the
first bishopric was founded in 1098, and the church is said to have
been one of the largest and richest. Now Skalholt is a miserable
place, and consists of three or four cottages, and a wretched wooden
church, which may perhaps contain a hundred persons; it has not even
its own priest, but belongs to Thorfastadir.
My first business on arriving was to inspect the yet remaining
relics of past ages. First I was shewn an oil-picture which hangs
in the church, and is said to represent the first bishop of
Skalholt, Thorlakur, who was worshipped almost as a saint for his
strict and pious life.
After this, preparations were made to clear away the steps of the
altar and several boards of the flooring. I stood expectantly
looking on, thinking that I should now have to descend into a vault
to inspect the embalmed body of the bishop. I must confess this
prospect was not the most agreeable, when I thought of the
approaching night which I should have to spend in this church,
perhaps immediately over the grave of the old skeleton. I had
besides already had too much to do with the dead for one day, and
could not rid myself of the unpleasant grave-odour which I had
imbibed in Thorfastadir, and which seemed to cling to my dress and
my nose. {41} I was therefore not a little pleased when, instead of
the dreaded vault and mummy, I was only shewn a marble slab, on
which were inscribed the usual notifications of the birth, death,
&c. of this great bishop. Besides this, I saw an old embroidered
stole and a simple golden chalice, both of which are said to be
relics of the age of Thorlakar.
Then we ascended into the so-called store-room, which is only
separated from the lower portion of the church by a few boards, and
which extends to the altar. Here are kept the bells and the organ,
if the church possesses one, the provisions, and a variety of tools.
They opened an immense chest for me there, which seemed to contain
only large pieces of tallow made in the form of cheeses; but under
this tallow I found the library, where I discovered an interesting
treasure. This was, besides several very old books in the Icelandic
tongue, three thick folio volumes, which I could read very easily;
they were German, and contained Luther's doctrines, letters,
epistles, &c.
I had now seen all there was to be seen, and began to satisfy my
physical wants by calling for some hot water to make coffee, &c. As
usual, all the inhabitants of the place ranged themselves in and
before the church, probably to increase their knowledge of the human
race by studying my peculiarities. I soon, however, closed the
door, and prepared a splendid couch for myself. At my first
entrance into the church, I had noticed a long box, quite filled
with sheep's wool. I threw my rugs over this, and slept as
comfortably as in the softest bed.
