The Extreme Rapidity With Which It Was Necessary To
Go Through Many Complicated Evolutions In Proper Time, Completely
Bewildered Us;
And our mistakes, and frequent collisions with our
neighbours, afforded much amusement to our fair partners, who found
it for
A long time impracticable to keep us in the right track.
When allowed to breathe a little, we had an opportunity of remarking
some singularities in the state of society and manners among the
Danes of Reikjavik. While unengaged in the dance, the men drink
punch, and walk about with tobacco-pipes in their mouths, spitting
plentifully on the floor. The unrestrained evacuation of saliva
seems to be a fashion all over Iceland; but whether the natives
learned it from the Danes, or the Danes from the natives, we did not
ascertain. Several ladies whose virtue could not bear a very strict
scrutiny were pointed out to us.
"During the dances, tea and coffee were handed about; and negus and
punch were ready for those who chose to partake of them. A cold
supper was provided, consisting of hams, beef, cheese, &c., and
wine. While at table, several of the ladies sang, and acquitted
themselves tolerably well. But I could not enjoy the performance,
on account of the incessant talking, which was as fashionable a
rudeness in Iceland as it is now in Britain. This, however, was not
considered as in the least unpolite. One of the songs was in praise
of the donors of the entertainment; and, during the chorus, the
ceremony of touching each other's glasses was performed. After
supper, waltzes were danced, in a style that reminded me of soldiers
marching in cadence to the dead march in Saul. Though there was no
need of artificial light, a number of candles were placed in the
rooms. When the company broke up, about three o'clock, the sun was
high above the horizon."
{29} A man of eighty years of age is seldom seen on the island. -
Kerguelen.
{30} Kerguelen (writing in 1768) says: "They live during the
summer principally on cod's heads. A common family make a meal of
three or four cods' heads boiled in sea-water." - ED.
{31} This bakehouse is the only one in Iceland, and produces as
good bread and biscuit as any that can be procured in Denmark. [In
Kerguelen's time (1768) bread was very uncommon in Iceland. It was
brought from Copenhagen, and consisted of broad thin cakes, or sea-
biscuits, made of rye-flour, and extremely black. - ED.]
{32} In all high latitudes fat oily substances are consumed to a
vast extent by the natives. The desire seems to be instinctive, not
acquired. A different mode of living would undoubtedly render them
more susceptible to the cold of these inclement regions. Many
interesting anecdotes are related of the fondness of these
hyperborean races for a kind of food from which we would turn in
disgust. Before gas was introduced into Edinburgh, and the city was
lighted by oil-lamps, several Russian noblemen visited that
metropolis; and it is said that their longing for the luxury of
train-oil became one evening so intense, that, unable to procure the
delicacy in any other way, they emptied the oil-lamps. Parry
relates that when he was wintering in the Arctic regions, one of the
seamen, who had been smitten with the charms of an Esquimaux lady,
wished to make her a present, and knowing the taste peculiar to
those regions, he gave her with all due honours a pound of candles,
six to the pound! The present was so acceptable to the lady, that
she eagerly devoured the lot in the presence of her wondering
admirer. - ED.
{33} An American travelling in Iceland in 1852 thus describes, in a
letter to the Boston Post, the mode of travelling:- "All travel is
on horseback. Immense numbers of horses are raised in the country,
and they are exceedingly cheap. As for travelling on foot, even
short journeys, no one ever thinks of it. The roads are so bad for
walking, and generally so good for riding that shoe-leather, to say
nothing of fatigue, would cost nearly as much as horse-flesh. Their
horses are small, compact, hardy little animals, a size larger than
Shetland ponies, but rarely exceeding from 12 or 13.5 hands high. A
stranger in travelling must always have a 'guide,' and if he does go
equipped for a good journey and intends to make good speed, he wants
as many as six horses; one for himself, one for the guide, one for
the luggage, and three relay horses. Then when one set of horses
are tired the saddles are exchanged to the others. The relay horses
are tied together and are either led or driven before the others. A
tent is often carried, unless a traveller chooses to chance it for
his lodgings. Such an article as an hotel is not kept in Iceland
out of the capital. You must also carry your provisions with you,
as you will be able to get but little on your route. Plenty of milk
can be had, and some fresh-water fish. The luggage is carried in
trunks that are hung on each side of the horse, on a rude frame that
serves as a pack-saddle. Under this, broad pieces of turf are
placed to prevent galling the horse's back."
{34} The down of the eider-duck forms a most important and valuable
article of Icelandic commerce. It is said that the weight of down
procurable from each nest is about half a pound, which is reduced
one-half by cleansing. The down is sold at about twelve shillings
per pound, so that the produce of each nest is about three
shillings. The eider-duck is nearly as large as the common goose;
and some have been found on the Fern Islands, off the coast of
Northumberland. - ED.
{35} The same remark applies with equal force to many people who
are not Icelanders.
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