第12章
"WefoundourselvesextremelyawkwardindancingwhattheladieswerepleasedtocallEnglishcountrydances。Themusic，whichcamefromasolitaryill-scrapedfiddle，accompaniedbytherumblingofthesamehalf-rottendrumthathadsummonedthehighcourtofjustice，andbythejinglingofarustytriangle，wastomeutterlyunintelligible。Theextremerapiditywithwhichitwasnecessarytogothroughmanycomplicatedevolutionsinpropertime，completelybewilderedus；andourmistakes，andfrequentcollisionswithourneighbours，affordedmuchamusementtoourfairpartners，whofounditforalongtimeimpracticabletokeepusintherighttrack。
Whenallowedtobreathealittle，wehadanopportunityofremarkingsomesingularitiesinthestateofsocietyandmannersamongtheDanesofReikjavik。Whileunengagedinthedance，themendrinkpunch，andwalkaboutwithtobacco-pipesintheirmouths，spittingplentifullyonthefloor。TheunrestrainedevacuationofsalivaseemstobeafashionalloverIceland；butwhetherthenativeslearneditfromtheDanes，ortheDanesfromthenatives，wedidnotascertain。Severalladieswhosevirtuecouldnotbearaverystrictscrutinywerepointedouttous。
"Duringthedances，teaandcoffeewerehandedabout；andnegusandpunchwerereadyforthosewhochosetopartakeofthem。Acoldsupperwasprovided，consistingofhams，beef，cheese，&c。，andwine。Whileattable，severaloftheladiessang，andacquittedthemselvestolerablywell。ButIcouldnotenjoytheperformance，onaccountoftheincessanttalking，whichwasasfashionablearudenessinIcelandasitisnowinBritain。This，however，wasnotconsideredasintheleastunpolite。Oneofthesongswasinpraiseofthedonorsoftheentertainment；and，duringthechorus，theceremonyoftouchingeachother"sglasseswasperformed。Aftersupper，waltzesweredanced，inastylethatremindedmeofsoldiersmarchingincadencetothedeadmarchinSaul。Thoughtherewasnoneedofartificiallight，anumberofcandleswereplacedintherooms。Whenthecompanybrokeup，aboutthreeo"clock，thesunwashighabovethehorizon。"
{29}Amanofeightyyearsofageisseldomseenontheisland——
Kerguelen。
{30}Kerguelen(writingin1768)says:"Theyliveduringthesummerprincipallyoncod"sheads。Acommonfamilymakeamealofthreeorfourcods"headsboiledinsea-water。"——ED。
{31}ThisbakehouseistheonlyoneinIceland，andproducesasgoodbreadandbiscuitasanythatcanbeprocuredinDenmark。[InKerguelen"stime(1768)breadwasveryuncommoninIceland。ItwasbroughtfromCopenhagen，andconsistedofbroadthincakes，orsea-
biscuits，madeofrye-flour，andextremelyblack——ED。]
{32}Inallhighlatitudesfatoilysubstancesareconsumedtoavastextentbythenatives。Thedesireseemstobeinstinctive，notacquired。Adifferentmodeoflivingwouldundoubtedlyrenderthemmoresusceptibletothecoldoftheseinclementregions。Manyinterestinganecdotesarerelatedofthefondnessofthesehyperboreanracesforakindoffoodfromwhichwewouldturnindisgust。BeforegaswasintroducedintoEdinburgh，andthecitywaslightedbyoil-lamps，severalRussiannoblemenvisitedthatmetropolis；anditissaidthattheirlongingfortheluxuryoftrain-oilbecameoneeveningsointense，that，unabletoprocurethedelicacyinanyotherway，theyemptiedtheoil-lamps。ParryrelatesthatwhenhewaswinteringintheArcticregions，oneoftheseamen，whohadbeensmittenwiththecharmsofanEsquimauxlady，wishedtomakeherapresent，andknowingthetastepeculiartothoseregions，hegaveherwithallduehonoursapoundofcandles，sixtothepound!Thepresentwassoacceptabletothelady，thatsheeagerlydevouredthelotinthepresenceofherwonderingadmirer——ED。
{33}AnAmericantravellinginIcelandin1852thusdescribes，inalettertotheBostonPost，themodeoftravelling:-"Alltravelisonhorseback。Immensenumbersofhorsesareraisedinthecountry，andtheyareexceedinglycheap。Asfortravellingonfoot，evenshortjourneys，nooneeverthinksofit。Theroadsaresobadforwalking，andgenerallysogoodforridingthatshoe-leather，tosaynothingoffatigue，wouldcostnearlyasmuchashorse-flesh。Theirhorsesaresmall，compact，hardylittleanimals，asizelargerthanShetlandponies，butrarelyexceedingfrom12or13。5handshigh。A
strangerintravellingmustalwayshavea"guide，"andifhedoesgoequippedforagoodjourneyandintendstomakegoodspeed，hewantsasmanyassixhorses；oneforhimself，onefortheguide，onefortheluggage，andthreerelayhorses。Thenwhenonesetofhorsesaretiredthesaddlesareexchangedtotheothers。Therelayhorsesaretiedtogetherandareeitherledordrivenbeforetheothers。A
tentisoftencarried，unlessatravellerchoosestochanceitforhislodgings。SuchanarticleasanhotelisnotkeptinIcelandoutofthecapital。Youmustalsocarryyourprovisionswithyou，asyouwillbeabletogetbutlittleonyourroute。Plentyofmilkcanbehad，andsomefresh-waterfish。Theluggageiscarriedintrunksthatarehungoneachsideofthehorse，onarudeframethatservesasapack-saddle。Underthis，broadpiecesofturfareplacedtopreventgallingthehorse"sback。"
{34}Thedownoftheeider-duckformsamostimportantandvaluablearticleofIcelandiccommerce。Itissaidthattheweightofdownprocurablefromeachnestisabouthalfapound，whichisreducedone-halfbycleansing。Thedownissoldatabouttwelveshillingsperpound，sothattheproduceofeachnestisaboutthreeshillings。Theeider-duckisnearlyaslargeasthecommongoose；
andsomehavebeenfoundontheFernIslands，offthecoastofNorthumberland——ED。
{35}ThesameremarkapplieswithequalforcetomanypeoplewhoarenotIcelanders。ItwasoncethehabitamongaportionofthepopulationofLancashire，onreturningfrommarket，tocarrytheirgoodsinabagattachedtooneendofastringslungovertheirshoulders，whichwasbalancedbyabagcontainingastoneattheother。Sometimeago，itwaspointedouttoaworthymanthusreturningfrommarket，thatitwouldbeeasierforhimtothrowawaythestone，andmakehalfofhisloadbalancetheotherhalf，buttheadvicewasrejectedwithdisdain；theplanhehadadoptedwasthatofhisforefathers，andhewouldonnoaccountdepartfromit——ED。
{36}ThedescriptionoftheWolf"sHollowoccursinthesecondactofDerFreyschutz，whenRodolphsings:
"Howhorrid，dark，andwild，anddrear，Doththisgapinggulfappear!
Itseemsthehueofhelltowear。
Thebellowingthunderburstsyonclouds，Themoonwithbloodhasstainedherlight!
Whatformsarethoseinmistyshrouds，Thatstalkbeforemysight?
Andnow，hush!hush!
Theowlishootinginyonbush；
Howyonderoak-tree"sblastedarmsUponmeseemtofrown!
Myheartrecoils，butallalarmsArevain:fatecalls，Imustdown，down。"
{37}Thereadermustbearinmindthat，duringtheseasonofwhichIspeak，thereisnotwilight，muchlessnight，inIceland。
{38}ThespringsofCarlsbadaresaidtohavebeenunknownuntilaboutfivehundredyearsago，whenahunting-dogbelongingtooneoftheemperorsofGermanyfellin，andbyhishowlingattractedthehunterstothespot。Thetemperatureofthechiefspringis165
degrees——ED。
{39}HistorytellsofthisgreatIcelandicpoet，thatowingtohistreacherythefreeislandofIcelandcamebeneaththeNorwegiansceptre。ForthisreasonhecouldneverappearinIcelandwithoutastrongguard，andthereforevisitedtheAllthingundertheprotectionofasmallarmyof600men。BeingatlengthsurprisedbyhisenemiesinhishouseatReikiadal，hefellbeneaththeirblows，afterashortandineffectualresistance。[SnorriSturluson，themostdistinguishednameofwhichIcelandcanboast，wasborn，in1178，atHoam。Inhisearlyyearshewasremarkablyfortunateinhisworldlyaffairs。Thefortunehederivedfromhisfatherwassmall，butbymeansofarichmarriage，andbyinheritance，hesoonbecameproprietoroflargeestatesinIceland。Somewriterssaythathisguardof600men，duringhisvisittotheAllthing，wasintendednotasadefence，asindicatedinMadamePfeiffer"snote，butforthepurposesofdisplay，andtoimpresstheinhabitantswithforcibleideasofhisinfluenceandpower。HewasinvitedtothecourtoftheNorwegianking，andthereheeitherpromisedorwasbribedtobringIcelandundertheNorwegianpower。Forthishehasbeengreatlyblamed，andstigmatisedasatraitor；thoughitwouldappearfromsomehistoriansthatheonlyundertooktodobypeaceablemeanswhatotherwisetheNorwegiankingswouldhaveeffectedbyforce，andthussavedhiscountryfromaforeigninvasion。Butbethisasitmay，itisquiteclearthathesunkintheestimationofhiscountrymen，andthefeelingagainsthimbecamesostrong，thathewasobligedtoflytoNorway。Hereturned，however，in1239，andintwoyearsafterwardshewasassassinatedbyhisownson-in-law。TheworkbywhichheischieflyknownistheHeimskringla，orChronicleoftheSea-KingsofNorway，oneofthemostvaluablepiecesofnorthernhistory，whichhasbeenadmirablytranslatedintoEnglishbyMr。SamuelLaing。ThiscuriousnameofHeimskringlawasgiventotheworkbecauseitcontainsthewordswithwhichbegins，andmeansliterallythecircleoftheworld——
ED。]
{40}AtranslationofthispoemwillbefoundintheAppendix。
[NotincludedinthisGutenbergeText——DP]
{41}InIceland，asinDenmark，itisthecustomtokeepthedeadaweekaboveground。Itmaybereadilyimaginedthattoanon-
Icelandicsenseofsmell，itisanirksometasktobepresentataburialfrombeginningtoend，andespeciallyinsummer。ButIwillnotdenythatthecontinuedsensationmayhavepartlyproceededfromimagination。
{42}EveryoneinIcelandrides。
{43}Icannotforbearmentioningacuriouscircumstancehere。WhenIwasatthefootofMountEtnain1842，thefieryelementwascalmed；somemonthsaftermydepartureitflamedwithrenewedforce。
When，onmyreturnfromHecla，IcametoReikjavik，IsaidjocularlythatitwouldbemoststrangeifthisEtnaofthenorthshouldalsohaveaneruptionnow。ScarcelyhadIleftIcelandmorethanfiveweekswhenaneruption，moreviolentthantheformerone，reallytookplace。Thiscircumstanceisthemoreremarkable，asithadbeeninreposeforeightyyears，andwasalreadylookeduponasaburnt-outvolcano。IfIweretoreturntoIcelandnow，Ishouldbelookeduponasaprophetessofevil，andmylifewouldscarcelybesafe。
{44}Everypeasantintolerablygoodcircumstancescarriesalittletentwithhimwhenheleaveshomeforafewdays。Thesetentsare，attheutmost，threefeethigh，fiveorsixfeetlong，andthreebroad。
{45}"Thoughtheirpovertydisablesthemfromimitatingthehospitalityoftheirancestorsinallrespects，yetthedesireofdoingitstillexists:theycheerfullygiveawaythelittletheyhavetospare，andexpresstheutmostjoyandsatisfactionifyouarepleasedwiththegift。"UnovonTroil，1772——ED。
{46}ThepresenceofAmericanshipsintheportofGottenburgisnottobewonderedat，seeingthatnearlythree-fourthsofalltheironexportedfromGottenburgistoAmerica——ED。
{47}"St。Stephen"ssteeple"is450feethigh，beingabout40feethigherthanSt。Paul"s，andformspartofSt。Stephen"sCathedralinVienna，amagnificentGothicbuilding，thatdatesasfarbackasthetwelfthcentury。Ithasagreatbell，thatweighsabouteighteentons，beingmorethandoubletheweightofthebellinSt。Peter"satRome，andfourtimestheweightofthe"GreatTomofLincoln。"
ThemetalusedconsistedofcannonstakenfromtheTurksduringtheirmemorablesiegesofVienna。Thecathedralis350feetlongand200wide，beinglessthanSt。Paul"sinLondon，whichis510
feetlongand282wide——ED。
{48}TheStorthingisthenamegiventotheNorwegianparliament，whichassemblesonceeverythreeyearsatChristiania。Thetimeandplaceofmeetingarefixedbylaw，andthekinghasnopowertopreventorpostponeitsassembly。Itconsistsofaboutahundredmembers，whodividethemselvesintotwohouses。Themembersmustnotbeunderthirtyyearsofage，andmusthavelivedfortenyearsinNorway。Theelectorsarerequiredtobetwenty-fiveyearsofage，andtobeeitherburgessesofatown，ortopossesspropertyoftheannualvalueof30l。Themembersmustpossessthesamequalification。ThemembersoftheStorthingareusuallyplain-
spoken，sensiblemen，whohavenodesiretoshineasorators，butwhodespatchwithgreatnativesagacitythebusinessbroughtbeforethem。ThisStorthingisthemostindependentlegislativeassemblyinEurope；fornotonlyhasthekingnopowertopreventitsmeetingattheappointedtime，butshouldherefusetoassenttoanylawsthatarepassed，theselawscomeintoforcewithouthisassent，providedtheyarepassedbythreesuccessiveparliaments——ED。
{49}ThepresentkingofSwedenandNorwayisOscar，oneofthefewfortunatescionsofthoselowlyfamiliesthatwereraisedtoroyalpoweranddignitybyNapoleon。Hisfather，Bernadotte，wasthesonofanadvocate，andenteredtheFrencharmyasacommonsoldier；inthatserviceherosetotherankofmarshal，andthenbecamecrown-
prince，andultimatelykingofSweden。Hediedin1844。ThemotherofOscarwasDesireeClary，asisterofJulieClary，wifeofJosephBonaparte，theelderbrotherofNapoleon。ThisladywasaskedinmarriagebyNapoleonhimself，butherfatherrefusedhisassent；andinsteadofbecominganunfortunateempressofFrance，shebecameafortunatequeenofSwedenandNorway。OscarwasbornatParisin1799，andreceivedhiseducationchieflyinHanover。HeaccompaniedhisfathertoSwedenin1810，andascendedthethroneonhisfather"sdeathin1844。In1824hemarriedJosephineBeauharnois，daughterofPrinceEugene，andgranddaughterofthebrilliantandfascinatingJosephine，thefirstandbestwifeofNapoleon。Oscarismuchbelovedbyhissubjects；hisadministrationismild，just，andequable；andhispersonalabilitiesandacquirementsarefarbeyondtheaverageofcrownedheads——ED。
{50}Bergenisatownofabouttwenty-fivethousandinhabitants，situatedneartheKonsFiord，onthewestcoastofNorway，anddistantabout350milesfromChristiania。Itistheseatofabishopric，andaplaceofveryconsiderabletrade，itsexportsbeingchieflyfish。IthasgivenitsnametoacountyandatownshipinthestateofNewJersey。TherearethreeotherBergens，——oneintheislandofRugen，oneintheNetherlands，andanotherintheelectorateofHesse——ED。
{51}KulleistheSwedishforhill。
{52}DelekarlienisaSwedishprovince，situatedninetyoronehundredmilesnorthofStockholm。
{53}ThefamilyofSturrewasoneofthemostdistinguishedinSweden。StenSturreintroducedprintingintoSweden，foundedtheUniversityofUpsala，andinducedmanylearnedmentocomeover。HewasmortallywoundedinabattleagainsttheDanes，anddiedin1520。
Hissuccessorsasgovernors，Suante，NilsonSturre，andhisson，StenSturretheyounger，stillliveinthememoryoftheSwedishnation，andarehonouredfortheirpatriotismandvalour。
{54}TheUniversityofUpsalaisthemostcelebratedinthenorth。
ItowesitsorigintoStenSturre，theregentofthekingdom，bywhomitwasfoundedin1476，onthesameplanastheUniversityofParis。ThroughtheinfluenceoftheJesuits，whowishedtoestablishanewacademyinStockholm，itwasdissolvedin1583，butre-establishedin1598。GustavusVasa，whowaseducatedatUpsala，gaveitmanyprivileges，andmuchencouragement；andGustavusAdolphusreconstitutedit，andgiveitveryliberalendowments。
Therearetwenty-fourprofessors，andthenumberofstudentsisbetweenfourandfivehundred——ED。
{55}SeenovelofIvar，theSkjutsBoy，byMissEmilieCarlen。
{56}AtCalmarwasconcluded，in1397，thefamoustreatywhichbearsitsname，bywhichDenmark，Sweden，andNorwaywereunitedunderonecrown，thatcrownplacednominallyontheheadofEricDukeofPomerania，butvirtuallyonthatofhisauntMargaret，whohasreceivedthenameof"theSemiramisoftheNorth。"——ED。
{57}ThereisnowarailwaydirectfromHamburghtoBerlin——ED。
{58}Aflorinisabouttwoshillingssterling——ED。
{59}HerrT。SchefferofModling，nearVienna，givesthefollowingcharacteristicofthisnewdipteralanimal，whichbelongstothefamilymuscidae，andresemblesthespeciesborborus:
Antennaedeflexae，breves，triarticulatae，articuloultimophoereco；
sedanuda。
Hypoctomasubprominulum，frontelata，setosa。Oculirotundi，remoti。Abdomenquinqueannulatum，dorsonudo。Tarsisimplices。
Alaeincumbentes，abdominelongiores，nervoprimosimplici。
Niger，abdominenitido，antennispedibusquerufopiceis。