United States or Kiribati ? Vote for the TOP Country of the Week !
Their quickness is doubly surprising, if we consider that every father instructs his own children, and sometimes the neighbouring orphans. This is of course only done in the winter; but as winter lasts eight months in Iceland, it is long enough. There is only one school in the whole island, which originally was in Bessestadt, but has been removed to Reikjavik since 1846.
We descended into this sombre vale through piles of lava and fields of snow, and went on through valleys and chasms, over fields of lava, plains of meadow-land, past dark mountains and hills, till we reached the chief station of my Icelandic journey, the town of Reikjavik. The whole country between Reikum and Reikjavik, a distance of 45 to 50 miles, is, for the most part, uninhabited.
It appears I had scarcely arrived at Reikjavik before diligent inquiries were set on foot as to whether I was rich, and should see much company at my house, and, in fact, whether much could be got out of me. To be well received here it is necessary either to be rich, or else to travel as a naturalist.
My landlord at Reikjavik, the master-baker Bernhoft, told me that only one crime had been committed in Iceland during the thirteen years that he had resided there. This was the murder of an illegitimate child immediately after its birth. The most frequently occurring crime is cow-stealing. I was much surprised to find that nearly all the Icelanders can read and write.
Short summary of this journey: Miles First day, from Reikjavik to 46 Thingvalla Second day, from Thingvalla to 51 Reikholt Third day, from Reikholt to the 19 different springs, and back again Fourth day, from Reikholt to 40 Surthellir, and back to Kalmannstunga Fifth day, from Kalmannstunga to 51 Thingvalla Sixth day, from Thingvalla to 46 Reikjavik Total 253
I have already described the impoliteness and heartlessness of the so-called higher classes, and soon lost the good opinion I had formed of them. I now came to the working classes in the vicinity of Reikjavik. The saying often applied to the Swiss people, "No money, no Swiss," one may also apply to the Icelanders. And of this fact I can cite several examples.
Some speculative genius or other has also established a sort of club in Reikjavik. He has, namely, hired a couple of rooms, where the townspeople meet of an evening to discuss "tea-water," bread and butter, and sometimes even a bottle of wine or a bowl of punch. In winter the proprietor gives balls in these apartments, charging 20 kr. for each ticket of admission.
I resolved also to test the capabilities of the Icelandic horses more thoroughly than I had been able to do during my first ride from Havenfiord to Reikjavik, as I had been obliged on that occasion to ride at a foot-pace, on account of my old guide. The hour of starting was fixed for two o'clock.
But I perceived neither smell nor oppression, merely a slight degree of warmth. June 28th. As I had now seen the Geyser play so often and so beautifully, I ordered my horses for nine o'clock this morning, to continue my journey. I made the more haste to leave, as a Dutch prince was expected, who had lately arrived at Reikjavik, with a large retinue, in a splendid man-of-war.
Taking leave of my good hosts, we continued our journey to Reikjavik, by the same road on which I had travelled on my journey hither.
Word Of The Day