At The End Of This Passage, Which Is Purposely
Built So Low, As An Additional Defence Against The Cold, The
Fireplace Is Generally Situated.
The rooms of the poorer class have
neither wooden walls nor floors, and are just large enough to admit
of the inhabitants sleeping, and perhaps turning round in them.
The
whole interior accommodation is comprised in bedsteads with very
little covering, a small table, and a few drawers. Beds and chests
of drawers answer the purpose of benches and chairs. Above the beds
are fixed rods, from which depend clothes, shoes, stockings, &c. A
small board, on which are arranged a few books, is generally to be
observed. Stoves are considered unnecessary; for as the space is
very confined, and the house densely populated, the atmosphere is
naturally warm.
Rods are also placed round the fireplace, and on these the wet
clothes and fishes are hung up in company to dry. The smoke
completely fills the room, and slowly finds its way through a few
breathing-holes into the open air.
Fire-wood there is none throughout the whole island. The rich
inhabitants have it brought from Norway or Denmark; the poor burn
turf, to which they frequently add bones and other offal of fish,
which naturally engender a most disagreeable smoke.
On entering one of these cottages, the visitor is at a loss to
determine which of the two is the more obnoxious - the suffocating
smoke in the passage or the poisoned air of the dwelling-room,
rendered almost insufferable by the crowding together of so many
persons. I could almost venture to assert, that the dreadful
eruption called Lepra, which is universal throughout Iceland, owes
its existence rather to the total want of cleanliness than to the
climate of the country or to the food.
Throughout my subsequent journeys into the interior, I found the
cottages of the peasants every where alike squalid and filthy. Of
course I speak of the majority, and not of the exceptions; for here
I found a few rich peasants, whose dwellings looked cleaner and more
habitable, in proportion to the superior wealth or sense of decency
of the owners. My idea is, that the traveller's estimate of a
country should be formed according to the habits and customs of the
generality of its inhabitants, and not according to the doings of a
few individuals, as is often the case. Alas, how seldom did I meet
with these creditable exceptions!
The neighbourhood of Havenfiord is formed by a most beautiful and
picturesque field of lava, at first rising in hills, then sinking
into hollows, and at length terminating in a great plain which
extends to the base of the neighbouring mountains. Masses of the
most varied forms, often black and naked, rise to the height of ten
or fifteen feet, forming walls, ruined pillars, small grottoes, and
hollow spaces. Over these latter large slabs often extend, and form
bridges. Every thing around consists of suddenly cooled heaped-up
masses of lava, in some instances covered to their summits with
grass and moss; this circumstance gives them, as already stated, the
appearance of groups of stunted trees. Horses, sheep, and cows were
clambering about, diligently seeking out every green place. I also
clambered about diligently; I could not tire of gazing and wondering
at this terribly beautiful picture of destruction.
After a few hours I had so completely forgotten the hardships of my
passage, and felt myself so much strengthened, that I began my
journey to Reikjavik at five o'clock on the evening of the same day.
Herr Knudson seemed much concerned for me; he warned me that the
roads were bad, and particularly emphasised the dangerous abysses I
should be compelled to pass. I comforted him with the assurance
that I was a good horsewoman, and could hardly have to encounter
worse roads than those with which I had had the honour to become
acquainted in Syria. I therefore took leave of the kind gentleman,
who intended to stay a week or ten days in Havenfiord, and mounting
a small horse, set out in company of a female guide.
In my guide I made the acquaintance of a remarkable antiquity of
Iceland, who is well worthy that I should devote a few words to her
description. She is above seventy years of age, but looks scarcely
fifty; her head is surrounded by tresses of rich fair hair. She is
dressed like a man; undertakes, in the capacity of messenger, the
longest and most fatiguing journeys; rows a boat as skilfully as the
most practised fisherman; and fulfils all her missions quicker and
more exactly than a man, for she does not keep up so good an
understanding with the brandy-bottle. She marched on so sturdily
before me, that I was obliged to incite my little horse to greater
speed with my riding-whip.
At first the road lay between masses of lava, where it certainly was
not easy to ride; then over flats and small acclivities, from whence
we could descry the immense plain in which are situated Havenfiord,
Bassastadt, Reikjavik, and other places. Bassastadt, a town built
on a promontory jutting out into the sea, contains one of the
principal schools, a church built of masonry, and a few cottages.
The town of Reikjavik cannot be seen, as it is hidden behind a hill.
The other places consist chiefly of a few cottages, and only meet
the eye of the traveller when he approaches them nearly. Several
chains of mountains, towering one above the other, and sundry
"Jokuls," or glaciers, which lay still sparkling in their wintry
garb, surround this interminable plain, which is only open at one
end, towards the sea. Some of the plains and hills shone with
tender green, and I fancied I beheld beautiful meadows. On a nearer
inspection, however, they proved to be swampy places, and hundreds
upon hundreds of little acclivities, sometimes resembling mole-
hills, at others small graves, and covered with grass and moss.
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