As In The Rest Of The World, So Also In Iceland, Every Occasion That
Offers Is Seized Upon For A Feast Or A Merry-Making.
The day on
which I witnessed the salmon-fishing happened to be one of the few
fine days that occur during a summer in Iceland.
It was therefore
unanimously concluded by several merchants, that the day and the
salmon-fishing should be celebrated by a dejeuner a la fourchette.
Every one contributed something, and a plentiful and elegant
breakfast was soon arranged, which quite resembled an entertainment
of the kind in our country; this one circumstance excepted, that we
were obliged to seat ourselves on the ground, by reason of a
scarcity of tables and benches. Spanish and French wines, as well
as cold punch, were there in plenty, and the greatest hilarity
prevailed.
I made a fourth excursion, but to a very inconsiderable distance, -
in fact, only a mile and a half from Reikjavik. It was to see a hot
and slightly sulphurous spring, which falls into a river of cold
water. By this lucky meeting of extremes, water can be obtained at
any temperature, from the boiling almost to the freezing point. The
townspeople take advantage of this good opportunity in two ways, for
bathing and for washing clothes. The latter is undoubtedly the more
important purpose of application, and a hut has been erected, in
order to shield the poor people from wind and rain while they are at
work. Formerly this hut was furnished with a good door and with
glazed windows, and the key was kept at an appointed place in the
town, whence any one might fetch it.
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