letters from high latitudes-第5章

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annot　sleep；　however　innocent。

The　next　day；　being　Sunday；　I　read　prayers　on　board；　and　then　went　for　a　short　time　to　the　cathedral　church；　the　only　stone　building　in　Reykjavik。　It　is　a　moderate…sized；　unpretending　place；　capable　of　holding　three　or　four　hundred　persons；　erected　in　very　ancient　times；　but　lately　restored。　The　Icelanders　are　of　the　Lutheran　religion；　and　a　Lutheran　clergyman；　in　a　black　gown；　etc。；　with　a　ruff　round　his　neck；　such　as　our　bishops　are　painted　in　about　the　time　of　James　the　First；　was　preaching　a　sermon。　It　was　the　first　time　I　had　heard　Icelandic　spoken　continuously；　and　it　struck　me　as　a　singularly　sweet　caressing　language；　although　I　disliked　the　particular　cadence；　amounting　almost　to　a　chant；　with　which　each　sentence　ended。

As　in　every　church　where　prayers　have　been　offered　up　since　the　world　began；　the　majority　of　the　congregation　were　women；　some　few　dressed　in　bonnets；　and　the　rest　in　the　national　black　silk　skull…cap；　set　jauntily　on　one　side　of　the　head；　with　a　long　black　tassel　hanging　down　to　the　shoulder；　or　else　in　a　quaint　mitre　of　white　linen；　of　which　a　drawing　alone　could　give　you　an　idea；　the　remainder　of　an　Icelandic　lady's　costume；　when　not　superseded　by　Paris　fashions；　consists　of　a　black　bodice　fastened　in　front　with　silver　clasps；　over　which　is　drawn　a　cloth　jacket；　ornamented　with　a　multitude　of　silver　buttons；　round　the　neck　goes　a　stiff　ruff　of　velvet；　figured　with　silver　lace；　and　a　silver　belt；　often　beautifully　chased；　binds　the　long　dark　wadmal　petticoat　round　the　waist。　Sometimes　the　ornaments　are　of　gold　instead　of　silver；　and　very　costly。

Before　dismissing　his　people；　the　preacher　descended　from　the　pulpit；　and　putting　on　a　splendid　cope　of　crimson　velvet　（in　which　some　bishop　had　in　ages　past　been　murdered）；　turned　his　back　to　the　congregation；　and　chanted　some　Latin　sentences　in　good　round　Roman　style。　Though　still　retaining　in　their　ceremonies　a　few　vestiges　of　the　old　religion；　though　altars；　candles；　pictures；　and　crucifixes　yet　remain　in　many　of　their　churches；　the　Icelanders　are　staunch　Protestants；　and；　by　all　accounts；　the　most　devout；　innocent　pure…hearted　people　in　the　world。　Crime；　theft；　debauchery；　cruelty；　are　unknown　amongst　them；　they　have　neither　prison；　gallows；　soldiers；　nor　police；　and　in　the　manner　of　the　lives　they　lead　among　their　secluded　valleys；　there　is　something　of　a　patriarchal　simplicity；　that　reminds　one　of　the　Old　World　princes；　of　whom　it　has　been　said；　that　they　were　〃upright　and　perfect；　eschewing　evil；　and　in　their　hearts　no　guile。〃

The　law　with　regard　to　marriage；　however；　is　sufficiently　peculiar。　When；　from　some　unhappy　incompatibility　of　temper；　a　married　couple　live　so　miserably　together　as　to　render　life　insupportable；　it　is　competent　for　them　to　apply　to　the　Danish　Governor　of　the　island　for　a　divorce。　If；　after　the　lapse　of　three　years　from　the　date　of　the　application；　both　are　still　of　the　same　mind；　and　equally　eager　to　be　free；　the　divorce　is　granted；　and　each　is　at　liberty　to　marry　again。

The　next　day　it　had　been　arranged　that　we　were　to　take　an　experimental　trip　on　our　new　ponies；　under　the　guidance　of　the　learned　and　jovial　Rector　of　the　College。　Unfortunately　the　weather　was　dull　and　rainy；　but　we　were　determined　to　enioy　ourselves　in　spite　of　everything；　and　a　pleasanter　ride　I　have　seldom　had。　The　steed　Sigurdr　had　purchased　for　me　was　a　long…tailed；　hog…maned；　shaggy；　cow…houghed　creature；　thirteen　hands　high；　of　a　bright　yellow　colour；　with　admirable　action；　and　sure…footed　enough　to　walk　downstairs　backwards。　The　Doctor　was　not　less　well　mounted；　in　fact；　the　Icelandic　pony　is　quite　a　peculiar　race；　much　stronger；　faster；　and　better　bred　than　the　Highland　shelty；　and　descended　probably　from　pure…blooded　sires　that　scoured　the　steppes　of　Asia；　long　before　Odin　and　his　paladins　had　peopled　the　valleys　of　Scandinavia。

The　first　few　miles　of　our　ride　lay　across　an　undulating　plain　of　dolorite；　to　a　farm　situated　at　the　head　of　an　inlet　of　the　sea。　At　a　distance；　the　farm…steading　looked　like　a　little　oasis　of　green；　amid　the　grey　stony　slopes　that　surrounded　it；　and　on　a　nearer　approach　not　unlike　the　vestiges　of　a　Celtic　earthwork；　with　the　tumulus　of　a　hero　or　two　in　the　centre；　but　the　mounds　turned　out　to　be　nothing　more　than　the　grass　roofs　of　the　house　and　offices；　and　the　banks　and　dykes　but　circumvallations　round　the　plot　of　most　carefully　cleaned　meadow；　called　the　〃tun；〃　which　always　surrounds　every　Icelandic　farm。　This　word　〃tun〃　is　evidently　identical　with　our　own　Irish　〃TOWN…LAND；〃　the　Cornish　〃TOWN；〃　and　the　Scotch　〃TOON；〃terms　which；　in　their　local　signification；　do　not　mean　a　congregation　of　streets　and　buildings；　but　the　yard；　and　spaces　of　grass　immediately　adjoining　a　single　house；　just　as　in　German　we　have　〃tzaun；〃　and　in　the　Dutch　〃tuyn；〃　a　garden。

Turning　to　the　right；　round　the　head　of　a　little　bay；　we　passed　within　forty　yards　of　an　enormous　eagle；　seated　on　a　crag；　but　we　had　no　rifle；　and　all　he　did　was　to　rise　heavily　into　the　air；　flap　his　wings　like　a　barn…door　fowl；　and　plump　lazily　down　twenty　yards　farther　off。　Soon　after；　the　district　we　traversed　became　more　igneous；　wrinkled；　cracked；　and　ropy　than　anything　we　had　yet　seen；　and　another　two　hours'　scamper　over　such　a　track　as　till　then　I　would　not　have　believed　horses　could　have　traversed；　even　at　a　foot's　pace；　brought　us　to　the　solitary　farm…house　of　Bessestad。　Fresh　from　the　neat　homesteads　of　England　that　we　had　left　sparkling　in　the　bright　spring　weather；　and　sheltered　by　immemorial　elms；the　scene　before　us　looked　inexpressibly　desolate。　In　front　rose　a　cluster　of　weather…beaten　wooden　buildings；　and　huts　like　ice…houses；　surrounded　by　a　scanty　plot　of　grass；　reclaimed　from　the　craggy　plain　of　broken　lava　that　stretchedthe　home　of　ravens　and　foxeson　either　side　to　the　horizon。　Beyond；　lay　a　low　black　breadth　of　moorland；　intersected　by　patches　of　what　was　neither　land　nor　water；　and　last；　the　sullen　sea；　while　above　our　heads　a　wind；　saturated　with　the　damps　of　the　Atlantic；　went　moaning　over　the　landscape。　Yet　this　was　Bessestad；　the　ancient　home　of　Snorro　Sturleson！

On　dismounting　from　our　horses　and　entering　the　house　things　began　to　look　more　cheery；　a　dear　old　lady；　to　whom　we　were　successively　presented　by　the　Rector；　received　us；　with　the　air　of　a　princess；　ushered　us　into　her　best　room；　made　us　sit　down　on　the　sofathe　place　of　honourand　assisted　by　her　niece；　a　pale　lily…like　maiden；　named　after　Jarl　Hakon's　Thora；　proceeded　to　serve　us　with　hot　coffee；　rusks；　and　sweetmeats。　At　first　it　used　to　give　me　a　very　disagreeable　feeling　to　be　waited　upon　by　the　woman…kind　of　the　household；　and　I　was　always　starting　up；　and　attempting　to　take　the　dishes　out　of　their　hands；　to　their　infinite　surprise；　but　now　I　have　succeeded　in　learning　to　accept　their　ministrations　with　the　same　unembarrassed　dignity　as　my　neighbours。　In　the　end；　indeed；　I　have　rather　got　to　like　it；　especially　when　they　are　as　pretty　as　Miss　Thora。　To　add；　moreover；　to　our　content；　it　appeared　that　that　young　lady　spoke　a　little　French；　so　that　we　had　no　longer　any　need　to　pay　our　court　by　proxy；　which　many　persons　besides　ourselves　have　found　to　be　unsatisfactory。　　Our　hostess　lives　quite　alone。　Her　son；　whom　I　have　the　pleasure　of　knowing；　is　far　away；　pursuing　a　career　of　honour　and　usefulness　at　Copenhagen；　and　it　seems　quite　enough　for　his　mother　to　know　that　he　is　holding　his　head　high　among　the　princes　of　literature；　and　the　statesmen　of　Europe；　provided　only　news　of　his　success　and　advancing　reputation　shall　occasionally　reach　her　across　the　ocean。

Of　the　rooms　and　the　interior　arrangement　of　the　house；　I　do　not　know　that　I　have　anything　particular　to　tell　you；　they　seemed　to　me　like　those　of　a　good　old…fashioned　farmhouse；　the　walls　wainscoted　with　deal；　and　the　doors　and　staircase　of　the　same　material。　A　few　prints；　a　photograph；　some　book…shelves；　one　or　two　little　pictures；　decorated　the　parlour；　and　a　neat　iron　stove；　and　massive　chests　of　drawers；　served　to　furnish　it　very　completely。　But　you　must　not；　I　fear；　take　the　drawing…room　of　Bessestad　as　an　average　specimen　of　the　comfort　of　an　Icelandic　interieur。　The　greater　proportion　of　the　inhabitants　of　the　island　live　much　more　rudely。　The　walls　of　only　the　more　substantial　farmsteads　are　wainscoted　with　deal；　or　even　partially　screened　with　drift…wood。　In　most　houses　the　bare　blocks　of　lava；　pointed　with　moss；　are　left　in　all　their　natural　ruggedness。　Instead　of　wood；　the　rafters　are　made　of　the　ribs　of　whales。　The　same　room　but　too　often　serves　as　the　dining；　sitting；　and　sleeping　place　for　the　whole　family；　a　hole　in　the　roof　is　the　only　chimney；　and　a　horse's　skull　the　most　luxurious　fauteuil　into　which　it　is　possible　for　them　to　induct　a　stranger。　　The　parquet　is　that　originally　laid　down　by　Nature；the　beds　are　merely　boxes　filled　with　feathers　or　sea…weed；and　by　all　accounts　the　nightly　packing　is　pretty　close；　and　very　indiscriminate。

After　drinking　several　cups　of　coffee；　and　consuming　at　least　a　barrel　of　rusks；　we　rose　to　go；　in　spite　of　Miss　Thora's　intimation　that　a　fresh　jorum　of　coffee　was　being　brewed。　The　horses　were　resaddled；　and　with　an　eloquent　exchange　of　bows；　curtseys；　and　kindly　smiles；　we　took　leave　of　our　courteous　entertainers；　and　sallied　forth　into　the　wind　and　rain。　It　was　a　regular　race　home；　single　file；　the　Rector　leading；　but　as　we　sped　along　in　silence；　amid　the　unchangeable　features　of　this　strange　land；　I　could　not　help　thinking　of　him　whose　shrewd　observing　eye　must　have　rested；　six　hundred　and　fifty　years　ago；　on　the　selfsame　crags；　and　tarns；　and　distant　mountain…tops；　perhaps　on　the　very　day　he　rode　out　in　the　pride　of　his　wealth；　talent；　and　political　influence；　to　meet　his　murderers　at　Reikholt。　And　mingling　with　his　memory　would　rise　the　pale　face　of　Thora；not　the　little　lady　of　the　coffee　and　buscuits　we　had　just　left；　but　that　other　Thora；　so　tender　and　true；　who　turned　back　King　Olaf's　hell…hounds　from　the　hiding…place　of　the　great　Jarl　of　Lade。

In　order　that　you　may　understand　why　the　forlorn　barrack　we　had　just　left；　and　its　solitary　inmates；　should　have　set　me　thinking　of　the　men　and　women　〃of　a　thousand　summers　back；〃　it　is　necessary　I　should　tell　you　a　little　about　this　same　Snorro　Sturleson；　whose　memory　so　haunted　me。

Colonized　as　Iceland　had　been；not；　as　is　generally　the　case；　when　a　new　land　is　brought　into　occupation；　by　the　poverty…stricken　dregs　of　a　redundant　population；　nor　by　a　gang　of　outcasts　and　ruffians；　expelled　from　the　bosom　of　a　society　which　they　contaminated；but　by　men　who　in　their　own　land　had　been　both　rich　and　noble；with　possessions　to　be　taxed；　and　a　spirit　too　haughty　to　endure　taxation；already　acquainted　with　whatever　of　refinement　and　learning　the　age　they　lived　in　was　capable　of　supplying；　it　is　not　surprising　that　we　should　find　its　inhabitants；　even　from　the　first　infancy　of　the　republic；　endowed　with　an　amount　of　intellectual　energy　hardly　to　be　expected　in　so　secluded　a　community。

Perhaps　it　was　this　very　seclusion　which　stimulated　into　almost　miraculous　exuberance　the　mental　powers　already　innate　in　the　people。　Undistracted　during　several　successive　centuries　by　the　bloody　wars；　and　still