VII. ] EASTERN HABITS OF THE ICELANDERS. 87 



was a protest against the antagonistic principle of feudalism. 

 No Arab could be prouder of his courser than they are of 

 their little ponies, or reverence more deeply the sacred rights 

 of hospitality; while the solemn salutation exchanged be- 

 tween two companies of travellers, passing each other in the 

 desert — as they invariably call the uninhabited part of the 

 country — would not have misbecome the stately courtesy of 

 the most ancient worshippers of the sun. 



Anything more multifarious than the landing of these 

 caravans we met returning to the inland districts — cannot 

 well be conceived : deal boards, rope, kegs of brandy, sacks 

 of rye or wheaten flour, salt, soap, sugar, snuff, tobacco, 

 coffee ; everything, in fact, which was necessary to their 

 domestic consumption during the ensuing winter. In ex- 

 change for these commodities, which of course they are 

 obliged to get from Europe, the Icelanders export raw wool, 

 knitted stockings, mittens, cured cod, and fish oil, whale 

 blubber, fox skins, eider-down, feathers, and Icelandic moss. 

 During the last few years the exports of the island have 

 amounted to about 1,200,000 lbs. of wool and 500,000 pairs 

 of stockings and mittens. Although Iceland is one-fifth 

 larger than Ireland, its population consists of only about 

 60,000 persons, scattered along the habitable ring which runs 

 round between the central desert and the sea ; of the whole 

 area of 38,000 square miles it is calculated that not more 

 than one-eighth part is occupied, the remaining 33,000 

 square miles consisting of naked mountains of ice, or valleys 

 desolated by lava or volcanic ashes. Even Reykjavik itself 

 cannot boast of more than 700 or 800 inhabitants. 



During winter time the men are chiefly employed in 

 tending cattle, picking wool, manufacturing ropes, bridles, 

 saddles, and building boats. The fishing season commences 

 in spring; in 1853 there were as many as 3,500 boats 

 engaged upon the water. As summer advances — turf-cutting 

 and hay-making begins ; while the autumn months are prin- 

 cipally devoted to the repairing of their houses, manuring 

 the grass lands, and killing and curing of sheep for exporta- 



