THE LIVING RACES OF MANKIND 





ffrom the Anthropological Collection in tfie Museum de Paris. 

 AN ICELAND WOMAN. 



will regard the other as himself, promote his 

 interests, protect him, and avenge his injuries; 

 and declare that no difference of fortune shall 

 interrupt their true brotherhood. Clasping the 

 left hands together, they touch glasses, and 

 drink simultaneously. This act is considered 

 as solemnly sealing the compact. 



ICELAND. 



THE inhabitants of Iceland are Scandinavians, 

 being descended from Norwegians who occupied 

 the island early in the tenth century. They 

 therefore belong to the Teutonic branch of the 

 Caucasian family, of which they are amongst 

 the purest representatives. Their speech also 

 is the most archaic of all living Teutonic 

 tongues, having changed little from that of the 

 early Norse settlers. 



It is somewhat difficult to present a cor- 

 rect description of the Icelander. In physical 

 characteristics he does not compare favourably 

 with his fellow-Scandinavians. The face is round 

 or square rather than oval; the forehead often 

 rises high; the malar bones stand out strongly, 



while the cheeks fall in. Perhaps his most characteristic feature is the eye, which is nearly 

 always hard, cold, and expressionless. The stony stare has caused the women to be described 

 as generally ill-featured. The colour is clear grey or light blue, seldom brown, and never 

 black. The younger people have a fresh, pink-and-white complexion. The hair has seldom 

 the darker shades of brown, but in different persons shows all shades from decided red to pale 

 yellow. The Icelanders have thick, clumsy bodies, apparently too long and heavy for the legs, 

 which, if short, are sturdy, while the feet are large and flat. The tread is heavy and the gait 

 ungainly, although women, when young, are sufficiently light-footed and graceful. 



The people are reserved and dignified in their intercourse with each other as well as 

 with strangers, but cannot be described, with some hasty observers, as morose. However distant 

 in appearance, the temperament is really both cheerful and even animated, combined with a 

 frank, unstudied manner, which, however, often betrays an almost excessive self-esteem. Their 

 directness in criticising and ridiculing other people's weaknesses has, in fact, created an impression 

 that they are boorish and ill-natured. They have strength of intellect, joined with penetration 

 and shrewdness. Lovers of liberty, hospitable, truthful, they are exempt from most vices, except 

 the national failing drink. In their secluded, insular home they have preserved many usages 

 and traditional beliefs, betraying in this respect a conservative spirit comparable to that of the 

 Hindus. The Icelanders have emigrated largely during recent years, and the energy, industry, and 

 intelligence they display in American cities and other places are highly creditable to them. 



The men dress in breeches, jackets, and vests of strong cloth, with from four to six rows 

 of bright metal buttons. The fishermen wear overalls, coarse, smooth waistcoats, and large 

 paletots of sheep-skin or leather made waterproof by coating with grease or fish-oil. There is 

 nothing specially remarkable in the women's costume. 



The food of the Icelander consists, now as ever, mainly of fish. In summer he fares on cod's 

 head boiled; in winter, on sheep's head soused in fermented vinegar, or sour milk, or in juice 

 of sorrel. Wheaten bread he eats only on high days and holidays; the ordinary bread is of 

 dark rye-flour, which is procured mainly from Copenhagen, and kneaded into broad, thin cakes. 



