HISTORY OF ICELAND. 



89 



CATUEDKAL AT REYKJAVIK. 



C^HAPTER VI. 



HISTORY OF ICELAND. 



Discoverj- of the Island by Naddodr in 86L— Gardar.— Floki of the Ravens.— Ingolfr and Leif.— Ulfliot 

 the Lawgiver. — The Althiii;,'. — Thingvalla. — Introduction of Christianity into the Island. — Frederick 

 the Saxon and Tliorwold the Traveller. — Thangbrand. — Golden Age of Icelandic Literature.— -Snorri 

 Sturleson. — The Island subniirs to Hakon, King of Norway, in 1254. — Long Series of Calamities. — 

 Great Eruption of the Skapta Jokul in 1783. — Commercial Monopoly. — Better Times in Prospect. 



'T^HE Norse vikings were, as is well known, the boldest of ncavigntoi-s. They 

 -^ possessed neither the sextant nor the compass ; they had neither charts 

 nor chronometers to guide them ; but trusting solely to fortune, and to their 

 own indomitable courage, they fearlessly launched forth into the vast ocean. 

 Many of these intrepid corsairs were no doubt lost on their adventui'ous expe- 

 ditions, but frequently a favorable chance rewarded their temerity, either with 

 some rich booty or some more glorious discovery. 



Thus in the year 861, Naddodr, a Norwegian pirate, while sailing from liis 

 native coast to the Faeroe Islands, was drifted by contrary winds far to the 



