56 



OLAfSEN AND POVELSEN's 



taking it for camel-hair, particularly when the wool is mixed 

 with a portion of goat's hair, which renders it soft, fine, and 

 preferable to that of Zealand, 'Hie manufacturers at Copen- 

 hagen have long made a mystery of this composition, and they 

 procure the materials from the Wool-Company of Iceland at 

 a very low price, if we reflect on the care of the Supreme 

 Being for the preservation of every thing that exists in nature, 

 we shall see the reason, why the sheep in Iceland cannot be 

 sheared. Their wool being frizzled, rough, and matted, will 

 not easily absorb moisture, so that it serves them as a constant 

 cloak; hence, if they were to be sheared, it would be necessary 

 to keep them all the winter in the stable. They lose their wool 

 towards the end of May, when it all separates from the skin, 

 which is immediately covered with new tufted bunches. When 

 these sheep shed their wool in cold weather, they are liable to 

 take cold, in which case the shepherds fix round their bellies 

 some pieces of w oollen cloth. In Iceland, there are frequently 

 to be seen vast spots of rocky ground covered with grass, at a 

 good distance from the villages, exclusive of the pastures al- 

 ready mentioned. To these grounds the inhabitants send the 

 sheep, oxen, and horses, which they intend to fatten : as for the 

 cows, ewes, and saddle-horses, they are generally kept near the 

 house, or in the adjoining pastures. 



A JOURNEY TO THE MOUNTAINS. 



The same body of men collected for the purpose of driving 

 the herds to the mountains, is also formed towards autumn to 

 bring them back. This last period is generally about a fortnight 

 or three weeks after Michaelmas : they carry with them horses 

 and dogs, a stock of provisions, shoes, and other necessaries; 

 and each troop or body, agrees upon the distance they shall go 

 to bring the cattle to a certain spot, whither they return with 

 all they can collect. 



The navigators who frequent the ports of Iceland, at which a 

 trade is carried on with sheep, lately agreed with the Com- 

 mercial Company, to change the period at which they were 

 accustomed to turn the cattle out to graze ; because when the 

 vessels arrived, they were obliged to remain to the middle of 

 October, and the result was, that the sellers agreed to deliver 

 the sheep one month earlier than usual, which obliged the 

 peasant who wished to sell his cattle, to come so much earlier 

 to the ports. It may be easily perceived, how disadvantageous 

 this innovation must have been to the owner, as well as to the 

 agent and purchaser, the tax on poundage being always the same. 



Hence the farmers were obliged to drive their sheep from the 

 pasture before they were properly fattened, and afterwards to 



