TRAVELS IN ICELAND. 



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certain decrees against gaming, principally in the eleventh and 

 twelfth century. One of these states, that, whoever shall be 

 found playing for money, or any thing else, shall be considered 

 out of the protection of the law, so that any man may attack 

 and arrest him. The decree pronounces the confiscation of 

 goods for the same offence. 



OF THE ANIMAL KINGDOM. 



We shall not here extend our remarks on the animal kingdom 

 farther than will be necessary to give an idea of what relates 

 to the economical life of the inhabitants of this district ; but we 

 shall speak more at large on the subject, when treating of the 

 other parts of the island. 



HORSES. 



There are but few horses in this district, where, however, 

 they are more necessary than in the others. The inhabitants 

 of the country of Kiosar employ them only in summer for their 

 daily rides, in the vicinity of their habitations. They some- 

 times also serve for statute-work, such as the conveyance of 

 the bailiff of the canton to the place where the court of 

 justice is held. All the carriage of goods and fish is performed 

 by water. There are no studs in this district ; nor is there 

 a single saddle-horse to be distinguished from those employed 

 in daily labour. A well-formed mare, without any defects, 

 costs three rix dollars, if above five, or under twelve, years 

 of age ; but they are dearer in other quarters, where they are 

 more employed and of a better kind. 



HORNED CATTLE. 



This district is tolerably abundant in horned cattle ; but they 

 are not turned to so much advantage as in other parts. Some 

 wild oxen are met with on the mountains, which all have owners, 

 who mark them, in order to collect and draw them in at the time 

 of harvest. 



A good milch-cow, eight years old, which has calved twice, 

 costs 100 or 120 annex, about four rix-dollars, thirty aii/ies 

 being equal to one dollar. An ox, three or four years old, costs 

 as much as the cow just specified ; while an ox of eight years 

 sells for 200 aun.es, or eight rix-doliars in specie. The price is 

 not always the same; for in some years a milch-cow will fetch 

 upwards of five rix-dollars. The oxen and cows are of various 

 colours : they are mostly without horns ; and those with this or- 

 nament have them very short. In former times they used ox- 

 horns for goblets ; and then they employed a fatty composition 

 for anointiug them at the root to increase their growth: they also 



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