PREFACE. 



XI IS Danish Majesty being particularly 

 anxious to acquire a proper knowledge of 

 Iceland, one of the most interesting parts 

 of his dominions, lately directed the Aca- 

 demy of Sciences to employ proper persons 

 to travel over that Island, relative to which 

 only vague and imperfect ideas had hitherto 

 prevailed. Messrs. Olafsest and Povelsek 

 were in consequence chosen for this undertak- 

 ing; the former being a native of Iceland, and 

 the latter resident there in the quality of first 

 physician. These two learned men, by the ala- 

 crity and pleasure with which they performed 

 their task, succeeded in collecting the most 

 complete information on every subject, and 

 have gratified the world with a full and au- 

 thentic account of the civil and natural 

 history of that island. 



From their own observations, with the assist- 

 ance of the manuscripts of other learned men, 

 the present work was prepared for the press, 

 under the auspices of the King of Denmark 

 and the Academy before-mentioned ; and hence 

 no fact of the smallest interest relative to that 

 region, is now unknown. 



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