92 



OLAFSEN AND POVELSEN's 



KEM ARKS ON THE INHABITANTS OF THIS NEIGHBOUR- 

 HOOD. 



There is no great distinction to be made between the inhabi- 

 tants of the district of Dale and those of the jurisdiction of Bon- 

 garfiord. In the vicinity of Breedeliord and the isles the people 

 are very active and industrious, particularly in agricultural 

 pursuits: they devote their attention much more to the rear- 

 ing of cattle than to fishing; but those who live northwards 

 from Bardestrand to Cape Horn adopt the latter employment, 

 and in general are neither so gay nor so active as the others. 

 Such as are in easy circumstances continue to rear a few sheep, 

 and in winter make the wool into clothes for themselves, as well 

 as into stuffs for commerce. The pooret people, who have 

 neither wool, fish, oil, nor fat for their lamps,, are obliged in 

 that season to sleep most of their time. Those who reside in 

 the western part of the gulf, are very gentle in their manners, and 

 disputes rarely occur among them. They are a religious, well- 

 informed people, and have a good enunciation. 



On the contrary, the inhabitants of the northern part of 

 Arnarfiord are large and ruddy. They are well-made, courageous, 

 and much disposed to tight uhen irritated or offended. They 

 have retained in their costume the ancient fashion of the coun- 

 try, namely, white clothes in the antique style ; those of Onund- 

 fiord, situated to the north of the port of Dyrefiord, let the beard 

 grow, and also adopt the old mode of dressing. The people 

 in the vicinity of Breederiord and Arnarfiord, are much attached 

 to the study of natural history, and are well skilled in botany and 

 mineralogy. 



At a certain age, the people in this part of Iceland are parti- 

 cularly subject to diseases of the chest, which terminate in con- 

 sumption : they are likewise much affected with the scurvy, to 

 which most of their other diseases owe their origin. In the 

 Westfiord violent leprosy is not uncommon: it attacks the head 

 and face, which become covered with lumps, and the gums 

 swell, though without causing a looseness of the teeth; but it 

 is remarkable, that amidst all these attacks, the patient seldom 

 feels pain. In this disease an insensibility occurs in all the limbs, 

 and the treatment is simply the same as if the complaint was ex- 

 ternal. When the patient is interrogated, he declares that he 

 scarcely feels any pain, but merely a heaviness of the body, 

 which renders any strong exercise disagreeable. The causes of 

 this disorder are supposed to arise from the vicinity of the villages 

 to the sea, in consequence of which the air is always impreg- 

 nated with saline vapours ; besides which, the ground is nothing 

 but pure rock, so that the fishermen cannot take the exercise of 

 rjdin«\ To this may be added their sedentary life, and constant 



