HISTORY OF ICELAND. 



80 



CATHEDRAL AT REYKJAVIK. 



CHAPTP]R VI. 



HISTORY OF ICELAND. 



Discovery of the Island by Naddodr in 861.— Gardar.— Floki of the Ravens.— Ingolfr and Leif.— Ulfliot 

 the Lawgiver —The Althing.— Thingvalla.— Introduction of Christianity into the Island.— Frederick 

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

 Sturleson.— The Island submits to Hakon, King of Norway, in 1264.— 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 navigators. 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 adventurous expe- 

 ditions, but frequently a favorable chance rewarded their temerit}^, either with 

 some rich booty or some more glorious discovery. 



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

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



