XVI 
INTRODUCTION. 
stiftsampt. The stiftsampt of Iceland is divk 
into four ampts,. named after the cardinal po^tl 
of the compass, each of which was formerly up 3 ei: 
the care of an Amptman, who is a sort of dejiuly 
governor; but at present there are but twg£|| 
these, the southern ampt having been put u&&ib 
the immediate cognizance of the SfiftsamptridiSSi 
and the eastern one united with the northern 
flgia - 
The ampts are again divided into about twenty 
syssels, and these into reps. To each syssel^ 
prefixed a Sysselman, whose duty it is to coifed 
the royal revenues, either in kind or mority, 
according to the regulation of the particular 
tricts. They all of them receive their salaftas 
out of the taxes, excepting only one or tfcfrj 
who are paid an annual sum by the Larfn 
fogued. 
A rep is superintended by a person callM, 
Repstyrer, who is subordinate to the Sysselmah* 
as the latter is to the Ampt man. A RepstyreFs 
emoluments are excessivelv small, and his offic& 
is a very inferior one. 
as well as for that of the state of the commerce of the island , 1 
I am indebted to Mr. Jorgensen * who, from the late situa¬ 
tion he held in Iceland, has been as able as he was willing toi 
furnish me with much useful information. 
