REIKEVIG. 
17 
and a shirt of the same materials, they wear a 
thick petticoat, or rather gown without sleeves, 
(for there are two apertures for the arms,) made 
of blue or black cloth, and fastened down the 
breast, either by lacing, or, as is more common, 
with silver clasps*. A short jacket of the same, 
which has sometimes a little skirt, goes over 
this, and is fastened, likewise, about the breast 
with brass or silver clasps, or by lacing. Their 
stockings are of coarse wool, knitted and dyed 
black; and their shoes made of the skins of 
sheep or seals. Over the shoulders of many 
of them, on each side, were hanging thick ropes, 
made of horsehair, coarsely braided, with a noose 
at the end, by which they carried the hand- 
barrows with fish. The dress of the men was 
pretty nearly the same as that of our pilots, 
except that their clothes were generally black, 
and their stockings, also. In laborious employ¬ 
ments, both they and the women frequently 
threw off their jacket, and worked with nothing 
but their worsted shirt-sleeves over their arms. 
As to the features of this groupe of ladies, the 
* This gown ( Upphlutur, in Icelandic), however, is not, 
any more than the petticoats are, so long as to conceal 
much of their ill-shaped legs, otherwise, it would be a great 
hindrance to their walking among the rocks. I recollect 
one old lady, a constant labourer on the beach, who never 
had her dress come lower than her knees. 
C 
