AKUREYRI.
Certainly the most noticeable feature, after a brief survey of the
inhabitants of' the place--at least such of them as surrounded us on
landing--was the number of ponies massed together on the beach,--fine,
sturdy, little animals, from eleven to thirteen hands high, stoutly
made, with good hind quarters, thick necks, well-shaped heads, and
tremendously bushy manes. Their feet and fetlocks are particularly good,
or they could not stand the journeys. There were black, white, brown,
chesnut, or piebald, but we did not see a single roan amongst them; a
very quaint group they made standing quietly there, laden with every
conceivable kind of saddle or pack. Many of the smaller ones were almost
hidden by the size of the sacks, filled with goods, which were strapped
on their backs. The pack ponies are never groomed, and badly fed, while
the best riding ones are well stabled and looked after.
The scene that followed was interesting, for it appeared all these
intelligent little animals were in attendance on their owners, men and
women alike, who had come down to the ship in order to barter the goods
they had brought from the interior of the Island for flour, coffee,
etc., on which they depend for their winter supplies. For hours these
patient little ponies stood there, many of them with foals at their
side, which latter, we were told, often get so footsore in their
journeys as to require strapping upon their mothers' backs. The
Icelanders are splendid riders, and are accustomed to the saddle from
babyhood, for the roads are very bad, and the distances too great for
walking, and there are no vehicles of any kind in Iceland. Some one
indeed reported that one had been introduced into Reykjavik; we did not
see it, but after once experiencing the nature of the roads, one can
understand the absence of any wheeled conveyance. No ordinary springs
could possibly stand the boulders of rock and lava, or the 'frost
mounds,' over which the hardy Icelandic pony is accustomed to make his
way. The native women ride man-fashion, a mode--as I shall later
narrate--we ladies were compelled to adopt. For short distances a chair
saddle is frequently used, somewhat resembling the writing-chair of an
English study. The occupant sits sideways, having a board under her
feet, in this way securing rest for the back. The ponies are intelligent
and sure-footed, and require little or no guiding; but the amount of
jogging and shaking which the rider is forced to undergo is
tremendous--one wonders they have any senses left. We had been
fortunate in securing an introduction to Mr Stephenson, one of the chief
officials of the Island, and also a native of the place, under whose
escort we at once lionised the little town (if such it may be called),
the second largest in Iceland. It consists of a collection of
two-storied wooden houses, raised on a platform of lava blocks, plain
and severe in structure, and painted yellow or white. Pretty muslin
curtains and flowers adorn the windows, and as in this northern clime
the keeping of flowers is no easy matter, the cultivation of them
strikes one as highly praiseworthy. Inside the houses we found nicely
polished floors, and simply furnished rooms, of a truly German style,
stove included. The poorer abodes were mere hovels made of peat,
admitting neither light nor air, and having the roofs covered with
grass. One would have thought them almost uninhabitable, and yet I had
seen dwellings nearly as bad around Killarney, and Glengariff.
What a hard life is that of the poor Icelanders! When our ship arrived,
they were on the verge of starvation, their supplies being all
exhausted. Glad indeed they must have been to welcome the _Camoens_, and
know that flour and other staple articles of food were once again within
their reach. Outside every house we noticed rows of dried fish hung up,
and ready for the winter's consumption. Fish, but especially cod, is the
staple food of the Icelander; but among the poorest class this reserve
consists more of fishes' heads, than fish _in toto_. What would a London
epicure think of being obliged to feed for months together upon the
heads of dried cod, which had for some weeks been exposed to the
elements to render them hard and fit for eating. These heads are the
refuse of fish, which are dried and exported to France, Spain, and
England, and the heads not being required in these countries, are used
by the Icelanders as food, being boiled down into a species of cake,
which is eaten alike by the natives and their cattle, the liquid being
given to the ponies.
Mr Stephenson told us that a large proportion of ponies thus fed died
during the winter for lack of better nutriment.
A good riding pony in Iceland cost from £4 to £8, and a pack pony less:
we hired them at 2s. 6d. a day. The breeding of these ponies is one of
the great sources of livelihood, as the export last year numbered 3476.
In the last voyage made by the _Camoens_, she brought home 975 of these
hardy little animals, which gives some idea of the extent of the trade.
The smell of the fish while drying is terrible, the whole atmosphere
being permeated with the odour. The streets are also paved with old fish
heads and fish bones; indeed, at each port we touched, the smell of
fish, fresh or dried, assailed eyes and noses in every direction. The
population of Akureyri is under 1000, and is the residence of the
Lieutenant-Governor of the northern part of the Island. We visited one
or two of the streets, hoping to meet with some curiosities, but pots,
pans, kettles, and other domestic utensils of the most ordinary kind,
alone met our view. In the eatable line, coarse brown sugar-candy seemed
to abound, which the purchasers shovelled into bags or sacks, and
carried off in quantities. We learnt that it is used by the Icelanders
for sweetening coffee, having the double advantage of being pure sugar,
and a hard substance resisting the damp which the snow engenders.
While in Akureyri we saw some poultry, perhaps half a dozen cocks and
hens, but they were the only ones we met with in the Island; nor did we
ever come across a pig! Fancy a land without these common accessories to
a peasant's board! Eggs are only eaten on state occasions, and are
considered a luxury, being imported from France; the eggs of the eider
duck are considered very good food: they are, of course, only procurable
round the coast.
Lord Dufferin gaily tells us, in his 'Letters from High Latitudes,' of
an indiscriminating cock which was shipped at Stornway, and had become
quite bewildered on the subject of that meteorological phenomenon 'the
Dawn of Day.' It was questioned, in fact, whether he ever slept for more
than five minutes at a stretch without waking up in a state of nervous
agitation lest it should be cock crow, and at last, when night ceased
altogether, his constitution could no longer stand the shock. Crowing
once or twice sarcastically he went melancholy mad, and finally taking a
calenture he cackled loudly (possibly of green fields), and then leapt
overboard and drowned himself.'
Akureyri is both famous for, and proud of, its trees. There are actually
five of them: these are almost the only trees in the Island. Miserable
specimens indeed they appeared to us southerners, not being more than 10
feet high at most, and yet they were thought more of by the natives,
than the chesnuts of Bushey Park by a Londoner.
The absence of wood in the Island is to a great extent overcome by the
inhabitants collecting their fuel from the Gulf Stream, which brings
drift wood in large quantities from Mexico, Virginia, the Caroline
Islands, and even from the Pacific Ocean.
There is no lack of peat in certain districts, which, as in Ireland, is
cut into square blocks, then stacked on to the ponies' backs till no
pony is discernible, and thus conveyed to the farm, where it is used as
fuel.
Indeed many of the houses are built of peat in the interior of the
country where wood is not procurable. The peat for this purpose is cut
in big blocks, thoroughly dried in the sun, and then it is easily
cemented together with mud, thus making warm rooms, sheds, or passages
to the farm houses.
Beautiful as much of the scenery was through which we passed, I must own
that want of foliage struck me as a terrible drawback to the perfection
of the landscape, which, in other respects, was very wild and grand.
We dined at Akureyri at the little inn, which boasted of a fair-sized
sitting-room, but not enough chairs to accommodate our party; so three
sat in a row on an old-fashioned horsehair sofa, while we two ladies and
our guest, Mr Stephenson, occupied the chairs. Our dinner consisted of
soup, or rather porridge, of tapioca, flavoured with vanilla, a
curiosity not known in Paris, I fancy; then a species of baked pudding,
followed by some kind of a joint of mutton--but I am quite unable to say
from what part of the sheep that joint was cut; no vegetables; black
bread, and a kind of tea cake; bottled beer and corn brandy, augmented
by coffee.
During our repast, Mr Stephenson gave us much information about the
Island. He told us a bank had lately been opened in the capital, which
he hoped would soon be followed by a branch at Akureyri, a progress of
civilisation which must of necessity circulate money more freely, and
make the present system of barter less common--ponies, sheep, fish,
etc., being now given in preference to money in exchange for goods.
Sending or receiving money in Iceland anywhere except in its capital, is
a difficult matter, as there is no organised post office method for such
transactions.
The following history and constitution of the bank in Reykjavik,
furnished me by Mr Gordon, may be interesting to my readers.
'There is one bank, the State Bank. Its capital consists of the revenues
of the Island; there are no shareholders. The manager is an Icelander,
who has one assistant only, who keeps the books. Two inspectors or
auditors are appointed by the Governor of Iceland. The Bank has just
been started under the control of the Governor and Council of Iceland;
and on the 1st July 1886 began an issue of State notes--legal tender in
Iceland only. Danish notes are also tender in Iceland, though the
reverse is not the case. The issue is limited to Kr. 500,000, or
£27,777. They are issued against the security of the revenues of the
Island, and they are forced on the people, who do not as yet take to
them, and no wonder, considering the great want of communication even in
the summer months. They are convertible for either silver or gold at
Reykjavik. Branch banks will probably be opened at Akureyri,
Seydisfjord, and Isafjord. The Bank publishes a statement of its affairs
periodically. The Bank charges 6 per cent., as a rule, on advances, and
grants 3 per cent. on deposits. The Bank advances against land, and
houses (the latter in the capital only, as they cannot be insured
elsewhere against fire), and personal security. The advances are said to
stand at Kr. 130,000, or £7222. When against personal security a
promissory note is taken, signed by the borrower and two irresponsible
witnesses, or by two responsible obligants, according to standing.
Title-deeds are taken as collateral security. The Bank has its own forms
for loan-documents. The probability is that the Bank will soon become
the possessor of a great deal of property in houses and land in Iceland,
as bad seasons are frequent, which prevent prompt payment.'
ICELANDIC AND ENGLISH MONEY TABLE.
£ _s._ _d._
7-1/2 öre, 0 0 1
15 " 0 0 2
22-1/2 " 0 0 3
30 " 0 0 4
37-1/2 " 0 0 5
45 " 0 0 6
52-1/2 " 0 0 7
60 " 0 0 8
67-1/2 " 0 0 9
75 " 0 0 10
82-1/2 " 0 0 11
90 " 0 1 0
Kr. 1.80 " 0 2 0
" 2.70 " 0 3 0
" 3.60 " 0 4 0
" 4.50 " 0 5 0
" 5.40 " 0 6 0
" 6.30 " 0 7 0
" 7.20 " 0 8 0
" 8.10 " 0 9 0
" 9.00 " 0 10 0
" 9.90 " 0 11 0
" 10.80 " 0 12 0
" 11.70 " 0 13 0
" 12.60 " 0 14 0
" 13.50 " 0 15 0
" 14.40 " 0 16 0
" 15.30 " 0 17 0
" 16.20 " 0 18 0
" 17.10 " 0 19 0
" 18.00 " 1 0 0
" 36.00 " 2 0 0
" 54.00 " 3 0 0
" 72.00 " 4 0 0
" 90.00 " 5 0 0
" 108.00 " 6 0 0
" 126.00 " 7 0 0
" 144.00 " 8 0 0
" 162.00 " 9 0 0
" 180.00 " 10 0 0
After dinner, we visited the small Lutheran Church. Unfortunately we had
no opportunity of attending a service, though, to judge from the
plainness of the ecclesiastical buildings, such must be very simple.
The clergyman wears a black gown, and an enormous white Elizabethan
frill, with a tight-fitting black cap. This little church accommodates
about 100 persons, and in place of pews, has merely wooden forms. Over
the altar was an old painting of the crucifixion, done by a native
artist, and surrounded by a little rail. The walls were plainly
whitewashed, the windows bare, and no musical instrument was visible.
There was, however, both a font and a pulpit.
The town boasts of a hospital, a free library, and two printing
establishments. At night we returned to our ship quarters.
The next day, there being nothing more to be seen in Akureyri, we
decided to take a ride, in order to visit a waterfall, which Mr
Stephenson told us would repay the fatigue, and also give us some idea
of what an Icelandic expedition was like. Truly that first ride is a
never-to-be-forgotten experience. Our road lay over rough stones, and
'frost-mounds.' These latter are a recognised feature in Icelandic
travel; they are small earth hillocks, about 2-1/2 feet wide and 2 feet
high, caused, according to Professor Geikie, by the action of the frost.
In some parts these mounds cover the ground, lying close to each other,
so as to leave little or no room for the ponies to step between, and
they have to walk over them, a movement which sways the rider from side
to side, causing many a tumble even to experienced native horsemen. It
is like riding over a country graveyard,
'Where heaves the turf in many a mouldering heap.'
As to road, there was none, nor is there such a thing in Iceland worthy
of the name. The rider merely turns his pony's head in the direction he
wishes to go, and it picks its own way far better than he could guide
it. The bridle used is a curious workmanship of knotted rope or thick
string with a brass curb or bit, ornamented by some queer head or
device. The saddles are equally quaint. Those of the women I have
already described; those of the men are made very high, both in front
and behind, somewhat like a Mexican saddle, there being a hollow in the
centre. A crupper is always used, and straps are attached to the back of
the saddle, from which the farmer hangs his sealskin bags, containing an
_omnium gatherum_ of his lighter goods.
The ponies are very slightly girthed, nor, indeed, would it do to
tighten them, so old and rotten is the usual paraphernalia for their
equipment that an attempt in this direction would bring the whole thing
to grief, which species of _contretemps_ we met with more than once
during our rides. In fact, a small English side-saddle and bridle would
be not only a most useful addition to a lady's luggage, but add much to
her safety and comfort.
While at Akureyri, Mr Stephenson kindly lent us two ladies' saddles, or
we should never have accomplished that first ride. They were
old-fashioned two-pommeled ones, with gorgeously-embroidered cushions,
on which we were supposed to sit, and marvellous saddle-cloths; and we
realised we were travellers in earnest when once we mounted and started.
Icelandic ponies walk well, and are also trained to pace, a movement
closely resembling that of an American runner. This is a motion which
requires experience, as it is too quick to rise without practice, and
too rough to sit still in the saddle. Some of the ponies trotted, others
cantered well, but one had to make them understand one wanted them to do
so, as the usual Icelandic mode of riding is that of 'pacing,' at which
the animals continue for hours. Later in our trip, when we visited the
Geysers, we had to ride over 40 miles a day, in order to cover the
distance in time to catch our steamer on its return voyage, and thus
became well acquainted with pony riding in all its various modes of
procedure.
It did not take us long to reach the Gléra waterfall, which was very
pretty, about a mile from the fjord, and formed by the river: trout can
sometimes be caught in the pool beneath the fosse.
Perhaps the most noticeable feature of Akureyri was the shark oil
manufactory between that little town and Oddeyri, the stench of which
was something so fearful that I know of nothing that could possibly
compare with it. In certain winds it can be smelt for miles. The
manufacture of cod liver oil is bad enough, but that of shark oil is
even worse. Luckily, the establishments where such oil is made are not
numerous, and are principally confined to such out-of-the-way regions as
Iceland and Greenland.
At Oddeyri there was another store of great importance to the natives,
viz., a large meat preserving place, where great preparations were in
active progress for the coming winter.
Not far distant from here lives a very remarkable man, a self-taught
artist of considerable power, who has never been out of the Island,
consequently has but rarely seen a picture, and yet his artistic
instincts and power of representation are of no mean order; and more
especially displayed in his altar pieces. I wonder what he would say to
those of Rubens or Vandyck! This man has the greatest love of animals,
and was surrounded, when we visited him, by a number of dogs of the
Icelandic breed, small animals closely resembling the Pomeranian, with
long coats and sharp stand-up ears, which always give a knowing look to
the canine head. Most of them seemed to be black, though not a few were
a rich sable brown. They are pretty beasts. I don't believe there is a
cat in the Island, leastways we never saw one, wild or tame, during our
sojourn there. The domesticated cat, fowls, and pigs are practically
unknown in these climes.
Some 20 miles from Akureyri once lived another interesting man, Sira Jon
Thorlackson, a well-known native poet, many of whose verses are dear to
his countrymen; in his lifetime he undertook and accomplished a
translation of Milton's 'Paradise Lost.'
There are some 20,000 specimens of butterflies scattered over the world,
and yet in Iceland these species are unknown, although insects of
certain kinds do exist, especially mosquitos, as we learnt to our cost.
Although there are no butterflies, and but few insects, flowers abound.
An Agricultural College has lately been established in the vicinity of
Akureyri, the headmaster having formerly been one of the librarians of
the Advocates' Library in Edinburgh. No doubt the natives will learn to
drain their bogs and swamps, level their frost mounds, and produce more
out of the earth than at present, with the help of this much needed
institution.
How terribly soon that curse of modern civilisation, drunkenness,
spreads! It was Sunday when we first landed at Akureyri, and I am sorry
to say not a few of its inhabitants had imbibed more corn brandy than
was good for them; it seemed to have the effect of making them
maudlingly affectionate, or else anxious to wrestle with everybody.
The two days the _Camoens_ lay off Akureyri gave us no time for
prolonged excursions, but was more than sufficient to lionise the little
town, so we were not sorry when the steamer's whistle summoned us to
return to our floating home.
Ten hours' further journey and our anchor was dropped opposite
Sauderkrok, an even smaller town than Akureyri, with its 1000
inhabitants, but which interested us more from its very primitive
population, If the reader will follow the steamer's course in the map,
he will find Sauderkrok marked in its direct course.