ll
Jfiti
I' * • f l i •-! 'I* -1 *
m
I. J
i-.f,im
M
| 5 ! 9 I
■ »
07
' /
CHAPTER IV
R E IK IA V IK A N D IT S V IC IN IT Y .
Appearance of iheTown from the Anchorage— Submarine Volcanoes
— Beach of Lava—Derivation of the N ame of Reikiavik— Description
o f the Town— of the Inhabitants—their Houses and Gardens
— Feebleness o f Vegetation—The Cathedraland Public Library
—V isit the Constituted Authorities— Agreeable surprise on
finding the Governor an old travelling Acquaintance—Visit the
Bishop—his great civility, and offer to be in any way useful—■
Fishermen’s H u ts—Want of Society in the Winter Months—
Traffic by Barter with the Interior—Visit to the Salmon Fishery
o f Lax Elbe— to the Hot Springs— Nature o f the Country in the
Vicinity o f Reikiavik.
A STRANGER who first approaches the shore on
which Reikiavik stands, and has not prepared himself
by reading for what he may expect beyond the
simple fact, that it is the capital of Iceland, cannot
possibly behold what he sees of it, and he sees at
least the better half of the whole from the anchorage,
without experiencing a strong feeling of disappointment.
He perceives only a long roAv of houses, or
rather the upper parts of houses, running parallel to,
and close behind, a rising beach of black shingle,
their red or brown roofs being the most conspicuous,
F