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ture at the end of the season for Copenhagen, and
return with the ships of the spring. The governor
and the bishop, the landfogued, the doctor,
and a few other public functionaries, are all that
remain. The governor complained of this want of
society, Avhich he had now borne for five winters;
but as he Avas this year to return with the Prince
of Denmark, he lived in the hope that something
more agreeable awaited him than the resumption
of his government, especially as he was an old
servant of the croAvn, having previously been employed
in the Royal Library of Copenhagen.
Our sta^/ at Tronyem, among other disappointments,
lost us the opportunity of seeing the annual
assemblage of the peasantry, who come down in
the early part of the summer to Reikiavik, before
the hay-season sets in, to dispose of their produce,
and carry back with them such articles of
luxury or necessity, as their circumstances, their
tastes, and their Avants may induce them to take in
exchange. The greater part of the trade in this
and other small sea-ports is carried on by Avay of
barter, the quantity of money in the colony being
very small, and Icav of the peasantry possessing any
of it, which indeed is hardly necessary; the merchants
receive their exportable articles at a certain
price, according to the state of the market, and
pay them in such foreign commodities, also at a
regulated price, as they may require. The arrival
of these people creates a kind of fair, Avhich occasions
no little bustle and business in the capital.
The peasantry bring down in boxes or little chests
or skin-bags, as it may happen, slung across their
horses’ backs, wool and Avoollen manufactured
goods, snch as cloth, knitted stockings and mittens,
butter close-pressed and packed in barrels, skins
of cattle, calves, sheep, and lambs, tallow, fial-
gras, or lichen islándicas, horses and cattle, but
not many of these; in short, whatever their farms
Avill supply. In return for these, the articles
they take back are coffee, sugar, tobacco, snuff, a
small quantity of brandy, rye and rye-bread, biscuit,
wheaten flour, salt, soap, and such other small
articles as are in constant use for domestic purposes.
Those who can afford it purchase a small supply
of linens and cottons, Avhich of late years have
become of more common use, and which must
tend greatly to cleanliness and the prevention of
that very distressing and disgusting disease, known
by the name of scurvy, aud probably that still
worse, the leprosy, which no doubt Avoollen
clothing, if not kept very clean, when worn next to
the skin, tends to engender. Those who are not far
removed from the sea-coasts, and follow the occupation
of fishermen, bring to market chiefly dried
cod and stock-fish, salted cod, dried salmon, oil of
seals, sharks, and whales, and seal-skins.
Before the month of June this AÚsit to Reikiavik
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