perly be called unhappy, though they
are unacquainted with what in other
places conftitutes happinefs. I ipent
there above fix weeks with the greateil
pleafure, partly in ftudying one of the
jnoii: extraordinary fituations of nature,
and partly in colleGing information
from the natives, concerning
their language, manners, &c . See,
As to the former, I have treated o f it
jn a letter to profeiTor Bergman, which
I doubt not he will communicate to
you with pleafure, i f you defire it.
O f the latter I will here mention fome
particulars.
You know, Sir, that Iceland firft
began to be cultivated in the ninth
century by a Norwegian colony,
among which were many Swedes,
They remained perfeflly free in this
corner o f the world for a long time;
but were, however, at laft obliged to
fuhniit to the kings o f Norway, and
afterwards became fubjeil, together
with Norway, to the kings of Denmark.
They were at firft governed
by an admiral, who was fent thither
every year to make the neceftary regulations
;
giilations ; but that mode has been
changed many years,and a governor *
appointed, who conftantly refides in
the country. This poft is, at prefent,
occupied by Mr. Larr Thodal,
who has formerly been Daniili plenipotentiary
in the commiflion for fettling
the limits between Sweden and
Norway, and has ipent feveral years
at Stockholm,
The Icelanders are o f a good honeft
difpofifion; but they are, at the lame
time, fo feriousand füllen, that I hardly
remember to have feen anyone o f them
laugh : they are by no means fo ftrong
as might be fuppofed, and much lefs
handfome. Their chief amufement,
in their leifure hours, is to recount to
one another the hiftory o f former
times; fo that to this day you do not
meet with an Icelander who is not well
acquainted with the hiftory of his own
country: they alfo play at cards.
Their honfes are built o f lava,
thatched with turf, and fo fmall,
that you hardly find room to turn in.
They have no floors ; and their win-
^ Stiftfamtmann.
dows,