Tourist in Iceland, The - 01.01.1892, Side 3

5
THE TOURIST IN ICELAND.
6
an excellent road lately made by the enter-
prising Icelanders.
As the evening sun sent his rays far and
wide to the enjoyment of mind and eye,
we began gradually to go down on the other
side of the mountain, when a sight burst
suddenly on our view, viz.: the great Lake of
Lingvellir, the horizont was extensive and
unique, and looking all round I was much im-
pressed with the beauty of the scene.
We passed on till all of a sudden we came
to the brink of an immense chasm or ravine;
my guide dismounted and so did I, and making
our ponies go behind us we walked down in-
to this chasm by a single path. Immense
rocks were on both sides, almost quite per-
pendicular, the northern side or wall much
higher than the southern.
When we came to the bottom, where there
was plenty of grass, I was highly struck with
this singular amphitheatre of nature, and my
guide roared loadlv which vibrated through
the chasm by a mos't vivid echo: » The ground
upon which we stand is holy, for now we are
in the historical Almannagjd«.
This peculiar ravine has been formed by
immense convulsions of nature, from time
immemorial, the rocks being reft asunder
through the southern wall an opening has been;
formed where through the river Oxara flows,
forming a beautiful waterfall and then pas-
sing over the plains below into the Lake of
Lingvellir.
This place, Lingvellir, was selected in early
times for the annual meeting place of the
Althing or General Assembly of the country,
first time in the year 930 and lasted until the
year 1800 when the old Althing was abolished.
Great many notable events in the history of
Iceland are recorded from this place, especialy
during the republican time, which lasted about
3x/2 century. Here the Christian faith was
adopted in the year 1000. Here the supreme
courts of the law were established. In those
early times all the chieftains of the land had
their booths fixed here during the session of the
Althing, and a brilliant assembly was often
to be seen at Lingvellir in those times. Here
is the socalled Hill of Laws, where the spea-
ker recited the laws of the land. Here the
judges were appointed and the courts consti-
tuted. Here the best story tellers recited
their narratives aloud which was the origin
of the celebrated Icelandic sagas or historical
writings, and finally here was celebrated the
1000 years anniversary in 1874, when the
king of Denmark His Majesty Christian IX.
visited Iceland with a brilliant suite besides
many distinguished visitors from abroad, both
America, England, Germany and elsewhere.
The scenery all round is very interesting.
The shadows of the surrounding hills and
mountains reflected in the grand Lake of
Lingvellir, like some phantom spirits of by-
gone days, while we listened to the murmuring
of the waterfall of Oxara in the stillness and
quietude of a lovely summer evening. The
rays of the setting sun threw a lustre over the
whole scene, making a most impressive pano-
rama both to the eye and feelings never to
be forgotten. In fact, in many points as to
history what Westminster Abbey is to Eng-
lish men or Holyroad palace is to Scotsmen;
so is Pingvellir to the Icelanders.
PINGVELLIR MS' A SANITARY HOME.
A friend of ours from America who visited
us last summer said once during a conver-
sation :
»In America we never ask, how much does
it cost, for as soon as an undertaking is con-
siderated necessary or plausible, the neces-
sary means are always forthcoming*.
This expression is in reality in keeping
with the grand enterprising spirit of the Ame-
rican people and the great resources of that
country.
On the contrary with us, Icelanders, many
highly practical and useful undertakings must
lie untouched from want of capital.
We were inclined to make these remarks
with regard to Lingvellir as a sanitary sta-
tion.
No spot in Iceland is so healthy on account