Tourist in Iceland, The - 01.01.1892, Qupperneq 6

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THE TOURIST IN ICELAND.
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Dymond of Newcastle on Tyne, and Herra
Tryggvi Gunnarsson, the superintendent for Ice-
land, and congratulated them and the country on
the successful completion of the work. (Great
applause).
A splendid poem made for the occasion by
the popular young poet, Secretary to the Go-
vernor Herra Hannes Hafstein was sung by a
select choir under a new melody by an Ice-
landic composer Herra Helgi Helgason.
LORD DUFFERIN ON PING VELLIR.
Great many books have been written about
Iceland but none excell Lord Dufferins book
»From High Latitudes«, published in London
1856. We as Icelanders keep him in our
most respectful memory, not only as one of
our most distinguished and illustrious visitors
but as the eminent statesman and refined
scholar, who during his brilliant carriere has
always been known to have his heart and
feelings in the right place.
We quote the following remarks from his
pen about the Lingvellir landscape:
»A lovelier scene I have seldom witnessed.
In the foreground lay huge masses of rock
and lava tossed about like the ruins of a
world, and washed by waters as bright and
green as polished malachite. Beyond a bevy
of distant mountains, robed by the transpa-
rent atmosphere in tints unknown to Europe,
peeped over each other’s shoulders into the
silver mirror at their feet; while here and
there, from among their purple ridges, columns
of white vapour rose like altar smoke toward
the tranquil heaven«.
A VELCOME TO THE TOURISTS.
This little poem was sung last year at a concert
in Reykjavik by young Icelandic boys (trained sin-
gers). There were some English tourists present, and
the melody being very pretty and lively (by a Nor-
wegian composer) it seemed to take well with our
friends from England.
We know a land in the southern main
Merry England
Merry England
Where sweetly sounds in the poets strain
Merry England
Merry England
With lovely flowers and charming homes
And wealth and plenty with stately dome’s
Merry England
Merry England
Tra la la la la.
To you that come from your native shore
:|: Merry England :|:
There is no country you more adore
:|: Merry England :|:
We welcome you to take a sight
Of Icelands summer so short and bright
:|: Merry England :|:
When once again in your native land
:|: Merry England :|:
May we be join’d by a brothers band
:|: Merry England :|:
And do whatever is fair and bright
And help our boys to act upright
:|: Merry England :|:
ROUTES IN ICELAND FOR TOURISTS.
First route■ — South of Iceland.
From Reykjavik via Krisuvik (sulphur mines) Hlib-
arendi, Loptstabir, Oddi, Barkarstabir, Rorsmork (one
of the grandest scenery in Iceland), Keldur, Galtar-
lsekur (from there to Hekla and hack to Galtarleek in
1 dayl, Hruni, Geysir (the grand waterfall Gullfoss
on the road), Lingvellir (the most historical place in
Iceland) and hack to Reykjavik, making the whole
trip in 16 days.
Second route. — North of Iceland.
From Reykjavik via bingvellir, Kalmanstunga
(seeing Surtshellir, the grandest cave in Iceland),
Arnarvatn (a large lake on the mountains, best trout
fishing in Iceland, ptarmingans, ducks and swans),
Kornsa, Reykir, Vibimyri, Silfrastabir, Steinsstabir to
Akureyri. Here tourists can embark for Scotland
after making the trip from Reykjavik to Akureyri
in 10 days or continue further north via Fvera, Lake
Myvatn, Hlibarhagi, Dettifoss (the grandest waterfall
in Europe), As (seeing Asbyrgi, a natural fortress),
Husavik, Grenjabarstabir, Akureyri, making the whole
trip from Reykjavik to Akureyri and the north hack
to Akureyri in 21 days; if hack to Reykjavik the
whole trip 1 month.