The New York Herald Newspaper, August 27, 1874, Page 3

THE Map of the Arctic NEW YORK HERALD, THURSDAY, AUGUST 27, 1874 76, 60 of the Festivities. im aw~ Ge Waal Sve t i M q Ve rad Rad ie WRING DZ 8, OD Reikum % BF ee iv —TRIPLE SHEET. }DES 1S! iG a fo ICELAND MILLENNIAL. Island, Showing the Position of the Capital and Thingvalla, the Scenes tmanna AND SYSSE. THE NORSE FETE, nee Graphic Correspondence of Dr. Hayes, —-—-—— A Carnival on the Shores of Iceland. A Welcome to King Chris- _Uan IX. THE NEW CONSTITUTION. gees es Festivities at Reikiavik and on the Bleak Plain of Thingvalla. Manners and Customs in the Arctic Regions. A MUSIC-LOVING PEOPLE. Interview of the Herald Commissioner with His Danish Majesty. EFORE THE CELEBRATION. REIKIAVIK, ICELAND, July 30, 1874. We arrived here yesterday ulteruoou, and | find Myseli in Iceland at iast, after a stormy voyage over from the Faroe Islands, from waich piace L wrote my last ictter, ‘The weatuer was good enough until we Lad come almost half way, when We got u southwest gale, and L do not remember for a long tine past to have nad a worse dusting. The weather was constantly tuick, with a strong southwest wind, anu when we came up witu the famous Ingou’s Head of iceland and Portiand Cape, With its Wouderial arch, and the great line of suow-clad jiSuls that lio away behind them, not a thing Was to be seen, to our infinite disgust. Our steamer bad not sail enough on to steady het, 2nd she tossed feartutiy about in the seas that wept up over the Whole Width of the Atlantic, She proved herse!i, however, quite equal to tne @miergoncy, Od Won oli Our hearts by the excel. lence of ner behavior. Once only did we fee! any alarm. The screw stopped, and we krew that the little crait was hove to. Our captain Is a splendid | specimen ofa true seaman (be<ides being a jolly good fellow), and when asked what it ail meant, replied, “I thought 'd try her a bit that way and see how she’a behave herscif.” And right well did she behave herself until when, the storm abating alittle, we were again under way and were in due | time under shelter of the Westmanna Islands, or, in | the language ol the country, Westmaniurn, Of all the dark, gloomy and forbidding spota that ever greeted the eve of storm-togsed traveller who ex- pected shelter tnis surely was the worst pile of rocks to stand for that name that ever was seen. It was a dismal greeting from Iceland, that first sight we had of it. The islands rose in great black perpendicular walls, right up fron the angry sea, and stood out against the driving clouds with an air of terrible defiance, As we came nearer we could hear the waves thundering Into the caverns and dashing about the outlying pinmacles of java, when they were broken in their wild on- ward rush, leaving only the:r ‘leep wari to tell us of their wasted strength. We got into comparatively smooth water beneath tne clits of the largest Island of the group, but we could not make a har- bor. {twas just midnight, and there was twiiignt in the sky, bat no sign of living thing could we discern. We knew there was a harbor and a little town there, and we passed between two great rocky wails, which seemed to be the entrance to some NORTMERN INFERNO. I could but recall the common expression so often quoted in the north, “God created the world, but the aevii made Iceland.” We fired rockets and biue lights, but no ans er coming, and being atraia to venture into & harbor without lighthouse or pilot, we stood away on our course once more tnrough the driving storm. In the morn- ing air it cleared @ little, and we caught sight of Relkianes, “the smoky cape," and its outlying, pinuacied rocks, rough inform. Rounding this we steamed away vefore the swelling seas, and, to our great satisfac- Uon, got into smovther water in the splendid mountain girdied Fax Fiord, and, rounding to behind a green little isle, we were soon at anchor in the harbor of Reixiavik, where we are lying now, and waere [ propose to write you what [can of this land of the O.d Norse Saga. This volcanic island of the Arctic Sea is one around which cluster 80 many cherissed traditions, irom which sprung all that is valuable of early Norse iterature and law and from which came those sturdy mariner of the sea who Were the first White men to land on the shores of America. SCRIPTION OF THE ICELANDIC CAPITAL, To begin at the beginning—the harbor tn not particularly weil sbeltered and the town of Reiki- avick not ansightiy; im fact, itis a great deal ber. ter looking tuau travellers generaily give dt credit for. Lave been ashore to deliver my letters and cail upon the Governor and other oficials ana haye been altogether very agreeanly visnp- pointed im’ the appearance of the place, for I had pad all sorts of ludicrous — desertp. tlons by ali sorts of travellers aad was pre- pared to see (for im one book it ts so Gustinotly stated) sheep browsing the roofs of houses, and the atr perfumed with filth and fish. The truth Is that only a few huts in the dutskirts are covered with turt, the main part of the houses of the town being roofed with slate, There are two principal streets, with plenty of shops, where one may bay anything from a peuny whistle tow pilot cloth coat. The houses look neat aud clean, with everywhere neat white cnrtains venind the glass and pretty flowers to brighten them, ana pleasant iaces peering out among them to complete the picture of home-like contentment and comfor:. As for the smellof fish, it was not half so offensive as in many another town I have seen whose prosperity depends upon its fishing businsss, and tue streets were as clean as any streets need be. How much of this may be due to common causes, and how much to the coming of the King, I cannot pre- teud to say, but I have certainly been most favorably impressed with Retkiavik, aithongh Isaw it in a driving southwest wind and a peit- ingrain. Of the tact of the coming of the King there 1s, one comid easily see, no dondt on any- body's mind, Fences were being danbed hurnedly | With paint and whitewash, new palings were being pat in old fences, dilapidated watis were being rebulit, and everybody seemed on the tip- toe ofexpectation, Great was the wonder with which they looked on us, for we had perhaps knowledge of THE COMING OF THE KING. Yes, we had knowledge—we had left him in the harbor of Thershayn; sound asleep, no doudt, but, with a stout ship under him, sure to greet tae good people of Reikiavik vy to-morrow. And right hapfy they were made by the intelligence. Happy enough already in the prospect, they were now made thrice so by this direct intelligence, find the prepirations for mis reception weve pushed on with still greater energy. These pre- parations are, to be sure, not so grand as we im- agine to be befitting royalty, bat they are elab- orate in proportion to the means of the loyal Ice- landers. Along jetty runs out into the vay and from @ line of white poste on either side flutter the Danish colors, in streaming pennants, and at its upper end is a broad canopy Ot pure red, closely interspersed with white~-the national colors—wwhile tour royal ensigns fy at the corners, It isa great day of expectation to these people, and we'll it may be, for never yet have the Reikiavikers lookel upon a &ing, nay such a king as their Christian [X., who is to give them a new constitation, and to whom they are thoroughiy loyal, 1s ODe May judge by appearances, As I have had frequent occasion to observe, it the average Iceiander nears little love to the average Dane, HE LOVES THE KING BUCY NOT DENMARK. The harvor presents quite a lively appearance, About tventy vessels great and small are lying about us, and over to tne left are six snips of war, two French, one Danish, one German, one Swede and one Norwegian. Our own flag is only repre- sented at the foremast o1 our little Albion, and 1 S¢2 no English colors but the Mags that Moat over her stern, Now we await tae coming of the King, preliminary to the testivities, which are to be grand beyond anything ever before seen on this island. THR PROGRAMME OF THE FRSTIVITIES. Upon) Onsunday there is to be public service in the Cathedral; in the evening of that day a festival, witn dancing and fireworks in the openair. On Monday the King starts for Thingvalla and the Geysers, and on the 7th the chief ceremonies are to take place on the classic plain of Thingvalla, where the old extled nobies of Norway first held their Althing, and where their descendants as. sembled annually until the year 1800, when the open air Council was adjourned to Reikiavis, the capital, Arrival of the King. REIKIAVIK, July 31, 1874. The King, as was expected, arrived yester- day morning, and the day was one of un-heard- of excitement to the Relkiavikers. Early in the day the fleet was signalled from the beacon tower venind the town, aud the little Danish gun- boat lying here at once put out to escort the ves- sels in. All the men-o:-war, French, German, Nor- wegian and Swedish, five in number, were dressed in gaudiest ‘colors, and even our own little craft exhibited @ reasonable show of bunting. It wasa@ very pretty picture. When the topmasts of the King’s ship appeared in sight a royal salute belched forth ‘rom ship after stip, making the old vocanic cliffs iairly ring again as echo answered echo among the migh:y crags. As the ships passed totheir anchorage the yards were manned, and from French, German, Norwegian ana Swedish throats Was shouted @ concerted grecting to the King. Tne King’s ship, the Jyliand, did not answer it, bat the other two, the Heimdar and the Fylia, did, and we added to the clang with our twobrass guus, Then the King went ashore to the little Mag-bedecked jetty, and there was another salute all round, and another shout of welcome, Which this time came {rom the suore, for verybody had turned ont to greet their King. ‘The shout was very cordial, considering that the Iceanders Dave go littie occasion to cheer tor any- thing, and are, therefore, littie used to im 1 should say there were nearly three thousand people assembied, almost doubie the number of innavi- tants of the town, so that many must have come from long distances, About hall of them were a3- sembied at tae landing, tie otuer Laif in iront of the Government Hoase, I went ashore to join the throng, a8 did all our party, and helped to swell the shout, GOLD LACE ON ICE, In such 2 place one is not prepared for the exhi- bition vf mach tm the way of gold lace, but here there was abundance, und it had a newness of Jook avout it that was quite reir ng Adozen meu at least in cocked hats aud plumes and epan- lets and dangling swords (which seemed to be dreadfully 1a the way) stood on a red piatiorm at the head of the jetty, Im front stont the Goy- ernor, Herr Finsen; near by the nop, with a long black robe an black covked hat and @ write frill, Which looked as if 15 Wanted to cnoke him, round his throat, Then came tae now gold-laced Chief Justics and Sherif and otner high digni- taries of state. When the King’s boat came up they salute, a litte aWkWardly as it seemed, and naturally cuough, for they were nut ased to it, The Govervor advanced and the King stepped graceully om the rod platiorm and then tue cheer: ing vegan, “he Governor made a formal speech of welcome, Which the King auswered in the same formal manner, and then the party moved ap | versatiom, | Was BOW more than ever captivated SP ds a 7 au (2? Cr) ie = ist. J Skul i 16 through tne gaping, eager and enthusiastic throng—enthusiastic at least so far as it is in their Power to get themselves into that, to them, ex- traordinary condition. 48 FOR THE PERSONAL APPEARANCR OF KING CHRISTIAN THE NINTH, it must be said that he is a very graceful, hand. some man, and withal a gentleman, for he did not show In the least that he was bored, as he surely must have been, Tobe sure his dominions are not the largest in the world, and he cannot expect the greeting that awaits the mightier potentates; but he certainly has had more imposing throngs than this to shout for him. He was very plainly dressed, ina simple naval uniform, with no otner ornament than a few gold strips upon the cam and a plain naval cap, with no ornament at all more than any officer of rank might have when in un- dress. Ido not think the Retkiavikers were alto- gether pleasea with his exceeding plainness, see- ing that ail their own officials were in gandy attire, and it was clear that they were disap- pointed. A king is not made of ordinary staf and Inust de ditferentiy clotned from ordinary mortais, as ordinary mortals think, and since the Reiki: vik- ers had never seen a king betore, they surely expected him to come in gorgeous array. However, he was a king, and their king at that, and they cheered him all the way to the Governor's honse, wherc there was another throng, who cheered aim louder than the otaer as he passed the gate. With some le shcok hands and spoke evidentiy pleasant words, for I saw him smiling amiabiy as he paused before them, linger- ing haif a minute here and there, and courteously touching his cap in naval fasnion as he bowed from left to rigut. Then the gate was closed, and the crowd gazed wonderingly while Mme. Finsen, the Governor's wife, hastened down the pathway togrect her sovereign master. She did it with great dignity and self-possession, and | must say for the King that he obeyed ils wanly Instincts by rushing forward Irom his escort to meet her half way. lt was very neatly done. He shook her hand, cordially raised his bat and conducted her to the door, and when she stepped aside to let him pass he would not paas be.ore her, and #o she had perforce to take the tead of His Majesty into herown onae, Jliked che incident immensely, and it was @ most pleasant ending to a strange experience, 1a & moment the door was closed, an armed sentine} Was on the stoop and the crowd dispersed. A SEASICK MONARCH. The King, they reli me, was horribly seasick all the way through the oud weather we experienced from the Faroe Isiands, and [ uave not the least doubt that, tnough a king, he enjoyed the sensa- tion of standing where the worid beneath his feet was solid sod did pot give nim the sensauon of never ceasing to give way. And 1 have no doubt that he took a solid aap and a solid dinner, jor in the.cvening he appeared, freau und lively, in re- sponse to the peopic who guthered in a great crowd in front of the Governor's gate, to give him a serenade, A RIVAL LANGUAGE TO ITALIAN. ‘Tais was the first occasion on which I had ever heard an Icelandic song, and. while already strack witn the great sweetness of the ianguage in con- , Smorfiéld / Smog eicas © — / os? Russell & Struthers,.10 Barc! by it whem used in song. The singers, who were not accompanied by any musical instrument, were adozenin number and were led by a blacksmith, who certainly has @ most remarkable voice. Several national songs were sung in @& most excellent and stirring manner, and the King was evidently moved by the earnestness with which these simple people greeted him. Hitherto [ had regarded the Icelanders as a rude race of fishermen, but here I discovered men with natural inborn refinement, with true delicacy of feeling and possessing marvellous skill 1 vocal music. So much was the King pleased that he came down among the crowd, shook hanas with the song-loving blacksmith and his brother singers and thanked them all with genuine beartiness. Alter this the crowd dispersed and all was quiet in the sun-lit night, save the sound of ripples breaks ing on the brush and of the ship’s bells striking the hoars and halfhours of the watch. When& went aboard [ took a book and on deck could read distinctly at midnight. The New Icelandic Constitution. REIKIAVIE. August 1, 1874 . This is the day on which the new Icelandic Constitution, from which so much good is re- Ported, comes into operation; and if the day itself is any augury of the future, Iceland has cer- tainly good luck in store for her. The weather has deen very fine noth yesterday and to-day. The air was clear and the mountains came out in the brigut sunsnine, showing great cones streakea with white and clits of parple and lilac, while be+ low iay long stretcnes of meadow lands clothed with green, A delicate summer mist filled the air and nathed everytning in such an atmosphere that even the most rugged crays were softened by it. ‘There was n0 tormal puvlication of the constitu tion. It bas been received vy the old Althing and the document was published and the King thanked, when nis intention was made known that he would be in Iceland om the day it took effect, Whereupon the millennial celebration was at once resolved upon and the King consented ta take part in it. Now a word about the Icelanders before furtaer relerence to this constitution which tne King of Deumark nas thought 11 worth while to come out and so putin motion. I have said elsewhere that they do not like tie anes, Who nave clearly op. pressed them by grinding every dollar out of them ‘that they possibly could. They nave been merci. lessly taxed without their consent, to add to ine Dunisb treasury in Copenhagen, and they nave not been allowed to raise revenues of their own for their own uses—for the construction of their roads, the maintenance of the poor, the cleaning and paving of the streets—without the assent of the home government. indeed, the Imperial Treasury owes them money which nas been re/ased to the islanders these many yéars, and it is now only alter @ mote persistent fignt that they gain their rights, The principal promover of this re- form 18 43ON SIGURDSSON, A MEMBER OF THR ICELANDIO ALTHING, 19 @ man of great mental power and vigor, and may indeed be styled tue Bismarck of Iceland. No man could possibly have more thorougnly be Me confidence, His fine qualities of head and Beart have endeared him to eversbods, 6nd Weta