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Having, by the blessing of God, brought the printing of the Icelandic Scriptures to a termination, and seen the foundation laid of a Bible Society for the Danish dominions, on the principles of the British and Foreign Bible Society, I began to make the necessary arrangements for my voyage to Iceland. The natural formation of that island rendering it impossible to convey p. 2 any quantity of Bibles from one place to another, it was requisite to forward a proportionate number to each harbour. In the execution of this measure, I would here acknowledge my obligations to the Icelandic merchants in Copenhagen, who not only allowed the copies to be sent by their respective vessels without charging any freight, but furnished me with much important information, derived from their local knowledge of the country. To Westy Petræus, Esq. in particular, I am deeply indebted for the facilities which he afforded me on the occasion, and for conveying, in his own vessel, no less than 1183 Bibles, and 1668 New Testaments, free of expense.
On the , I embarked on board the Seyen, commanded by Captain Petræus, brother to the gentleman just mentioned, who also accompanied us, and did every thing in his power to provide for my accommodation and comfort. We got under weigh about five o’clock, P. M. The evening was serene; and the prospect, which embraced the Danish metropolis, the two opposite coasts of Zealand and Scania, and the island of Hveen, was extremely picturesque and beautiful, and peculiarly calculated to inspire the mind with a train of delightful meditations. Lifting up my heart to Him who dwelleth on high, I implored his blessing on the important undertaking in which I had embarked, and prayed that he would graciously be pleased to render the precious seed which I p. 3 was honoured to carry over to a distant island, productive of a most luxuriant harvest.
There was something peculiarly gratifying in the idea, that our vessel, instead of proceeding on any predatory or murderous expedition, was freighted with provisions for the inhabitants of a barren island; grain, and other articles for the support of temporal life; and the glorious Gospel of the blessed God, the germ and staff of spiritual existence. Considering every circumstance, I could not help viewing the following lines of Cowper as strikingly appropriate:—
“Soft airs, and gentle heavings of the wave, Impel the fleet, whose errand is to save, To succour wasted regions, and replace The smile of opulence in sorrow’s face. Let nothing adverse, nothing unforeseen, Impede the bark that plows the deep serene, Charg’d with a freight, transcending in its worth The gems of India, nature’s rarest birth, That flies, like Gabriel on his Lord’s commands, An herald of God’s love to Pagan lands.”
Not, however, that I regarded Iceland as a pagan land. On the contrary, from all that I had been able to learn, I was persuaded that there were few places in Europe where Christianity is professed, to which the epithet could with less justice be applied, than to that island, notwithstanding its manifold local disadvantages. Yet, as genuine Christianity can only be maintained p. 4 by the continued propagation of its principles, of which the Bible is the repository, it is evident the Icelanders must soon have made a retrograde motion, had not measures been adopted for providing them with a fresh supply of the Holy Scriptures.
, we passed the island of Hveen, famous on account of its having been the residence of the celebrated astronomer Tycho Brahe. A more eligible spot he could not perhaps have found, as the island lies high, and the coasts on both sides being low, a most extensive horizon presents itself to the view. The observatory, which he erected here, and to which, from its destination, he gave the name of Uraniaborg, was raised at great expense, part of which was borne by the king of Denmark, and the rest defrayed by the astronomer himself. He is said to have expended no less than 100,000 rix‐dollars on its erection. It was not only built in a highly ornamental style, but regularly fortified; yet it did not remain in a perfect state for more than twenty years, and now there is scarcely a single vestige remaining to tell the inquisitive traveller where it stood. Some years ago, I recollect having spent a night here with Major Stuart, a natural son of the Pretender, in whose possession the place at that time was; but all I could discover was merely the remainder of a vault, and a few slight traces of the fortification. Its history, in connection p. 5 with that of its master, furnishes a striking lesson of the uncertainty and vicissitude of every sublunary object.
About nine o’clock, we made Elsineur, which, with the castle of Cronborg, we passed on the one hand, while we left behind us the town of Helsingborg, in Sweden, on the other. The two countries are divided here only by the Sound, (Öresund), which does not exceed four British miles in breadth. In times of peace, Elsineur roads are crowded with the flags of all nations, it being necessary for every vessel to call on passing, in order to pay the Sound dues. In consequence of an unremitting influx of strangers from all parts of the busy world, most of whom had no other object in view than the acquisition of earthly riches, that town used to present a melancholy spectacle of indifference to the momentous concerns of religion. Adversity, however, has a natural tendency to generate reflection; and we may indulge the hope, that the severe stroke with which its inhabitants have been visited by the total failure of their resources for these last seven years, has not been without effect in leading many to turn their attention to the things which belong to their everlasting peace.
From Elsineur, we proceeded in company with upwards of seventy vessels into the Cattagat, in which, for the two following days, we had either calms or contrary winds, so that we made but little progress; but a fresh breeze p. 6 sprung up on , which carried us into the harbour of Wrangö, a few miles below Gottenburgh. We were under the necessity of putting in here, in order to wait for a Swedish convoy‐ship to take us past Norway: the Swedes not being without suspicions that our going to Iceland was merely a pretence, and that it was our real intention to supply the Norwegians with grain. By this means we were detained more than twelve days; but to me the loss was amply compensated, by the opportunities that were afforded me of visiting my friends in Gottenburgh. Our interviews were short, yet highly interesting, and tended in no small degree to strengthen those bonds of Christian love, which no length of time shall ever be able to dissolve. The Bible Society, which had been formed at this place, towards the close of the former year, by the active and enlightened zeal of the late Rev. Dr. Brunmark, was going on prosperously: only it was with concern I learned that they were soon to lose one of their valuable secretaries, my dear and much respected friend, the Rev. Professor Rosen, who was about to enter on a living to which he had lately been presented in the country.
On we left the Swedish coast, in company with a large fleet, that proceeded under the same convoy to the westward. We had scarcely got clear of Marstrand Castle, when it blew a violent gale of wind, which lasted several hours, and completely dispersed the convoy. p. 7 It was succeeded by a series of calms, in which we had ample room for the exercise of patience; and it was not before the evening of , that we descried Fair Isle, and the eastern coast of Shetland. We entertained the fullest expectation, of being able the same night to pass, what the seamen call “The Hole,” i. e. between the islands just mentioned; but the wind veered round to the N. W. and increased, during the night, to such a degree, that we were driven back to the eastward of the Orkneys. The sight of my native country excited the tenderest emotions in my mind, and nothing but the importance of the mission on which I was proceeding, could have reconciled me to the idea of passing it without paying it a visit.
The first view we obtained of Iceland, was on the evening of the . At the distance of forty miles we could discover some of the Ice Mountains, towering to an immense height in the horizon, surrounded below with clouds, and completely covered with snow. From about the middle of the highest, a black rugged ridge commenced, which continued to dip gradually towards the west, till it was intercepted by two small conical snow‐capped mountains, that bore the most perfect resemblance to sugar loaves. When the tediousness of the voyage is taken into consideration, an allowance will easily be made for my attaching the idea of beauty to these masses of perennial snow, notwithstanding the revolting presentiment p. 8 of cold which necessarily forced itself into my mind. The weather becoming foggy, we lost sight of the land for the two following days; but on the , we descried a high land directly a‐head, and, on its clearing up about nine o’clock, we were happy to find we had made the south‐west extremity of the island, or Cape Reykianess, which it was necessary for us to pass, before we could reach Reykiavik, the place of our destination. On the left we had the Elld‐eyar, or Fire Islands; so called from their having been thrown up at different periods by the agency of submarine volcanoes. They consist entirely of barren and precipitous rocks, and are almost always covered with sea‐fowl, on which account the Danish traders have given them the name of Fugleskierene. Passing between the innermost of these rocks and the Cape, which is also of volcanic origin, and presents a very bold and rugged appearance, we were rapidly carried by the tide into the Faxè Fiord1, and, having now got into smooth water, and both wind and current being in our favour, the close of our voyage was the most agreeable that can be imagined.
As we sailed along, I was delighted by the successive opening of the creeks and bays on our right, and especially the discovery of Hafnarfiord, the school of Bessastad, the Ness, and other places in the vicinity of Reykiavik. Nor was my p. 9 curiosity less gratified by the survey of the Esian, Akkra, and other mountains on the left side of the bay. Their lofty height, the beautiful girdle of silver clouds that surrounded them considerably below the top, the magnificent appearance of the summit above, and the solemn gloom which covered the inferior regions:—all conspired to impress the mind with reverential and admiring ideas of that Power who laid the foundations of the earth, and at whose wrath the mountains tremble and shake. About eight in the evening, we got our pilot on board, when a number of reciprocal inquiries took place; and a little past ten we anchored before the town of Reykiavik, where the Danish flag was displayed from the tops of the mercantile houses, in honour of our arrival. The first act of kindness shewn us by the natives, was their mounting us on their shoulders, and carrying us ashore from the boat. On landing we were met by a crowd of men, women, and children, who filled the air with the exclamations, “Peace; come in peace; the Lord bless you,” &c. salutations that were at once calculated to prepossess a stranger in favour of the religious disposition of the Icelanders. At the head of the beach we were met by the superior class of the inhabitants, by whom we were welcomed to the island, and among whom I was happy to recognise some of my own countrymen. We then proceeded to the house of Mr. Knudsen, the partner of Mr. Petræus, where we made an excellent supper on fresh p. 10 salmon, and returned on board about one o’clock in the morning.
was principally occupied in getting my luggage ashore from the vessel, and paying my respects to the Right Rev. the Bishop of Iceland, His Excellency the Governor, the Landfoged, and others, who, in the warmest terms, expressed their approbation of the object I had in view, in visiting the island. The bishop in particular, to whom I was favoured with a letter of introduction from the Right Rev. the Bishop of Zealand, testified his conviction of the great good that would result from the present instance of foreign benevolence, confirmed the accounts that had already been received by the Bible Society, respecting the extreme want of the Scriptures on the island, declared how sensible he was of the obligations under which his countrymen lay to their spiritual benefactors: and kindly promised to render me every assistance in his power, towards facilitating the attainment of my object.
Reykiavik, which about fifty years ago, consisted merely of a few houses, has lately risen into some notice, having become the residence of the governor, the Episcopal see, the seat of the Supreme Court of Judicature, and the principal mercantile station on the island. It is situated on the south side of a considerable inlet of the Faxè Fiord, upon a low marshy ground, between two eminences that are partially covered with grass, and studded with a number p. 11 of small cottages. It consists of two streets, the longer of which, built only on the one side, stretches along the shore, and is entirely occupied by the merchants: the other, which strikes off at the west end of the town, and runs almost in a direct line back to the margin of a small lake, contains the houses of the Bishop, Landfoged, and others not immediately engaged in trade. About the middle of this street, on the east side, lies the public burying‐ground, which is neatly enclosed with a new earthen wall, and has two gates, one to the street, and the other at the south‐east corner opposite to the church. At the east end of the town, behind the range of houses along the beach, and in a parallel line with them, are the houses of the Governor, and Sysselmand; and a little behind these, to the south‐west, is the church, which stands by itself, on a gentle rise of the green, occupying the space between the town and the lake. It is a heavy building of stone, and might make a commodious place of worship, were it not that the roof, which is covered with red tiles, is sadly out of repair, and it is not without danger that the congregation assemble in it in stormy weather. On the rising ground at the end of the governor’s house, from which it is separated by a small rivulet, lies the house of correction, a large whitewashed stone building, which, at a distance, has the most respectable appearance of any about the place. The dwelling‐houses, with two exceptions, are all constructed of wood in the Norwegian p. 12 fashion, and have generally a storehouse or two, and a small garden attached to them. On the height to the west is the observatory, a small building of wood; and on the summit of the opposite eminence stands the school monument, which the students have raised with much pains from the calcined stones in the vicinity. At a short distance in the bay, are several small islands, the principal of which is Videy, which, on account of its agreeable situation, the richness of its pasture, and the number of eider‐ducks that annually frequent it, is reckoned superior to any other spot in the southern parts of the island. It was formerly famous for its monastery, founded in the year , but belongs at present to the crown, and is occupied by Chief Justice Stephenson. In many places it rests on beautiful pillars of basaltic lava, which, in conjunction with the crater a little to the west of the houses, leaves no room to doubt of its having been thrown up by a submarine volcano. Similar appearances are visible on the opposite coast near Reykiavik, where are also some hot springs, from which the bay most probably derives its name.
It is rather a striking coincidence, that the capital of Iceland should, as it were, by mere accident, happen to be built on the very spot where Ingolf, the first of the Norwegian emigrants that settled on the island, fixed his habitation. In conformity to a superstitious practice common in those days, that adventurer, on approaching p. 13 the eastern coast, threw the principal wooden pillars of his former habitation into the sea, vowing he would settle wherever they were cast on shore. After some time his slaves, whom he sent in search of them, found them driven up at this place, and Ingolf, true to his vow, fixed his abode at Reykiavik, though reproached by his own slaves for preferring so rugged and barren a spot to the fine districts they had passed on their way from the east.2
On I rode, in company with my friend Mr. Petræus, to Gardè, the residence of the very Rev. Marcus Magnusson, the archdeacon of Iceland, and dean of Guldbringe and Kiosar Syssels. In our way we fell in with the first effects I had seen of subterraneous fire—a tract of lava, rugged and wild, which, at first sight, threatened to put a stop to our journey. To whatever side we turned, nothing presented itself to our view but the dismal ruins of mountains, which have been so completely convulsed by the reciprocal contention of the elements beneath, that, after having emitted immense quantities of lava, their foundations have given way, and the whole structure has fallen in, and continued to burn till the more fusible parts were entirely calcined. Large masses of rock, which one would scarcely suppose had been affected by fire, lie intermingled with the lava, which has burned with the most dreadful violence. These p. 14 ruins are scattered in every direction, and assume the most forbidding and gloomy aspect. Having gained the summit of the hill to the west of the lava, a more agreeable prospect presented itself. Gardè, from which this lava takes the name of Gardè‐hraun3 lay directly before us; and, a little to the right, the narrow peninsula of Alftaness, which juts out into the Hafnarfiord, and is adorned with the church and school of Bessastad, and a number of beautiful cottages. Besides the church, a pretty large building of wood, Gardè consists of several small houses, most of which are occupied by the archdeacon. On our arrival, he met us at the door, and gave us a welcome reception. After some desultory conversation, we came to the subject of the Scriptures; and I was happy to be informed that the copies of the New Testament that had been sent him in , had soon been disposed of, and that the desire of obtaining them was at last so keen, that the peasants wouldhave paid double theprice, if it had only been in their power to obtain them. He produced a specimen of the high estimation in which the Divine oracles are held by the Icelanders, and the assiduity with which they apply to the study of them. It was a copy of the Bible in folio, a great part of which had been devoured by the tooth of time; but the defective p. 15 pages had all been replaced, and the text supplied in the most accurate manner. The handwriting was such as would do honour to any writing‐master in Europe. On my putting the question, whether it had not been written by a clergyman, or some other person in a public capacity, I was told, to my no small surprise, that it had been done by a common peasant, and that such instances of elegant penmanship are by no means uncommon in Iceland.
Having received, from the archdeacon, repeated assurances of assistance in the prosecution of my object, we left Gardè, and rode over a rough stream of lava to Hafnarfiord, which is situated on the north side of the bay of the same name, and near its termination. Just before coming to the harbour, as we were scrambling over the sharp crusts of the broken bubbles of lava, some of which were upwards of fifteen feet in height, I received peculiar gratification from the sight of a small hamlet neatly built of lava, and a garden in full verdure, which lay in the heart of one of these. This spot is completely sheltered from wintry blasts by the lofty walls formed by the surrounding crust, and has a fine southern exposure. The scenery was strikingly grotesque; and the contrast between the verdure and regularity observable in the garden, and the blackness and distorted forms of the lava, was inimitably grand. Hafnarfiord consists only of two mercantile houses, with their storehouses, and a few cottages inhabited by the working p. 16 people. It is, however, remarkable, on account of its dry dock, which owes its erection to the enterprising spirit of Mr. Sivertsen, and is the only thing of the kind on the island. We were here kindly received by that gentleman, who is already known to the friends of the Bible Society by the share he took in the distribution and sale of the New Testaments sent over in . On our return to Reykiavik, the way led us through a tract of the lava still more horrific than that described above. The road, which in most places did not exceed the breadth of an ordinary foot‐path, was so filled with sharp‐pointed pieces of lava, that our poor horses could only proceed by cautiously stepping over one stone after another; and every now and then we were annoyed by large masses jutting out from the sides, which threatened to lacerate our feet, or, if we were off our guard, to precipitate us from our horses. Besides melted masses, resembling those on the other side of the tract, we encountered large and dangerous chasms, between which, at times, there was scarcely sufficient space left for our horses to pass. The gloom of night added to the horrors of the scene, and it was not without the most powerful apprehension of danger that we reached the opposite side of the tract. We arrived in town about one o’clock in the morning.
On my arrival in Iceland, it was with deep regret I learned that the most favourable opportunity for the distribution of the Bibles and New p. 17 Testaments this season was irretrievably lost. Had I come a month sooner, I should have arrived in the very middle of what is called the Handels‐tid, or period of traffic, when several hundreds of the inhabitants repair to this place from all quarters of the island, and barter their home productions for foreign commodities, and articles of necessary use for the winter. They had now all returned to their respective abodes, and there was no other way of acquainting them with the supply that had arrived, except by sending an express to the different corners, or travelling myself around the coast. The latter mode I preferred, on various accounts, as I should thereby have it in my power to ascertain the actual wants of the people in a spiritual point of view; leave copies as specimens on passing along; visit the different sea‐ports, to which copies of the Scriptures had been forwarded from Copenhagen, and make the necessary arrangements with the merchants and others for their circulation in the vicinity; and especially, as there was reason to hope, that by the blessing of God, on my conversation with such of the clergy as should fall in my way, I might be the humble instrument of stirring them up to greater diligence and zeal in the work of the Lord, by informing them of the present appearances with respect to religion abroad, the lively interest which Christians of all denominations take in its diffusion, and the energetic and successful means employed by them for that purpose. p. 18 Their entire exclusion, by invincible local circumstances, from almost all access to the sources of religious intelligence, has a necessary tendency to engender a partial coldness and indifference about the common interests of the gospel, and to render this part of the vineyard of Christ which they occupy, frigid and barren as the island they inhabit. A visit from a stranger, especially one who travelled among them with the end I had in view, would, it was presumed, excite a more lively concern about the Holy Scriptures, and thus contribute to advance the cause of pure and undefiled religion.
My journey being therefore determined on, it now became a question, whether I ought to proceed directly across the desert and uninhabited tract in the interior, to the northern parts of the island, and then pursue my route along the coast, back to this place; or visit the coast first, and then return across the mountains. After consulting my friends, and maturely weighing the advantages and disadvantages of the different routes, I was induced to adopt the former, chiefly from the consideration, that Captain Von Scheel,4 one of the Danish officers employed in surveying the coasts, was to proceed in that direction in the course of a few days, and that I would derive much valuable information and advice from him relative to a variety of subjects with which I was necessarily unacquainted. On p. 19 my communicating my wishes to that gentleman, he very kindly expressed his happiness in having me for a companion, and we accordingly fixed on as the day of our departure.
The intermediate days were taken up in making the necessary preparations, and adopting certain measures for the circulation of the Scriptures in the southern districts during my absence. Travelling in Iceland is attended with much more trouble and difficulty than in any other part of Europe. Here there is neither coach nor curricle, cart nor waggon, for the conveyance of one’s person and baggage. Every thing is carried on horseback. The first thing, therefore, that a traveller has to think of is the procuring of horses, which he may either hire or purchase; but the latter mode is preferable, as in that case he has them more at his command; and it is also attended with less expense, especially if the journey be of any length. The common horses, called by the natives puls or klifiahestar, i. e. horses of burden, are at present sold for twenty‐five or thirty shillings; and a good riding horse, (Icel. rid‐hestr) costs upwards of five pounds Sterling. They are in general from thirteen to fourteen hands high, strongly made, lively, persevering, and carry from sixteen to twenty stones weight, the distance of a Thingmannaleid,5 every day. In breaking such as p. 20 they design for the saddle, the natives make it their grand object to inure them to a short easy amble, at which many of them advance with almost incredible swiftness. As there are no inns on the island, the traveller must also provide himself with a tent, which is the more necessary on account of the deserts he has sometimes to traverse, and even at the farms he will prefer it to the best accommodations that may be offered him. A good experienced Fylgimadr, or guide, is the next requisite, and, if the cavalcade be large, a Lestamadr to take care of the horses and baggage is equally necessary. Travelling chests must also be procured, together with provisions, and small money, with which to reward any trivial services that may be shewn by the peasants. For those who penetrate into the interior, a compass is indispensable, as they are apt to get bewildered in snowy or foggy weather; and if they do not keep in the proper direction, may easily wander into deserts, where both themselves and their horses must perish with hunger.
On , which was the Lord’s day, I attended worship in the Cathedral. The service was begun by the Archdeacon, who had come to town on purpose to place a new minister. After finishing the liturgical service at the altar, he ascended the pulpit and pronounced a short prayer, and then read the gospel for the day, on which he also founded his discourse. As it was the first Icelandic sermon I had ever heard, it was not to be expected I should understand every p. 21 word. Indeed, there were almost whole sentences, in which, to borrow the language of the Apostle, we were barbarians to one another; yet, having gained some knowledge of the Icelandic beforehand, and being acquainted with its kindred dialects, the Swedish and Danish, I could easily collect the scope and substance of his discourse, and, from its general tenor, do not hesitate to pronounce it strictly evangelical. Towards the close, he gave a summary view of the means by which the gospel has been propagated, from the time it began to be spoken by the Lord Jesus and his Apostles, down to the present day; and, by a noble prosopopoeia, reminded Iceland of the rich share she had enjoyed of this blessing, and the responsibility she lay under for the use of her mercies. In particular, he called the attention of the inhabitants of Reykiavik to the privileges which had been bestowed upon them in this respect; but added, that it was a lamentable but notorious fact, that their degeneracy seemed to keep pace with the excellence of the ministers that were sent to labour among them. He then proceeded to place the minister, which he did by simply seating his presentation by the King of Denmark, and exhorting both him and the congregation to the discharge of the duties they mutually owed each other. After sermon, the Rev. Arne Helgason, who had been presented to the living, went to the altar, and three females stepped forward and knelt, in order to receive the sacrament. The celebration of this p. 22 rite commenced by the clergyman’s chanting the Lord’s prayer, and the words of the institution; after which, the choristers sung a sacramental hymn, and the communicants were served at the same time with the elements. Several short prayers were then repeated, to which responses were given by the choristers; and the service concluded with the singing of a psalm, and the enunciation of the levitical benediction.
The worship was well attended, and would have had a most solemn effect, had it not been for the crying of young children, who were allowed to remain, to the great annoyance of the Congregation.
Fiord signifies a bay or frith.
⏎Landnâmabok. Part I. cap. 6, 7, 8.
⏎Hraun, pronounced Hroyn, is the Icelandic for lava, and properly signifies a rough and rugged tract formed by melting or precipitation.
⏎Now Major, and Knight of the Dannebrog.
⏎A Thingmannaleid is the distance the natives were accustomed to travel each day when they rode to the Althing, or General Assembly, and makes at an average twenty‐five British miles.
⏎