Populousness of the Arctic Seas.--The Greenland Whale.--The Fin Whales.--The Narwhal.--The Beluga, or White Dolphin.-- The Black Dolphin.--His wholesale Massacre on the Faeroe Islands.--The Orc, or Grampus.--The Seals.--The Walrus.-- Its acute Smell.--History of a young Walrus.--Parental Affection.--The Polar Bear.--His Sagacity.--Hibernation of the She-bear.--Sea-birds. 59 CHAPTER V. ICELAND. Volcanic Origin of the Island.--The Klofa Jökul.-- Lava-streams.--The Burning Mountains of Krisuvik.--The Mud-caldrons of Reykjahlid.--The Tungo-hver at Reykholt.-- The Great Geysir.--The Strokkr.--Crystal Pools.--The Almanuagja.--The Surts-hellir.--Beautiful Ice-cave.--The Gotha Foss.--The Detti Foss.--Climate.--Vegetation.-- Cattle.--Barbarous Mode of Sheep-sheering.--Reindeer.-- Polar Bears.--Birds.--The Eider-duck.--Videy.--Vigr.-- The Wild Swan.--The Raven.--The Jerfalcon.--The Giant auk, or Geirfugl.--Fish.--Fishing Season.--The White Shark.-- Mineral Kingdom.--Sulphur.--Peat.--Drift-wood. 68 CHAPTER VI. HISTORY OF ICELAND. Discovery of the Island by Naddodr in 861.--Gardar.--Floki of the Ravens.--Ingolfr and Leif.--Ulfliot the Lawgiver.--The Althing.--Thingvalla.--Introduction of Christianity into the Island.--Frederick the Saxon and Thorwold the Traveller.-- Thangbrand.--Golden Age of Icelandic Literature.--Snorri Sturleson.--The Island submits to Hakon, King of Norway, in 1254.--Long Series of Calamities.--Great Eruption of the Skapta Jökul in 1783.--Commercial Monopoly.--Better Times in Prospect. 89 CHAPTER VII. THE ICELANDERS. Skalholt.--Reykjavik.--The Fair.--The Peasant and the Merchant.--A Clergyman in his Cups.--Hay-making.--The Icelander’s Hut.--Churches.--Poverty of the Clergy.--Jon Thorlaksen.--The Seminary of Reykjavik.--Beneficial Influence of the Clergy.--Home Education.--The Icelander’s Winter’s Evening.--Taste for Literature.--The Language.--The Public Library at Reykjavik.--The Icelandic Literary Society.-- Icelandic Newspapers.--Longevity.--Leprosy.--Travelling in Iceland.--Fording the Rivers.--Crossing of the Skeidara by Mr. Holland.--A Night’s Bivouac. 98 CHAPTER VIII. THE WESTMAN ISLANDS. The Westmans.--Their extreme Difficulty of Access.--How they became peopled.--Heimaey.--Kaufstathir and Ofanleyte.-- Sheep-hoisting.--Egg-gathering.--Dreadful Mortality among the Children.--The Ginklofi.--Gentleman John.--The Algerine Pirates.--Dreadful Sufferings of the Islanders. 114 CHAPTER IX. FROM DRONTHEIM TO THE NORTH CAPE.