[Illustration: 52. CATHEDRAL AT REYKJAVIK.] 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. The Norse vikings were, as is well known, the boldest of navigators. They possessed neither the sextant nor the compass; they had neither charts nor chronometers to guide them; but trusting solely to fortune, and to their own indomitable courage, they fearlessly launched forth into the vast ocean. Many of these intrepid corsairs were no doubt lost on their adventurous expeditions, but frequently a favorable chance rewarded their temerity, either with some rich booty or some more glorious discovery. Thus in the year 861, Naddodr, a Norwegian pirate, while sailing from his native coast to the Faeroe Islands, was drifted by contrary winds far to the north. For several days no land was visible--nothing but an interminable waste of waters; when suddenly the snow-clad mountains of Iceland were seen to rise above the mists of the ocean. Soon after Naddodr landed with part of his crew, but discovered no traces of man in the desert country. The viking tarried but a short time on this unpromising coast, on which he bestowed the appropriate name of Snowland.