第12章

类别:其他 作者:John Barrow字数:7185更新时间:18/12/14 11:13:28
\"WefoundourselvesextremelyawkwardindancingwhattheladieswerepleasedtocallEnglishcountrydances。Themusic,whichcamefromasolitaryill-scrapedfiddle,accompaniedbytherumblingofthesamehalf-rottendrumthathadsummonedthehighcourtofjustice,andbythejinglingofarustytriangle,wastomeutterlyunintelligible。Theextremerapiditywithwhichitwasnecessarytogothroughmanycomplicatedevolutionsinpropertime,completelybewilderedus;andourmistakes,andfrequentcollisionswithourneighbours,affordedmuchamusementtoourfairpartners,whofounditforalongtimeimpracticabletokeepusintherighttrack。 Whenallowedtobreathealittle,wehadanopportunityofremarkingsomesingularitiesinthestateofsocietyandmannersamongtheDanesofReikjavik。Whileunengagedinthedance,themendrinkpunch,andwalkaboutwithtobacco-pipesintheirmouths,spittingplentifullyonthefloor。TheunrestrainedevacuationofsalivaseemstobeafashionalloverIceland;butwhetherthenativeslearneditfromtheDanes,ortheDanesfromthenatives,wedidnotascertain。Severalladieswhosevirtuecouldnotbearaverystrictscrutinywerepointedouttous。 \"Duringthedances,teaandcoffeewerehandedabout;andnegusandpunchwerereadyforthosewhochosetopartakeofthem。Acoldsupperwasprovided,consistingofhams,beef,cheese,&c。,andwine。Whileattable,severaloftheladiessang,andacquittedthemselvestolerablywell。ButIcouldnotenjoytheperformance,onaccountoftheincessanttalking,whichwasasfashionablearudenessinIcelandasitisnowinBritain。This,however,wasnotconsideredasintheleastunpolite。Oneofthesongswasinpraiseofthedonorsoftheentertainment;and,duringthechorus,theceremonyoftouchingeachother\'sglasseswasperformed。Aftersupper,waltzesweredanced,inastylethatremindedmeofsoldiersmarchingincadencetothedeadmarchinSaul。Thoughtherewasnoneedofartificiallight,anumberofcandleswereplacedintherooms。Whenthecompanybrokeup,aboutthreeo\'clock,thesunwashighabovethehorizon。\" {29}Amanofeightyyearsofageisseldomseenontheisland—— Kerguelen。 {30}Kerguelen(writingin1768)says:\"Theyliveduringthesummerprincipallyoncod\'sheads。Acommonfamilymakeamealofthreeorfourcods\'headsboiledinsea-water。\"——ED。 {31}ThisbakehouseistheonlyoneinIceland,andproducesasgoodbreadandbiscuitasanythatcanbeprocuredinDenmark。[InKerguelen\'stime(1768)breadwasveryuncommoninIceland。ItwasbroughtfromCopenhagen,andconsistedofbroadthincakes,orsea- biscuits,madeofrye-flour,andextremelyblack——ED。] {32}Inallhighlatitudesfatoilysubstancesareconsumedtoavastextentbythenatives。Thedesireseemstobeinstinctive,notacquired。Adifferentmodeoflivingwouldundoubtedlyrenderthemmoresusceptibletothecoldoftheseinclementregions。Manyinterestinganecdotesarerelatedofthefondnessofthesehyperboreanracesforakindoffoodfromwhichwewouldturnindisgust。BeforegaswasintroducedintoEdinburgh,andthecitywaslightedbyoil-lamps,severalRussiannoblemenvisitedthatmetropolis;anditissaidthattheirlongingfortheluxuryoftrain-oilbecameoneeveningsointense,that,unabletoprocurethedelicacyinanyotherway,theyemptiedtheoil-lamps。ParryrelatesthatwhenhewaswinteringintheArcticregions,oneoftheseamen,whohadbeensmittenwiththecharmsofanEsquimauxlady,wishedtomakeherapresent,andknowingthetastepeculiartothoseregions,hegaveherwithallduehonoursapoundofcandles,sixtothepound!Thepresentwassoacceptabletothelady,thatsheeagerlydevouredthelotinthepresenceofherwonderingadmirer——ED。 {33}AnAmericantravellinginIcelandin1852thusdescribes,inalettertotheBostonPost,themodeoftravelling:-\"Alltravelisonhorseback。Immensenumbersofhorsesareraisedinthecountry,andtheyareexceedinglycheap。Asfortravellingonfoot,evenshortjourneys,nooneeverthinksofit。Theroadsaresobadforwalking,andgenerallysogoodforridingthatshoe-leather,tosaynothingoffatigue,wouldcostnearlyasmuchashorse-flesh。Theirhorsesaresmall,compact,hardylittleanimals,asizelargerthanShetlandponies,butrarelyexceedingfrom12or13。5handshigh。A strangerintravellingmustalwayshavea\'guide,\'andifhedoesgoequippedforagoodjourneyandintendstomakegoodspeed,hewantsasmanyassixhorses;oneforhimself,onefortheguide,onefortheluggage,andthreerelayhorses。Thenwhenonesetofhorsesaretiredthesaddlesareexchangedtotheothers。Therelayhorsesaretiedtogetherandareeitherledordrivenbeforetheothers。A tentisoftencarried,unlessatravellerchoosestochanceitforhislodgings。SuchanarticleasanhotelisnotkeptinIcelandoutofthecapital。Youmustalsocarryyourprovisionswithyou,asyouwillbeabletogetbutlittleonyourroute。Plentyofmilkcanbehad,andsomefresh-waterfish。Theluggageiscarriedintrunksthatarehungoneachsideofthehorse,onarudeframethatservesasapack-saddle。Underthis,broadpiecesofturfareplacedtopreventgallingthehorse\'sback。\" {34}Thedownoftheeider-duckformsamostimportantandvaluablearticleofIcelandiccommerce。Itissaidthattheweightofdownprocurablefromeachnestisabouthalfapound,whichisreducedone-halfbycleansing。Thedownissoldatabouttwelveshillingsperpound,sothattheproduceofeachnestisaboutthreeshillings。Theeider-duckisnearlyaslargeasthecommongoose; andsomehavebeenfoundontheFernIslands,offthecoastofNorthumberland——ED。 {35}ThesameremarkapplieswithequalforcetomanypeoplewhoarenotIcelanders。ItwasoncethehabitamongaportionofthepopulationofLancashire,onreturningfrommarket,tocarrytheirgoodsinabagattachedtooneendofastringslungovertheirshoulders,whichwasbalancedbyabagcontainingastoneattheother。Sometimeago,itwaspointedouttoaworthymanthusreturningfrommarket,thatitwouldbeeasierforhimtothrowawaythestone,andmakehalfofhisloadbalancetheotherhalf,buttheadvicewasrejectedwithdisdain;theplanhehadadoptedwasthatofhisforefathers,andhewouldonnoaccountdepartfromit——ED。 {36}ThedescriptionoftheWolf\'sHollowoccursinthesecondactofDerFreyschutz,whenRodolphsings: \"Howhorrid,dark,andwild,anddrear,Doththisgapinggulfappear! Itseemsthehueofhelltowear。 Thebellowingthunderburstsyonclouds,Themoonwithbloodhasstainedherlight! Whatformsarethoseinmistyshrouds,Thatstalkbeforemysight? Andnow,hush!hush! Theowlishootinginyonbush; Howyonderoak-tree\'sblastedarmsUponmeseemtofrown! Myheartrecoils,butallalarmsArevain:fatecalls,Imustdown,down。\" {37}Thereadermustbearinmindthat,duringtheseasonofwhichIspeak,thereisnotwilight,muchlessnight,inIceland。 {38}ThespringsofCarlsbadaresaidtohavebeenunknownuntilaboutfivehundredyearsago,whenahunting-dogbelongingtooneoftheemperorsofGermanyfellin,andbyhishowlingattractedthehunterstothespot。Thetemperatureofthechiefspringis165 degrees——ED。 {39}HistorytellsofthisgreatIcelandicpoet,thatowingtohistreacherythefreeislandofIcelandcamebeneaththeNorwegiansceptre。ForthisreasonhecouldneverappearinIcelandwithoutastrongguard,andthereforevisitedtheAllthingundertheprotectionofasmallarmyof600men。BeingatlengthsurprisedbyhisenemiesinhishouseatReikiadal,hefellbeneaththeirblows,afterashortandineffectualresistance。[SnorriSturluson,themostdistinguishednameofwhichIcelandcanboast,wasborn,in1178,atHoam。Inhisearlyyearshewasremarkablyfortunateinhisworldlyaffairs。Thefortunehederivedfromhisfatherwassmall,butbymeansofarichmarriage,andbyinheritance,hesoonbecameproprietoroflargeestatesinIceland。Somewriterssaythathisguardof600men,duringhisvisittotheAllthing,wasintendednotasadefence,asindicatedinMadamePfeiffer\'snote,butforthepurposesofdisplay,andtoimpresstheinhabitantswithforcibleideasofhisinfluenceandpower。HewasinvitedtothecourtoftheNorwegianking,andthereheeitherpromisedorwasbribedtobringIcelandundertheNorwegianpower。Forthishehasbeengreatlyblamed,andstigmatisedasatraitor;thoughitwouldappearfromsomehistoriansthatheonlyundertooktodobypeaceablemeanswhatotherwisetheNorwegiankingswouldhaveeffectedbyforce,andthussavedhiscountryfromaforeigninvasion。Butbethisasitmay,itisquiteclearthathesunkintheestimationofhiscountrymen,andthefeelingagainsthimbecamesostrong,thathewasobligedtoflytoNorway。Hereturned,however,in1239,andintwoyearsafterwardshewasassassinatedbyhisownson-in-law。TheworkbywhichheischieflyknownistheHeimskringla,orChronicleoftheSea-KingsofNorway,oneofthemostvaluablepiecesofnorthernhistory,whichhasbeenadmirablytranslatedintoEnglishbyMr。SamuelLaing。ThiscuriousnameofHeimskringlawasgiventotheworkbecauseitcontainsthewordswithwhichbegins,andmeansliterallythecircleoftheworld—— ED。] {40}AtranslationofthispoemwillbefoundintheAppendix。 [NotincludedinthisGutenbergeText——DP] {41}InIceland,asinDenmark,itisthecustomtokeepthedeadaweekaboveground。Itmaybereadilyimaginedthattoanon- Icelandicsenseofsmell,itisanirksometasktobepresentataburialfrombeginningtoend,andespeciallyinsummer。ButIwillnotdenythatthecontinuedsensationmayhavepartlyproceededfromimagination。 {42}EveryoneinIcelandrides。 {43}Icannotforbearmentioningacuriouscircumstancehere。WhenIwasatthefootofMountEtnain1842,thefieryelementwascalmed;somemonthsaftermydepartureitflamedwithrenewedforce。 When,onmyreturnfromHecla,IcametoReikjavik,IsaidjocularlythatitwouldbemoststrangeifthisEtnaofthenorthshouldalsohaveaneruptionnow。ScarcelyhadIleftIcelandmorethanfiveweekswhenaneruption,moreviolentthantheformerone,reallytookplace。Thiscircumstanceisthemoreremarkable,asithadbeeninreposeforeightyyears,andwasalreadylookeduponasaburnt-outvolcano。IfIweretoreturntoIcelandnow,Ishouldbelookeduponasaprophetessofevil,andmylifewouldscarcelybesafe。 {44}Everypeasantintolerablygoodcircumstancescarriesalittletentwithhimwhenheleaveshomeforafewdays。Thesetentsare,attheutmost,threefeethigh,fiveorsixfeetlong,andthreebroad。 {45}\"Thoughtheirpovertydisablesthemfromimitatingthehospitalityoftheirancestorsinallrespects,yetthedesireofdoingitstillexists:theycheerfullygiveawaythelittletheyhavetospare,andexpresstheutmostjoyandsatisfactionifyouarepleasedwiththegift。\"UnovonTroil,1772——ED。 {46}ThepresenceofAmericanshipsintheportofGottenburgisnottobewonderedat,seeingthatnearlythree-fourthsofalltheironexportedfromGottenburgistoAmerica——ED。 {47}\"St。Stephen\'ssteeple\"is450feethigh,beingabout40feethigherthanSt。Paul\'s,andformspartofSt。Stephen\'sCathedralinVienna,amagnificentGothicbuilding,thatdatesasfarbackasthetwelfthcentury。Ithasagreatbell,thatweighsabouteighteentons,beingmorethandoubletheweightofthebellinSt。Peter\'satRome,andfourtimestheweightofthe\"GreatTomofLincoln。\" ThemetalusedconsistedofcannonstakenfromtheTurksduringtheirmemorablesiegesofVienna。Thecathedralis350feetlongand200wide,beinglessthanSt。Paul\'sinLondon,whichis510 feetlongand282wide——ED。 {48}TheStorthingisthenamegiventotheNorwegianparliament,whichassemblesonceeverythreeyearsatChristiania。Thetimeandplaceofmeetingarefixedbylaw,andthekinghasnopowertopreventorpostponeitsassembly。Itconsistsofaboutahundredmembers,whodividethemselvesintotwohouses。Themembersmustnotbeunderthirtyyearsofage,andmusthavelivedfortenyearsinNorway。Theelectorsarerequiredtobetwenty-fiveyearsofage,andtobeeitherburgessesofatown,ortopossesspropertyoftheannualvalueof30l。Themembersmustpossessthesamequalification。ThemembersoftheStorthingareusuallyplain- spoken,sensiblemen,whohavenodesiretoshineasorators,butwhodespatchwithgreatnativesagacitythebusinessbroughtbeforethem。ThisStorthingisthemostindependentlegislativeassemblyinEurope;fornotonlyhasthekingnopowertopreventitsmeetingattheappointedtime,butshouldherefusetoassenttoanylawsthatarepassed,theselawscomeintoforcewithouthisassent,providedtheyarepassedbythreesuccessiveparliaments——ED。 {49}ThepresentkingofSwedenandNorwayisOscar,oneofthefewfortunatescionsofthoselowlyfamiliesthatwereraisedtoroyalpoweranddignitybyNapoleon。Hisfather,Bernadotte,wasthesonofanadvocate,andenteredtheFrencharmyasacommonsoldier;inthatserviceherosetotherankofmarshal,andthenbecamecrown- prince,andultimatelykingofSweden。Hediedin1844。ThemotherofOscarwasDesireeClary,asisterofJulieClary,wifeofJosephBonaparte,theelderbrotherofNapoleon。ThisladywasaskedinmarriagebyNapoleonhimself,butherfatherrefusedhisassent;andinsteadofbecominganunfortunateempressofFrance,shebecameafortunatequeenofSwedenandNorway。OscarwasbornatParisin1799,andreceivedhiseducationchieflyinHanover。HeaccompaniedhisfathertoSwedenin1810,andascendedthethroneonhisfather\'sdeathin1844。In1824hemarriedJosephineBeauharnois,daughterofPrinceEugene,andgranddaughterofthebrilliantandfascinatingJosephine,thefirstandbestwifeofNapoleon。Oscarismuchbelovedbyhissubjects;hisadministrationismild,just,andequable;andhispersonalabilitiesandacquirementsarefarbeyondtheaverageofcrownedheads——ED。 {50}Bergenisatownofabouttwenty-fivethousandinhabitants,situatedneartheKonsFiord,onthewestcoastofNorway,anddistantabout350milesfromChristiania。Itistheseatofabishopric,andaplaceofveryconsiderabletrade,itsexportsbeingchieflyfish。IthasgivenitsnametoacountyandatownshipinthestateofNewJersey。TherearethreeotherBergens,——oneintheislandofRugen,oneintheNetherlands,andanotherintheelectorateofHesse——ED。 {51}KulleistheSwedishforhill。 {52}DelekarlienisaSwedishprovince,situatedninetyoronehundredmilesnorthofStockholm。 {53}ThefamilyofSturrewasoneofthemostdistinguishedinSweden。StenSturreintroducedprintingintoSweden,foundedtheUniversityofUpsala,andinducedmanylearnedmentocomeover。HewasmortallywoundedinabattleagainsttheDanes,anddiedin1520。 Hissuccessorsasgovernors,Suante,NilsonSturre,andhisson,StenSturretheyounger,stillliveinthememoryoftheSwedishnation,andarehonouredfortheirpatriotismandvalour。 {54}TheUniversityofUpsalaisthemostcelebratedinthenorth。 ItowesitsorigintoStenSturre,theregentofthekingdom,bywhomitwasfoundedin1476,onthesameplanastheUniversityofParis。ThroughtheinfluenceoftheJesuits,whowishedtoestablishanewacademyinStockholm,itwasdissolvedin1583,butre-establishedin1598。GustavusVasa,whowaseducatedatUpsala,gaveitmanyprivileges,andmuchencouragement;andGustavusAdolphusreconstitutedit,andgiveitveryliberalendowments。 Therearetwenty-fourprofessors,andthenumberofstudentsisbetweenfourandfivehundred——ED。 {55}SeenovelofIvar,theSkjutsBoy,byMissEmilieCarlen。 {56}AtCalmarwasconcluded,in1397,thefamoustreatywhichbearsitsname,bywhichDenmark,Sweden,andNorwaywereunitedunderonecrown,thatcrownplacednominallyontheheadofEricDukeofPomerania,butvirtuallyonthatofhisauntMargaret,whohasreceivedthenameof\"theSemiramisoftheNorth。\"——ED。 {57}ThereisnowarailwaydirectfromHamburghtoBerlin——ED。 {58}Aflorinisabouttwoshillingssterling——ED。 {59}HerrT。SchefferofModling,nearVienna,givesthefollowingcharacteristicofthisnewdipteralanimal,whichbelongstothefamilymuscidae,andresemblesthespeciesborborus: Antennaedeflexae,breves,triarticulatae,articuloultimophoereco; sedanuda。 Hypoctomasubprominulum,frontelata,setosa。Oculirotundi,remoti。Abdomenquinqueannulatum,dorsonudo。Tarsisimplices。 Alaeincumbentes,abdominelongiores,nervoprimosimplici。 Niger,abdominenitido,antennispedibusquerufopiceis。