Our author had a few books which he dipped into occasionally. Then he also amused himself by sitting on the bowsprit watching the whales that came playing about the ship, and blowing water from their snout like a jet from a fountain (having in all his travels never seen a whale before, of course their gambols could not fail to interest him deeply); gulls too, and other sea birds were constantly appearing and flying near the ship in immense numbers, and one day one of these "lubberly children of the ocean" actually tumbled down on the deck never to rise again, to the intense gratification of Mr. Miles and his companions. On one occasion, they saw a real bond fide shark, "deep under the clear water, the very sight of which, he tells us, made him so excessively savage (he does not inform us what effect this sight had on his fellow voyagers) that he positively wished to cut out its very heart's blood; whilst on the 4th of July he celebrated the anniversary of the declaration of the Independence of the United States by banging' away with the two small cannons that were on board the ship, and waking the echoes of liberty from all the Norwegian mountains, by drinking rum, and making an oration in which he gave a full account of the cause, the means, and the manner of brother Jonathan "licking the Britishers."

But gulls, unfortunately for Mr. Miles, were not the only things that came tumbling down from aloft. One calm day, he takes out his writing materials with the intention of writing a letter, or a chapter of his travels. He was fairly engaged in his task, when suddenly a shower seemed to dash over him; he looked up, and lo! a sailor, "high on the giddy mast," while painting the yard had upset his paintpot, and down the white shower came on his hat, coat, paper, and every thing around. Our traveller however bore his misfortune very stoically. As to the letter, he sent that to its destination with all its imperfections on its head. He quietly scraped the paint off his hat, after which, with the assistance of the mate, he set to work to clean his coat also. This seems to have been a somewhat laborious operation. After scrubbing it an hour or two, they fastened a rope to it, and, throwing it overboard, let it drag in the sea for a few hours, and by this process it all but recovered its pristine colour and glossiness. An original (if we mistake not), and certainly very useful recipe this for such of our readers of either sex as may at any time meet with the mésaventure that befel our voyager. Nevertheless, in spite of all Mr. Miles' resources, literary, ornithological, piscatorial, and miscellaneous, he passed many dull hours on shipboard.

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With regard to books, he brought very few with him, and he had often occasion to regret that he had not brought more. small Bible (we are very glad to see that Mr. Miles took a Bible with him, but we should have been still more glad if he had also taken a Prayer Book), Mackenzie's Travels in Iceland, together

with a few Leipsic reprints of English works, including Shakspeare, Byron, Scott, Dickens, and Bulwer,-this was the sum total of his library. On the fifteenth day out, the coast of Iceland was perceptible. Like most other travellers in these northern regions, he notices the all but total absence of night during the summer months. The twilight continues for several hours while the sun is below the horizon, and at midnight our author read a chapter in the Bible, in fine print, with the greatest ease. He also alludes

to the splendid panorama of mountain scenery which Iceland presents, and which is unlike any thing that he has ever seen on the face of the globe. At length, on the nineteenth day of the voyage, the Sölöven dropped anchor in the harbour of Reykjavik, and her guns announced to the Icelanders the arrival of the "post ship" with letters and friends from Denmark.

Before entering into a detailed account of what he saw in Iceland, Mr. Miles very properly devotes two or three preliminary chapters to some general remarks on the discovery and settlement of the country, on its geographical features, and on its productions, as well as on the character and habits of its people. We shall follow his example, and collect and transcribe into these pages what we have found on this head, not only in these chapters, but in other portions of his volume. In doing so, we shall use frequently Mr. Miles' ipsissima verba.

Iceland was first discovered by Naddod, a Norwegian pirate, in the year 860. The first permanent settlement was made there in 874 by Ingolf, a Norwegian chieftain. Greenland was discovered in 980; and two years afterwards, Eric, surnamed the Red, sailed thither, and founded a settlement there which lasted for more than four hundred years. But, according to Mr. Miles, this was not the only discovery made about this period. Most people fondly imagine that America was discovered for the first time at the end of the fifteenth century; and the honour of this discovery has been variously attributed to Americo Vespucio, Sebastian Cabot, and Columbus; but our author denies in toto, and with the most indignant energy, their claim to anything of the sort. He reminds us that the first discovery of this Continent dates as far back as 986, and that it was made by Biarni Heriulfson, a native of Norway, though he sailed from Iceland. He returned north, landed in Iceland, and gave an account of his discovery. Subsequent voyages were made to the American coast by Leif and his two brothers, sons of Eric the Red, who, after the style of names in Iceland, were called Ericsson, and a direct descendant of whom is Captain Ericsson the celebrated navigator, and the inventor of the Caloric ship, by birth a Swede, but now a naturalized American citizen. Leif Ericsson, having purchased the ship of Biarni Heriulfson, sailed from Greenland in the year 1000. The first land he made, according to our author, he called Helluland, or “land of

broad flat stones." This was doubtless the coast of Newfoundland. The next coast he saw was covered with forest, and consequently he named it Markland, or "Woodland." This was probably Nova Scotia. The next land he discovered, still farther south, produced vines and grapes, and this he named "VINLAND," a name the Icelanders ever afterwards used in speaking of the American Continent. There exists the best of proof in their account of the climate and productions, in the length of the days, as well as in their maps and drawings, that their settlement was on some part of our New England coast, probably Massachusetts or Rhode Island. In subsequent voyages, these adventurous navigators sailed further south; and it is supposed from the account they gave, that they proceeded as far as Virginia and the Carolinas. Voyages continued to be made to America, both from Greenland and Iceland, to as late a period as the middle of the fourteenth century. The old Greenland settlements lasted for a long course of years. The latest accounts of them come down to the year 1484. It is not known when, or from what causes, they perished; but that they once existed seems plain, for remains of churches and other buildings are found to this day. Mr. Miles adverts to another significant fact connected with the discovery of America-the voyage of Columbus to Iceland in 1477, an account of which is given by the Icelandic historians and published in the Antiquitates Americana, and which is recorded by Columbus himself in his work on "the five habitable zones of the earth," as noticed by Humboldt in his Cosmos, who also speaks of the early voyages of the Greenlanders and Icelanders to America. In short, that America was discovered long before the period commonly imagined, and that it was well known to the early navigators of the north, our author considers one of the most clearly authenticated facts in history. All this information he derived from the "Sagas" or historical writings of the Icelanders, records, he tells us, containing as trustworthy and indisputable accounts of the early voyages and discoveries of the Icelanders as any that we have of the voyages of Columbus, the warlike achievements of William the Conqueror, or the campaigns of Napoleon Bonaparte. One of the oldest of the " Sagas," from which these facts have been gathered is, the "Saga" of Eric the Red. The statements in this and other historical documents are corroborated in old Icelandic geographies, and also by European writers, particularly by Adam of Bremen, a theological writer, and nephew of Canute. He says that while he was in the north, propagating Christianity, Swein Ethrithson gave him an account of these discoveries. This was about 1070.

But to return to the history of Iceland. For fifty-four yearsfrom the first settlement of Iceland in 874 to the year 928-it was a Norwegian Colony governed by Chiefs. As the population increased, and the infant settlement acquired strength and importance, difficulties arose between the rulers and the ruled; and finally the

people threw off their allegiance, and set up a republican government which continued for 333 years. The close of this era was in the year 1261. Mr. Miles informs us, with a chuckle of republican satisfaction, that all the native historians agree in calling this the golden age of Iceland. During this period Greenland was discovered and settled. America also was discovered, and an enterprising, daring, and successful series of voyages was carried on; Christianity was established, and Bishops were appointed both in Iceland and Greenland; poetry and history were cultivated, and great intellectual activity was exhibited. Iceland skalds or minstrels visited nearly every court of Europe, and composed and sung their lyrical productions. In this republic the chief officer, elected by universal suffrage, was called "LAUGMAN." The national

assembly was known as the "ALTHING," and had both legislative and judiciary powers. It assembled at a place called Thingvalla. Mr. Miles visited the spot where this primitive congress had met for nearly a thousand years. It is a raised circle of earth, shaped like an amphitheatre, and now overgrown with grass. The Althing continued to meet here till 1800, when it removed to Reykjavik, the chief town of Iceland, and has ever since met in a building.

Foes within, not enemies without, overthrew the Icelandic republic. A corrupt body of rulers sold it to Norway in 1261; and 119 years afterwards it was, with that power, transferred to Denmark, under whose government it has ever since remained. Until about the year 1490, their maritime trade was open to all nations. After that, for 300 years, the commerce of the country was either held by the Danish crown, or farmed out to merchants and traders, and often to foreign companies. Most of these companies oppressed and starved the poor Icelanders into compliance with the most rigorous and exacting measures. Trade being taken entirely out of the hands of the Icelanders, they naturally grew dispirited; their ambition was crushed and their spirit of commerce and enterprise all but completely extinguished. Since 1788 things have been on a somewhat better footing, the trade, foreign and domestic, having been open to both Danes and Icelanders, but to no others. No foreign vessels have been allowed to visit Iceland for purposes of traffic, unless they carried coals or timber, or went with cash to buy the products of the country; but as there have been no merchants but Danes in all the commercial towns, foreign traders would never have found purchasers for their cargoes of timber or coals, had they gone there.

It is obvious that such a shameful and oppressive monopoly as this cannot but have operated most injuriously in a variety of ways; while it has conferred no benefit upon any one except upon a few grasping speculators. Whenever the Iceland Althing has passed an Act opening the ports of the country to all nations, the King of Denmark-why or wherefore, is rather difficult to say--- has hitherto

invariably vetoed the bill. Mr. Miles remarks, that during the last great European war 1810-12, Denmark nearly lost Iceland in two ways. In the first place, the enemy nearly obtained possession of it; and, in the second place,-the mother country being totally unable to protect the Island, or send the inhabitants supplies of the necessaries of life-the people were almost starved to death, and were only saved from the greatest destitution by the clemency and liberality of Great Britain, which treated the Icelanders as friends, though it was at war with Denmark. At length, however, the king-foreseeing probably another general European war in which he too may perhaps be involved, and profiting by past experience— has consented to repeal this grinding and oppressive, as well as impolitic, monopoly, and to throw open the ports of Iceland to the trade of the world. The law is to take effect for the first time in the month of April in this very year; and it cannot fail in being productive of the greatest good to both countries and to other nations. Indeed, the only wonder is, that this hated monopoly should not have been repealed long ago, especially as not a particle of benefit is derived from it by Denmark. As it is, the benefits which this repeal will confer on a quiet, peaceful, and isolated colony will be incalculable, whilst, at the same time, as our author observes, it will probably knit more closely the ties of affection and union between the colonists and the mother country.

We have already noticed that the legislative powers of Iceland are vested in the Althing. This body is composed of twenty-six members, one from each county or syssel-twenty in number, elected by ballot-and six appointed by the king; and they must all be either Danes or Icelanders. Every act passed by the Althing must be approved and signed by the King of Denmark, or else it does not become law. This assembly is presided over by the "Stifftamptman" or governor, who is appointed by the king, and holds office during the pleasure of his Danish Majesty, and with a salary of 3000 rixdollars a year. There are three amptmen or deputy governors, residing in the northern, southern, and eastern districts of the Island. The public funds are kept in an iron chest in the governor's house, under the protection of a double lock and two keys, one of which is kept by the governor and the other by the treasurer of the Island. Both of these are necessary to open the chest. The principal officer in each county is the sysselman. He is elected by the people, and is both sheriff and magistrate, and all suits at law in his syssel are tried before him, an appeal being allowed to the Supreme Court at Reykjavik, which is presided over by a Chief Justice appointed by the crown, and holding office permanently.

Mr. Miles tells us that the geographical features of Iceland and the manners and customs of the people are not less interesting than their history. We are quite of his opinion. The length of