that latitude, is so short, that the utmost diligence is necessary to provide for the long and dreary winter. About the middle of summer, the women form themselves into companies, and, repairing to the interior and uninhabited parts of the country, collect there a species of moss, which, after being dried and ground into a fine powder, affords a most nutritious and agreeable article of food: the deficiency of farinaceous productions in that barren clime is thus in a great measure supplied. In winter the industrious Icelanders are employed in a variety of useful and even ingenious operations. Besides fabricating the indispensable utensils that are formed of wood, iron, and such materials, many of them display considerable dexterity as silversmiths, and find a ready market for their workmanship in Copenhagen. The women are at this season employed in spinning, knitting, and embroidery, the latter being an art in which they display considerable taste and elegance.

If we take into account the numerous disadvantages under which Iceland lies, the universal diffusion of knowledge by which it is characterised will appear surprising. It is seldom that children of either sex are found unable to read or write with ease at an early age; and it is not unusual to meet with individuals who can both write and speak Latin. The Icelander, indeed, is said to be distinguished by a vigour and an acuteness of intellect that are almost peculiar to himself. "Such as study at the University of Copenhagen, are generally distinguished above their fellow-students by their quickness of apprehension, their unwearied application, and their insatiable thirst for knowledge." In their moral character they are distinguished by frank simplicity and pious con

tentment.

The climate of Iceland, though necessarily severe, is not so inhospitable, comparatively speaking, as its name would imply. Dr Henderson had shuddered at the idea of spending a winter in Iceland; but, when there, he was agreeably disappointed in finding that

the temperature of the atmosphere was higher in that season than it had been during the preceding winter in Denmark. The extreme length of the winter nights in Iceland, as in all the polar regions, is enlivened by the wonderful brilliancy and grandeur of the Aurora Borealis.

1. Write a short account of an Imaginary Voyage to each of the following places..

MODEL.

Imaginary Voyage to Calcutta.

Struck at an early age with a strong passion for the sea, I endeavoured to induce my parents to apprentice me to the captain of some merchant vessel, in order that I might thereby have an opportunity of gratifying my intense desire of witnessing strange lands. I had also a strong hope-amounting, indeed, to an absolute conviction that the vessel in which I sailed would be wrecked on some beautiful and uninhabited island, and that all the crew, with the exception of myself, being drowned, I would thus have it in my power to enjoy, without fear of disturbance, that delightful solitude with which an assiduous perusal of Robinson Crusoe had vastly enamoured me. So strongly did this fancy haunt me, that I began to lose all relish for my usual sports; and, avoiding my companions on every possible occasion, I would retire to some lonely spot, and there

indulge without restraint in my all-absorbing dream. It was in vain that my unsocial habits began at length to provoke the derision and the jeers of my less romantic school-fellows. I consoled myself with the assurance that I would yet extort due homage from them, when, after having remained on the island for a sufficient length of time, killed a tolerable number of maneaters, rescued another Friday, and hailed the vessel that was destined to bring me back to my native country, I finally returned to make ordinary mortals "stare and gasp" at the narrative of my wonderful adventures. But my parents turned a deaf ear to my most earnest entreaties, neither could my utmost eloquence prevail upon them to sympathise in the remotest degree with my ardent aspirations after a seafaring life. I did not despair, however, of being ultimately able to carry my project into execution; and, in the meantime, as the nearest approximation I could make to the accomplishment of my wishes, I began to pore with great earnestness over the map of the world; and you may be sure that Juan Fernandez and Pitcairn's Island did not remain undiscovered in the course of my explorations. It was in this manner that I performed a voyage to Calcutta, of which, if you have patience enough to read, I will give you some account.

Having (by an effort of the imagination) obtained the consent of my parents to follow my own inclinations with respect to the sea, and engaged as a cabin-boy with Captain Gruff, master and part owner of the Leaky, bound for Calcutta, I took leave of my relations and acquaintances, with mingled sentiments of regret and exultation. After taking in cargo, we set sail from Southampton with a favourable wind on the

day of — Sailing through the Solent, we passed the picturesque group of rocks known by the name of the Needles, and in a few hours more were opposite the Isle of Purbeck, which I viewed with some interest as the scene of the memorable wreck of the Halsewell, East Indiaman, in the year 1786. The weather continued

favourable until we cleared the English Channel; but the Scilly Isles had not disappeared from our view before symptoms of a change were apparent. A gale being anticipated, orders were given to take in sail. While bearing a hand, I began unconsciously to whistle an air; but I was immediately rebuked by my shipmates, who asked me, in high wrath, if I wanted to sink the craft? I was much surprised at this question, not being then aware that sailors had a peculiar horror of whistling under such circumstances, regarding it, no doubt, as a kind of defiance to Neptune. Since then I have frequently observed them, influenced by the same spirit of superstition, whistling with great perseverance during a calm, fully convinced that their sifflications would eventually conjure up a breeze. I cannot say I placed much faith in the philosophy of my companions; but certain it is, that in a few hours we were labouring in the midst of such a storm, that I began to lose all confidence in the possession of a charmed life. Our mizen mast fell with a crash; and, as if to vindicate her name, the Leaky began to fill with water in the hold; while, to add to the delights of our condition, the rope of the tiller broke, so that the vessel began to spin round and round like a top. Our peril was now extreme, as we shipped several heavy seas in rapid succession, the confusion resulting from our various disasters being increased by the darkness of the night and the dreadful howling of the blast. The terrors of our situation began to inspire me with a conviction, that if there was to be any drowning in the case, I would be one of the first to sink. The rudder being put right, the pumps were next manned, and we succeeded in preventing the leak from gaining on us. After a night of incessant labour, in which I bore a full share, we found ourselves in St George's Channel, driving fast before the gale, which was blowing from the west with unabated fury. In fine, after an unsuccessful attempt to ride out the storm, and not until we had repeatedly given ourselves up for lost, we at last gained the Cove of

Cork, where we found a number of vessels that had already sought shelter under the same circumstances as ourselves.

Had there been any possibility of getting honourably quit of my engagement, I verily believe my connection with the Leaky would have terminated here, so different did I find the reality of a sea life from what I had fancied it at school. My shipmates did not by any means possess that frank and chivalrous joviality of character that I had supposed inseparable from seamen. Neither were they so communicative, as I imagined they would have been, upon the scenery, manners, and customs of the different countries they had visited. To tell the truth, I had been thoroughly disappointed, not to say disgusted, with the strange apathy which they manifested upon such topics. The hardships I had endured in the late storm no doubt contributed in some degree to effect a change in my sentiments; but as I had no means of reaching home, even if Captain Gruff had been willing to give me permission to leave the vessel, I had no remedy but to put on a good resolution, and make a virtue of necessity. Working our way out of Cork harbour, after having repaired the damage sustained by the ship, we sailed down St George's Channel with a light breeze, and passing Cape Clear, again found ourselves in the Atlantic. Shaping our course south-west, in a fortnight we were in the latitude of the Azores; but our longitude being 50 degs. west, we could see these islands by the eyes of imagination only. I may mention, nevertheless, that they belong to Portugal, and that it is from St Michael's, the largest of the group, that the fine oranges known by that name are obtained. By the aid of the same telescopic vision, we next sight the Madeiras, also in the possession of the Portuguese, and famous for the salubrity of the climate. As we proceed southwards, the Canaries, belonging to the Spaniards, next present themselves to our transcendent optics; and we fancy we can see the majestic Peak of Teneriffe, 12,000 feet high,