land. A violent earthquake rent the rocks of the ocean
bed, and through the broken floor there issued tremendous floods of
molten lava. The great conflict manifested itself in explosions of
steam, gigantic streams of red-hot lava, frothy pumice, and volcanic
ashes. For miles around the water of the sea was seething and boiling.

After awhile the turbulence of the fiery mass was subdued and it stood
congealed in the varied forms of rugged peaks, contorted ridges, and
deep valleys, subsequently to be seamed and further distorted by
earthquakes and piled higher by further volcanic outbursts. A new island
had been born.

Ages rolled on; vegetation appeared as the volcanic rock disintegrated;
crystal lakes were formed and rivers, fed by frequent rains and melting
snows, flowed to the sea. This comparatively new island is Iceland. The
book of nature here is open; the print is clear; and the language is so
plain that he who can read may learn the story.

The internal fires of the earth seem to have taken their final great
stand in this far-off northern land and have waged a titanic battle to
the death, as may be seen in many places. In the northern part of the
island one may find acres of burning sulphur beds, small geysers, and
mud caldrons, all of which attest to the slowly dying volcanic forces
beneath. Although a comparative calm now exists, an exciting cause may
at any time awaken the slumbering volcanoes and again renew the work of
destruction.

Fossilized forests are found, but of trees different from those now
existing. Climate and vegetation materially changed as century succeeded
century.

The written history of Iceland begins about the year 860, when a viking
living on the Faroe Islands who was on his way home from Norway, being
driven far northward of his course, came to an unknown coast. Climbing a
high rock and looking around, he beheld no signs of life; before he
could return to his ship, however, a sudden storm came on, covering the
ground with a mantle of snow. From the latter circumstance he named the
country Snowland.

Four years after a Swedish master-mariner was driven by stress of storm
to this same land, and, building a house, spent the winter there. During
the following summer he sailed around the land, demonstrating that it
was an island, and called it after his own name, Gardar's Island. On his
return home he gave such a favorable account of the island that a famous
Norwegian viking named Floki