he land of refuge.

At this period of history nearly all nations considered that might made
right; but no class of plunderers excelled the Norsemen, who were wont
to make periodical raids on the various seaport cities and towns of
Europe. They swooped upon them, pillaging and killing the inhabitants,
and then fled in their swift vessels with booty and captives before they
could be intercepted. The audacity of the Norse vikings knew no bounds.
They pillaged Paris, Bordeaux, Orleans, and nearly every other city of
France accessible by water. Their hands fell heavily on the coasts of
Spain and the British Isles.

[Illustration: Street in Reykjavik, Iceland]

At one time a band of these fearless sea-robbers made their lairs in the
Shetland and Orkney Islands and even plundered the coast of Norway, the
abode of their kinsmen. Their conduct so exasperated Harold that he
determined to destroy the freebooters of the Orkneys root and branch.
Gathering a large fleet, he relentlessly pursued the raiders up every
bay and inlet. Leaving the ships, he chased them among the rocky islands
and the sinuous fiords. When they were overtaken the pursuers showed
them no mercy. A few escaped, and, stealing away under the cover of
darkness, the hunted sea-robbers fled in their ships to Iceland.

All the while the tide of immigration was augmented by the migrations of
disaffected nobles from Norway. This naked volcanic island had more
attraction for them than their own country where freedom was denied
them.

Sixty years after the first settlement fifty thousand people had made
their homes in Iceland. The inhabited parts were along the coast, in the
river valleys, and in the vicinity of the fiords, rarely extending
farther than fifty miles inland.

In order to better maintain rights and settle disputes, in 930 the
chiefs or nobles established an aristocratic republic and adopted a
constitution. The republic existed four hundred years. Many just laws
were enacted, some of which England was glad to borrow. The legislative
meetings were held in Thingvalla, a picturesque valley thirty-five miles
east of Reykjavik. This valley was formed by the sinking of a lava area
of fifty square miles. In the middle of the valley, flanked by two huge
jagged walls of lava, is a triangular floor of lava like a large
flatiron having separating chasms meeting at the apex. Here the Althing,
or general assembly, met annually to make laws and settle disputes.
Tow