to wish for in the way of topographical delineation, but
artists do not seem to have found it an attractive field for the
exercise of their talent. At least I could obtain no good pictures of
Iceland in Copenhagen. The few indifferent sketches published there,
and in the journals of late English and German tourists, afford no
adequate idea of the country. I have seen nothing of the kind any
where that impressed my mind with the slightest notion of that land of
fire, or the spirit and genius of Icelandic life. It would therefore
be some gain to the cause of knowledge if I could present to five
hundred thousand of my fellow-citizens, who do their traveling through
these illuminated pages, a reasonably fair delineation of the country
and the people, with such simple record of my own experiences as would
render the sketches generally intelligible.

So one fine morning in May I shouldered my knapsack, and bade a
temporary adieu to my friends in Frankfort. By night I was in Hamburg.
The next day was agreeably spent in rambling about the gardens across
the Alster Basin, and at 5 P.M. I left Altona for Kiel, a journey of
three hours by rail across a flat and not very interesting tract of
country within the limits of Schleswig-Holstein. From Kiel a steamer
leaves for Korsor, on the island of Zealand, the terminus of the
Copenhagen Railway. This is the most direct route between Hamburg and
Copenhagen, though the trip may be very pleasantly varied by taking a
steamer to Taars, and passing by diligence through the islands of
Lalland, Falster, and Moen.

CHAPTER XXXVIII.

HANS CHRISTIAN ANDERSEN.

A few days after my arrival in Copenhagen I had the pleasure of making
the acquaintance of Professor Andersen, of the Scandinavian Museum, a
native Icelander, who very kindly showed me the chief objects of
curiosity obtained from the Danish possessions in the North,
consisting mostly of fish and geological specimens. The Minister of
the Judiciary obligingly gave me a letter to the governor and
principal amtmen of Iceland, and many other gentlemen of influence
manifested the most friendly interest in my proposed undertaking. I
was especially indebted to Captain Sodring, late owner of the _Fox_,
of Arctic celebrity, for much valuable information respecting the
Northern seas, as well as for his cordial hospitality and
indefatigable efforts to make my sojourn in Copenhagen both agreeable
and profitable. Indeed, I was delighted wit