ommencement of the meal. Laughter and jokes predominated to such an
extent, that I could have fancied myself among impulsive Italians instead
of cold Northmen.

There was no lack of wit; but to-day I was unfortunately its butt. And
what was my fault?--only my stupid modesty. The conversation was carried
on in the Danish language; some members of our party spoke French and
others German, but I purposely abstained from availing myself of their
acquirements, in order not to disturb the hilarity of the conversation.
I sat silently among them, and was perfectly contented in listening to
their merriment. But my behaviour was set down as proceeding from
stupidity, and I soon gathered from their discourse that they were
comparing me to the "stone guest" in Mozart's _Don Giovanni_. If these
kind people had only surmised the true reason of my keeping silence, they
would perhaps have thanked me for doing so.

As we sat at our meal, I heard a voice in the farmhouse singing an
Icelandic song. At a distance it resembled the humming of bees; on a
nearer approach it sounded monotonous, drawling, and melancholy.

While we were preparing for our departure, the farmer, his wife, and the
servants approached, and shook each of us by the hand. This is the usual
mode of saluting such _high_ people as we numbered among our party. The
true national salutation is a hearty kiss.

On my arrival at home the effect of the strong coffee soon began to
manifest itself. I could not sleep at all, and had thus ample leisure to
make accurate observations as to the length of the day and of the
twilight. Until eleven o'clock at night I could read ordinary print in
my room. From eleven till one o'clock it was dusk, but never so dark as
to prevent my reading in the open air. In my room, too, I could
distinguish the smallest objects, and even tell the time by my watch. At
one o'clock I could again read in my room.

EXCURSION TO VIDOE.

The little island of Vidoe, four miles distant from Reikjavik, is
described by most travellers as the chief resort of the eider-duck. I
visited the island on the 8th of June, but was disappointed in my
expectations. I certainly saw many of these birds on the declivities and
in the chasms of the rocks, sitting quietly on their nests, but nothing
approaching the thousands I had been led to expect. On the whole, I may
perhaps have seen from one hundred to a hundred and fifty nests.

The most remarkable c