Hospitality Under the Arctic Circle

           Itoughttohavebeennight-time,butunderthe65thparalleltherewasnothingsurprisinginthenocturnalpolarlight.InIcelandduringthemonthsofJuneandJulythesundoesnotset.

           Butthetemperaturewasmuchlower.Iwascoldandmorehungrythancold.Welcomewasthesightoftheboërwhichwashospitablyopenedtoreceiveus.

           Itwasapeasant’shouse,butinpointofhospitalityitwasequaltoaking’s.Onourarrivalthemastercamewithoutstretchedhands,andwithoutmoreceremonyhebeckonedustofollowhim.

           Toaccompanyhimdownthelong,narrow,darkpassage,wouldhavebeenimpossible.Therefore,wefollowed,ashebidus.Thebuildingwasconstructedofroughlysquaredtimbers,withroomsonbothsides,fourinnumber,allopeningoutintotheonepassage:thesewerethekitchen,theweavingshop,thebadstofa,orfamilysleeping-room,andthevisitors’room,whichwasthebestofall.Myuncle,whoseheighthadnotbeenthoughtofinbuildingthehouse,ofcoursehithisheadseveraltimesagainstthebeamsthatprojectedfromtheceilings.

           Wewereintroducedintoourapartment,alargeroomwithafloorofearthstampedharddown,andlightedbyawindow,thepanesofwhichwereformedofsheep’sbladder,notadmittingtoomuchlight.Thesleepingaccommodationconsistedofdrylitter,thrownintotwowoodenframespaintedred,andornamentedwithIcelandicsentences.Iwashardlyexpectingsomuchcomfort;theonlydiscomfortproceededfromthestrongodourofdriedfish,hungmeat,andsourmilk,ofwhichmynosemadebittercomplaints.

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