36 the line that marked the distinction between killing a man fairly and murder. Sometimes a man was buried in a tumulus, his horse and personal belongings interred with him, and his feet shod with hclskoe, or shoes, to travel swiftly through the abode of death to Valhal. As party feeling ran high it was not an uncommon thing for most of those present to embrace the cause of one or the other of the duellists, which led to sanguinary battles Although the chiefs appeared ostensibly for peace, at the head of their tribe, yet many of them never returned, having found beneath the sword-stroke that peace which no man seeketh, but which all men find. We read that the wives usually took their husbands’ shrouds with them that they might ever be pre- pared for eventualities. The Althing met once a year. So important was it considered that the people were in the habit of computing time by the periods during which it was held by the different judges, 37 of whom flourished between the years 927 and 1263. They looked forward to these meetings, and attended from all parts of the country, for here friend met friend, business was transacted, com- modites exchanged, young men found wives, and maidens lovers. It was the centre of national life, the spot where the heart of Iceland beat ; and though no ancient buildings remain we felt the natural features were, after all, a far more un- changing memorial of the time when that life was strong. Ascending the highest hummock, once the president’s seat, we looked back for a moment upon the faded footprints of those who had so long preceded us, and tried to fancy the scene as it appeared on the 21th June, 1000. There are assembled old men, who have long since laid aside their weapons for the fishing net and sheep crook ; young men who are wont to scour the seas in ships of war ; youths, who have not yet seen the world, hanging on the words of their elders. Down the meadows on either side wander men and women together, for the ladies have come to hear the debate and watch the games. The girls are brought there by their parents, perhaps to meet the youths, for marriages are commonly made up here Now the moment of meeting has arrived, and the people crowd round and line the rocks on

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