Evening Republican, Volume 14, Number 170, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 19 July 1910 — Ancient Iceland. [ARTICLE]

Ancient Iceland.

Iceland was founded A. D. 874 by men from Norway. In the words of John Fiske, “it was such a wholesale colonization of picked men as had not been seen since ancient Greek times and was not to se seen again until Winthrop sailed into Massachusetts bay. It was not long before the population of Iceland was 50,000. Their sheep and cattle flourished; hay crops were heavy, a lively-trade—with fish, oil, butter and skins in exchange for meal and malt —was kept up with Norway, Denntarir and the British isles. Political freedom was unimpaired, justice was fairlj' well administered, naval superiority kept all foes at a distance, and under such conditions the growth of the new community in wealth and culture was surprisingly, rapid.”