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Institutes Learn About Iceland Continued from page 33 roads whereby this isomed Part can '98 ex' plored. Rivers and lakes are numerous in Ice- land because of a relatively abundant rulntall- None of the rivers are navigable because _of rapids and swift currents. Some rivers origin- are under the glaciers in the centre of the Island while others originate in mount‘dln springs where the water is as clear as crystal. There are many volcanoes in Iceland. The best known is Hecla which has erupted many times covering the countryside with ashes arid lava, devastating the large grassy farmvlandfi and burying people and livestock under the molten rock. Famine has resulted, as in the years following the ashes from the erupâ€" tion poisoned the herbage and livestock died from grazing upon the ash-covered pastures. In November last year, a volcanic island popâ€" ped right up out of the ocean 20 miles south of Iceland. hurling up millions of tons of rock. smoke. and molten lava, high above the ocean‘s surface. This volcano is still erupting, and it is likely that this island will be permanent. There are no railways in Iceland and the country roads are very narrow; they have no super~highways as we have. Now, people are travelling by plane a great deal to save hours of driving by car. Cars in Iceland are not streamlined as they are here. Small cars and jeeps are very much in demand. We saw hundreds of ponies, and the only use for them now is to round up the sheep in the fall. and for horseback riding. as all farmers have trac- tors. These ponies are really horses, and are of a true strain of the wild horses that used to roam in Europe thousands of years ago. Education is compulsory from the age of 7 to 15 years. Illiteracy is non-existent. Four Grammar schools have the right to grant matriculation and about 800 students attend the University in Reykjavik annually. There are beautiful boarding schools in the country. As schools close on May 15th, and don‘t open until October lst, they are used for hotels for summer visitors to lodge. Every available stu- dent is needed to assist in the fishing indusâ€" try, in the green-houses and parks. There is positively no unemployment. There are beau- tiful displays of craft in some of the country high schools where weaving, sewing, tailoring, smocking, knitting and embroidery are taught. Blankets were woven from wool of the Ice- landic sheep and some of the yarn was dyed to make patterns in the blankets. Coarse linen thread for tablecloths. tea towels, teacloths and dish cloths were woven. The graduating stu. dents at this particular high school were really a bevy of beauties, as they all had the clear l |-. ‘ a . . a T" pink complexion that is noticed visiting Iceland. Icelanders are avid readers informed on world affairs. Err 'â€"‘~'Ef1~0nt '1': well itth he visited bad a library ol‘ CXCCIIL‘l“ it”. w: it is said that more new books . umihhm in Iceland than in any country 7 mm Iceland has produced many I [WK sculptors. artists. and aulhors. There were some things 1 mi until-1:. Iceland. The country for the ‘ pm H treelcss, but here and there smut. .h trees. Sitka Spruce, locusts. NOI‘Wa‘ r_. m Mountain Ash thrive extremcl' s on many mountain slopes small htt» y.- rm and at the present time great inlt . am given to reforestation I missed mi 4-} breakfast. Small square pieces uttered bread are served on which may no m ripe tomato. cucumber. cheese. littlliL‘L; Eggs and sardines, Cakes are scr‘ any meal. even at breakfast. I never I C3b< bage, lettuce. spinach, swiss-char. :elen. These and all greens are grown glint. but at the time of year when l ‘. tints. the prices were so exorbitant that i \‘tlllitl not afford to buy them. They do mine vegetables, but prices are still high . uu only potatoes and carrots gro“: lwI‘ Coffee is served to guests and mat: «emu: sweets and pastries. Sea foods at and served in many different \w‘ considered great delicacies. The en ingenuity of the Icelandic cooks passed and the hOSpitality of the l unbounded. The housewives keep t spotlessly clean and the people drc- ;l.lt‘ - lately. Fish and lamb appear on Edit ‘ and rarely any other kind of mea‘ ‘ L:- landic dessert is skyr made front th It 0t mill-z. There is a little tartness to the - W it is a most tempting dish, looking \ WW“ like whipped cream. In the last two decades the cot hi? Changed from isolation and povertj con- ditions of modern civilization with its Nil” advantages. The population now I‘ ""_‘_‘ and of these about 85,000 live in R hm" Towns and villages have increased = NW" lation. In place of the old stone l ' 11”: cottages are modern dwellings with WW ern conveniences. The waterfalls he h?” harnessed to provide electrical power in, stilt» towns, and country districts. Indu== hi" expanded and manufacturing has reach». I W" siderable proportions. Iceland has Ht” [‘5‘ come a comparatively wealthy countr‘. Cfln' sidering its limited resources and pOPi‘ir‘lw‘