The climate at Reikiavik would be considered severe by an Englishman.  The thermometer sometimes sinks as low as 13 degrees below zero, and the sea is covered with ice for several feet from the shore.  The storms and snow-drifts are of the most terrible character, and at times even the boldest Icelander dares not cross his threshold.  Daylight does not last more than four or five hours; but the long night is illuminated by the splendid coruscations of the aurora, filling the firmament with many-coloured flame.  From the middle until the end of June, however, there is no night.  The sun sinks for a short time below the hills, but twilight blends with the dawn, and before the last rays of evening have faded from the sky the morning light streams forth with renewed brilliancy.

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Then, as to the people, Madame Pfeiffer speaks of them as of medium height and strength.  Their hair is light, and frequently has a reddish tint; their eyes are blue.  The women are more prepossessing in appearance than the men; and pleasing faces are not uncommon among the young girls.  They wear long skirts of coarse black woollen stuff, with spencers, and coloured aprons.  They cover their heads with a man’s cap of the same material as their petticoats, ending in a drooping point, to which hangs a woollen or silken tassel, falling as low as the shoulders.  This simple head-dress is not inelegant.  All the women have an abundance of hair hanging picturesquely about their face and neck; they wear it loose and short, and it is sometimes curled.

The men appear to dress very much like the German peasants.  They wear pantaloons, jackets, and vests of dark cloth, with a felt hat or fur cap, and the feet wrapped in pieces of skin, either seal, sheep, or calf.

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Here, as a corrective, and for the sake of comparison, let us refer to Captain Burton’s description.  The men dress, he says, like sailors, in breeches, jackets serving as coats, and vests of good broadcloth, with four to six rows of buttons, always metal, either copper or silver.  The fishermen wear overcoats, coarse smooth waistcoats, large paletots, made waterproof by grease or fish-liver oil; leather overalls, stockings, and native shoes.  The women attire themselves in jackets and gowns, petticoats and aprons of woollen frieze; over which is thrown a “hempa,” or wide black robe, like a Jesuit frock, trimmed with velvet binding.  The wealthy add silver ornaments down the length of the dress, and braid the other articles with silk ribbons, galloon, or velvets of various colours.  The ruff forms a stiff collar, from three to four inches broad, of very fine stuff, embroidered with gold or silver.  The conical head-dress, resembling a fool’s-cap or sugar-loaf, measures two or three feet high, and is kept in its place by a coarse cloth, and covered with a finer kerchief.  The soleless shoes of ox-hide or sheepskin, made by the women out of a single piece, are strapped to the instep.