There are several good photographers in the city and one of them, M. Ólafsson, has made excellent stereoscopic views of the natural wonders of Iceland. He has travelled over most of the country to obtain the negatives and he made his own stereoscopic camera as well as the different cameras in his studio. There are several shops where good photographs may be obtained. The city has an excellent public bath with steam, shower, hot and cold water. There are two hospitals, Chemist’s shops, (drug stores), barbers, in fact every thing required in civilized life.
We know so little of Iceland. Its very name suggests all the cold and inhospitable conditions of the north and the stranger unread in Icelandic conditions has many a surprise in store. The worst thing I know about Iceland is its name. It should have been christened _Fireland_.
[Illustration: _The Latin School at Reykjavik._
_The Thinghús, Parliament Building, Reykjavik._]
The climate of Iceland is exceedingly mild in winter and in the summer it never gets very warm. The annual mean temperature of the extreme north is about 2°C. lower than in the south. The climate changes very little with the latitude but more with the glaciers, the coast and the solfataras. The following table, compiled from the Meteorological Records at _Berufjörðr_, will convey a good idea of the conditions in the country. This table covers _twenty-five_ years for the Max. and Min. temperatures. The station is in Long. 14° 15´ W., Lat. 64° 40´ N. and it is 55 feet above the sea. The temperatures are given in degrees _Centigrade_.
Max. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12th Mo. 10.5 12.3 12.1 14.3 20.4 25.4 26.3 20.7 20.5 16.4 11.7 11.5 C.
Min. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12th Mo. 23.1 -19.3 -21.9 -18.3 -8.5 -4.2 0.8 -2.9 -5.8 -10.3 -17.4 -20.4 C.
Sleet. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12th Mo. 0.1 0.5 0.0 0.1 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.2 0.1 Days.
Snow. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12th Mo. 9. 8. 9. 5. 4. 1. 0.0 0.0 1.0 3.0 6.0 8.0 Days.
Rain. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12th Mo. 17.0 17.0 16.0 14.0 13.0 11.0 11.0 12.0 15.0 16.0 17.0 18.0 Days.
When we recall that _zero_ on the Centigrade thermometer is the _freezing point_ these figures will correct our erroneous ideas of the extreme low temperatures which we have ever associated with _Iceland_. The lowest temperature in twenty-five years at this station was only _nine and one half degrees below zero_ on the Fahrenheit scale. During the summer of 1910 I travelled in the north and crossed the country in the vicinity of the western glaciers and the lowest temperature recorded during six weeks was 32°F. in a mountain pass in the north and the highest was 56°F. the mean for the entire time was 44°F. All these temperatures were taken in the shade at 7 A. M., Noon and 9 P. M.