The journeys of the priest, however, are not considered quite so necessary as those of the doctor; for if the weather is very bad on Sundays, particularly during the winter, he can omit visiting the most distant places.

This is done the more readily, as but few of the peasants would be at church; all who lived at a distance remaining at home.
The Sysselmann (an officer similar to that of the sheriff of a county) is the best off.

He has a good salary with little to do, and in some places enjoys in addition the "strand-right," which is at times no inconsiderable privilege, from the quantity of drift timber washed ashore from the American continent.
Fishing and the chase are open to all, with the exception of the salmon-fisheries in the rivers; these are farmed by the government.
Eider-ducks may not be shot, under penalty of a fine.

There is no military service, for throughout the whole island no soldiers are required.

Even Reikjavik itself boasts only two police-officers.
Commerce is also free; but the islanders possess so little commercial spirit, that even if they had the necessary capital, they would never embark in speculation.
The whole commerce of Iceland thus lies in the hands of Danish merchants, who send their ships to the island every year, and have established factories in the different ports where the retail trade is carried on.
These ships bring every thing to Iceland, corn, wood, wines, manufactured goods, and colonial produce, &c.