sheriff, and things, quarter-courts, trial by jury, and all the
rest, were swept away to make room for these "improvements",
which have lasted with few changes into this century. In 1380
the island passed under the rule of Denmark, and so continues.
(9) During the fifteenth century the English trade was the only
link between Iceland and the outer world; the Danish government
weakened that link as much as it could, and sought to shut in and
monopolise everything Icelandic; under the deadening effect of
such rule it is no marvel that everything found a lower level,
and many things went out of existence for lack of use. In the
sixteenth century there is little to record but the Reformation,
which did little good, if any, and the ravages of English,
Gascon, and Algerine pirates who made havoc on the coast; (10)
they appear toward the close of the century and disappear early
in the seventeenth. In the eighteenth century small-pox, sheep
disease, famine, and the terrible eruptions of 1765 and 1783,
follow one another swiftly and with terrible effect. At the
beginning of the present century Iceland, however, began to shake
off the stupor her ill-hap had brought upon her, and as European
attention had been drawn to her, she was listened to.
Newspapers, periodicals, and a Useful Knowledge Society were
started; then came free trade, and the "home-rule" struggle,
which met with partial success in 1874, and is still being
carried on. A colony, Gimli, in far-off Canada, has been formed
of Icelandic emigrants, and large numbers have left their mother-
land; but there are many co-operative societies organised now,
which it is hoped will be able to so revive the old resources of
the island as to make provision for the old population and ways
of life. There is now again a representative central council,
but very many of the old rights and powers have not been yet