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Not85� long� before� the� time� when� the� English� came� over� to� Ireland,� a� fish� was� found� at� Carlenford
(Carlingford),� in� Ulster,� of� an� immense� size� and� an� uncommon� species.� Among� its� other� prodigies,� it� is
reported�that�it�had�three�golden�teeth�of�fifty�pounds�weight.�I�should�suppose�that�these�teeth�had�rather
the�outward�appearance�of�gold�than�that�they�were�really�such;�and�that�the�colour�they�assumed�was�a
presage� of� the� golden� times� of� the� future� conquest� immediately� impending.� Moreover,� within� our� time� a
stag�was�found�and�taken�in�Great�Britain,�in�the�forest�of�Durham,�all�the�teeth�of�which�were�of�a�golden
hue.
Chapter�XI:�On�the�northern�islands,�most�of�which�are�in�subjection�to�the�Norwegians.
In�the�Northern�ocean,�beyond�Ulster�and�Galway,�there�are�various�islands,�for�instance,�the�Orcades
and� Inchades,� and� many� others,� of� nearly� all� of� which� the� Norwegians� have� obtained� the� dominion� and
lordship.86� For,� although� these� islands� lie� far� nearer� to� other� countries,� the� Norwegian� people,� exploring
84
The�round�towers�of�Ireland�have�given�rise�to�a�multitude�of�opinions,�and�to�many�very�wild�speculations;
but� the� most� recent� and� careful� researches� seem� to� confirm� the� account� of� Giraldus,� and� to� show� that� they� were
erected� for� ecclesiastical� purposes,� and� at� a� comparatively� late� period.� The� reader� is� referred� to� Mr.� Petrie�s� able
work�on�this�subject.
85
Another�MS.�reads,�Non Biennio elapso,�not�two�years�ago.�Lynch,�in�his�Cambrensis Eversus,�chap.�vi.,�has
given� us� an� older� legend,� which� was� perhaps� the� origin� of� this� story� of� Giraldus.� �Not� two,� but� more� than� four
hundred� years� before� the� English� invasion,� and� while� Fiacha� Dubhadrochtech,� the� son� of� Aid� Ronius,� was� king� of
Ulster,�an�enormous�whale�was�drifted�along�by�the�tide,�and�cast�up�on�the�shore�in�Ulster.�It�had�three�teeth�of�gold,
one�of�which�was�given�by�Fiacha�as�wages�to�some�men�whom�he�had�employed�in�erecting�a�bridge�over�the�rivers
Fersus�and�Monidamh;�the�other�two�were�presented�to�the�church�to�make�a�reliquary�case,�on�which�the�inhabitants
of�that�country�were�accustomed�to�purge�or�bind�themselves�by�oath.��These�teeth�are�stated�in�the�Irish�chronicles
to�have�weighed�fifty�ounces.
86
The� Orkney� and� Shetland� islands� were� colonized� by� the� Norwegian� vikings� in� the� ninth� century,� and
completely� subjugated� by� Harold� Harfaager� in� 895.� By� degrees� the� Norwegians� also� subdued� and� colonized� the
Topography of Ireland 41
the�ocean,�are�addicted�to�piratical�enterprises�far�more�than�any�other�nation.�Hence�all�their�expeditions
and�wars�are�conducted�by�naval�armaments.�It�should�be�observed�that�both�Orosius�and�Isidore�reckon
that�there�are�thirty-three�islands�in�the�Orcades,�of�which�twenty�were�uninhabited�and�thirteen�inhabited;
but�at�the�present�time�the�greater�part�are�inhabited.
Chapter�XII.:�Of�an�island�which�at�first�floated,�and�afterwards�was�firmly�fixed�by�means�of�fire.
Among�the�other�islands�is�one�newly�formed,�which�they�call�the�phantom�isle,�which�had�its�origin
in�this�manner.�One�calm�day,�a�large�mass�of�earth�rose�to�the�surface�of�the�sea,�where�no�land�had�ever
been�seen�before,�to�the�great�amazement�of�the�islanders�who�observed�it.�Some�of�them�said�that�it�was�a
whale,�or�other�immense�sea�monster;�others,�remarking�that�it�continued�motionless,�said,��No;�it�is�land.�
In�order,�therefore,�to�reduce�their�doubts�to�certainty,�some�picked�young�men�of�the�island�determined�to
approach�nearer�the�spot�in�a�boat.�When,�however,�they�came�so�near�to�it�that�they�thought�they�should
go�on�shore,�the�island�sank�in�the�water�and�entirely�vanished�from�sight.�The�next�day�it�re-appeared,�and
again�mocked�the�same�youths�with�the�like�delusion.�At�length,�upon�their�rowing�towards�it�on�the�third
day,�they�followed�the�advice�of�an�older�man,�and�let�fly�an�arrow,�barbed�with�red-hot�steel,�against�the
island;�and�then�landing,�found�it�stationary�and�habitable.�This�adds�one�to�the�many�proofs�that�fire�is�the
greatest� of� enemies� to� every� sort� of� phantom;� insomuch� that� those� who� have� seen� apparitions� fall� into� a
swoon�as�soon�as�they�are�sensible�of�the�brightness�of�fire.�For�fire,�both�from�its�position�and�nature,�is
the� noblest� of� elements,� being� a� witness� of� the� secrets� of� the� heavens.� The� sky� is� fiery;� the� planets� are
fiery;�the�bush�burnt�with�fire,�but�was�not�consumed;�the�Holy�Ghost�sat�upon�the�apostles�in�tongues�of
fire.
Chapter� XIII:� Of� Iceland,� which� is� inhabited� by� a� people� of� few� words,� who� speak� the� truth,� and� never
take�an�oath.
Iceland,�the�largest�of�the�northern�islands,�lies�at�the�distance�of�three�natural�days��sail�from�Ireland,
towards�the�north.�It�is�inhabited�by�a�race�of�people�who�use�very�few�words,�and�speak�the�truth.�They
seldom�converse,�and�then�briefly,�and�take�no�oaths,�because�they�do�not�know�what�it�is�to�lie;�for�they
detest� nothing� more� than� falsehood.� Among� this� people� the� offices� of� king� and� priest� are� united� in� the
same�person.�Their�prince�is�their�pontiff.�Their�bishop�performs�the�functions�of�government�as�well�as�of
the� priesthood.87� Here� never� or� very� seldom� lightnings� flash,� thunder-bolts� fall,� or� the� crash� of� thunder
terrifies.�But�they�are�troubled�with�another,�and�still�more�grievous�calamity;�for�once�in�a�year,�or�two
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