Jökull - 01.12.1969, Page 160

tional ice year. Similar results could have been
caused by poor fishing, though this may not
have been due to sea ice. Nor should we forget
the possibility of famines on account of vol-
canic eruptions and pestilence.
Are we iikely to be able to answer the
question, how the years 1967 and 1958 fit,
climatically speaking, into the picture we draw
for ourselves of earlier ages, for instance, in
the 18th century? Could the same weather
from that period have been as fatal in the 19th
century? In the winter of 1967 it was said
that horses in the north were beginning to
look rather weak, though they were far from
being on the point of starvation. The mean
annual temperature had fallen considerably
compared to previous years, but it was not
as low as the mean temperature of the years
1881, 1882, 1892. Sources for these years are
the temperature readings from Stykkishólmur,
descriptions of the grass growth and the in-
come of the farmers. About the year 1882 it
is written that the hay yield was onlv half the
average. The outcome during recent years has
not been nearly as bad. In the first half of the
19th century ancl in the 18th century the mean
annual temperatures must have been even
lower than nowadays, and this has been as-
sociated with an increase in the frequency of
sea ice years. This colder climate also caused
the deaths of sheep and hurnan beings. Let us
take an example from the years in the middle of
t.he 18th century. An entry in the Grímsstaclir
annals for the winter of 1750 states that sea
ice had lain along the north and west coasts
from Christmas throughout the winter, spring
and summer until almost tlie beginning of
autumn. This caused extreme hardship, especi-
ally in the north and northwest. Many farmers
therefore killed off their livestock in order to
keep themselves alive. About the year 1751 it
is recorded that there was very severe frost
continuously from Christmas until the end of
February, especially in North Iceland. Forty
persons died on the Langanes peninsula and in
other parts of the northeast, and forty farms
were abandoned when all the cattle clied. The
deacl persons even included clergymen. Some
people moved to West-Iceland and settled
there in various districts. A whole parish was
ruined in Vopnafjördur ancl cattle died in
156 JÖKULL 19. ÁR
other parts of the north. This was the beginn-
ing of a disastrous period, the climate becom-
ing more severe each successive year. Entries
for the year 1754 state that many cattle diecl
all over Iceland, particularly in the north.
Farmers owning 20 or 30 horses lost them all,
and others who hacl 200 or 300 sheep had
hardly any left. It is said that 4,500 horses
and over 50,000 sheep perished in North-Ice-
land at that tirne. In 1757 intense cold in
spring and persistent sea ice along the coast
continued well into June. People had already
been weakened by the previous severe weather,
so that many died of deprivation, hunger and
attendant diseases throughout the country,
while others froze to death on their way from
one farm to another. According to some esti-
mates, a total of 4,200 persons died during
that period (Annals 1400—1800 II, 1933—1938).
Temperature readings are available for the
years 1749—1751. A rough comparison of these
sources indicates that the temperature was con-
siderably lower than that to which we are
accustomed today. This applied particularly to
the mean temperature of late winter. Frost
lasted until 23rd May, and in the middle of
May inch-thick ice appeared on exposecl water,
which is unhearcl of nowadays. These readings
provicle tangible, impartial evidence of a low
mean temperature during periods of sea ice,
associated with lack of grass, death of sheep
and human beings.
These accounts and graphs show how pre-
carious Icelandic agriculture is, and how much
it is dependent on weather, especially the an-
nual temperatures, which in turn are closely
linked with the arrival of sea ice.
Any failure of the grass crop is accompanied
by loss of livestock, which soon has an adverse
effect on the welfare of the nation. Losses
lrave always been greatest in those districts
where sea ice appears most frequently. First
the livestock died, then the people, or else the
latter abandoned their homes and became de-
pendent on others who were better off. In ex-
ceptionally severe years all districts were so
badly affected that even the more well-to-do
farmers were unable to stand the added strain
of others families and themselves liad to
abandon tlieir homes, so that famine occurred
throughout the country.