Page:Catholic Encyclopedia, volume 7.djvu/681

 IBORA

615

ICELAND

little to the rear of what is now Ocean Springs. This fort was called Maurepas or Old Biloxi. On 4 May, 1699, Iberville sailed for France with the "Badine" and the "Marin", leaving Sauvole in command of the infant colony. He returned on 8 Dec, 1699, went up the Mississippi as far as Natchez, and ordered a fort to be built fifty-four miles from the mouth of the river, which was abandoned in 1705. On 28 May, 1700, Iberville returned to France, and came back to Louisiana on 18 Dec, 1701. He remained in the colony until 27 .4pril, 1702, and sent Bienville to found Fort Louis of Mobile on Mobile River, 16 Jan., 1702. In 1706 Iberville captured the island of Nevis from the English, and went to Havana to obtain reinforcements from the Spaniards for an at- tack on the Carolinas. He died at Havana of yellow fever. He was capitaine de vaisseau in the French navy and was said to have been as "military as his sword ". He was an able sailor, soldier, explorer, and colonizer.

JoDorN AND Vincent, Histoirede Longueil et de la Famille de LonffueiY (Montreal, 1SS9); Journal of Iberville in Marghy, Ori- gines Fran^aises des Pays d'Ouiremer (Paris, 1881), IV; FoR- TIER, History of Louisiana (New York, 1904), I.

Alcee Fortier.

Ibora, a titular see in the Province of Helenopont, suffragan of Amasia. The primitive name of the city was (jaziura, formerly a royal city, mentioned by Strabo as deserted {XII, xv; Dion Cassius, xxxv, 12). In fact a Greek inscription, which dates from the time of Mithridates of Pontus, has been discovered on the rock of the fortress; a subterranean gallery, he%vn from the rock, descends to the interior of the mountain, and served perhaps as a secret depository for the royal treasures. Evagrius Ponticus, the famous Ori- genist ascetic of the fourth century, was a native of Ibora (Sozomen, " Hist. Eccl. ", VI, xxx) ; situated not far from it was Annesi, the property of St. Basil, who led a religious life on the banks of the river Iris with his friend St. Gregory and his sister Macrina. There is frequent mention in the correspondence of these two saints of Ibora, which, according to Procopius (Historia Arcana, xviii), was destroyed by an earth- quake in the sixth century. Le Quien (Oriens Christ., I, 5.33) mentions seven bishops of Ibora, from the fourth to the ninth century. The bishopric still existed about the year 1170 under Manuel Comnenus (Par- they, "Hieroclis Synecdemus", 108). To-day Ibora is called Turkhal; it is a caza in the sanjak of Tokat, in the vilayet of Sivas. The village numbers 3000 inhabitants, all Turks. It is surrounded by beautiful gardens and orchards. Nearby is the Lake of Turk- hal, three to three and a half miles in circumference.

Ramsay, Historical Geograpfiy of Asia Miliar (London, 1S90). 326-29: Anderson. Studia Ponlica (Brussels. 1903), 69-72- CoiNET, La Tur/juie d'Asie (Paris, 1892), I, 642, 727: Gre- GOIRE in Bulletin de correspondance hellenique, XXXIII (1909), 22-27.

S. Vailhe.

Iceland. — The island called Iceland, which, though really a part of America, is considered, because of its population and history as forming a part of Eu- rope, is situated in the North Atlantic Ocean, between 63° 23' and 66° 33' N. lat., and is separated from the New World by the comparatively narrow and almost entirely ice-l)ound Strait of Greenland. It is a compact body of land much indented by fiords on its northern and western shores. A small peninsula, with very sinuous outline, lies at the north-western end, and is connected with the main body by a narrow isthmus. The area of the island is about 39,756 sq. m., only two-fifths of which are inhabitable. From the barren and rocky plateau, the average height of which is 2000 feet above the level of the sea, rise extensive glaciers (jtikull; pi. jiiklar), broad summits, and high mountains, most of which are of volcanic origin (e. g., Hecla, over 5000 feet; Oeraefa, 6424 feet), and fre-

quently belch forth tremendous masses of lava and mud and work great havoc (e. g. 1783, 1845, 1873). Earthquakes are also frequent. The rivers, though short, are numerous and carry a large volume of water. There are also inland ' lakes. The climate, which is on the whole of the oceanic type (moderate fluctuations of temperature, with frequent fogs and precipitations), differs, nevertheless, considerably ac- cording to locality. It is more severe along the northern coast, which frequently remains ice-bound until the late summer, but it is tempered by the Gulf Stream on the southern and western coasts.

Excellent sulphur is found in abundance, besides some coal and quarry stone. The flora is scanty. Some parts of the island are covered with rich grass, while birch trees, alder trees, and willows grow in protected spots to a height of twenty-seven feet. Small groups of these are to be seen here and there, but the growth of a real forest is prevented by the terrible storms which sweep over the island. The cultivation of grain is out of the question; only berries, and potatoes, and some other vegetables can be raised with profit. The breeding of sheep and horses is the principal occupa- tion in Iceland. While the former supply milk, butter, meat, and wool, the small hardy rough-haired ponies serve as saddle horses and as beasts of burden, and are an important article of exportation. Cattle are less numerous; hogs and domestic fowl rare. Game abounds: reindeer, seals, polar foxes, and polar bears, as well as birds of many varieties, which are sought after for their eggs and feathers. Fishing also is an important occupation, followed not only by the na- tives, but also by foreigners. Manufactures and hanili- crafts are still in their infancy. Trade, on the other hand, carried on chiefly by barter, is fast increasing and represents a value of over five million dollars a year. New roads and bridges, and the establishment of the postal service and of telegraphy, are doing much to develop commerce. The revenues, formerly insig- nificant, have doubled in the last two decades, and are systematically applied to further the culture and mate- rial well-being of the people.

The scant population (80,000 souls) dwell chiefly by the shores of the ocean, and in the river valleys which open towards the sea. They belong for the greater part to the North Germanic race (Norsemen). Their language dates back to very early times and has a rich literature. The official creed, since 1550, is the Augs- burg Confession ; but of late infidelity has been spreatl- ing, and new sects have sprung up. Backwanl in- dustrial conditions and frequent cataclysms of nature (earthquakes, floods, etc) formerly caused consider- able emigration, especially to America.

Since 1874, and especially since 1904, Iceland has become autonomous, is governed by its own laws, and has its own courts and an independent administra- tion. Arms: a white falcon in a field azure. It is not, as formerly, under the immediate jurisdiction of Denmark, though the Danish king is nominally the sovereign of Iceland. The seat of government and meeting-place of the legislative body (the Althing), with its two chambers, is Reykjavik, which is at the same time the capital of the country and the see of the Lutheran bishop; its population approximates 10,000. It has a Lutheran cathedral, a Catholic church, and several hospitals. The three other cities, AkurevTi, Isafjiirflur and Seydisfjor6ur are also grow- ing rapidly.

Political History. — Irish monks, according to legend, were the first discoverers of the island about the year 800. Colonization did not begin until much later, when King Harold I Harfagr of Norway subdued the Norse nobles, who hatl been independent until then, and made himself absolute lord of Norway in 872. Many liberty-loving men at that time left the land of their fathers (874), and sought new homes on the still uninhabited island which is said to owe its name to