Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1877-04-25
Che familv Circle.
A Ride on an Iceland Pony,
BY DIR. ISAAC 1. HAYES.

A Ride on an Iceland Pony,
BY DIR. ISAAC l. HAYES.
In Revkiavik the capital of Iceland
there lives Il man named Thompson, and
another man named Zoega Now Thomp.
son is II merchant, and Zoega is the owner
of many horses. while both are fishermen
The former fishes for salmon, the latter
fishes Tor cod.
Not that either of them exactly fishes
himself, but Thompson owns Il salmon
river, as it is called Tor rather has lease
of it) where people whom he employ
catch salmon, and Zoega owns two fishing
smacks, in which people whom he employs
90 out TO sea to catch the cod. Both at
tend to their business well and make hand
some profits.
Zeoga lives in Reykjavik the year round
but Thompson lives there only in the sum
mer. Ills family reside in Copenhagen,
md he spends the winter with them there,
for Thompson is Dane, while Zoega is IN
lcclander.
do not know how it cane about, but
think ii must have been through our inter
prefer, Maquasson, that these two men
were on our ship to breakfast the neXl
day after our arrival in the harbor of Reyk-
javik.
They had very good breakfast, that
am very sure of, for we had fine cook,
and the cabin of our steamer was pleas
ant place TO eat in.
Both of them could speak fair English
and after we had had II pleasant time with
them, our guests said
"What can we now do for youW
"You are very kind; we want TO sec, y
we returned.
"What would you like TO see?'
We all laughed, and cried out, " Every
thing!'
"rhen you would like to see the salmon
fishery" said Mr.. Thompson,
And ride m Iceland pony" put in
Zoega
Certainly, of course we would" said
everybody.
Then come along" they answered, "it
you please
The boat was ready in Il twinkling, and
we were soon ashore. Thompson's store
lies to left, down the street from the land
ing place. A butcher shop and the gov
ernment store-rooms stood in front of it on
the opposite side of the street, and this is
all there is between it and the sea. Zoega's
house is on the same street, good way to
the right,
We went to Thompson's store to buy
some Iceland whips. They are but narrow
strips of thick leather, two feet long, fast
encd to slver-tipped stick, II foot in
length, and each whip costs one, or two,
or three half Danish Xix bank dollars, nc
cording to the quality. A half Danish
Rix.bonk dollar. by the way, is nearly
equal to an English shilling, or our "quar-
ter"
Having bought the whips, we start for
Zoegls house. His house is one story
and half high, and looks very neat and
clean. 1t is painted black, but the window.
frames are white.
Behind the house is little yard where
our horses are collected, and soon all are
saddod and brdled, and ready for the
road We pick to suit our fancy.
got u piebald one, however, without
picking, and the finest of the lot, because
not knowing what fortune might befal
me, had taken the precaution to bring Il
bran-new saddle and bride from ScotlanC
with me, and this valuable pit, of prop
ertv invested me with such imagined su
perority, Of the aristocralic sort, tina
nothing less than the best of lcel Mt
ponies will answer for such fine trap
pings.
And IN olsl-looking horse this best o
Iceland ponies proves to be. 1t is hal
red Tor bay) and white, mixed up like col
orei CASTLE soap. One side of its tal il
" hite, the other red. Half the name i,
white, the other red. One ear is white
the other red and the nose is white away
up to and about one eye, while the Other
side is red. without spot.
As for The body the colors wind ant
twist about among each other in such /;
complicated fashion that You can hardl,
follow them. Its legs are very thin ant
delicate, and its hools are scarcely large
than ones fist.
There is no trouble mounting the ami
NAL, for the stirrups are scarcely foo
above the ground. 1t seems II shame t,
ride thing so small, yet when once upol
his back, he is as sturdy as if he were six
teen instead of only twelve hands high.
Yet, for all, cannot help hut feel tina
some one might hail me rs | rode along
and cry out, Halo, man, where are yo
going with that horse?" rs if were tn
larger of the two; or, say, stranger
had you not better carry that horse spell
and rest himP"
All being ready. we got the signal fron
Mr.. Field, who is always up 10 time, an
quite ahead of it, occasionally. 4" Hip, hiI
hurrahm and away we go down the stree
ut very lively pace, And pace it i,
sure enough, and as easy as II rockin
chair.
And what II shouting, laughing, yelling
: even, to be sure, we make to the wonder
ment of everybody in the town. The s
uation is so novel that it is no wonder eve
, stad old fellows like us should grow e1
} cited, and let off little superAuous steal
that way.
, Once through the town, we rise a hi
and pass the Jail. 1t is the best-construc
ed building in all Iceland, being made
solid, well-hewn stones; but it is slowl
!, going to decay for want of use. 1t neve
had an inmate except the jailor, who doe
not even lock the door upon himself {
night to keep himself safe.
Think of that! Think that not Sol
of all of Iceland's seventy thousand shout
in ali the twenty years since the Jail wa
built, need to be sent there, even thong
the building be ever so fine one. Tn
Tcelanders cannot be very bad when tina
is SO.
When past the Jail we ride on TO anothe
hill mile away, and, coming on the to
of it, we see square stone tower, wher
ships are watched for and signalled.
Here the view of the bay, dotted wit
vessels, and the great snow-topped noun
tains all around, is very fine. Thus fal
and on for mile beyond, there is a 600
hard road.
| said last week there were no wagon
in Iceland and no roads, but l had quit
forgot this little bit; and then there arc
two carts in Reykiavik; but these can onl,
go those two miles from town to tho pea
fields, whore the road ends and the bride
path begins,