“Did you ever act as guide for Americans before?” I asked.
“Before? Are you from America, the United States?”
We assured him that we had that pleasure, whereupon Johannes continued,
“Do you know Mr. ⸺ and Mr. ⸺? No? Well, they were likely lads and lively and we had a grand time upon our trip. See this whip?”
Whereupon he displayed the peculiar riding whip of Iceland. It consists of a stock about fourteen inches long heavily mounted with silver ferules and with a large silver knob oval in shape at the end. To the end of this stock is attached a strap of good leather three feet long. It is not so much used to whip the pony one is riding as to snap at the ponies that are tempted from their straight and narrow way by a choice bit of grass.
“When those boys got back to Reykjavik they presented me with this fine whip and I have carried it ever since.”
Two years later I was lecturing in New York City and chanced that night to show on the screen a slide in which Johannes figured. He loomed up splendidly from his tiny steed and presented a fine appearance with his flowing beard and slouched hat tipped to one side and with the beloved riding whip displayed in characteristic fashion. At the close of the lecture a gentleman approached me and asked,
“Did you have Johannes Zoëga for your guide? I thought I recognized him in one of the pictures.”
“Yes,” I replied, “he was our guide during our first trip in the country.”