Hospitality Of The Icelanders

" In tho morning I made a small study, and aí'ter a vory tolerable meal and many good wishes, wo rode off. All went well until wo carne to the River Markafljot, whioh happened to ba very much flooded. Not liking to attempt a swim under the oircumstancos, we rode on down the bank for some miles, and fortunately found a house. " Knocking at the door, we asked : ' Is the river very deep ?' ' Very,' said a voice trom tho inside. " 'Is there a man who will show us a ford ?' we asked again. " ' No,' was the reply, both Jon and 01avr are up in the mountains, but one of the girls will do quite as well. Here, Thora, go and show the Englishmen the way.' " Immediately, an exoeedingly handsome young woman ran out, and nodding kindly to me, went round to the back of the house, caught a pony, put a bridle on it, and not taking the trouble to fetch a saddle, vaulted on its bare back, and sitting astride, drove her heels into its side and galloped off down the river bank as hard as sho could go, shouting for us to follow. " We became naturally rather excitod at such a display of dash, on the part of such a pretty girl, and started off immediately in chaso. But though wo did our utmost to catch her, she increased her distance hand over hand. There was no doubt about it, she had as muoh courage as ever we could boast of, and in point of horsemanship was a hundred years ahead of either of us. " For about half a minute we rattled along, when suddenly sho pulled up short on a sand bank. " ' You can cross here,' sho said, ' but you must be careful ; make straight for that rock right over there, and when you have reached it you will be able to see the the cairn of stones we built to show the landing place.' " ' All right,' I said ; ' good-by.' " ' She looked puzzled for a moment, and then said, ' 111 come through with you ; it will be safer.' " ' Good gracious, Bjarni, don't let her como,' I said ; ' she is sure to be drowned, and I can't get her out with all these wet clothes on ; teil her to go back.' " But before I was half through the. sentence sho had urged her horse into the water, and in a moment was twenty yards into the river. Of course, we followed as quick as possible, and after a good deal of splashing reached tho middle of tho nood. ' Now,' sho said, bringing her horse up abreast with mine, and pointing with her whip, ' there's the mark.' The water was running level with the horses' withers, and it was only by lifting their heads very high that they could keep their noses clear. " ' Good-by,' she said, ' God bless you ;' and before I was quite awaro of it kissed me on the cheeb. " I was about to return tbo compliment, but she was gone, and a few minutes later we saw her a mere speek in the distance galloping over the plain. "Kissing in Iceland is a custom similar to shaking hands here. I had thought nothing of it in ordinary situations, but a kiss in the niidst of bouudless waters was, to say the least of it, strange. It was certainly the wettest one I ever had in my