50 
VIDOE. 
hid by a miserable sort of wooden porch, on 
each side of which was a door for entrance, 
which, if kept in better repair, might answer 
very well for a screen to the cold winds, but, in 
its present shattered state, is neither fit for use 
nor ornament. I could compare it to nothing so 
much as a pig-stye placed against the wall, and 
made rather higher than usual. However, with 
all this want of artificers, which appeared on 
the exterior of the house, there was a possessor 
within, whose reception of us and whose excel¬ 
lent fare would do credit to the ex-governor of 
any country, and deserve to be mentioned rather 
particularly. Indeed, I am the more tempted to 
enlarge upon this subject, as it is the first op¬ 
portunity I have had of seeing the manners of 
a well-bred Icelander, and it is scarcely possible 
to have a more favorable one. When we were 
within a few hundred yards of the house, the 
Stiftsamptman came to welcome us to the coun¬ 
try, and to his little island. He had a fine and 
healthy countenance, and, although in his se¬ 
venty-eighth year, had the perfect use of his 
faculties. In conversation he was extremely 
fluent and animated. He wore, on this occasion, 
his full dress uniform as Stiftsamptman of Ice¬ 
land, except the sword. His coat was of scarlet 
cloth, turned up with green, and ornamented 
with gold lace; his pantaloons of blue cloth, 
