At the upper end of the snow covered lava gulch we turned to the right and the real snow climbing commenced. At this place the mountain has a slope of forty-five degrees. The snow was hard, too hard in fact for sure footing, almost ice, and we were forced to dig steps with our feet to support us while making the next step. At the time we were on the mountain there was an unusual amount of snow, which filled the cracks and smoothed the angular projections of this upper portion. On the steepest slopes the snow basely rewarded our confidence and gave us many a backward and ignominious slide.
While we were fastening the ponies, the feasibility of Mrs. Russell’s going further was questioned by Johannes.
“Madam will stay with me till the guide and your man return?”
“I am going to try the climb with Mr. Russell,” she replied.
“The lady go to the top of _Hekla_! If the lady go then Johannes will go, but I fear the lady will not go far.”
When we were struggling up the steep snow slope, I made steps in advance and Mrs. Russell, importuned by Johannes and weary with the toil was ready to halt, if she had received the least encouragement from me.
“The lady can go no further,” said Johannes to me as he dug a hole in the snow for a seat, “and you must not allow it.”
I replied, “she has travelled two days over a rough country, fording the rivers and now she has almost won the cinder cone. She will always be sorry in America to have to say that she got _nearly_ to the top and gave up the struggle.” This I said, talking to Johannes but for the benefit of “the lady.”
“Well, Johannes can go no further; Johannes is an old man and he has pain in here,” placing his hand over his stomach, “the _skyr_ I ate this morning was little and it not good to do _Hekla_-climb on.” So saying, he dug his hole deeper and reclined in the snow while we pushed our way over the remaining snow surface to the cinder cone.
Yes, Johannes was an old man and a faithful one. His action this day was a fine bit of Icelandic courtesy and faithful service. Honestly he did not think it wise for a woman to attempt the climb and being confident that Mrs. Russell would not endure, he knew that my climb of the mountain would be defeated if I had had to turn back with her, so he trudged along manfully to be her companion when she ceased climbing and await my return. When we were near enough to the summit so that it was evident that “the lady” would win, he halted and veiled his whole earnest efforts under the excuse of his weakness. He was a faithful man, constantly anticipating our wants and always ready to exert himself for our comfort and pleasure.