The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1898-01-29
SKATING
IN HOLLAND.

One who Is fond OF thet exhiarrtlrg
form OF exercise known as skating viii
hardly be able 10 ind more interest
ing experience than that TO be obteincd
during a winter tlip t. Holland
Leaving on the boat from the Rn.ns
station pier for sail Up the Alaas. the
steamer plcws her Nay through The
iioating Ice and hnally eads her roya9s
at a high pier or & huge dixie serarat.
ing the river 'rcnl tho low lying coun-
try inside, !, is then only short walk
10 a wide inclosed cxpanse OF ice that
has been formed by artihcially ilooding
an area of several acres. \ huge horse.
shoe course is nnrked out s0r tho rae
ers. and surrounding Il ~ the free stand
for spectators and those who are be-
ginning to'leain.
unfortunately fashion is having its
deadly result ia driving out the rictur-
esquc costumes ot the peasants. WHO arc
becoming ashamed of heir distinctive
dress and have assumed the more con-
ventional and stilted styles Ur tie pres
ent Consequently year by year. there
is less to be seen Of the lovely, quaint.
sometimes astounding. headdrcsses of
the women and The pueer coats and
bltfNhfS VI iiHt men ana bOyS.
But m the winter there is always
good skating in Holland which is not
only pastii9e with the Dutch but
serious and ordinary mode Of travel
The Ice ON the canals and grachte" is
kept in excellent condition by a small
army of sweeping peasants who are
busy at work in the early dawn.
There is a skating club in every town
"a nf " ~, hal
Dutch skating association. The Rot
terdam and Amsterdam Ice clubs have
the largest membership, and during
the season these associations make
many excursions To the surrounding
towns Favorite trips are from Am
stardam to Mounihendam. Edam. Hoorn,
Enkhuyzen, Allmaar and even across
the Zuyder Zee hen the ice Is of sufii-
cient strength--to Marken and beyond
To Urk. OF from Amsterdam to Leyden
via Nogelenzang and Harlem.
The entire country is moatcd by
canals, with huge windmills, like gigan-
tic sentries or uncouth implements of
ordnance guarding the ice, and the
scene appeals 10 the artistic sense and
love OF the picturesque
There are graceful light sleighs pro-
PEELED By shilful skaters. and nesting
inside are rosy checked bright eyed
peasant girls in immense lace caps with
dangling temple ornaments over the
slippery surface they ny at great speed
amid shouts of laughter and the cries
OF merry voices. .>I
The famous skating resort of SIikxer-
veer, Of great notoriety in recent years
as the scene of international skating
contests, Is situated on the Mas, a few
miles east of Rotterdam.
But the curious visitor will not see
any fancy skating. The great length of
the runners of the Dutch skates and
the manner in which they turn back in
huge curves over the toe are elfectual
checks upon all figure skating involving
sudden or short turns. Any attempt TO
do the outside edge backward would
result in prompt disaster.
The Dutchman. however. can go quick
er over long distances with his style OF
runners than can the Englishman or
the American with his club skates.
1t is always a charming sight to see a
long string of skaters who go swinging
along with a movement that reminds
one of the flight and dip of swallows as
they skim the surface of land or water.
The Dutch frequently use kind Of
sail, by which, by clever manipulation.
they can make headway close up in the
wind. The usual figure seen is what is
styled the Dutch ROLL in which long
lines of skaters throw themselves off
upon the right and left foot alternately
in curves of % to 30 feet at an incredible
speed. There is much shouting and
boisterousness. and some OF the byplay
is not in the best taste. but the entire
scene is strange and unique to foreign
eyes.