The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1898-02-17
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127 Wyoming Avenue,
SKATING CARNIVAL.
An Interesting Feature of Winter
Life in Holland

hilc w NOlHnu
George Wharton Edwards in Harper
Weekly.
In Holland winter seldom passes
without good skating. which being not
only pastimc with the Dutch, but a
serious and ordinary mode of travel,
the ice ON the canals and "grachts' is
kept in good condition. and it is COM
mon to see a small army of sweeping
peasants putting the ice in order for
the day. There is a skating club in
every town in Holland, and all these
clubs belong to the Dutch Skating As
sociation. The largest clubs are prob
ably the Amsterdam and Rotterdam
Ice Clubs, and in the season many ca
cursions are made by these associations
TO the surrounding towns-for example,
from Amsterdam to Leyder via Vo-
Eeienzang and Haarlem from AM
Sterdam to Monnkendam, Edam.
Hoorn, Enkhuyzen, Alkmaar and even
across the Zuyder Zee, when il will
Dear, to Marken, and even Urk. The
way the whole country is moated by
canals, with huge windmills overlook
ing the ice like leviathan implements
on ordnance, is calculated to appeal to
the lover of the picturesque. Then
lhere are the graceful light sleighs,
propelled by skillful skaters, and con-
tanning red-cheeked, bright-eyed peas
ant girls in immense lace caps and
dangling temple ornaments, flying over
the Ice at great speed. on the Mas.
Il rev miles east of Rotterdam lies a
famous skating resort known as Silk
KerNeer, and brought into notoriety in
recent years by the international skat-
ing contests which are held there. Any
one tond of that most eXhilaratine
FORM OF exercise can hardly find a more
interesting experience than is to be had
uurlng winter trip to Holland, In the
season the boat leaves the Rhine sta
uoh pier Tor a sail up the Mas. The
steamer ploughs her way through the
hodtlnS Ice, and at length leaves Won at
hlGh pier on huge dixie which sep
"rateS the river from the low-lying
country short walk brings you to a
urge lncosed eXnanse of ice, obtained
ny artfcially flooding a large area
Aiere huge horseshoe course is marked
out Tor the racers. And on either side
"a inns stretches the free portion. for
lhe onlookerS and those who wish 10
practlse the eXhilarating art. Fashion
beginning to drive out the plctur
'SPue costumes of the peasants who are
becoming ashamed of their distinctive
uress. 50 wear by year there is to he
seen less and less of the lovely, quaint
ana sometimes bizarre headdresses
ana the queer coats and breeches of the
men and boys.
lhefe is little fancy skating TO he
seen. The great length of the runners or
lhe Dutch skates, and the way in which
ihey turn back in huge curves over the
Toe are effectual checks upon all figure
skatins involving sudden or short
turns. An attempt to do the outside
edge backward would invite disaster
ihe Dutchman can go quicker over
lonS stretches upon his skates than the
tnglishman, because of his extra long
runners 1t is charming sight to see
the long string of skaters sailing along
win a swing that reminds one of the
IlGht and dip of the swallows. Some
times, too, they use a sort of sail with
Nhlch' by clever handling, they can
make headway close up in the wind
Inc most usual figure seen is what is
styled the Dutch rill, in which long
lines of skaters throw themselves off
upon the right and left foor aIterna-
tely, in curves of twenty-five to thirty
ieet, at an incredible speed. There is
much shouting and bOisterousness and
some OF the byplay is not in the hest
taste, but on the whole the scene is
most interesting and entirely unique.