Washington sentinel., 1898-04-02
An Evening on Dutch Skates.
.Badminkon Magasine.


BadmiqkOa Magazine.
We had arranged to skate frcm
Rotterdam to Gouda; but before
doing so we decided to have trial
trip with Dutch skates on the
canals of the town.
Having reached the canal we step
ped down a wooden plank on to
the ice, where friendly Dutchman
fixed our skates. Fixed2 Loosely
bound them On would be a more
appropriate expression; but as he
assured US that was quite enough
we proceeded on our way. 1t is
very easy indeed to skate on Dutch
blades, and we sped quite happily.
What delightful scene met our
eyes! The funny old f1at-bottomed
barges frozen to the sides of the
canal, the gay colored articles of
washing hanging out to dry in the
frosty night air, the old women
with baskets OF bright skinned
oranges, and those delicious
shades OF red and brown that seem
to pervade everything in Holland.
Small boys were running races,
for some one on the bridge was
throwing pennies for them to
scramble for, and a tremendous
scuffie was going on, in spite Of the
lads being on skates instead of
their own feet. We almost won
dered that the turn.up toes of the
skates did not upset them; but
they seemed to take to the blade
as the duck takes to the water, and
they yelled and shrieked and
laughed and made merry and tum-
bled about in a regular football
scrimmage, and picked themselves
up again, the victorious one speed
ing away with his coin, while all
the other shrieking young rascals
followed behind. What a helter-
skelter crowd it was! No one
seemed to tumble down, partly
from the fact that the Dutch learn
to 60 on blades when they are
babies. The only danger appeared
to lie in the extraordinary fashion
in which people skate. Form, such
as we know it, is an unheard Of art,
as everyone tries to tear along as
quickly as he or she possibly can,
their arms going like wIndwills.
1t is not a graceful style Of per-
torrance, but it serves the pur-
pose, and the ice on which they
skate practically prohibits outside
edge and suchlike artistic perform
ances. We were quite alarmed by
some of the gymnastic feats of the
youngsters, and, after a sudden
and unexpected blow from whirl-
ing arm, painting and gasping we
hired a chair, and sat down free
from the hustling of the seething
crowd, in order quietly to regain
our breath, and quietly contem-
plate the passers-by. That they
enjoyed themselves there is no
doubt, Tor never did youth seem
more gay.
Suddenly, from under the bridge
in the dim light, we saw long,
black. dark, moving mass emerge:
it might be walrus or a whale; it
might be the great sea serpent it
self, as it swayed from side to side,
skidding over the ice at frantic
speed. 1t was only party OF stu
dents out on a pleasure tour.
Among them they had long skat-
ing pole, and having singled out
the best performer, and put him in
front, all his companions held on
to the pole, one behind the other,
until the whole dozen were ar
ranged like onions on stick, when
away they wildly hsw, their feet
moving in unison as the great black
mass tore from canal to canal, or
rushed madly under and out of
bridges. We learnt that this pecu-
liar style oil entertainment had
arisen in consequence of the fre-
quency OF east winds in the Neither
lands in winter. Had all those peo-
pie been skating abreast each
would have had to contend with
the blast. AS matters were, the
fiist one only had to withstand the
piercing wind, the others shelter
ING behind him and each other.
AS the lead is, therefore, more anx-
ious and firing, members compos-
ing the party change now and
again, the one who was formerly
in front being put tor change be-
hind. The excitement was iniec-
tious, and we felt we should like to
follow this queer crowd. So up
we got and started behind them;
but they soon distanced US, for,
not being particularly good skaters
at any time, the novelty Of Dutch
blades made us somewhat less pro-
ficient than usual, and, in a few
moments, the pole and its adher-
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