The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1898-02-02
SKATING
IN HOLLAND.

One who Is fond OF that cxhllaratnls
form of exercise known as skating wll.
hardly be able 90 find more interest
ins experience than that to be obtained
during winter trip To Holland
Leaving on the boat from the Rhine
station pier for sail up the Mas, the
steamer plows her way through The
floating ice and finally ends her voyage
nt q high pier on huge dixie separnt-
ing Che river from the low lying coun-
try inside. It is then only short walk
10 wide incloScd expanse of ice that
has been formed by artiiicially Hooding
an area OF several acres. n huge horse
shoe course is marked out FOR tho rae
! crs, and surrounding II IS the free stand
Tor spectators and those who are be-
ginning To Learn,
Unfortunately fashion is having its
deadly result i'm driving out the pictur-
esque costumes OF the peasants, who are
becoming ashamed OF their distinctive
dress and have assumed the more con-
ventional and stited styles OF the pres
ent. Consequently, year by year, there
is less To be seen OF the lovely quaint.
sometimes astounding. headdresses OF
the women and the queer coats and
breeches OF the men and boys.
But in the winter there is always
good skating in Holland. which is not
only a pastime with the Dutch, but a
serious and ordinary mode OF travel.
The ice on the canals and "grachts 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
in Holland, all OF which belong to the
Dutch Skating association. The Rot
terdam and Amsterdam Ice clubs have
the largest membership. and during
the season these associations make
many excursions 10 the surrounding
towns. Favorite trips are from AM
sterdam TO Mounikendam, Edam, Hoorn.
EnkhuyZen. Alkmaar and even across
the Zuyder Zee-when the ice is of sufii-
| cient strength-to Marken and beyond
To Urk. or from Amsterdam to Leyden
via Vogelenzang and Haarlem.
The entire country is moated by
canals. with huge windmills. like glgan-
tic sentries or uncouth implements Of
ordnance, guarding the ice, and the
scene appeals to the artistic sense and
love of the picturesque
There are graceful light sleighs pro-
PEELED by skillful skaters, and nesting
inside are rosy checked. bright eyed
1
dangling temple ornaments. over the
slippery surface they fly at great speed
amid shouts of laughter and the cries
OF merry voices.
The famous skating resort OF Slikker-
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 eng II OF
| the runners OF the Dutch skates and
| the manner in which they turn back III
| huge curves over the toe are effectua
checks upon all figure skating involving
sudden or short turns. Any attempt TO
| do the outside edge backward would
| result I'm 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
| Ii is always a charming sight to see
| long string of skaters who go swinging
along with movement that reminds
| one of the flight and dip of swallows a.
| 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
! i'm curves of % 10 80 feet at an incredible
speed. There is much shouting and
| boisterousness. and some of the byplay
| Is not i'm the best taste. but the entire
scene is strange and unique to foreign
eyes.