The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-07-22

cathedrais, tombs, ert galleries. and ruins
In foreign lands is good as far as 1t goes,
but gives little idea Of the various forms
of national life that go to make up a for
eign country. Hence an opportunity to
penetrate intimately into places that are
still comparatively new ground to the tour
list, and do SO with ease and pleasure, Is
one to be taken advantage Of with avidity.
Such q trip is one taken By us on Tues
day. May %. from Amsterdam to the old
fashioned island of Marken' and return.
Soon after our errival at the hotel We
were given q circular with gayly pictured
cover showing the peculiar and striking
native costume Of the women and children
Of Marker. On the back was map Of the
route, and within an announcement In
four languages-English, French. German,
and Dutch-that o steam yacht would
leave every day at 10 a. m. for the Isle
of Marlcn, passing by Brock in Water
land" and Monnikendam, and returning
from Marker by the Zuyder Zee.
Introduction tickets could be obtained
gratis from the head porter at the hotel,
and were to be given to the conductor Of
the excursion, to whom the fare, three
grlden or Dutch forms. $1.20 each, was
also to be paid. These tickets we're ap-
psrently certificates that the bearers were
of sufficient Importance to be accepted as
guests by the hotel, and would also prob
ably enable that important general func-
tionary. the PORTER" to secure a small
Aommission. Hence his eegerness to en-
nance our pleasure.
Right here / would state that We are
very glad to certify that here was one trip
which did for us all that was agreed in
fully satisfactory manner. This is worth
making note of, and SO / write 1t.
We armed ourselves with the porter's
ticket, and found neat little steam yacht,
still new, as it is only the fourth season
OF these trips, and in perfect order and
free from all unpleasant odors. About
twenty tourists were gathered On board
a party of German students on friendly
pleasure trip. one with the scars OF duels
on his cheek. as yet fair as a girls, and
another with two fresh wounds Of the
"schlager" or dueling sword. covered with
bits OF courtpiaster, one or two German
couples, a dapper young Frenchman and
his evident bride, New York physician,
fiancee and chaperone, an agreeable young
American with two pretty sisters, a strong
minded spinster of uncertain age. who
travelled unattended with perfect safety,
had seen everything and wanted to tell
all about it, and 2 few others. The con-
ductor, who was guide. philosopher and
friend" for all, was comely Dutchman
OF forty. in blue yachting suit.
VoyaginE In a Narrow Stream.
We crcssed-the river Y and entered upon
a remarkable voyage through canal
broad enough to allow the free passage of
our boat, and still SO narrow that pennies
could be thrown on shore to three fat
oh, a1n fhs,
side path for long distance and enter
tanned US some by their attempts at sing
ing and more by squabbling for the Coins
that the free-handed students threw. The
doctor refused to contribute, having de-
tected them in the act of turning in their
gains to their thrifty mott, who smiled
her approval and sent them IN after more.
Our canal was crossed by sundry bridges,
which revolved on central pivot, and were
each turned by a strong armed woman as
We approached. and by two locks. or
'.sluices.'' as the Dutch call them. We had
to enter these locks. and then ponderous
wooden gates were swung 10 behind US and
water admitted in front to raise us to a
higher level and thus help us up hill. On
one of these occasions an enterprising ma
tive entertained us while We waited" by
juggling tricks and supposed songs. accom-
panied by his tambourine, which he did not
fail to extend for collection.
The scenery was beautiful; not sublime,
but pleasing There we were at distance
varying from nine to twenty feet below the
sea level, looking out upon wide stretches
of green grass. dotted with herds OF black
and-white Dutch cows. and varied by occa
sional farm buildings and neat gardens,
with carefully tended vegetables growing
and often beds Of bright flowers. Here and
there one Of the 1000 windmills OF Hol-
land was laziiy turning its great arms
and lending the distinctive national fea-
ture to the peculiar landscape. The canal
itself has not less than seven feet OF
water at any point and is kept clear by
dredging machines. of which We passed
one. discharging from its endless chain OF
buckets into mud-scnw,
Just before reaching Brock our orders
for lunch were taken by steward and
about 11:15 we went on shore for an hour,
in charge of our conductor, to visit Brock,
the far-famed "neatest town in the world"
This Brock is SO fastidious that until a few
years ago horses were not allowed in its
streets, for reasons Of cleanliness, and the
entire town is as scrupulously kept as q
man-of-war. 1t is village of 27e0 inhabi-
tants, the main industry Of which is the
making Of Edam cheeses, and We were
taken to one establishment. placarded in
English as The Model Farm" We noticed
at least one other such placard, however.
Ednm Chcesemnking.
The establishment of Mynheer van Wit
tenburg was the same in arrangement as
these Of his neighbofs, although more pre-
tentious than some. The homestead was
one large structure, low at the edges and
rising TO high point in the centre. This
was in order to admit of the haystack
which would be erected there when the
hay crop was stored for the winter. In
front of the central space were the living
apartments. and in the rear the cow stalls.
We were first shown the latter. and found
the stable portion in use as cheese fac
tory. the COWS all being at pasture and
milked in the fields during the summer
months. neat tiled platform ran behind
the stalls, while the spaces for the cows
were laid with fresh sawdust, marked into
decorative designs. at one end hung one
OF the cords with which the cows tails
are fastened to prevent them from becom-
ing soiled. This was left for exhibition,
the others having been removed All
was as clean and sweet as any dairy can
possibly be.
The process OF cheese-m making surprises
one by its rapidity. The mornings milk is
heated to about ninety degrees. 1t is then
placed in tub and the proper amount
OF rennet added and agttated for three
quarters of an hour by q dasher Of frame
work The whey is then drawn OF and
salt added, three hours being allowed for
sat1ration with salt. The curd is then
placed In circular molds fo- the familiar
Edam cheeses and placed under pressure
by weight attached to lever, until the
cheese is hard enough to be stored for
market. Only those for export are coated