New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1907-05-11
ON A DUTCH ISLAND.
Experiences IN an Out-Of-the- Way
Part of Zeeland.

| We had a delightful sojourn at the little
! Dutch village of Brulnisse. the island Of
Duiveland This island forms part OF the prov
! ince OF iceland Cor 'Sea-land)-a province ap-
rrOpriately named for large part of 1t re-
| claimed from the and lies below the s2a
level The iceland people centuries ago took
a swimming lion as their heraldic emblem
| indicating at their isolation and their
strength for battling with difficulties. and they
had fitting Latin motto, sgnfying Il struggle
and l overcome"
The courage and persistence shown by these
people Of the below level part OF Holland
I'm fighting their inveterate and watchful
enemy the sea IS surely one Of the finest pas
sages in the whole history of human nature
Nevertheless il is these struggles against we'll
nigh overwhelming odds on all sides that have
made the Dutch what they are-the most re-
markable little nation the world has ever
known The names Netherlands and "Hoi-
land" by the way, used interchangeaoiy'
both meaning Of course a hollow or low country
but the Official term now generally recognized
is Netherlands"
II was long after dark If the short winter
day when the little steam tram that had
brought US from Rosendaal dumped out on
a high dixie which seemed 10 us To be decidedly
the Jumping off place" \ rough arm Of the
sea called the Keeten lay before us. ana hair
a mile across II we could see "a few g!immerinS
lights at type. This TYPE we had picked out
for our nights stopping place and so We fol-
lowed some other passengers aboard an impa-
Jient little steam ferryboat. which hurried across
with US as if II was anxious 10 get through Win
its days work and take rest. We all hudded
round tho smoestack, for the wind on the
North Sea keen.
We asked I'm the best apology for Dutch we
could muster the way 10 the nearest hotel. bat
greatly taken back when we were told
that there no hotel there. and absolutely
= could
tina; type not place a. all, but only a
place where place ought TO be, as we had
thought from the map. 1t stopping port
FOR tho little steamer u Rotterdam. out that
all. But the railroad uHcu and others took
a kindly Interest in Us, and a. last some one who
talked some French made MS understand that
q mile and quarter further on there was the
village Of Bruinisse. where there was an Inn.
The old man who kept a litt" bar at the walt
ing room good naturally shut up shop ana
guided us along dark and muddy road to eur
destination
We had begun TO think we were out of the
world entirely when saw the reassurinS
lights Of Bruinisse. Soon we reached the inn.
where guide explained our case 10 the host,
who welcomed with CHEEKY oldtime grace
and called his handsome and motherly wife 10
come and look after our comfort We spranS
on them our stock question in Dutch whether
they had beds for us. and what was our jog
and surprise when our host responded in quaint
English tapping his finger lmpressiVely on his
palm: Look here, got plenty room" Many
years before when young man, he had been
sailor and picked up Il little Enghsh-for
which very glad. He was the finest
looking little old grandfathcrly man you ever
saw. and we At once nicknamed him among
ourselves "Grandpa." His real name John
Storm, 10y some Japanese paper nap
kins they gave us at supper. with his inn
card printed and bearing also the wish in
French for bon appett'-"good appetite.
The most eXtraVaGant phrases | could use
would scarcely convey to YOU clear Idea of
the Spick-and-Span neatness of this remote lit
tie village inn. The Dutch such aquatic
people that they even build their houses very
much like boat. This is probably due largely
TO the fact that the boat carpenters often work
house builders. The rooms low, with
small windows and liberal display OF wood
work and huge beams and braces, suggesting
the cabin of a sailing vessel while the stair
ways are so steep and narrow that you can
hardly get up or down. and often rope Is pro-
vided instead of a hand rail. in the COM
panion ways board ship.
our rooms were the "cuteSt" imagina BILE.
They bore close resemblance to the state
rooms on steamer. the beds being built in in
regular bunk fashion. Everything fine
and spotless that we hesitated To touch them.
The blankets, woven of the most snow-wh
wool. half inch thick and warm and
soft eiderdowu. | have slept once or twice
in millionaires' beds. and | supposed they were
the limit of luxury. but they not the equal
of Grandpa" Storms at the little village inn
of Bruinissc.
The houses were some Of them very old but
nearly all were neat and cosy locking The
streets were paved with brick. as is the case
generally throughout Holland; stone and wood
are both materials that scarce in this little
country Here again the children thought we
were lrresistibly funny looking. As they clat-
shoes, they broke into voleys of laughter at our
expense. Indeed had to admit that they
We're better dressed for the conditions than we