H2 In Dutch Water Meadows. 



than they were a few years ago, and though occasion- 

 ally we saw a stray bird or pair, this, and one other 

 of which a passing glimpse was caught from the 

 train, were the only nests we saw. 



We had steamed next day in a spanking breeze 

 from Helder, the Portsmouth of Holland, across the 

 Dutch Solent, through a fleet of Texel trawlers, which 

 lifted at one moment their heavy bows clean out of 

 the water, and the next moment dipped until half 

 hidden in clouds of spray. We had spent a quiet 

 night in the cleanest and sleepiest of little inns, and 

 after an early breakfast in a room looking out on a 

 miniature square paved with bricks on edge, in deep 

 shade, excepting where dotted with the few specks 

 of almost tropical sunshine which found their way 

 through the foliage of twenty-nine closely planted 

 lime trees in full leaf, resonant with the notes of war- 

 blers and starlings had been driven with a pair of 

 fresh horses for some miles along the top of a wall 

 like the back of a knife, on the one hand the sea, on 

 the other, apparently at lower level, ditches and 

 meadows. From the top of the wall we had dropped 

 down suddenly to an inland country, to be reminded 

 that the sea was not twenty yards off, as every now 

 and then the sails of a fishing-boat showed over the 

 green banks which we skirted. 



For another mile or twp we had jolted along a 

 cart-track, till, our coachman having lost his way, 

 we were brought to a full stop by a ditch and rail. 

 At last we had succeeded in finding and introducing 

 ourselves to the agent, who, with the kindness 

 almost invariably shown by the Dutch to strangers, 

 had given us leave to wander at will over the land 

 under his charge. 



It was a " polder," a wide tract comparatively lately 



