GLIMPSES OF HOLLAND 



which not only entirely covered the hair, 

 but part of the foreheads of the wearers. 

 The hair is laid flat on the head and con- 

 fined by a closely fitting skullcap. This 

 in turn is entirely hidden by the helmet, 

 which is made of very thin-beaten silver 

 or gold, according to the circumstances 

 Oi its owner. Over this — one and some- 

 times two — lace caps are drawn. 



DUTCH HEAD-DRESS 



In the province of Friesland the wear- 

 ing of this style of head covering is very 

 general and includes very elaborate orna- 

 ments, consisting of a spiral of five or 

 six circles attached to the helmet at each 

 side, near the temples. From the end of 

 the spirals are suspended ear-rings, which 

 remind one of the winkers on a horse's 

 bridle. These are sometimes worn so 

 long as to reach the breast. Although 

 the metal caps often cost hundreds of 

 florins, the possession of an elaborate 

 helmet is not an indication of the wealth 

 or high standing of the owner, since many 

 peasant women deny themselves and save 

 for years to obtain the coveted prize. 



While the promenaders on the dike at 

 Vollendam were generally sturdy and 

 healthy in their appearance, the ladies of 

 our party remarked on the flat chests, 

 small waists, and large hips of the Dutch 

 women. The custom of wearing from 

 six to fourteen skirts, which are worn 

 as an indication of wealth, will account 

 for the abnormal appearance of their 

 hips. The contour of many of these 

 women, whose circumference rapidly in- 

 creased from their closely fitting head 

 covering down to the hem of their four- 

 teenth heavy skirt, was directly the re- 

 verse to the recent appearance of some 

 of their European sisters, whose lines, 

 beginning with the washtub hats, gradu- 

 ally diminished down to the hem of their 

 hobble skirt (see pages 26-32). 



THE DUTCH BED 



The absence of any sort of a bed was 

 to us a surprising omission in the furni- 

 ture of the first house we visited. On 

 reflecting that possibly it was the custom 

 of the Dutch to sleep on the floor, as it 

 is with the Japanese, the piece of drapery 

 hanging on a side wall was pulled aside, 



disclosing the secret. A kind of cup- 

 board was built in the wall about 3 feet 

 above the floor and contained all the 

 bedding necessary for the parents and 

 the younger children (see page 20). In 

 some more pretentious houses these open- 

 ings are further protected from fresh air 

 by folding doors. 



Such places would be considered un- 

 safe for animals to occupy ; but, as the 

 old Dutch housewife reasoned, "The 

 health of the cattle and hogs must be 

 looked after ; people can take care of 

 themselves." 



Many writers on the Netherlands as- 

 cribe the tendency toward tubercular dis- 

 ease among the women to the wearing of 

 metal skullcaps and the excessive weight 

 of the numerous skirts they wear. While 

 both of these conditions may contribute 

 to this result, it seems unnecessary to look 

 beyond their cupboard beds for abundant 

 cause for pulmonary disease. Indeed,, 

 the wonder is that any of those who 

 habitually occupy these airless beds es- 

 cape. 



Before the winter sets in, Sunday night 

 is a very busy time with the Vollendamers. 

 At sunset the festivities of the day give 

 way to hurried preparations for the de- 

 parture of the fleet on another fishing 

 cruise. Before daylight all but six of 

 the several hundred vessels which had 

 crowded the harbor the day before had 

 sailed. 



ON MARKEN ISLAND 



The little isle of Marken, located about 

 an hour's sail on the Zuyder Zee from 

 Vollendam, comprises about as quaint a 

 portion of the Netherlands as exists. The 

 life and customs of its population, which 

 numbers about one thousand souls, who 

 are Protestants, dates back to an earlier 

 period than does that of Vollendam, and 

 their style of dress is even more peculiar. 



The manner of dressing the hair of the 

 women is peculiar to the island. The 

 hair is cut straight across the forehead, 

 leaving a heavy bang just above the eye- 

 brov/s. On their heads they wear a white 

 cap, trimmed with lace that covers the 

 ears, which is tied under the chin. From 

 under this cap, on each side of the face, 

 emerges a long curl of hair, which swings 



