ANTWERP. 91 



the Country of Waes, accounted one of the richest in 

 Flanders, and reminding us of the finest parts of East 

 Lothian. The road was skirted with hawthorn hedges; 

 in some places intermixed with sweet-briar, in others with 

 common dogwood and purging-buckthorn. Before mid- 

 day we reached the ferry station called Flanders Head 

 (Tete de Flandrcs), from which we had only to cross 

 the Scheldt to Antwerp, being a passage of somewhat 

 more than a quarter of a mile. Near to this, we saw some 

 of the sluices and dikes, by opening which the country, on 

 this side of the river, was inundated to a great extent in 

 1814, when Antwerp held out for Buonaparte till after the 

 Allies were in Paris. At Flanders Head, we were told, 

 the Emperor intended to have erected a considerable town ; 

 and it is evident, that, by means of the water of the Scheldt, 

 the place could at any time be completely insulated, and 

 rendered inaccessible to an enemy. Having entered Ant- 

 werp, we took up our abode in the auberge St Antoine, in 

 the Place Verte. The great fair or kermis had just closed ; 

 but many of the temporary booths still remained in the 

 large square fronting the Exchange. 



Antwerp. 



We spent the afternoon in taking a general view of this 

 celebrated city and port. All the principal houses are 

 built of sandstone (commonly called kareelsteen, but not 

 granite), brought from Boom, a village situated about three 

 hours walk, or ten miles, from Antwerp. 



Our attention was soon attracted by the Cathedral. It 

 is a noble edifice ; but we were not a little scandalised to 

 find its walls disfigured by having paltry shops adjecied to 



