FROM ROTTERDAM TO THE HAGUE. 139 



for keeping regular hours. When Mr Macdonaid and I 

 returned home from the Schouwburg, soon after 10 o'clock, 

 the shops were shut, and the streets hushed. Only the far- 

 famed music- houses or speeUiuizen were open, under the 

 license of the burgomasters, and having their entrances sig- 

 nalised by large reflecting lamps : in passing these, we no 

 doubt heard the noise of mirth and dancing, but we wit- 

 nessed no instance of ebriety nor of unbecoming behaviour. 



From Rotterdam io the Hague. 



Aug. 26. — Precisely at 7 A. M. the bell rang for the 

 departure of the treckschuyt for Delft, on the Schie canal 

 already mentioned ; and here we began to travel by that 

 mode of conveyance. It is not only easy and pleasant, but 

 to a hurried horticulturist, peculiarly desirable. The ca- 

 nals being every where on a higher level than the country, 

 and at the same time brim-full, the passenger who seats 

 himself on the top of the roef or cabin, is so much raised 

 that he sees in every direction ; and further, it so happens, 

 that, in the country of treckschuyts, all the best villas and 

 gardens are situated close to the sides of the canals. In 

 the first part of our course, we passed many saw-mills, flour- 

 mills, and mills for raising water from the meadows, all put 

 in motion by the wind : in front of most of them may be 

 observed some distinctive emblematical figure, frequent- 

 ly clumsy enough. The fields presented the appear- 

 ance of rich old pastures ; and there was scarcely any corn. 

 The cry of the peeseweep * continually assailed our ears, 

 great numbers of this bird frequenting the moist pastures 

 of Holland during the autumn. The chattering of star- 

 lings (Sturnus vulgaris) was equally constant, and small 



The Scottish name of the lapwing, Tringa vanellus. 



