THE HAGUE. 147 



more than two dozen of small sloops, which we easily re- 

 cognized to be fishing-busses, were making directly for the 

 low sandy beach, although it was at present a lee-shore, 

 with a considerable surf. The sails were of various hues; 

 Isabella yellow ; chocolate brown, and milk white ; and 

 this intermixture of colours, set off by die brilliancy of a 

 clear morning sun, increased the picturesque effect. Not 

 a little to our surprize, the crews did not shorten sail, till 

 their barks were just involved among the waves and break- 

 ers ; and in this odd situation, generally after taking the 

 ground, we saw them deliberately cast anchor. The pro- 

 priety of the shape given to the hulls of these busses, was 

 now manifest to us ; a small British built sloop would have 

 been in danger of breaking up, while they shoved along 

 among the breakers in perfect security. Indeed, that 

 Dutch vessels in general should, of design, be built strong 

 or clumsy, and have their hulks well rounded below, can 

 only appear surprizing to those who have not witnessed the 

 nature of the seas which they have to navigate at home, 

 where they must often take the ground, and where they 

 not unfrequently sail right against the shore. As soon as 

 the anchors were cast, the boatmen, wading up to the mid- 

 dle in the waves, brought out the fish on their shoulders ; 

 the sands were covered with persons, of both sexes and of 

 all ages, who began to carry off the cargoes, in broad bask- 

 ets, on their heads. The principal kinds of fish were 

 Plaice, Turbot, Sole, Skate and Thornback ; a very few 

 Cod and Smelts made up the list. It may here be re 

 marked, that the Dutch give the name Schol to our plaice: 

 and our sole they, call Tang, as already mentioned. Their 

 name for the smelt, it may be added, is Spiering ; which 

 nearly approaches that by which this little fish is distin- 

 guished in the Edinburgh market, viz. Sjnrling. 



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