143 HORTICULTURAL TOUB 



A continuous broad and high bank of sand lines the coast 

 as tar as Ave could see, and forms the powerful protection 

 of this part of Holland, against the inroads of the ocean, 

 Without this provision of Nature, die country would be 

 inundated by every extraordinary tide and gale ; for here 

 it may be truly said, " the broad ocean leans against the 

 land" On the sand-hills, the same kind of plants prevail 

 as in similar situations in England ; sea-holly and buck* 

 thorn, Asperugo and Galium verum, with sea-jnarran 

 (Arundo arenaria), which last is encouraged here, being 

 found very useful in binding the sand* In some places 

 wheat-straw had been dibbled in, as at Ostend, in order to 

 promote the same object, Considering Scheveling as a 

 fishing-village, we were greatly pleased with it ; it was ex* 

 tremely neat and clean, and formed a perfect contrast with 

 our Newhaven and Fisherrow *, the lanes of which are ge-, 

 nerally encumbered with all worts of filth, We must con- 

 fess, too, that in tidiness of dress and urbanity of manners, 

 the fish women of Scheveling are equally superior to, those 

 of the Scottish villages mentioned. 



As we returned to the Hague, numbers of the inhabi- 

 tants were also on their way to the fish-rmarkct, some car- 

 rying baskets of fish on their heads, and others employing 

 three or lour dogs to convey the fish in small light carts, 

 We had read in books, of these draught dogs being well 

 used, and fat and sleek ; but we regret to, say, that those 

 which, we saw were generally poor half-starved looking anU 

 HiaU, bearing no equivocal marks of ill usage, r Vhe elili- 

 gence with which they sped their way to town, with the^r 

 cargoes, in a sultry day, with tongues lolling to th,e ground* 

 1 1 Ni.d to entitle them to better treatment, 



• Two .in.-ill (own* on the shore of the Frith of Forth near Kdinburgh. 

 hicHv Inhabited by flrtu ""< ■■■ •" $ (1 ' " ' '""' • 



