Holland 232On The Sands

On The Sands.

Utilizing The Wind

Utilizing The Wind.

The River Amstel

The River Amstel.

Holland Below The Ocean Level

Holland Below The Ocean Level.

To me, however, it resembles rather a beleaguered fortress, before whose gates a tireless foe is constantly at work, now undermining secretly its massive dikes, now charging furiously on the rescued soil, as if determined to reclaim its own. The danger can be best appreciated by standing behind one of Holland's ocean bulwarks at high tide, and hearing the breakers dash against the other side of the wall, sixteen or eighteen feet above the level of the land. For, although calm and beautiful at times, the North Sea can be treacherous and cruel. Again and again it has forced an entrance here, and by a sudden onset of its waves has laid waste prosperous towns and peaceful villages and swept to destruction thousands of inhabitants. In the fearful inundation, of 1570, nearly all the dikes were destroyed, ships were carried into the interior of the country, and one hundred thousand people are said to have perished. Yet the indomitable Dutch have always rallied, undismayed, to expel the foe, and have invariably succeeded. Recently, they have even assumed the offensive, and compelled the ocean to retire from land which it had occupied for centuries. Hundreds of square miles of territory have, in the last few years, been wrested from the sea solely by means of windmills; and the fields, thus rescued and walled in with massive dikes, are spotted now with herds of cattle ruminating peacefully where, but a little while ago, the sea rolled fathoms deep. Truly, a country that can thus repel an enemy of such tremendous power; and has, moreover, called the winds of heaven to assist her in the conflict, is a magnificent proof of man's superiority over nature; and, as I trod the battle-ground of these contending forces, I realized, as never before, the truth of the familiar proverb: "God made the sea, but the Dutch have made the shore."

Holland S Tireless Ally

Holland S Tireless Ally.

Rottekdam Harbor

Rottekdam Harbor.

Holland 239