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CHAPTER I.

OSTEND-BRUGES-GHENT.

AUGUST, 1832.-I started in the company of two near relatives, from the Tower Stairs, at seven o'clock in the morning, on board the Earl of Liverpool steamer, and after a favourable passage, landed at Ostend, at half-past ten at night. During the voyage our attention was attracted to the north, where the heavens appeared tempestuous, and in the midst of which we perceived a water-spout. Had it been nearer to our vessel the might have been serious.

consequences

was to get our pass

Our first care on landing ports signed at the Office. At the Lion d'Or we procured comfortable beus. In our night-walk through the streets we were reminded that our so

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journing was now in a catholic country, by seeing several images with lighted tapers before them. At Ostend we procured twenty-five francs for our sovereign, whereas in London we should have had only twenty-four.

Ostend is a regularly-built town; the streets spacious and clean. There are several good inns. The stadt-house is a handsome building; but we saw no other edifice worth noticing. Ostend has seen its best days. The principal historical recollection attached to it is that of the great siege by the Spaniards, which lasted three years and three months; viz. from 1601 to 1604, when 50,000 of the besieged and 80,000 of the besiegers, perished by the sword, famine, and disease.

We were seated in the diligence for Bruges, at six in the morning. The first view of Belgium is striking to an Englishman. The country is one wide expanse of flat fertility. Near to the sea the westerly winds prevent trees from growing; consequently there is a nakedness unpleasing to the eye of a traveller. The harvest was nearly housed, and those crops remaining on the land were abundant. Numerous spires ascend on every side; and images of Christ, the Virgin and Child, crosses, and small chapels, are frequent on the road-side. We were reminded of the yet critical state of Belgium by the numerous stations of soldiery; every

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village and hamlet was crowded with them. Several regiments were on the march towards Brussels : they appeared to consist of very young men, and lacked that air à la militaire so conspicuous in our own army.

Bruges is a fine place, and being the first continental city we had seen, attracted our particular attention. The houses are lofty, and the streets spacious. The Exchange, called Beurs, built by the family of Van der Beurs, has given name to every Exchange in France. It is now called

"Bourse."

John Van Eyck, known as John of Brugge, the inventor of oil-painting, lived in this town.

Barges convey passengers daily from Ostend to Ghent, through Bruges, on the great canal. These boats, or track-schûts, as they are called, are fitted up in a superior style. An excellent table d'hôte, moderate fares, and the ornamented banks of the canal, are inducements to tourists who travel at leisure. The voyage to Ghent occupies two days. The first night is spent at Bruges. The passage of the two days is two francs.

There was a fête at Ecloo as we passed through it, similar in most respects to an English fair. Gingerbread stalls, swings, roundabouts, and hubbub, prevailed; and the Sabbath, instead of being a check, seemed to be an inducement to the inha

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bitants to indulge in these amusements. The shops here, as well as at every other place through which we drove on this day, were open.

Running streams of water being scarce in the Netherlands, windmills are twirling in every direction. In the vicinities of the towns, extensive gardens are every where laid out.

On entering Ghent, our passports were demanded; and on leaving the town, the same form took place; and the diligence was slightly examined.

Ghent is a noble city: the churches are superb, the streets fine, the inns good, the Scheldt navigable for vessels of tolerably large burden, and the bridges are 300 in number over four rivers which meet here. After all these, little more need be said of Ghent. We here, for the first time, attended a table d'hôte. I shall have occasion to say a few words on this subject: for the present, therefore, let it pass.

:

Ghent could formerly take into the field 80,000 warriors the whole population, however, is now scarcely a fourth of that number. It was a favourite city of Charles V. who boasted that he could place all Paris in its great square. The interior of the Cathedral of St. Bavo is renowned throughout Christendom for its sumptuous costliness. The country around teems with plenty; and

ALOST-APPEARANCE OF THE COUNTRY.

one of my companions, an excellent judge of agricultural affairs, was highly pleased with the good farming which prevailed every where. Abundant crops of madder, tobacco, flax, chicorée, and corn, promised a full repayment for the farmer's labour.

The little town of Alost appeared to be crammed with soldiers, of which there are at present in Belgium, 150,000 cavalry and infantry, tolerably equipped. If they fight as well as they smoke, they certainly will deserve the appellation which they have given to themselves of "Les braves Belges*."

We were now in the country of hop-gardens, a prodigious number of which flourished luxuri; antly in this neighbourhood. When seasons fail in England, a considerable quantity of the produce is imported from the Netherlands.

The farther we proceeded into the interior, the more wooded the landscapes became; but the same flatness continues through nearly all Bel gium and Holland: the eye looks round upon a boundless plain, the horizon forming a circle as at sea. In consequence of this level nature of the country, the roads are very straight, and being planted on each side with trees, often present

*This was written before the siege of Antwerp.

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