"That's not an uncommon scene in Holland," replied the doctor, laughing.
One of the first-class dog teams had incautiously been conducted too near another team, reposing, after the labors of the day, on the verge of the canal. Some canine demonstration on the part of the idle dogs, doubtless, excited the ire of the travelling team, and, without asking the woman's permission, the latter deserted the ranks, so far as their harness would permit, and "pitched into" the others, which sprang to their feet, and met the assailants half way. All the dogs howled, growled, and barked vehemently, and in a moment the two teams were rolling upon the ground, entangled in their rigging, snapping, biting, and kicking, in mad fury.
The woman seized a stick, and belabored the belligerents with great vigor; but the fight continued, in spite of her, until several women interfered, and dragged the cart of the idlers, clogs and all, out of the reach of the others. The driver, after severely whipping her charge, unsnarled their rigging, and went on her way. Paul had to stop and laugh frequently at these dog teams, the animals presented so many different phases of character. Some of them howled or barked as they trudged along; and many manifested a desire to make the acquaintance of other teams on their way, much to the annoyance of the driver, who would storm at them in Dutch, kick and whip them.
Many of the men, women, and children wore sabots, or wooden shoes, which Paul compared to canal boats, and went clumping and clattering along the streets like champion clog-dancers. The Flemish cap, worn by some of the peasant women, also amused Paul very much. From each side of the wearer's head, near the eye, projected a brass ornament, in the shape of a spiral spring, but each circle diminishing in size till the wire ended in a point, like a gimlet.
In the older parts of the city the tourists found brick buildings whose walls slant outwards, so that the eaves would project eighteen inches over the base, as farmers in New England sometimes build their corn-barns.
Rotterdam contains about as many canals as streets, which are frequently crossed by draw-bridges. Some of these are handsome iron structures, revolving on a balance, so as to make a passage on each side when open. Others were raised by heavy framework overhead; and in some of the bridges there was only an opening one or two feet wide, to permit the passing of the vessel's masts.
After examining the canals and bridges in this part of the city, Paul and the doctor walked to the church of St. Lawrence, which is noted for its great organ, ninety feet high, and containing sixty-five hundred pipes.
"Now, Paul, we will take a carriage and ride up to the park, and go from there to the railway station," said the doctor, as they left the Groote Kerk.
"What is that man eating?" asked Paul, as they passed through one of the dirtiest parts of the city, where, on the bank of the canal, a woman was standing behind a table loaded down with a heap of shellfish, just as they came from the mud.
The customer was taking them from the shells, drinking at intervals from a cup.