INLAND: THE FLEMISH PLAIN
Let us now leave the shore, and go inland.
If you climb to the top of some dune, you will see before you a wide
plain stretching out as far as the eye can reach. This part of Belgium
is called Flanders. It is all flat, with canals, and long, straight
roads, paved with stones, running across it. There are rows of tall
poplar-trees or willows, which are bent slightly towards the east, for
the wind blows oftenest from the west, small patches of woodland,
gardens, and many sluggish streams. The fields, which have no fences
or hedges round them, are large and well tilled, some bearing fine
crops of wheat, rye, or potatoes and turnips, while others are rich
pasture-lands for sheep and cattle. The whole of this Flemish Plain,
as it is called, is dotted with farm-houses and cottages. There are a
great many villages, and in the distance rise the roof-tops and the
towers and spires of famous old towns.
Some of the villages are worth visiting. There is one called Coxyde,
which lies low among the sandhills, not far from the sea. The people
of this village live by fishing, but in a very curious way, for they
do it on horseback. They mount little horses, and ride out into the
sea with baskets, and nets fastened to long poles. It is funny to see
them riding about in the water, and catching fish and shrimps in this
strange fashion.
There is another village, also only a short distance inland, where
there is a church in which a number of toy ships are hung up. These
are offerings made to an image of the Virgin Mary which stands there.
If a crew of Flemish fishermen have escaped from some dangerous storm,
they walk in silence to this church, and give thanks to the image,
which is called Our Lady of Lombaerdzyde.
The farm-labourers in Flanders live very simply. Their food is chiefly
black bread, potatoes, and salted pork or fish. There are lots of boys
and girls who eat nothing all the year round but black bread and
potatoes, and who look on pork or fish as quite a treat. Sometimes
they spread lard on their slices of bread, and there are many who have
never tasted butter in their lives. Yet they appear to be very strong
and happy. They drink black coffee, or beer if their parents can
afford it. The food of the older people is much the same.
Most of the people in the country districts of Flanders--men, women,
boys, and girls--work in the fields. In summer they rise at four or
five in the morning, and after eating a slice of bread go out into the
fields. At half-past eleven or twelve they dine on bread and potatoes,
with perhaps a slice of pork, and take a rest. Then they work again
till about four in the afternoon, when they rest again, and after that
they work on till it is dark. In the short days of winter they toil
from sunrise till sunset. By this means they earn enough to live on. A
boy or girl may get from 5d. to 7d. a day, a woman a little more,
while a married man generally receives 1s. 8d. or 2s. Some farmers pay
an unmarried labourer 10d. and his food.
This seems a dull and hard life, but the Flemings do not find it so.
Like all Belgians, they are fond of amusement, and there is a great
deal of dancing and singing, especially on holidays. Sunday is the
chief holiday. They all go to church in the morning, and the rest of
the day is given up to play. Unfortunately many of the older people
drink too much. There are far too many public-houses. Any person who
likes can open one on payment of a small sum of money to the
Government. The result is that in many quite small villages, where
very few people live, there are ten or twelve public-houses, where a
large glass of beer is sold for less than a penny, and a glass of
coarse spirits for about the same price. Most of the drinking is done
on Sunday, and on Monday morning it is often difficult to get men to
work. There are many, especially in the towns, who never work on
Mondays. This is quite understood in Belgium, and people who know the
country are pleased, and rather surprised, if an artisan who has
promised to come and do something on a Monday morning keeps his word.
Of course there are many sober work-people, and it is a rare thing to
see a tipsy woman, much rarer than in England; but there is a great
deal of drunkenness in Belgium.
There is one thing to which all the boys and girls look forward, and
that is what is called the _Kermesse_. This is a kind of fair, which
takes place at every village in summer, and lasts for two or three
days. They talk about it for weeks before, and for weeks after. They
save up every penny they can lay their hands on, and when the time
comes they leave their work or the school as soon as possible in the
afternoon, put on their best clothes, and enjoy themselves.
The village street is full of stalls covered with cheap toys,
sweetmeats, and all sorts of tempting little articles, and you may be
sure the pennies melt away very quickly. Flags of black, red, and yellow
stripes--the Belgian national colours--fly on the houses. A band of
music plays. Travelling showmen are there with merry-go-rounds, and the
children are never tired of riding round and round on the gaily painted
wooden horses. Then there is dancing in the public-houses, in which all
the villagers, except the very old people, take part. Boys and girls hop
round, and if there are not enough boys the girls take each other for
partners, while the grown-up lads and young women dance together.
[Illustration: A SHRIMPER ON HORSEBACK, COXYDE.]
The rooms in these public-houses are pretty large, but they get
dreadfully hot and stuffy. The constant laughing and talking, the
music, and the scraping of feet on the sanded floor make an awful
din. Then there are sometimes disputes, and the Flemings have a nasty
habit of using knives when they are angry, so the dancing, which often
goes on till two or three in the morning, is the least pleasant thing
about these gatherings.
This is a very old Belgian custom, but of late years the _Kermesses_
in the big towns have changed in character, and are just ordinary
fairs, with menageries and things of that sort, which you can find in
England or anywhere else. If you want to see a real Kermesse you must
go to some village in Flanders, and there you will find it very
amusing.