Identifier: storiesofpersons00bene (find matches)
Title: Stories of persons and places in Europe
Year: 1887 (1880s)
Authors: Benedict, E. L. (from old catalog)
Subjects:
Publisher: New York, London, G. Routledge and sons
Contributing Library: The Library of Congress
Digitizing Sponsor: The Library of Congress

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nusually strong gale that, blowing for several daysswept the waters of the Atlantic up into the North sea and piled them withsuch force against the dykes that they burst in every direction. The onebetween Amsterdam and Meyden was broken in twelve pieces. Another,made of oaken piles fastened with metal clamps, moored Avith iron anchors,and secured by gravel and granite, was snapped like a thread. The oceanpoured in with terrible fury; whole districts of land with all their villages,farms, and churches were torn out of their places and borne along by thewaves, to be lodged perhaps in another part of the country. The steeplesand towers of the cities that stood firm became islands in an ocean of waters.Ships were driven in from the sea and beaten to pieces against the roofs andwalls of houses, or became entangled in orchards and groves. Everywherewere men, women, and children, horses and cattle struggling in the waves.Some found a refuge in the branches of trees or in churches until boats
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186 Persons and Places inpe.JSuro could be sent out to their rescue, but fully one hundred thousand peoplewere drowned. The Ladys Sand.—The rivers of the Netherlands have cost as muchlabor as the sea. With the mud brought down by the currents they chokeup their mouths and then break out into new channels paying no regard tothe houses that stand in the way. But the Dutch have stopped theseravages by walling the rivers in with dykes and keeping their mouths openby dredging. The monsters sometimes break out in rebellion in winter, andthen a strange battle is fought. The water bursts from under the ice andthrows it up against the dykes in huge masses that reach across the riverand form a dam. In a little while the water would overflow and wash awaythe dykes, but the watchful engineers are prepared to ward off the danger. They bring up loaded cannon within range of the ice dam and open afire upon the frozen towers and pinnacles until they give way. With con-siderable pride a Dutchman onc

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