and said nothing.

"Don't you speak English?" said I.

"Ja!" said he once more.

"I've lost my way," cried I; "I am a stranger."

He looked at me doggedly for a minute or two, and then, with a stern
gravity of manner, and a phlegm, I cannot attempt to convey, he said--

"D----n _my_ eyes!"

"What!" said I, "do you mean?"

"Ja!" was the only reply.

"If you know English, why won't you speak it?"

"D----n _his_ eyes!" said he with a deep solemn tone.

"Is that all you know of the language?" cried I, stamping with
impatience. "Can you say no more than that?"

"D----n _your_ eyes!" ejaculated he, with as much composure, as though
he were maintaining an earnest conversation.

When I had sufficiently recovered from the hearty fit of laughter this
colloquy occasioned me, I began by signs, such as melodramatic people
make to express sleep, placing my head in the hollow of my hand, snoring
and yawning, to represent, that I stood in need of a bed.

"Ja!" cried my companion with more energy than before, and led the way
down one narrow street and up another, traversing lanes, where two men
could scarcely go abreast, until at length we reached a branch of the
Scheldt, along which, we continued for above twenty minutes. Suddenly
the sound of voices shouting a species of Dutch tune---for so its
unspeakable words, and wooden turns, bespoke it--apprised me, that we
were near a house where the people were yet astir.

"Ha!" said I, "this a hotel then."

Another "Ja!"

"What do they call it?"

A shake of the head.

"That will do, good night," said I, as I saw the bright lights gleaming
from the small diamond panes of an old Flemish window; "I am much
obliged to you."

"D----n _your_ eyes!" said my friend, taking off his hat politely,
and making me a low bow, while he added something in Flemish, which I
sincerely trust was of a more polite and complimentary import, than his
parting benediction in English.

As I turned from the Fleming, I entered a narrow hall, which led by a
low-arched door into a large room, along which, a number of tables
were placed, each, crowded by its own party who clinked their cans and
vociferated a chorus, which, from constant repetition, rings still in my
memory--

"Wenn die wein ist in die maun,
Der weisdheid den iut in die kan."

or in the vernacular--

"When the wine is in the man,
Then is the wisdom in the can."

A sentiment, which a very brief observation