, and
during the wars between the Spaniards and the Dutch the Spaniards
defended it for three whole years. It must have been very strong in
those days. But now it is quite changed, and has no walls, but just a
long _digue_, and a great many hotels, lodging-houses, and big shops.
Crowds of people go there in summer. There are horse-races, concerts,
dancing, and a great deal of gambling. One part of the beach in front
of the _digue_ is crowded with bathing-machines, and it is said that
during one day in August a few years ago no fewer than 7,000 people
bathed.

[Illustration: THE VEGETABLE MARKET, BRUGES.]

Ostend, however, is not a nice place to stay in. In summer it is
noisy, and full of people who care for nothing but eating, drinking,
dressing up, and gambling. In winter it is an ugly, dull, stupid town,
in which there is nothing to do, and nothing to see except
fishing-boats and the steamers which carry travellers to and from
Dover. So we shall not say anything more about it, but take the train,
and in twenty minutes find ourselves in a really interesting place.

This is Bruges. They call it _Bruges la Morte_--that is to say,
"Bruges, the Dead City." Once upon a time, long, long ago, this town
was great, and rich, and prosperous. It was surrounded by strong
walls, and within it were many gilded palaces, the homes of merchant
princes whose wealth was the talk of all the world. Their houses were
full of precious stones, tapestries, silk, fine linen, and cloth of
gold. Their warehouses were stored with costly bales. They lent money
to Kings and Princes, and lived themselves in almost royal luxury. A
broad channel led from the sea to Bruges, and ships entered daily
laden with goods from every country in Europe, as well as from India
and all parts of the world. In those days the cloth made by the
Flemish weavers was famous, and the greatest market for wool was at
Bruges.

So Bruges grew richer and richer, and much money was spent in
beautifying the town, in which there are said to have been 200,000
industrious people. Churches rose, and other noble buildings. There
were endless tournaments and festivals. Painters flourished there.
Bruges was spoken of as the Venice of the North.

But all this came to an end. The channel which joined this great city
to the sea dried up. There were wars and rebellions which drove the
foreign merchants away. They went to Antwerp. Bruges fell, and has
remained fallen ever since.

It