Page:A Tour Through the Batavian Republic.djvu/373

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THE BATAVIAN REPUBLIC
361

first described the embarkation of a young man on ship-board, and his relatives on the quay, weeping on account of his departure. The second represented his arrival in a foreign part, where a number of Indians were waiting to receive him. The third described him as a planter, surrounded by his slaves, and the productions of the tropics. The last related the story of his return to his country, advanced in life, and blessed with wealth. The date affixed to it was 1661. Another of these carvings described the history of a shopkeeper's life; and a third, that of a man who had acquired his riches by the whale-fishery.

The houses of Broek are painted with different colours, but chiefly with green and white, and some of them in addition are gilded. They are small, few of them containing more than eight rooms, and none of them above two stories high. Before most of the houses is a small garden, dressed out in a fantastic style with shells, pieces of stained glass, bits of broken china, and the like; and the shrubs and trees are tortured into