ODD INTERCOURSE.

New Zealand Graphic, Volume VI, Issue 31, 2 August 1890, Page 19

ODD INTERCOURSE.

People who have not a common language are obliged to -adopt all sorts of methods of communicating with one another. One of the most ingenious attempts at a verbal understanding is that recorded by the author of ‘ The Falcon on the Baltic,’ an interesting chronicle of yatching ■experiences. We arrived at the town of Hoorn, and there, while a ■crowd gathered on the quay, an old woman addressed us. She became quite angry when she found that we could not understand her, and she began to scream at the top of her voice, heedless of the fact that we were not deaf, but merely ignorant of her language. Having failed utterly to explain herself, she suddenly, ■ceased her clamour, and beckoned me with her bony hand to follow her. Her air of authority was such that I dared not refuse. I crawled on to the quay, and did her bidding with -a sinking heart. She led me through the street in silence till we reached a small house. The door stood open. Again she beckoned. I hesitated. Then she seized me by the hand •and dragged me in. A crowd of inquisitive boys had followed us. She slammed the door in their faces, and I was left alone with this mysterious woman. Her next proceeding was to unlock the drawer of a fine, old carved bureau, which I coveted even in that moment of trepidation. From this she took asmall book, which, without saying a word, she placed in my hand. I opened it at the title-page, and lo ! it proved to be a French-Dutch ■dictionary. I consulted the pages, and pointed out to her the Dutch ■equivalent for the words, 1 What do you want with me?’ . She opened the book in her turn, and, following her finger with my eyes, I read in succession the two words, ‘ Huit sous.’ A light broke on my dull intelligence. I hastily turned -over the dictionary again, and showed her the uncouth Dutch word that stood for ‘ harbour-master.’ ‘Ja! ja!' she cried, laughing, and slapping me on the back. We understood each other at last. This was the harbourmistress, and when 1 had paid her the fourpence, she allowed me to depart.