ooting with crossbows at a target. St.
George is the patron generally of those who use the crossbow. The
Society of St. George at Bruges has a curious festival, which is
observed in February. It is called the _Hammekensfeest_, or festival
of the ham. The shooting takes place in a hall, where a supper-table
is laid with various dishes of ham, salads, fish, and other eatables.
The target is divided into spaces marked with the names of the dishes.
If anyone hits a space marked, for example, ham, he may go and help
himself to ham; but if someone else, shooting after him, hits the same
place, he must then give up his seat. In the bull's-eye of the target
there is the figure of an ape, and if anyone hits that he can eat of
any dish he pleases. You may suppose what an amusing supper-party this
is, when all the guests are shooting and eating by turns, and no one
knows whether he may not have to rise suddenly and give up his place
to somebody else.

There are many other customs and festivals connected with the archer
societies, which are very flourishing in Belgium, chiefly among the
_petite bourgeoisie_.

There are athletic clubs in Belgium, and rowing is a favourite sport,
especially at Ghent. Two years on end the Ghent Rowing Club won the
Grand Challenge Shield at Henley, beating all the English crews which
rowed against them.

As in all countries, the children have many games. One, which they
call _balle dans la maison_ (ball in the house), is much the same as
rounders, and there is another game called _camp ruine_, which girls
play at school. There are two sides. A ball is thrown up, and each
side tries to prevent the other catching it. Each player who is
prevented has to join the opposite side or camp, and so on till one
camp is "ruined" by losing all its occupants.

There is a very popular game among Belgian working-men called the _jeu
de balle_. There are five players on each side, who stand on two large
courts marked on the ground. The ball is served by hitting it with the
hand (as at fives) by a player on one side over the line which divides
the courts, and is returned in the same way by a player on the other
side. The ball must not touch the ground, and is taken full pitch. A
point is lost by the side which sends a ball outside the lines of the
court into which it ought to have been served or returned. The points
count fifteen, thirty, forty, and five for the last, which wins the
game.

This is the chief game p