The picture gallery, in the Maurits Huis,[26] one of the finest in the world, seemed only to have flashed by the boys during a two hours' visit, so much was there to admire and examine. As for the Royal Cabinet of curiosities, in the same building, they felt that they had but glanced at it though they were there nearly half a day. It seemed to them that Japan had poured all her treasures within its walls. For a long period, Holland, always foremost in commerce, was the only nation allowed to have any intercourse with Japan. One can well forego a journey to that country if he can but visit the Museum at the Hague. [Footnote 26: A building erected by Prince Maurice of Nassau.] Room after room is filled with collections from the Hermit Empire--Costumes peculiar to various ranks and pursuits, articles of ornament, household utensils, weapons, armor and surgical instruments. There is also an ingenious Japanese model of the Island of Desina, the Dutch factory in Japan. It appears almost as the Island itself would if seen through a reversed opera-glass, and makes one feel like a Gulliver coming unexpectedly upon a Japanese Lilliput. There you see hundreds of people in native costumes, standing, kneeling, stooping, reaching--all at work, or pretending to be--and their dwellings, even their very furniture, spread out before you, plain as day. In another room a huge tortoise shell baby-house fitted up in Dutch style and inhabited by dignified Dutch dolls, stands ready to tell you at a glance how people live in Holland. Gretel, Hilda, Katrinka, even the proud Rychie Korbes, would have been delighted with this; but Peter and his gallant band passed it by without a glance. The war implements had the honor of detaining them for an hour; such clubs, such murderous krits, or daggers, such firearms, and, above all, such wonderful Japanese swords, quite capable of performing the accredited Japanese feat, of cutting a man in two at a single stroke! There were Chinese and other oriental curiosities in the collection. Native historical relics, too, upon which our young Dutchmen gazed very soberly, though they were secretly proud to show them to Ben.