14) The Valley of Malgum

The Valley of Malgum (mp3) (pdf) (tab)

Vlieland is a small but very beautiful Dutch island. When you cycle to the most western part of the dunes on the Island you pass the "Vallei van Malgum". It's a place with a very sad story from the 18th century. One day a ship was stranded at the Northsea coast. The crew didn't get permission to enter the small village on the Island. They suffered from an infectious disease and had to stay in quarantine in the dunes. Whether it was a ship from Malmö or more likely a ship with sweet wine from Malaga, no one knows the exact story. The place where those poor people lived is nowadays remembered as the"Vallei van Malgum". In a wood at the South side of the Island (Bomenland) is a small cemetery for the deceased crew members. It's called "Dodemans Bol".
While I was on the Island last summer and with this story in my mind I wrote a sad waltz for violin and mandolin. My sister played the violin part.