USA > New Jersey > Monmouth County > Old times in old Monmouth > Part 2
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OLD TIMES IN OLD MONMOUTH.
for the day before we found not above two degrees of variation.
This is a very good land to fall in with, and a pleasant land to see.
Sept. 3d-The morning misty until ten o'clock; then it cleared and the wind came to the south southeast. so we weigh- ed and stood northward. The land is very pleasant and high and bold to fall withal. At three o'clock in the afternoon we came to three great rivers ( Narrows, Rockaway Inlet and the Raritan ; so we stood along the northward ( Rockaway Inlet,) thinking to have gone in, but we found it to have a very shoal bar before it for we had but ten feet water. Then we cast about to the southward and found two fathoms, three fathoms and three and a quarter, till we came to the so ;thein side of theni; then we had five and six fathoms and returned in an hour and a half. So we , weighed and went in and rode in five fathoms, ooze ground, and saw many salmons and mul- lets and ravs ve y great. The height is 40° 30' ( Latitude.)
First I anding of the Whites in Old Monmouth.
Sept. 4th .- In the morning as soon as the day was light, we saw that it was good riding farther op .; so we sent om boat to sound, and found that it was a very good harbor and four or five fathoms, two cable lengths from the shore. Then we weighed and went in with our ship. Then our bou went on land with our net to fish. and caught ten great mullets of a foot and a half long. a plaice and a ray as great as four men could haul into the ship. So we trimmed our bo it and rode still all day .- At night the wind blew hard as the north- west, and our anchor came home, and we drove on shore, but took no hurt, and thank God, for the ground is soft sand and ooze. This day the people of the country came aboard of us and seemed very glad of our conning, and bronght green tobacco leaves and gave us of it for knives and beads. They go in deer skins, loose and well dressed. They have yellow copper. They desire clothes and are very civi !-- They have a great store of maize or Indian whent, whereof hey make good bread .- The country is full of great and tall oaks.
Sepr. 5h .- In the morning, as soon as the day was light, the wind ceased and the fol came. No we heaved off the ship again into five fathoms and sent our boat to sound the bay, and we found that there was three fathoms hard by the southern >hore. Our men went on land then and saw a great store of men, women and chil-
dren, who gave them tobacco at their com- ing on land. So they went up into the woods and saw a great store of very goodly oaks and some currants, ( probably huckle- berries). For one of them came on board and brought some dried, and gave me some, which were sweet and good. This day many of the people came on board, some in mantles of feathers, and some in skins of divers sorts of good furs. Some women also came with hemp. 'They had red cop- per tobacco pipes, and other things of cop- per they did wear about their necks. At night they went on land again, so we rode very quiet but durst not trust them.
The First White Man Killed.
Sunday, Sept. 6th .- In the morning was fair weather, and our master sent John Colman, with four other men. in our boat over to the North side to sound the other river ( Narrows ), being four leagues from us. They found by the way shoal water, being two rathoms ; but at the north of the river, eighteen and twenty fathoms, and very good riding for ships, and a very narrow river to the westward between two isInnds ( Staten Island and Bergen Point.)- The land they told us, was as pleasant with grass and flowers and goodly trees as ever they had seen, and here very sweet smells came from them. So they went in two leagues and saw an open sea ( Newark Bay), and returned, and as they came back they were set upon by two canoes, the one hav- ing twelve men and the other fourteen men. The night came on and id began to rain, so that their match went out; and they had one man slain in the fight, which was an Englishman named John Colman. with an arrow shot in his throat, and two more hurt. It grew so dark that they could not find the ship that night, but la- bored to and fro on their oars. They had so great a strain that their grapnel would not hold them.
Sept. 7th .- Was fair, and by ten o'clock they returned aboard the ship and brought our dead man with them, whom we carried on land and buried and named the point after his name, Colman's Point Then we hois'ed in our boat and raised ber side with waist boards, for defence of our men. So we rode still all night, having good re- gard for our watch.
Sept. Sth .- Was very fair weather; we rode still very quietly. The people came aboard of us and brought tobacco and In- dian wheat, to exchange for knives and beads and offered us no violence. So we fitting up our boat did mark them to see
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OLD TIMES IN OLD MONMOUTH.
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if they would make any show of the death | baffled conjecture. Some supposed it to of our man, which they did not.'
Sept. 9th .- Fair weather. In the morn- ing two great canoes came aboard full of men ; the one with their bows and arrows, and the other in show of buying knives, to betray us; but we perceived their intent. We took two of them to have kept them, and put red coats on them, and would not suffer the others to come near ns. So they went on land and two others came aboard in a canoe; we took tre one and let the other go; but he which we had taken got up and leaped overboard. Then we weigh- ed and went off into the channel of the river and anchored there all night.
The foregoing is all of the log-book of Juet that relates to Monmouth county .- The next morning the Half Moon proceed- ed up the North River, and on her return passed out to sea without stopping.
In the extract given above, the words in italics are not of course in the original, but are underscored as explanatory
THE COMING OF THE WHITE MAN.
What the Indians thought of the Whites and their ships .- The Natives Astonish- ed .- The Man in Red and the Red Man. -Fire Water and its First Indian Vic- tim. - The First Indians Drunk, &c.
Al er Sir Henry Hudson's departure from the shores of Monmouth he proceed- ed towards Manhattan Island and thence up the river now bearing his name. The following traditionary account, the coming of the Whites according to Heckwelder. was handed down amony both Delaware and Iroquois Indians. It is not often we meet in fact or fiction a more interesting story than this plain, simple Indian tradi- tion. After explaining that the Indian chief- of old Monmouth County, notified the chiefs on York or Manhattan Island, and that the chief's of the surrounding country finally gathered at the last named place to give a formal reception, the tradi- tion says :
be a large fish or other animal, others that it was a large house floating upon the ses. Perceiving it moving towards the land. the spectators concluded that it would be proper to send runners in different direc- tions to carry the news to their scattered chiefs, that they might send off for the im- mediate attendance of their warriors .- These arrived in numbers to behold the sight, and perceiving that it was actually moving towards them. that it was coming into the river or bay, they conjectured that it must be a remarkably large house in which the Manitto or Great Spirit was coming to visit them. They were much afraid and yet under no apprehension that the Great Spirit would injure them. They worshipped him. The chief's now assem- bled at New York Island and consulted in what manger they should receive their Manitto; meat was prepared for a sacri fice. The women were directed to prepare their best victuals. Idols or images were examined and put in order. A grand dance they thought would be pleasing. and in addition to the sacrifice might ap- pease him if hungry. The conjurors were also set to work to determine what this phenomenon portended and what the result would be. To the conjurors, men, women and children looked for protection. Ut- terly at a loss what to do, and distracted alternately between hope and fear, in the confusion a grand dance commerced .- Meantime fresh runners arrived, declarmy it to be a great house of various colors and full of living creatures. It now appeared that it was their Manitto, probably bring- ing some new Find of game. Others ar- riving declared it positively full of people of different color and dress from theirs, and that one appeared altogether in red. ( This was supposed to be Sir Henry Hud- son.) This then must be the Manitto .- They were lost in admiration, could not imagine what the vessel was, whence it eame. or what all this portended. They are now hailed from the vessel in a lan guage they could not understand. They answered by a shout or yell in their way. The house or large canoe as some call it, stops. A smaller canoe comes on shore with the red man in it; some stay by the canoe to guard it. The chief and wise men form a circle into which the red man and two attendants enter. He salutes them with friendly countenance, and they return the saiute after their manner .--
A long time ago ortore men with a white skin had ever been seen, some Indians fishing at a place where the sea widens, espied something at a distance moving upon the water. They hurried ashore, collected their neighbors, who together returned and viewed intently this aston- ishing phenomenon. What it could be | They are amazed at their color and dress,
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OLD TIMES IN OLD MONMOUTII.
particularly with him, who glittering in red wore something, perhaps lace and but- tons, they could not comprehend. He must be the great Manitto. they thought, but why should he have a white skin ? ings used as tobacco pouches. The whites now put handles in the axes and hoes and cut down trees before their eyes, dug the ground, and showed them the use of stock - ings. Here, say the Indians, a general laugh ensued-to think they had remain- ed ignorant of the use of these things, and had borne so long such heavy metals sus- pended around their necks. Familiarity daily increasing between them and the whites-the latter prepared to stay with them-asking them only for so much land as the hide of a bullock spread before them would cover; they granted the, request .- The whites then took a knife, and, begin- ning at a place on the hide, cut it up into a rope not thicker than the finger of a lit- the child. They then took the rope and drew it gently along in a circular form, and took in a large piece of ground ; the Indians were surprised at their superior wit, but they did not contend with them for a little ground, as they had enough .- They lived contentedly together for a long time, but the new comers from time to than a whole nation to be destroyed. He ! time asked for more land, which was read- ily obtained, and thus gradually proceeded higher up the Mahicannittuck ( Hudson River), until they began to believe they would want all their country, which proved eventually to be the case.
A large elegant Hockhack ( gourd, i. e. bottle, decanter, &c.,) is brought by one of the supposed Manitto's servants, from which a substance is placed into smaller cups or glasses and handed to the Manitto. He drinks, has the glasses refilled and handed to the chief near him. He takes it, smells it, and passes it to the next, who does the same. The glass in this manner is passed around the circle and is about to be returned to the red clothes man, when one of the Indians, a great warrior, har- angues them on the impropriety of return- ing the cup unemptied. It was handed to them, he said, by the Manitto, to drink ont of as he had. To follow his example would please him-to reject might provoke his wrath; and if no one else would he would drink it himself, let what would fol- low, for it were better for one man to die, then took the glass, smelled it, again ad- dressed them, bidding adieu, and drank its contents. All eyes are now fixed upon the first Indian in New York, who had tasted the poison, which has since effected so signal a revolution in the condition of the native Americans Hle soon began to stag- ger. The women cried, supposing him in fits. He rolled on the ground; they be- moan his fate; they thought him dying ; he fell asleep ; they at first thought he had expired, but soon perceived he still breath- ed ; he awoke, jumped up, and declared lie never felt more happy. He asked for more, and the whole assembly imitating him became intoxicated. While this in- toxication lasted, the whites confined themselves to their vessels ; after it ceased, the man with the red clothes returned and distributed beads, axes, hoes and stockings. They soon became familiar, and conversed by signs. The whites made them understand that they would now return home, but the next year they would visit them again with presents, and stay with them awhile; but as that they could not live without eating, they should then want a little land to sow seeds, in order to raise herbs to put in their broth.
Accordingly a vessel arrived the season following, when they were much rejoiced to see each other; but the whites laughed when they saw axes and hoes hanging as ornaments to their breasts, and the stock-
The name which the Indians first gave to the whites was Woapsicl Lennape, which signified white people. But in process of time, when disagreeable events occurred between them, the Indians laid aside this name and called them Schwonnack-the salt people-because they came across the salt water; and this name was always after applied to the whites.
The foregoing traditions are said to have been handed down among both Delaware and Iroquois. It has also been said that the Indian name for the Island upon which New York is situated ( Manhattan ) is de- rived from a word signifying " the place where we all got drunk together." Some New York writers take umbrage in this statement, and say the drunken scene oc- curred up the river ; but the exact place where it occurred is immaterial. Perhaps some may think the city has since that time fairly earned that name! Ancient writers testify that the first Indians who drank liquor generally became intoxicated by one drink, by two at most.
The Delawares owned and were spread over the whole country, from New York Island to the Potomac. They say they had a great many towns, among other
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OLD TIMES IN OLD MONMOUTH.
places a number on the Lennapewihittack or Delaware river, and a great many in Sheyichbi on that part of the country now named Jersey. That a place named Chi- chohaci, now Trenton, on the Lannape- wihittuck a large Indian town had been for many years together, where their great chief resided. The Delawares say Chick- ohacki is a place on the east side of the Delaware river above Philadelphia, at or near a great bend where the white people have since built a town which they call Trenton. Their old town was on a high bluff, which was always tumbling down, wherefore the town was called Chieho- haeki, which is tumbling banks, or falling banks.
When the Europeans first arrived at York Island the Great Unami, chief of the Turtle tribe, resided southward across a large stream or where Amboy now is .- That from this town a very long sand bar (Sandy Hook) extended far into the sea. That at Amboy and all the way up and clown their large rivers and bays and on great islands they had towns when the Europeans first arrived, and 'that it was their forefathers who first discovered the Europeans on their travel, and who met them on York Island after they landed.
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SIR HENRY HUDSON'S VISIT TO OLD MONMOUTH.
A celebrated historian, in speaking of Hudson's visit to Monmouth County and vicinity in September, 1609, says :
" For a week Hudson lingered in the lower bay, admiring the goodly oaks which garnished the neighboring shores, and holding frequent intercourse with the native savages of Monmouth, N. J. The Half Moon visited in return by the wan- dering Indians, who flocke ton board the strange vessel, clothed with mantles of feathers and robes of furs and adorned with rude copper necklaces. Meanwhile a boat's crew was sent to sound the river which opened to the northward. Passing through the Narrows they found a noble harbor with very good riding for ships ; a httle further on they came to the Kills between Staten Island and Bergen Neck- a narrow river to the westward between two islands. The lands on both sides were as pleasant with grass and flowers and goodly trees as ever they had seen. '
and very sweet smells came from them. Six miles up the river they came to an open sea, now known as Newark Bay. In the evening, as the boat was returning to the ship, the exploring party was set upon by two canoes full of savages, and one of the English sailors, named John Colman. was killed by an arrow shot into his throat. The next day Hudson buried, upon an adjacent beach, the comrade who had shared the dangers of his polar ad- ventures, to become the first European victim to an Indian weapon. in the placid waters he had now reached. To com memorate the event, Sandy Hook was : amed Colman's Point. The ship was soon visited by canoes full of native war- riors ; but Hudson, suspecting their good faith. took two savages, put red coats on them, while the rest were not suffered to approach."
In regard to the place where Colman was buried, most writers have taken it for granted that it was Sandy Hook, and one that it was Coney Island. But there is much plausibility in the following, from a paper published many years ago in the Proceedings of the New Jersey Historical Society :
" Dr. Strong, in his History of Flatbush. supposes Colman's Point to be Coney Island. and that Colman had been corrupted into Coney, but (in the opinion of the writer of this paper), it is a point about seven miles west of Sandy Hook, called by the Indians Mones-conk. and on Gordon's map called Point Comfort. Hudson, on the fifth of September, removed from his anchorage in the Horse Shoe, not counting it safe to remain there. A strong northwest wind had the night previous brought home the anchor and driven them ashore In the morning, having got off without injury, he sent the boat to sound the bay and found three fathoms hard by the Southern shore. If. then, he left the Horse Shoe, as it is probable, there is no such roadstead as that described, with three fathoms hard by the southern shore, until we reach the bay between Point Comfort and Brown's Point, where the steamboats now land. The waters and a part of the shore in this vicinity were called by the Indians Chin- garora-pronounced Shingarora-a name which onght by all means to have distin- guished the flourishing village adjacent. instead of the uncouth name of Keyport."
The paper from which the foregoing ex- tract was made, was furnished to the N. J. Historical Society by the Rev. Mr. Mar-
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OLD TIMES IN OLD MONMOUTH.
cellus, well known to the older citizens of Freehold, who took great interest in all matters pertaining to the early history of Old Monmouth, and whose decease was not only regretted by an extensive circle of personal friends, but by every person interested in the early history of our state, cognizant of his earnest efforts to rescue from oblivion the fading records of the pioneers of Old Monmouth.
In commenting upon Hudson's first landing, Mr. Marcellus says :
" The first interview with Hudson and his crew presented an interesting spectacle -a grand subject for a painter. The Indians had never before seen a ship. The complexion of the men, their dress, language and manners, the sails and tack- ling of the ship-the vastness of the vessel itself-all was wonderful."
The fourth of September, 1609, is a memorable day in the annals of our state, as on that day, on the soil of Monmouth, occurred the first landing of whitesin New Jersey.
Two days before this-that is, on Sep- tember 2nd-Sir Henry Hudson sailed near the inlet now known as Barnegat Inlet. The log book of his ship speaks of the sea breaking upon its shoals, and from this it derives its name. The first Dutch explorers named it on their chart ' Barende-gat," meaning " breakers inlet," or an inlet with breakers. Barende-gat was gradually corrupted to Barndegat, Bardeget, and finally to Barnegat.
RANDOM REMINISCENCES
OE THE
EARLY HISTORY OF OLD MONMOUTHI.
TRAVELLING TWO CENTURIES AGO.
DISTINGUISHED QUAKERS VISIT OLD MON- MOUTH.
Crossing the State in Ancient Times-Per- ilous Travelling-Indian Hotels and Hospitalities-Singular Accident and Remarkable Recovery-Friends' Meet- ing, in Middletown and Shrewsbury- Purgatory in Old Monmouth-Where was it ?- Novel Life Preservers, &c.
It is doubtful if any more ancient ac- counts of travelling across New Jersey can be found than the following, extracted from the journals of John Burnyeate and George Fox. distinguished members of the Society of Friends ; in company with them were Robert Withers, George Patison and others, some of whom returned by the same route a few months afterwards .- These noted Quaker preachers left Mary- land in the latter part of February, 1672, and arrived at New Castle, Delaware, about the first of March. From thence Burnyeate gives the following account of their journey across the State to Middle- town :
" We staid there ( New Castle) that night, and the next day we got over the river (Delaware). When we got over we could not get an Indian for a guide. and the Dutchman we had hired would not go without an Indian, so we were forced to stay there that day. The next day we rode about to seck an Indian, but could get none to go ; but late in the evening there came some from the other side of the town, and we hired one, and so began our journeying early the next morning to travel through the country, which is now called New Jersey ; and we travelled we supposed nearly forty miles. In the even- ing we got to a few Indian wigwams, which are their houses ; we saw no man nor wo man, house nor dwelling, that day, for there dwelt no English in that country then.
" We lodged that night in an Indian wigwam, and lay upon the ground as the Indians themselves did, and the next day we travelled through several of their towns, and they were kind to use, and helped us over the creeks with their canoes ; we made our horses swim at the sides of the canoes, and so travelled on. Towards evening we got to an Indian town, and when we had put our horses out to grass we went to the Indian King's house, who received us kindly, and showed us very civil respect. But alas I he was so poorly provided, having got so little that day, that most of us could neither get to eat or drink in his wigwam ; but it was because he had it not-so we lay as well as he, up. on the ground-only a mat under us, and a piece of wood or any such thing under our heads. Next morning early we took
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OLD TIMES IN OLD MONMOUTH.
horse and travelled through several Indian towns, and that night we lodged in the woods ; and the next morning got to an English plantation, a town called Middletown. in East Jersey, where there was a plantation of English and several Friends, and we came down with a Friend to his house near the water-side, and he carried us over in his boat and our horses to Long Island."
Though Burnveate says "there dwelt no English in that country then " it must hot be inferred that the Europeans at this time had no settlements in' West. Jersey. The settlements there were near the Del- aware river ; Burnyeate, Fox and their compamons had to travel inland some dis- tance from the Delaware so as to be able the more easily to cross the head of streams which empty into that river.
These Friends were travelling in great haste to get. to a half yearly meeting at Oyster Bay, L. I., " to settle some difficul- ties there, which was the cause of our hard travelling." Crossing the State then in three or four days was considered fast travelling.
GEORGE FOX VISITS MIDDLETOWN AND SHREWSBURY.
The following is George Fox's account of the same journey and also of his return trip.
to his people, and they were very loving to us. At length we came to Middletown, an English plantation in East Jersey, and there were friends there, but we could not stay to have a meeting at that time, being so earnestly pressed in our spirits to get to the half yearly meeting of Friends of Oyster Bay, Long Island, which was near at hand. We went with a friend, Richard Hartshorne, brother to Hugh Hartshorne. the upholster in Tondon, who received us gladly to his house. where we refreshed ourselves and then he carried us and our horses in his own boat over a great water, which held us most part of the day in gel- ting over, and set us upon Long Island."
From thence Fox proceeded to Graves- end, L. I. In June following he returned to New Jersey. Of his return trip he writes as follows :
" Being clear of this place we hired a sloop and the wind serving set out for the new country now called Jersey. Passing down the bay by Conny Island, Naton Is- land and Stratton Island we came to Richard Hartshorne at Middleton harbor about break of day on the 27th of sixth month. Next day ve rode about thirty miles into that country through the woods and over very bad boys, one worse than all the rest, the descent into which wa- so steep that we were fain to slide down with our horses and theu let them lie and breathe themselves before they go on .- This place, the people of the place called Purgatory. We got at length to Shrews- bury in East Jersey, and on First day had a precious meeting there, to which Friends and other people came far, and the blessed presence of the Lord was with us. The same week we had a men and women's meeting out of most parts of New Jersey. They are building a meeting place in the midst of them, and there is a monthly and a general meeting set up, which will be of great service in those parts, in keeping up the gospel order and government of Christ Jesus, of the increase of which there is no end, that they who are faithful may see that all who profess the holy truth live in pure religion and walk as becometh the gospel. While we were at Shrewsbury an accident befel which for a time was a great exercise to us.
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