USA > New York > New York City > A history of New-York : from the beginning of the world to the end of the Dutch dynasty > Part 8
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And here they were opposed by an obstinate eddy, that resisted all the efforts of the exhausted mariners. Weary and dispirited, they could no longer make head against the power of the tide, or rather, as some will have it, of old Neptune, who, anxious to guide them to a spot, whereon should be founded his strong- hold in this western world, sent half a score of potent billows, that rolled the tub of Commodore Van Kortlandt high and dry on the shores of Manna- hata.
Having thus in a manner been guided by super- L 2
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natural power to this delightful island, their first care was to light a fire at the foot of a large tree, that stood upon the point at present called the Battery. Then gathering together great store of oysters which abounded on the shore, and emptying the contents of their wallets, they prepared and made a sumptuous council repast. The worthy Van Kortlandt was ob- served to be particularly zealous in his devotions to the trencher; for having the cares of the expedition especially committed to his care, he deemed it in- cumbent on him to eat profoundly for the public good. In proportion as he filled himself to the very brim with the dainty viands before him, did the heart of this excellent burgher rise up towards his throat, until he seemed crammed and almost choked with good eating and good nature. And at such times it is, when a man's heart is in his throat, that he may more truly be said to speak from it, and his speeches abound with kindness and good-fellowship. Thus the worthy Oloffe having swallowed the last possible morsel, and washed it down with a fervent potation, felt his heart yearning, and his whole frame in a manner dilating with unbounded benevolence. Every thing around him seemed excellent and delightful ; and, laying his hands on each side of his capacious periphery, and rolling his half-closed eyes around on the beautiful diversity of land and water before him, he exclaimed, in a fat half-smothered voice, " what a charming prospect !" The words died away in his throat-he seemed to ponder on the fair scene for a moment-his eye-lids heavily closed over their orbs
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-- his head drooped upon his bosom-he slowly sunk upon the green turf, and a deep sleep stole gradually upon him.
And the sage Oloffe dreamed a dream -- and lo, the good St. Nicholas came riding over the tops of the trees, in that self-same wagon wherein he brings yearly presents to children, and he came and de- scended hard by where the heroes of Communipaw had made their late repast. And the shrewd Van Kortlandt knew him by his broad hat, his long pipe, and the resemblance which he bore to the figure on the bow of the Goede Vrouw. And he lit his pipe by the fire, and sat himself down and smoked ; and as he smoked, the smoke from his pipe ascended into the air, and spread like a cloud over head. And Oloffe bethought him, and he hastened and climbed up to the top of one of the tallest trees, and saw that the smoke spread over a great extent of country- and as he considered it more attentively, he fancied that the great volume of smoke assumed a variety of marvellous forms, where in dim obscurity he saw shadowed out palaces and domes and lofty spires, all of which lasted but a moment, and then faded away, until the whole rolled off, and nothing but the green woods were left. And when St. Nicholas had smok- ed his pipe, he twisted it in his hat-band, and laying his finger beside his nose, gave the astonished Van Kortlandt a very significant wink, then mounting his wagon, he returned over the tree-tops and dis- appeared.
And Van Kortlandt awoke from his sleep greatly
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instructed, and he aroused his companions, and re- lated to them his dream, and interpreted it, that it was the will of St. Nicholas that they should settle down and build the city here. And that the smoke of the pipe was a type how vast should be the exten of the city ; inasmuch as the volumes of its smok should spread over a wide extent of country. And they all with one voice assented to this interpretation excepting Mynheer Ten Broeck, who declared the meaning to be that it should be a city wherein a little fire should occasion a great smoke, or in other words, a very vapouring little city-both which interpreta- tions have strangely come to pass !
The great object of their perilous expedition, therefore, being thus happily accomplished, the voyagers returned merrily to Communipaw, where they were received with great rejoicings. And here calling a general meeting of all the wise men and the dignitaries of Pavonia, they related the whole history of their voyage, and of the dream of Oloffe Van Kortlandt. And the people lifted up their voices and blessed the good St. Nicholas, and from that time forth the sage Van Kortlandt was held more in honour than ever, for his great talent at dreaming, and was pronounced a most useful citizen and a right good man-when he was asleep.
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CHAPTER VI.
Containing an attempt at etymology-and of the founding of the great city of New-Amsterdi'm.
THE original name of the island wherein the so tad- ron of Communipaw was thus propitiously thrown, is a matter of some dispute, and has already under- gone considerable vitiation-a melancholy proof of the instability of all sublunary things, and the vanity of all our hopes of lasting fame .! for who can expect his name will live to posterity, when even the names of mighty islands are thus soon lost in contradiction and uncertainty ?
The name most current at the present day, and which is likewise countenanced by the great histo- rian Vander Donck, is MANHATTAN; which is said to have originated in a custom among the squaws, in the early settlement, of wearing men's hats, as is still done among many tribes. " Hence," as we are told by an old governor who was somewhat of a wag, and flourished almost a century since, and had paid a visit to the wits of Philadelphia, " hence arose the appellation of man-hat-on, first given to the In- dians, and afterwards to the island"-a stupid joke ! -but well enough for a governor.
- Among the more venerable sources of information on this subject, is that valuable history of the Amer ican possessions, written by Master Richard Blome in 1687, wherein it is called Manhadaes and Mana-
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hanent ; nor must I forget the excellent little book, full of precious matter, of that authentic historian, John Josselyn, Gent. who expressly calls it Mana- daes.
Another etymology still more ancient, and sanc- tioned by the countenance of our ever-to-be-lament- cd Dutch ancestors, is that found in certain letters still extant ;* which passed between the early gov- ernors and their neighbouring powers, wherein it is called indifferently Monhattoes -- Munhatos, and Man- hattoes, which are evidently unimportant variations of the same name; for our wise forefathers set little store by those niceties either in orthography or or- thoepy, which form the sole study and ambition of- many learned men and women of this hypercritical age, This last name is said to be derived from the great Indian spirit Manetho ; who was supposed to make this island his favourite abode, on account of its uncommon delights. For the Indian traditions affirm that the bay was once a translucid lake, filled with silver and golden fish, in the midst of which lay this beautiful island, covered with every variety of fruits and flowers ; but that the sudden irruption of the Hudson laid waste these blissful scenes, and Manetho took his flight beyond the great waters of Ontario.
These, however, are fabulous legends to which very cautious credence must be given ; and although I am willing to admit the last quoted orthography
* Vide Hazard's Col. State Papers.
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of the name, as very suitable for prose, yet is there another one founded on still more ancient and indis- putable authority, which I particularly delight in, seeing that it is at once poetical, melodious, and sig- nificant-and this is recorded in the before-mention- ed voyage of the great Hudson, written by master Juet ; who clearly and correctly calls it MANNA-HATA -that is to say, the island of Manna, or in other words-" a land flowing with milk and honey !"
It having been solemnly resolved that the seat of empire should be transferred from the green shores of Pavonia to this delectable island, a vast multitude embarked, and migrated across the mouth of the Hudson, under the guidance of Oloffe the Dreamer, who was appointed protector or patron to the new settlement.
And here let me bear testimony to the matchless honesty and magnanimity of our worthy forefathers, who purchased the soil of the native Indians before erecting a single roof-a circumstance singular and almost incredible in the annals of discovery and col- onization.
The first settlement was made on the south-west point of the island, on the very spot where the good St. Nicholas had appeared in the dream. Here they built a mighty and impregnable fort and trading house, called FORT AMSTERDAM,"which stood on that emi- nence at present occupied by the custom-house, with the open space now called the Bowling-Green in front.
Around this potent fortress was soon seen a nume-
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rous progeny of little Dutch houses, with tiled roofs, all which seemed most lovingly to nestle under its walls, like a brood of half-fledged chickens sheltered under the wings of the mother hen. The whole was surrounded by an inclosure of strong palisadoes, to guard against any sudden irruption of the savages, who wandered in hordes about the swamps and forests that extended over those tracts of country at present called Broadway, Wall-street, William-street, and Pearl-street.
No sooner was the colony once planted, than it took root and throve amazingly ; for it would seem that this thrice-favoured island is like a munificent dunghill, where every foreign weed finds kindly nourishment, and soon shoots up and expands to greatness.
And now the infant settlement having advanced in age and stature, it was thought high time it should receive an honest Christian name, and it was ac- cordingly called NEW-AMSTERDAM. It is true, there were some advocates for the original Indian name, and many of the best writers of the province did long continue to call it by the title of " Manhattoes;" but this was discountenanced by the authorities, a being heathenish and savage. Besides, it was con- sidered an excellent and praiseworthy measure to name it after a great city of the old world ; as by that means it was induced to emulate the greatness and renown of its namesake-in the manner that little snivelling urchins are called after great states- men, saints, and worthies and renowned generals of
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yore, upon which they all industriously copy their examples, and come to be very mighty men in their day and generation.
The thriving state of the settlement, and the rapid increase of houses, gradually awakened the good Oloffe from a deep lethargy, into which he had fallen after the building of the fort. He now began to think it was time some plan should be devised, on which the increasing town should be built. Summoning, therefore, his counsellors and coadjutors together, they took pipe in mouth, and forthwith sunk into a very sound deliberation on the subject.
At the very outset of the business an unexpected difference of opinion arose, and I mention it with much sorrowing, as being the first altercation on record in the councils of New-Amsterdam. It was a breaking forth of the grudge and heartburning that had existed between those two eminent burghers, Mynhers Tenbroeck and Hardenbroeck, ever since their unhappy altercation on the coast of Bellevue. The great Hardenbroeck had waxed very wealthy and powerful, from his domains, which embraced the whole chain of Apulean mountains that stretched along the gulf of Kip's Bay, and from part of which his descendants have been expelled in latter ages by the powerful clans of the Jones's and the Schermer- hornes.
An ingenious plan for the city was offered by Myn- her Tenbroeck, who proposed that it should be cut up and intersected by canals, after the manner of the most admired cities in Holland. To this Mynher VOL. I. M
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Hardenbroeck was diametrically opposed, suggesting in place thereof, that they should run out docks and wharves, by means of piles driven into the bottom of the river, on which the town should be built. By these means, said he triumphantly, shall we rescue a considerable space of territory from these immense rivers, and build a city that shall rival Amsterdam, Venice, or any amphibious city in Europe. To this proposition, Ten Broeck (or Ten Breeches) replied, with a look of as much scorn as he could possibly assume. He cast the utmost censure upon the plan of his antagonist, as being preposterous, and against the very order of things, as he would leave to every true Hollander. "For what," said he "is a town without canals ?- it is a body without veins and arteries, and must perish for want of a free circula- tion of the vital fluid."-Tough Breeches, on the contrary, retorted with a sarcasm upon his antago- nist, who was somewhat of an arid, dry-boned habit; he remarked, that as to the circulation of the blood being necessary to existence, Mynher Ten Breeches was a living contradiction to his own assertion ; is" every body knew there had not a drop of blood cir- culated through his wind-dried carcass for good ten years, and yet there was not a greater busy-body in the whole colony. Personalities have seldom much effect in making converts in argument-nor have I ever seen a man convinced of error by being con- victed of deformity. At least such was not the case st present. Ten Breeches was very acrimonious in reply, and Tough Breeches, who was a sturdy little
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man, and never gave up the last word, rejoined with increasing spirit-Ten Breeches had the advantage of the greatest volubility, but Tough Breeches had that invaluable coat of mail in argument called ob- stinacy-Ten Breeches had, therefore, the most mettle, but Tough Breeches the best bottom-so that though Ten Breeches made a dreadful clatter- ing about his ears, and battered and belaboured him with hard words and sound arguments, yet Tough Breeches hung on most resolutely to the last. They parted, therefore, as is usual in all arguments where both parties are in the right, without coming to any conclusion-but they hated each other most heartily for ever after, and a similar breach with that between the houses of Capulet and Montague did ensue be- tween the families of Ten Breeches and Tough Breeches.
I would not fatigue my reader with these dull mat- ters of fact, but that my duty, as a faithful historian, requires that I should be particular-and in truth, as I am now treating of the critical period, when our city, like a young twig, first received the twists and turns that have since contributed to give it the present picturesque irregularity for which it is cele- brated, I cannot be too minute in detailing their first causes.
After the unhappy altercation I have just mention- ed, I do not find that any thing farther was said on the subject worthy of being recorded. The council, consisting of the largest and oldest heads in the com- munity, met regularly once a week, to ponder on this
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momentous subject. But either they were deterred by the war of words they had witnessed, or they were naturally averse to the exercise of the tongue, and the consequent exercise of the brains-certain it is, the most profound silence was maintained-the question as usual lay on the table-the members quietly smoked their pipes, making but few laws, without ever enforcing any, and in the mean time the affairs of the settlement went on-as it pleased God.
As most of the council were but little skilled in the mystery of combining pot-hooks and hangers, they determined most judiciously not to puzzle either themselves or posterity with voluminous records. The secretary, however, kept the minutes of the council with tolerable precision, in a large vellum folio, fastened with massy brass clasps; the journal of each meeting consisted but of two lines, stating in Dutch, that, " the council sat this day, and smoked twelve pipes, on the affairs of the colony."-By which it appears that the first settlers did not regu- late their time by hours, but pipes, in the same man- ner as they measure distances in Holland at this very time ; an admirably exact measurement, as a pipe in the mouth of a true-born Dutchman is never liable to those accidents and irregularities that are con- tinually putting our clocks out of order. It is said, moreover, that a regular smoker was appointed as council clock, whose duty was to sit at the elbow of the president and smoke incessantly : every puff marked a division of time as exactly as a second
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hand, and the knocking out of the ashes of his pipe was equivalent to striking the hour.
In this manner did the profound council of NEW- AMSTERDAM smoke, and doze, and ponder, from week to week, month to month, and year to year, in what manner they should construct their infant settlement -meanwhile, the town took care of itself, and like a sturdy brat which is suffered to run about wild, un- shackled by clouts and bandages, and other abomi- nations by which your notable nurses and sage old women cripple and disfigure the children of men, increased so rapidly in strength and magnitude, that before the honest burgomasters had determined upon a plan, it was too late to put it in execution -whereupon they wisely abandoned the subject al- together.
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CHAPTER VII.
How the city of New-Amsterdam waxed great, under the protection of Oloffe the Dreamer.
THERE is something exceedingly delusive in thus looking back, through the long vista of departed years, and catching a glimpse of the fairy realms of antiquity that lie beyond. Like some goodly land- scape melting into distance, they receive a thousand charms from their very obscurity, and the fancy de- lights to fill up their outlines with graces and excel- Jencies of its own creation. Thus beam on my ima- gination those happier days of our city, when as yet New-Amsterdam was a mere pastoral town, shrouded in groves of sycamore and willows, and surrounded by trackless forests and wide-spreading waters, that seemed to shut out all the cares and vanities of a wicked world.
In those days did this embryo city present the rare and noble spectacle of a community governed without laws ; and thus being left to its own course, and the fostering care of Providence, increased as rapidly as though it had been burthened with a dozen panniers-full of those sage laws that are usually heap- ed on the backs of young cities-in order to make them grow. And in this particular I greatly admire the wisdom and sound knowledge of human nature, displayed by the sage Oloffe the Dreamer, and his fellow-legislators. For my part, I have not so bad
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an opinion of mankind as many of my brother philos- ophers. I do not think poor human nature so sorry a piece of workmanship as they would make it out to be; and as far as I have observed, I am fully satisfied that man, if left to himself, would about as readily go
right as wrong. It is only this eternally sounding in his ears that it is his duty to go right, that makes him go the very reverse. The noble independence of his nature revolts at this intolerable tyranny of law, and the perpetual interference of officious morality, which is ever besetting his path with finger-posts and di- rections to " keep to the right, as the law directs ;" and like a spirited urchin, he turns directly contrary, and gallops through mud and mire, over hedges and ditches, merely to show that he is a lad of spirit, and out of his leading-strings. And these opinions are amply substantiated by what I have above said of our worthy ancestors ; who never being be-preached and be-lectured, and guided and governed by statutes and laws and by-laws, as are their more enlightened descendants, did one and all demean themselves honestly and peaceably, out of pure ignorance, or in other words-because they knew no better.
Nor must I omit to record one of the earliest meas- ures of this infant settlement, inasmuch as it shows the piety of our forefathers, and that, like good Christians, they were always ready to serve God, after they had first served themselves. Thus, having quietly settled themselves down, and provided for their own comfort, they bethought themselves of tes- tifying their gratitude to the great and good St.
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Nicholas, for his protecting care, in guiding them to this delectable abode. To this end they built a fair and goodly chapel within the fort, which they consc- crated to his name ; whereupon he immediately took the town of New-Amsterdam under his peculiar pat- ronage, and he has ever since been, and I devoutly hope will ever be, the tutelar saint of this excellent city.
I am moreover told that there is a little legendary 4
book, somewhere extant, written in Low Dutch, which says, that the image of this renowned saint, which whilome graced the bowsprit of the Goede Vrouw, was elevated in front of this chapel, in the very centre of what, in modern days, is called the Bowling-Green. And the legend further treats of divers miracles wrought by the mighty pipe, which the saint held in his mouth ; a whiff of which was a sovereign cure for an indigestion-an invaluable relic in this colony of brave trenchermen. As, however, in spite of the most diligent search, I cannot lay my hands upon this little book, I must confess that I en- tertain considerable doubt on the subject.
Thus benignly fostered by the good St. Nicholas, the burghers of New-Amsterdam beheld their settle- ment increase in magnitude and population, and soon become the metropolis of divers settlements, and an extensive territory. Already had the disastrous pride of colonies and dependencies, those banes of a sound- hearted empire, entered into their imaginations ; and Fort Aurania on the Hudson, Fort Nassau on the Delaware, and Fort Goede Hoep on the Connecticut
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river, seemed to be the darling offspring of the ven- erable council .* Thus prosperously, to all appear- ance, did the province of New-Netherlands advance in power; and the early history of its metropolis presents a fair page, unsullied by crime or calamity.
Hordes of painted savages still lurked about the tangled forests and rich bottoms of the unsettled part of the island-the hunter pitched his rude bower of skins and bark beside the rills that ran through the cool and shady glens ; while here and there might be seen on some sunny knoll, a group of Indian wig- wams, whose smoke rose above the neighbouring trees, and floated in the transparent atmosphere. By degrees, a mutual good-will had grown up between these wandering beings and the burghers of New- . Amsterdam. Our benevolent forefathers endeavoured as much as possible to meliorate their situation, by giving them gin, rum, and glass beads, in exchange for their peltries ; for it seems the kind-hearted Dutch- men had conceived a great friendship for their savage
* The province, about this time, extended on the north to Fort Aurania, or Orange (now the city of Albany,) situated about 160 miles up the Hudson river. Indeed, the province claimed quite to the river St. Lawrence; but this claim was not much insisted on at the time, as the country beyond Fort Aurania was a perfect wilderness. On the south, the province reached to Fort Nassau, on the South river, since called the Delaware; and on the east, it extended to the Varshe (or fresh) river, now the Connecticut. On this last frontier was likewise erected a fort or trading house, much about the spot where at present is situated the pleasant town of Hartford. This was called Fort Goede Hoep, (or Good Hope) and was intended as well for the purposes of trade, as of defence.
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neighbours, on account of their being pleasant men to trade with, and little skilled in the art of making a bargain.
Now and then a crew of these half-human sons of the forest would make their appearance in the streets of New-Amsterdam, fantastically painted and deco- rated with beads and flaunting feathers, sauntering about with an air of listless indifference-sometimes in the market-place, instructing the little Dutch boys in the use of the bow and arrow-at other times, inflamed with liquor, swaggering and whooping and yelling about the town like so many fiends, to the great dismay of all the good wives, who would hurry their children into the house, fasten the doors, and throw water upon the enemy from the garret-win- dows. It is worthy of mention here, that our fore- fathers were very particular in holding up these wild men as excellent domestic examples-and for reasons that may be gathered from the history of master Ogilby, who tells us, that "for the least offence the bridegroom soundly beats his wife and turns her out of doors, and marries another, insomuch that some of them have every year a new wife." Whether this awful example had any influence or not, history does not mention; but it is certain that our grandmothers were miracles of fidelity and obedience.
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