USA > New York > History of the state of New-York : including its aboriginal and colonial annals, vol. pt 1 > Part 20
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'The names and locations of these Esopus and other tribes. will appear important in the annals of our New Netherlands. We shall then recur to them, as well as the rocks, that is, the divisions, courses, or reaches, into which the Dutch divided this river. It may not be irrelative at this time to take a slight view of those divisions or racks. Judge Benson," says the number of racks, or reaches into which the Dutch divided the river, were thirteen. He describes three only, t as the distances denoted by the others cannot now be ascertained. Following De Laet, we will as near as possible endeavour to trace the reaches, and ascertain more precisely the residence of the tribes above named. The firstt reach was to Tappan. The second says De Laet, stretched north-west, upward to a narrow called " Hacerstroo."§ Then follows " Seyl-makers Rack," (Sail-maker's reach through Haverstraw Bay,) after- wards a crooked rack, the form of a half moon, called by us, says De Laet, the Kocks Rack, (Cook's reach, from Haver- straw into the Horse Shoe,) afterwards " Hoge Ruck," from Anthony's nose, || inclusive to West Point. And the Fox's
In memoir read before N. Y. Hist. Society.
¡ Viz. Martelaer's Rack, Lange Rack, and Het Klauver Rack, which will be noted presently.
Horse Reach. Judge D.
That is literally " O it Straw," the name of arable land above Vredi- deka Hook. Ih.
|| "Antonie's Neus," named after Antonie de Hooge, Secretary of the Co- Pony of Rensselaerwyck. Judge Benson. Sce aufe ..
236 European Discoveries and Claims to New-York. [PART I.
rack to the Klinckers-berch (hill,) (from West Point" to the Jcad of the highlands,) afterwards the Fisher's rack, t (on the cast shore of which reside the Pachami as before described, that is, from the vicinity of Fishkill Creek to Esopus,) which course brings the voyager to another strait, (at and from Esopus to Red Hook, landing where the Woranecks resided as before described,) a small distance above which, where there. Is a streamlet, less depth in the river and many islands, (that is from Red Hook to the Livingston's manor-house,) com- mences another course, called " Kleveruck,"t where is more depth on the west shore, and on the east side much sand ; viz. from Livingston's manor-house to the city of Hudson, and thence towards Columbia Ville) onward (continues De Lact,) we have " backerrack," and " Jan Playsiers-rack," and the "Vasterack," until we go up to the Hinnen-hoeck. All these " racken," are affected by sands and shallows, and the in- habitants on their shores are thereby incommoded. So on the east shore, even into the middle of the river are similar inconveniences. Then follows Herten-rack to Kinderhoeck. Here and thence the river is only five fathoms deep at the most, and the greater part two and three fathoms. Past Kinder-
* The short reach passing West Point is " Martelaer's Rack," the Mar- tyr's Rack. Among the Dutch, martelacr signified figuratively, contending or struggling, as well as suffering. Those who have to contend and struggle to get through this reach, will comprehend the meaning. Judge Benson.
i Judge Benson describes "Lange Rack," the Long Reach, as that which extended from Pollepet Island to the sbort turn in the river, the Krom El- leboog ; whence, from retaining the first part, and translating the second, has arisen Crom Elbow. The Island was named Pollepel from its resem- blance to the convex side and circular form of the bowl of a ladle. Lepel in Dutch, is a spoon ; a pollepel is a ladle ; and particularly the one with a short handle for beating the butter for the wafel. The hill (1529 feet high) on the left as we leave the Highlands, is called Boter Bergh, (Butter Hill,) from its supposed resemblance to a roll of butter.
Het Klauver Rack, the Clover Reach, is the reach at Hudson. The Bluffs, or terminations of the bills there, were called by the Dutch the Klauvers (the Clovers) from their resemblance, it is said, to the clover; but whether to the leaf or the flower, is not decided. Ib.
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hook are some small islands in the river of which one is called " Beeren Eylandt," there we come into a district which we call, (says De Laet) " Ouwe Ree," and yet further on, lies the " Steurhocck," (Sturgeons point,) and next " Visschers- hocck," (fisherman's hook,) over against which two points on the east side of the river, the " Mahikans" reside. On this side lies a long broken island, through which are many little streams, so that it consists of many islands. This island stretches nearly to the island where the fort was erected in 1614.# To this the flood of the river reaches, and to this place the ships or shipping come up : further up the river is dry, . so that there hardly sloops can sail, and from afar certain high hills are seen whence the waters of this river proceed. (180)
§ 51.
We are now prepared to trace Hudson's voyage to the head of navigation, and to designate by name the natives with whom he had intercourse. We have already followed his "Jacht, the Halve Mane,"t in her slow progress from Sandy Hook into the mouth of the river, where she was anchored on the 12th of September.
Vander Donck delineates upon his map, entitled "Nova Belgica, sive Nieuw Nederlandt,' "Sanhican," upon the shores of New-Jersey, westward of "Staton Eyl," and oppo- site " Port May of Godyn's Bay," (now Sandy Hook Bay and Amboy, or Rariton Bay). Ogilby, in his map " Nori , Belgii, quod nunc Novi Jorck vocatur," copies Vander Donck in the location of the Indian nations, from this bay to " Fort Orangie," or Nova-Albania.
When Hudson arrived at Sandy Hook, he observed the waters swarming with fish. He sent his boat manned to ob-
* That is, Fort "Orangie," or Fort Orange, which is said to have been the first Dutch settlement in this state. "The Fort (says De Laet) was founded on one of the small islands on the west shore of the river, where a nation of Indians, De Laet called . Mackiracs, live." This was Kasteel ( Castle) Island. + De Laet.
·
288 European Discoveries and Claims to New- York. [PART I.
tain a supply. His men may have gone to Coney Island, where Hudson, by tradition, was first received. If so, the Matouwacks, who inhabited the south-western shores of Long Island, were they who first welcomed the discoverer. The death of Colman, at the entrance into New-York Bay, might be attributed to the fierce Manhattans, a branch of the warlike Minsi, a tribe of the ancient and renowned Lenape. The same people also approached Hudson's ship in a hostile attitude. Two of them were received on board, detained, clothed in red coats, and taken along in the ship.
Hudson having finished his interviews and traffic with the Manhattans and Saukhicanni in the Bay of New-York and. mouth of the river, weighed anchor on the thirteenth, aud taking advantage of the flood-tide in the forenoon, proceeded a few miles and anchored off Manhattenville, when the visits of the natives to his ship were renewed. In the afternoon, with a light wind and flood tide, he sailed as far as Phillipsburgh, (or Yonkers) and anchored for the night.
On the fourteenth he proceeded through Tappan and Ha- verstraw Bay, (the river being described" as a mile wide) and Ont arriving between Stony and Ver Plank's Point, he came to what appeared to him " a streight between two points, which trended north-east by north one league ;" passing the same and reaching Peekskill, he observed " very high lands" on both sides of the river, and proceeding through the Horse race, " north-west a league and a halfe deepe water," he ar- rived in the direction of Fort Clinton and Fort Montgomery, between Bare Mountain and Anthony's Nose. Whence di- recting his course " north-west by north two leagues," where " the land grew very high and mountainous,"; be anchored for the ensuing night opposite West Point.
During these two days of his progress, Hudson found much to admire in the diversified physiognomy of this wild
In the Journal.
: Journal " The tiver is full of fish. th
939
Hudson's Voyage up the River Hudson.
§ 51.]
region. It appears from his journal that he was not inatten- tive to the rapid and astonishing elevation of a district of country which, in the course of less than sixty miles, increases from a few feet above the water level" to the lofty height of fifteen hundred feet.t Sailing leisurely, he had full oppor- tunity to contrast the appearances of the opposite shores. On the left he had the sublime prospect of the pallisado rocks, whose dark columnar front, like a towering battlement, with: here and there a projection like the salient angle of a bastion, presented perpendicular elevations from three to five hundred fect, and ranging more than thirty miles uninterrupted, (ex- cept by the valley of the Nyac) it at last exhibited an alti- tude of nearly seven hundred feet, ¿ and then vanished from his sight, in the remote, but still more elevated range of the High Tourn and Tourn Mountain.§ On the right he beheld a comparatively low but undulating border, which, in the lusu riance of autumnal foilage, afforded a striking contrast and a pleasing relief, as he turned from the sublimity and barrenness of the opposite cliff's.
Onward he perceived the river in its first course of thirty miles, very gradually widening until it suddenly presented the broad expanse of a bay. || Then as he passed into ano- ther, T and viewed the insuperable barrier of mountains that lay before him, he considered his discovery terminated, until in searching for a passage he found one which proved to be the continuation of a river, now serpentining in its course, deepen- ing and narrowing, until it brought him to the remarkable point already mentioned.
At Bergen Point.
t At the head of the Highlands.
# In the south peak of Hook Mountain, (or Vredideka Hook.)
The latter 1007 feet. See Dr. Samuel Akerly's Geology of the Hux son River, N. Y. 1820.
|| " Tappaanse Zec."
" Haverstraw.
240 European Discoveries and Claims to New-York. [PART I.
In the deep solitude of this grand and romantic spot, while " One still And solemn desert, in primeval garb, Hung round his lonely bark."#
Hudson cast anchor for the night.
Without violating any rule of probability, we may imagine, that he here enjoyed one of the most picturesque, magnificent, and impressive scenes which he had ever contemplated. His was the first European ship which had been encompassed by the " Matcawan, "+ Mountains. Ignorant of the topography of the region which he had boldly penetrated, he was surprised to find that the further he went, the mountains rose to a loftier clevation and seemed to continue in interminable perspective. He perceived the narrow stream upon which he had now en- tered, abruptly struggling round the angles of the hills, through broken rocks, under overhanging precipices, or along the base of perpendicular iron-bound summits, whose opposite sides indis cated a former union, which some convulsion of nature had separated. A mind less habituated to firm resolve, or less familiarized to scenes of novelty and peril, would have been unpressed with some emotions of fear, as well as awe, when the setting sun left the shadows of the mountains, to deep- en into those of night; when the still, solemn, overpow- cring gloom became interrupted only by the scream of the catamount, as it leaned from the forest to the jetting brow, glanced for a moment at the ship, as its port-lights glimmered on the water, and then plunged into the thicket; or by the shrill screech of "each wild throat, in this incumbrance of horrific woods ;" (131) or perhaps by the tremendous roar of the traditionary Yagesho, which, about this period, conveyed dis- may to the hearts of the highland Wabingi, occasionally threw into consternation their happy settlement of Wickapy, roused
.
# Descriptive Poems by John D. McKennon, N. Y. 1802.
i Indian name of the Highlands. See their description in Spafford's G: efter of N. Y. 2des. 1821.
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Hudson explores the river.
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the stern Mahicanni to plan, around their council fire, the de- struction of the monster,* or to seek exemption from his fero- cious irruptions by imploring the interposition of their eril Manitto.
But Hudson had seen, if not the monsters of the forest, those of the deep. He had seen nature in her appalling array of tempest and ice, as displayed in the arctic regions. The scene now before him was more adapted to gratify his love for the romantic, than to intimidate his firmness. How de- lighted therefore must he have been, when the full-orbed moon rose from behind the mountains, and opened to full view this grand circus of hills. At their base lay the ship embosom- ed in a tremulous gleam of light. The surrounding rocks glistened with the reflected moon-beams, or presented interstices of shade and cavern, whither the grim, gaunt wolf hastened with stealthy tread, when, prowling along the bank, his glare first fell upon the alarming wonder. The forest was hushed, and its tenants mute. The mountain sides sparkled with gems and dew drops. Here a perpendicular presented-there a de- clivity; here terrace rose upon terrace-there rocks upon rocks; dark shadows extended down the sides of the more elevated ranges, from whose tops the clouds emerging, sailed over the open area of the vast natural amphitheatre, threw their shadows on the plains below; or crossing the ship, which lay beneath like a speck upon a bright mirror ; intercepted the light of the moon, while
" Now through the passing clouds she seemed to stoop,
Now up the pure cerulean rode sublime."f
To contemplate a night-scene of such mingled magnificence
This interesting tradition from the MIS. communications of Mr. Hecke- weider, will be found in the note to which the figure (131) refers. With regard to the Mammoth, see Dr. Mitchill's Geol. of N. Amer. According to him, the Walkill region is filled with organic remains, and is peculiarly the land of the Mammoth.
i Thomson's Seasons.
31
242 European Discoveries and Claims to New- York. [ PART I.
and beauty, and to enjoy the refreshing night-breeze of the sea- son, we may presume that Hudson passed some time before he retired to his cabin.
The next morning the weather was misty until the sun arose, when the sky became clear, and the wild grandeur of the surrounding highland scenery was once more disclosed to Hudson's view.
Just as he weighed anchor to sail, the two Manhattæ, whom he had taken near Staten Island, and who had manifested an unconquerable restlessness in their captivity, made their escape out of a port of the ship, and swam away. After she was under sail, the fugitives hailed her in a very scornful manner, It will appear in the sequel, that they were not to be thus satisfied without seeking an opportunity of revenging this in- fringement on their liberty.
Having the day before sailed thirty-six miles, Hudson this day (15th) went fifty more, which by accurate measurement from West Point, would bring him to Catskill landing. In the morning, " passing by the high mountaines" of our highlands, lying between Peekskill and Newburgh,* sailing by the op- posite counties of Dutchess and Ulster, and finding in his course good depth of water, such as six to thirteen fathoms, " and great store of salmons in the river,"j Hudson came at
Iludson had now passed into the natural valley of the river. Its flow into the Highlands where salt and fresh water meet, is considered by some geologists as an arm of the sea. The country north of the Highlands is sun- posed to have been the bottom of a lake, the southern barrier of which was the Highlands, and the passage through them to have been caused by the shock of an earthquake. Sce Dr. Mitchill's Geology of North Amer. in Cuvier's Theory p. 367, 9, 385. Dr. Akerly's Gool. of the IIud- son, p. 9, 10, 11, 39, 10, 58, 66, 67, 68. Eaton's Geol. Surveys, and that of Erie Canal. 1824. p. 152, 253.
t Whether this river abounded in salmon has been made a question, See Jutro. Dis. before Lit. & Phil. Soc. of N. V. May 1814, by De Witt Clin- fen, LL.D. note 27. p. 117. Dr. Mitchill, Vol. I. N. Y. Iist. Coll. p. 33. 2. 40
3
:
243
Hudson voyage up the river.
$ 51.]
night, "to other mountaines which lic from the river side."* Here he beheld the most elevated range on the Hudson river, and here he found, as he says, " very loving people, and very old men, by whom he and his crew were well used. They sent their boat off and caught a great quantity of excellent fish.
In the morning, it being fair though very warm weather, (Sep. 16,) they renewed their fishing excursion, but they were less successful than they had been, in consequence of canoes having been there all night. 'This morning the natives flocked on board, supplied them for trifles, with Indian corn, pumpkins, and tobacco .; They rode still all day, filled their
* Journal. These were the " Kantsbergs," or CatskillMountains, one of which, viz The Round Top, is 3801 feet above tide-water, the highest ou the Hudson River. The same above the base of the range 3105. High l'eak above tide-water 3713, above the base 3019. The altitude of the base of the Catskill range is 69 feet. (Capt. Partridge took the altitude in 1818.)
t The following reception Hudson and a part of his crew met with on land- ing in lat. 42º 15'. (According to De Lact in Nieuw Wereldt. ) He went on shore in one of their canoes with an old man, who was the chief of 40 men and 17 women. These he saw in a house made of bark of trees, exceeding- ly smooth and well finished within and withont. He found a great quantity of Indian corn and beans. Indeed, near the house there lay drying of these articles enough to load three ships, besides what were then growing in the felds. On coming to the house, two mats were spread to sit on, catables were immediately brought in red wooden bowls well made, two men were sent off with their bows and arrows, and soon returned with two pigeons. They also killed a fat dog, and skinned it with shells which they had got out of the water. They expected their visiters would remain during the night ; but the latter determined to return on board. The natives were exceedingly kind and good tempered ; for when they discovered Hudson's determination to proceed on board, they imagining it proceeded from fear of their bows and arrows, broke them to pieces, and threw them into the fire.
The land was observed to be of the fuost kind for tillage. It bore trees fit for building vessels, &c. Pumpkins, grapes, plums, and other fruit, were growing here at the time. The latitude given by De Lact would bring Hudson in the vicinity of Catskill, where he remained some time, and bad free and amicable intercourse with the natives, and found " very loving pro- ple and very old men, " but perhaps the interview was on the 18th near Cas- tleton, where the Gov, of the country gave so "good cheer." These natives were the Wabiugi or the Mohawks,
244 European Discoveries and Claims to New-York. [PART I.
casks with fresh water, and " at night weighed and went two leagues higher, and had shoald water ; so they anchored til day."" This would bring them near the shoals or marsh in. the river, | between Athens, and directly opposite that and the city that now bears the name of Hudson. In the visions of the wildest fancy, which often gives to " airy nothing a local habi- tation and a name," Hudson never could have dreamed, that here, where lis onward course was suddenly arrested, as it were, to give a pause for destiny to link her strange associa- tions, a " city of Hudson," in less than two centuries, was to unite with the river on whose banks it was to be erected, and orm in unison with the names of a strait and bay, where their discoverer should perish, a chaplet of imperishable glory to his name and fame and memory.
In the morning, (17th) Hudson, availing himself of its cool- ness and freshness, (the weather having been uniformly hot, though usually very fair,) set sail soon after sunrise, and " ran up sixe leagues higher, and found shoalds in the middle of the channell, and small ilands, but seven fathoms water on both! sides. Toward night we borrowed so necre the shoare, that we grounded ; so we layed out our small anchor, and heaved off' againe. Then we borrowed on the banke in the channell, and came aground againe ; while the floud ran we heaved off' again, and anchored all night."
We have made this extract in the words of the journal. And the correctness of our interpretation will be directed to settle a point which has been controverted, viz. How far Hudson actually sailed with the ship "Half Moon?" Dr. Millert says, "Hudson appears to have sailed up the river a little above where the city of Hudson now stands ; and be- yond that point he himself never ascended ;" that not consi-
* Journal.
¡ 117 miles from N. Y.
# In a discourse designed to commemorate the discovery of New-York by Henry Hudson; by Samuel Miller, DD, &c. Vol. J. N. V. Hist. p. 84.
1
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Hudson's Voyage up the River
5.51.]
dering it safe to proceed further with his ship he sent his boat, which, after going eight or nine leagues beyond where the ship lay at anchor, and evidently as far as where the city of Albany stands, returned with report of irregular and unfavour- able soundings.
The Half Moon was a small ship, a yacht, a mere fly boat,* without any cargo and so light, ( judging from the facility with which she was brought off wherever she run aground, once from the shore at Sandy Hook, twice near her present position, and yet heaved off, in the last case, by a light an- chor ;) that it is probable she was of a less burthen than ma- ny of the steamboats and sloops, that now ply between New- York, Albany, and Troy. She may not have much exceeded the yacht which De Laet describes, as having been built by "Schipper Block." He says,t in speaking of the abundance of ship timber on the banks of the river, that divers sloops and petty vessels were built, particularly in 1614, when " Schip- per Adriaen Block, having had by accident his ship burned, built a 'jacht'# thirty-eight fect long in keel, forty-four and a half feet over the deck, from head to stern, eleven and a half' feet wide, with which he sailed through 'Hellegat' into the Great Bay, and examined all the places about it, and also pro- ceeded to Cape Cod, met 'Hendrick Christiansz' ship, and left his boat on that coast to be further used." But according to De Laet, as heretofore quoted, ; even the shipping came to the island where Fort Orange was erected, though some dis- tance beyond it the river was so shallow, that sloops could hardly go up. Consequently Hudson's yacht, or fly-boat, might have gone as far as Albany.
Besides, the Hudson River, in the course of two hundred and fifteen years, has undoubtedly lessened in depth. The
* Sce ante p. 222. 237.
¡ Nieuw Wereldt, B. 3 ch. 10.
± Ante p. 237.
245 European Discoveries and Claims to New- York. [PART I.
opening and settling of a new country diminishes the sources of supply at the fountain heads of rivers, by widening the range for the action of the sun, producing consequently more absorption and evaporation. Geologists, in their observations, have thought that they could trace in the rear of Lansing- burgh and Troy the indications of a former channel of this river, which ran at the base of the picturesque range of hills in the rear of those places. The flats along the river between Albany and Troy, at Greenbush and below, are supposed to have been submerged. And at the early settlement of our State, the very island on which our Dutch ancestors first made a stand a little below Albany, was then so liable to be unindat- cd, that they were obliged to remove their fortification and settlement.
From the shoal opposite the city of Hudson, to Castleton, the distance is about the same as that mentioned in the journal, (6 leagues). In this course, particularly between New Baltimore and Castleton are several " shoals in the middle of the channel and small islands." The shoalest water between New Balti- more and Castleton is now from three and a half to seven feet, between that and Albany four and a half to five and six- tenths feet. At and between Coemans and Albany are now two bars. Taking the minimum three and a half feet, and allowing three feet flood tide, this will give six and a half feet depth. But when we take into the calculation, that these bars have within half a century only, greatly increased by ac- cession of alluvion, notwithstanding the artificial means to keep them clear, that the river bas receded from its ancient elevation probably three or four feet; we shall not be surpris- ed that Hudson's light ship (perhaps about fifty or sixty tons burthen, and drawing five or six feet water) actually came, according to the distance in his journal, to Albany or the .
* Genet's Report to the Legislature of N. Y. See Map of the Hudson
?
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Hudson's Voyuge up the River.
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island just below, where the Hollanders were probably in- duced, by Hudson's report, to make their first settlement, and that his boat proceeded at least as far as Troy, Lansingburgh, and Waterford.
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