out of the boat into a hut of the Indians, of whom there is only one
family on this whole tract. We ate our dinner by their fire, and
determined to go in the afternoon to the falls, although it had
already begun to rain. We started off accordingly under the guidance
of Hans, the Indian. The rain gradually increased, with snow, and did
not hold up the whole day. After we had travelled good three hours
over high hills, we came to a high rocky one, where we could hear the
noise of the water, and clambering up to the top, saw the falls below
us, a sight to be seen in order to observe the power and wonder of
God.[305] Behind this hill the land is much higher than on the other
side, and continues so as far as is known. A kill or river runs
through this high land between the hills, formed by several branches
coming down from still higher land. This river, running along the
valley to seek the sea, comes to this hill where it runs over a large
blue rock, which is broken in two, obliquely with the river. One part
is dry, which is the hill before mentioned; the other is where the
river, running over a crevice or fissure between both, appears to be
eight or ten feet wide, having on either side smooth precipices like
walls, but some parts broken between them. The river finding this
chasm pours all its water into it headlong from a height, according to
guess, of about eighty feet; and all this pouring water must break
upon the undermost piece of stone lying in the crevice, which causes a
great roaring and foaming, so that persons standing there, side by
side, have to call out loud before they can understand each other. By
reason of the breaking of the water, and the wind which the falling
water carries with it, there is constantly spray ascending like smoke,
which scatters itself like rain. In this spray, when the sun shines,
the figure of a rainbow is constantly to be seen trembling and
shaking, and even appearing to move the rock. The water in this
fissure runs out on the south; and there at the end of the rock or
point it finds a basin, which is the beginning of the lower kill.
This point is, I judge, about one hundred feet above the water, and is
steep like an upright wall. When the fish come up the river, this
basin is so full of all kinds of them, that you can catch them with
your hands, because they are stopped there, and collect together,
refreshing themselves, and sporting in and under the falling fresh
water, which brings with it, from above, bushes, green leaves, earth,
and mire, in which they find food. The water runs hence east and
northeast to Ackquekenon. The Indians come up this river in canoes to
fish, because it is one of the richest fisheries they have; but the
river is not navigable by larger boats, though in case the country
were settled the navigation could be improved. The falls lie among
high hills, especially on the south, so that the sun does not
penetrate there well except in summer. We found heavy ice there at
this time, although it had all thawed away below. When I saw this ice
at a distance, I supposed it was the foam. I took a sketch[306] as
well as I could, very hastily, for we had no time, and it rained and
snowed very much. What I did is not very happily done. I regret I
could not crayon it, for it is worth being portrayed. Night coming on,
we had to leave. We were very wet and cold, especially in the feet. It
was dark, and slippery walking on such precipices, and crossing little
streams. Tired and weary, wet and dirty, we reached the place which we
had started from, about eight o'clock in the evening, and went into
the hut of the Indians, having to-day rowed constantly from early dawn
until one or two o'clock, and then walked, through heavy weather,
twenty-four to twenty-eight miles.
[Footnote 305: The falls of the Passaic, at Paterson, New Jersey.]
[Footnote 306: Not preserved.]
We endeavored to warm and dry ourselves in this cabin as best we
could. We could not stand up on account of the smoke, and there were
no means of sitting down unless flat on the ground, which was very bad
for us, on account of our being so wet, but we did the best we could.
We took our supper, and distributed some of our bread among the
Indians, with which they were as much pleased as children with sweet
cake. We gave each man four fish-hooks, and the women and children
each two. We also gave them two small trumpets, and then they were
great _nitaps_ or friends. We had to lie down there, and at first, as
long as it was warm, it went very well; but the fire being almost
burned out, and the hut rather airy, and the wind being no longer kept
out by the heat in the opening, through which the smoke escaped, we
became stiff in the knees, so that I could not, through weariness and
cold, move mine without great pain and difficulty. The longed-for day
came, and we went out in the snow to look through the woods, and along
the little stream, to see whether it would be worth the trouble to
erect a saw-mill there for the purpose of sawing timber for sale, as
Jaques had supposed. But although we found the stream suitable for
mills, we did not discover proper wood sufficient for the purpose. The
soil seemed to promise good, and the place is as well situated as it
can be, to make a village or city. The land on both sides of the
Northwest Kill is all taken up, and the prospect is that the whole
region will soon be inhabited. It is already taken up on the south
side as high up as the falls. Eating our breakfast about eight
o'clock, we went on board of the boat, it being now the
_6th, Wednesday._ We set off with a westerly wind, though light and
gusty. If the wind in this river do not come straight from behind, you
cannot derive much benefit from it, in consequence of the land on both
sides of it being so high, and the bay so winding. The river is the
pleasantest we have yet seen. It is gratifying to look upon the
continually changing views which present themselves in going either up
or down, with its evergreens of pine and cedar, and other species, the
names of which I do not know, and its clean bottom and clear fresh
water. We rowed and sailed as well as we could, until the flood tide
stopped us, when we went ashore to eat our dinner, and make a good
fire to warm ourselves. When the ebb began to make, we proceeded on
our way. Our poor Indian, who did nothing in the boat, sat all the
time benumbed with cold in his poor little blanket. But as the day
advanced it was better. The tide serving us, and the wind being
stronger as we came below the high land, we reached Achter Kol before
evening, and set the Indian ashore at his hut, who told us he would
come and see us on Monday. It was calm, with the wind more and more
favorable, and we crossed over the bay, and arrived Gouanes Bay about
eight o'clock.
I had asked Hans, our Indian, what Christians they, the Indians, had
first seen in these parts. He answered the first were Spaniards or
Portuguese, from whom they obtained the maize or Spanish or Turkish
wheat, but they did not remain here long. Afterwards the Dutch came
into the South River and here, on Noten Island,[307] a small island
lying directly opposite the fort at New York, and to Fort Orange or
Albany, and after them the English came for the first, who
nevertheless always disputed the first possession. But since the
country has been taken several times by the one and the other, the
dispute is ended in regard to the right of ownership, as it is now a
matter of conquest.
[Footnote 307: Governor's Island. The Spaniards spoken of may have
been Verrazano's men.]
When we arrived at Gouanes, we heard a great noise, shouting and
singing in the huts of the Indians, who as we mentioned before, were
living there. They were all lustily drunk, raving, striking, shouting,
jumping, fighting each other, and foaming at the mouth like raging
wild beasts. Some who did not participate with them, had fled with
their wives and children to Simon's house, where the drunken brutes
followed, bawling in the house and before the door, which we finally
closed. And this was caused by Christians. It makes me blush to call
by that holy name those who live ten times worse than these most
barbarous Indians and heathen, not only in the eyes of those who can
discriminate, but according to the testimony of these poor Indians
themselves. What do I say, the testimony of the Indians! Yes, I have
not conversed with an European or a native born, the most godless and
the best, who has not fully and roundly acknowledged it, but they have
not acknowledged it salutarily, and much less desisted, disregarding
all convictions external and internal, notwithstanding all the injury
which springs therefrom, not only among the Indians, but others, as we
will show in its proper place. How will they escape the terrible
judgment of God; how evade the wrath and anger of the Lord and King,
Jesus, whom they have so dishonored and defamed, and caused to be
defamed among the heathen? Just judgment is their damnation. But I
must restrain myself, giving God all judgment and wrath, and keeping
only what he causes us to feel therefor. Such are the fruits of the
cursed cupidity of those who call themselves Christians for the very
little that these poor naked people have. Simon and his wife also do
their best in the same way, although we spoke to them severely on the
subject. They brought forward this excuse, that if they did not do it,
others would, and then they would have the trouble and others the
profit, but if they must have the trouble, they ought to have the
profit; and so they all said, and for the most part falsely, for they
all solicit the Indians as much as they can, and after begging their
money from them, compel them to leave their blankets, leggings, and
coverings of their bodies in pawn, yes, their guns and hatchets, the
very instruments by which they obtain their subsistence. This subject
is so painful and so abominable, that I will forbear saying anything
more for the present.
These Indians had _canticoyed_ there to-day, that is, conjured the
devil, and liberated a woman among them, who was possessed by him, as
they said; and indeed, as they told us, it had that appearance, but I
have never seen it.[308]
[Footnote 308: The _canticoy_ of the Indians was wild dancing.]
We fared better this night than the last, and whether from fatigue or
other reasons, slept soundly.
_7th, Thursday._ We had intended to go to Najacq, to Jaques's, and
afterwards to Elbert's in the bay, in order to report to them how we
had found their land, but Gerrit having promised his father-in-law
some firewood, he had to take Simon's boat for the purpose, and
Simon's wife also had some errands in the city. We, therefore,
determined to go with them, as we did, leaving Gouanes at ten o'clock,
and seeing the Indians putting up their huts which they had entirely
thrown down during their intoxication, although it was not much
trouble, as it was not much to make them. With a tolerably fair wind
we reached the city at noon, where we gave ourselves up to rest.
We wished now to make a voyage to the Nevesinkx, Rentselaer's Hoeck,
and Sant Hoek, but we could find no opportunity, for the reason that
this route is very little navigated in the winter and spring, because
it is somewhat dangerous. Meanwhile, the weather continued very
variable; sometimes we had frost and severe cold, then rain and snow,
wind and squalls, until the time of the sun's crossing the line, when
it began to become warm, but continued still variable, though it
improved daily.
_20th, Wednesday._ While my comrade sat writing, he observed a change
in his vision, being able to see better than before, when he had to
look extremely close in writing. It happened thus: writing as he was
accustomed to do, his sight in an instant became entirely obscured, so
that he had to stop, not being able to write any more. Not knowing
what it was, he shut his eyes and rubbed them, as they usually do when
anything obstructs the sight, and then undertook to write as he had
done before, but yet he could not see well; when raising his head
higher from the paper, he saw much clearer than when he had to look
close to it. Had he kept his eyes up so high before, he would scarcely
have been able to see at all. You could also perceive that his writing
was different afterwards.
A yacht arrived down the river from the Hysopes,[309] from which they
learned that the navigation was open, though boats going up would have
to tug through the ice. It brought news of the death of the minister,
Domine Gaesbeck, a Cocceian, which had caused great sorrow.[310] They
had determined to call another minister from Holland, or Tessemaker
from the south. They had built a new church in the Hysopus, of which
the glass had been made and painted in the city, by the father of our
mate, Evert Duiker, whose other son, Gerrit, did most of the
work.[311] This Gerrit Duiker had to take the glass to the Hysopes,
and having heard we had a mind to go there, he requested our company,
which we would not refuse him when the time came. He promised to teach
me how to draw.
[Footnote 309: Esopus, founded in 1652. See pp. 220-221, _post_.]
[Footnote 310: Rev. Laurentius van Gaasbeeck, licentiate in theology
and doctor of medicine (M.D., Leyden, 1674), had come to the Esopus in
September, 1678, and had preached at its three villages of Kingston,
Marbleton, and Hurley. He died in February, 1680. A letter from the
church, asking for another minister, is in _Ecclesiastical Records of
New York_, II. 748. Tesschenmaker had served the church temporarily
before Gaasbeeck's arrival.]
[Footnote 311: Evert Duyckinck the elder and his son Gerrit were
painters and glaziers; the father is also designated in the Dutch
church records as "Schilder," maker of pictures.]
_23d, Saturday._ The first boat arrived from Fort Orange[312] to-day,
bringing scarcely any news except that a great number of Indians had
died in the early part of the winter of small pox, and a large party
of them had gone south to make war against the Indians of Carolina,
beyond Virginia, for which reason the hunting of beaver had not been
good, and there would be a great scarcity of peltries this year, which
was the chief trade of New Netherland, especially in this quarter.
[Footnote 312: Albany.]
There was something published and posted by this government to-day
against that of New Jersey or Achter Kol, but I do not know precisely
what it was.[313] We found to-day an opportunity to go to Nevesinck.
An Englishman who had a little boat, and small enough, was going on
Monday without fail, and he had, he said, about sixteen passengers.
[Footnote 313: Governor Andros's proclamation of March 13/23, 1680,
against Governor Carteret's assuming to exercise powers of government
in New Jersey. It may be found in _New Jersey Archives_, I. 293.]
_24th, Sunday, and 25th, Monday._ It stormed hard from the northwest,
and he could not go, but he came to tell us he would give us notice
when he would sail.
_26th, Tuesday._ He came and told us he would leave next day at
sunrise, and in passing by the house, he would come in and call us.
_27th, Wednesday._ We waited for him from an early hour, but it was
nearly ten o'clock before we saw him. We went to his boat which was
poor enough, very small, light, and lank, though it had been repaired
some; it had an old sail and piece of a foresail, and yet this captain
was as stern and arrogant with his boat, as if it were a ship-of-war.
We waited there for the passengers, but they had melted away to three,
my comrade, myself and one other person. We started about eleven
o'clock with a good wind and tide, though it was almost low water.
When we reached the Narrows, the wind veered round to the southeast,
which was against us. We discovered the boat to be so leaky that she
had a foot or two of water in her, which he sought to excuse, but
every word he said on the subject was untrue. The pump was stopped up,
and we had to help him clear it out, which was accomplished after much
trouble and bungling. We cleared it out, but we had that to do three
times, because in repairing the boat they had left all the chips and
pieces of wood lying in the hold between the planks, and when we
pumped, this stuff would continually obstruct the pump, though we
succeeded in getting out most of the water. Meanwhile the wind changed
to the south and southwest, with which there was every prospect of
getting outside. We tacked about and reached Coney Island, a low,
sandy island, lying on the east side of the entrance from the sea. We
came to anchor under its outermost point, when we should have gone
inside of Sandy Hook, in a creek, as we were able yet to do; but he
said, we must go outside of Sandy Hook, round by sea, and then make
for a creek there. I began now to have other thoughts. To put to sea
in such a light, low, decayed, and small boat, with rotten sails, and
an inexperienced skipper, and that at night, did not suit me very
well. The sea began already to roll round the point of Coney Island,
and I apprehended bad weather from pain in my breast and other
indications. He said the place where we were lying was entirely shoal,
and he therefore dared not go near the shore, as there was only eight
or ten feet water. But he was much mistaken, for when he let the
anchor fall, it ran out six fathoms of rope before it struck the
bottom. I had seated myself all the time at the helm, and observed he
was a miserable person. It was then about half flood, and having put
things somewhat in order, he asked us if we would go ashore with him.
I said yes, and I did so for the purpose of ascertaining how the
westerly point of this island was situated on the sea entrance. My
comrade and the other passenger, having no wish to go, remained on
board. Upon reaching the shore, we saw immediately a large ship coming
up the bay from Sandy Hook, which we supposed to be Margaret's ship,
which she had left to be repaired at Falmouth, as we have before
mentioned.[314] I wondered why our skipper did not return on board,
but he not only remained ashore and left his boat with two
inexperienced persons, but he had not hauled up on the beach his small
canoe in which we came ashore, or made it fast. I went with him along
the strand, on the sea side, and saw that, close by Coney Island, a
strong flood tide was running, which was pressed between the east bank
and the island, and that led us to think there was an opening there
through which you could sail out and in, which is the fact, as I was
afterwards informed by one who was very well acquainted with the
place; but it is only deep enough for boats, yachts, and other small
craft. This island, on the sea side, is a meadow or marsh intersected
by several kills or creeks. It is not large, being about half an hour
or three quarters long, and stretching nearly east and west. It is
sandy and uninhabited. They generally let their horses run upon it to
feed, as they cannot get off of it. We found good oysters in the creek
inside, and ate some of them, but seeing his carelessness, I could not
remain longer from the boat, as the canoe might be carried off, on the
rise of the water, by the tide or the wind, and my comrade and the
other passenger, who was sea-sick, not know what to do, the more so in
view of the inexperience and carelessness of the captain. I therefore
hurried to the boat, running across the island. On the inside of the
island I found a sandy elevation like a dune or high dyke which became
gradually lower towards Long Island, and that is all which shows
itself here. This elevation is on the land side, and is mostly covered
with hollies, which, according to my recollection, I have never seen
growing in this region except on dry and very fine sand. When we
reached the canoe it was not only afloat, but it had been thrown
across the beach by the sea, and was full of water. If it had moved
off, we certainly should have been at a loss. The water being high,
the sea came rolling in heavily around the point into the bay, and
caused the boat lying in the current, which ran strong here, to pitch
greatly. We were even fearful about getting on board again, for the
canoe could scarcely hold us both. I told him to go on board first,
and bring the boat nearer the shore, and then he could take me aboard,
but he would not do so, we must go on board together. We therefore
both went into it, and reached the boat, though it was very dangerous.
As soon as we came aboard, our skipper spoke about leaving there, as
we could not lie there well. I asked him where he would go to. He said
to the city, which I did not much oppose, and was secretly glad of,
seeing it was from the Lord. We therefore had to abandon our design of
going to the Nevesinckx at this time. The large ship which we had seen
sailed before us; and we found that we had not been mistaken in our
supposition, as it was the same vessel we had left in Falmouth. It
commenced blowing hard in the evening, and we had as much as we could
stand, but we reached the city while it was yet in the evening, very
much rejoiced.
[Footnote 314: See p. 28, _supra_.]
_28th, Thursday, and 29th, Friday._ There was a severe storm,
accompanied with much rain, from the southeast, it being about new
moon. Certainly, if we did not see in this the continual care of the
Lord, in His providence, we were worse than beasts, for it was too
manifest not to be touched by it. He gives us grace only to lose
ourselves more and more in Him, and to offer ourselves up to His
service.
_30th, Sunday [Saturday.]_ The storm continued the whole day.
_31st, Monday [Sunday.]_ We determined to make a journey to Albany at
the first opportunity, but this could not be done without the special
permission of the governor. Though a regulation exists that no one
shall go up there unless he has been three years in the country, that
means for the purpose of carrying on trade; for a young man who came
over with us from Holland proceeded at once to Albany, and continues
to reside there. We went accordingly to request permission of the
governor. After we had waited two or three hours, his Excellency came
in and received us kindly. We made our request, which he neither
refused nor granted, but said he would take it into consideration.
Meanwhile we inquired after vessels, of which there were plenty going
up at this time of year.
APRIL _2d [3d], Wednesday._ We went again to the lord governor for
permission, who received us after he had dined. He inquired for what
purpose we wished to go above; to which we answered, we had come here
to see the country, its nature and fertility; and that we had heard
there were fine lands above, such as Schoonechten, Rentselaerswyck,
and the Hysopus.[315] "Those are all small places," he said, "and are
all taken possession of; but I am ashamed I did not think of this." He
then requested us to come some morning and dine with him, when he
would talk with us. We thanked him, and took our leave, reflecting
whether it would be advisable to trouble his Excellency any more about
the matter, as it was not of such great importance to us, and he,
perhaps, considered it of more moment than we did. We then felt
inclined to leave the country the very first opportunity, as we had
nothing more to do here, and it was the very best time of year to make
a voyage. As we had some of our goods left after we were forbidden to
sell any more, we went to see if we could get rid of what we had kept
for Ephraim. As there was no prospect of seeing him, we proposed to
do the best we could with one of our neighbors, named Cornelius van
Kleif, to whom my comrade had spoken, and who was inclined to trade.
He entered into negotiations, but was a little timorous. We offered to
let him examine the bills of the persons from whom we had bought the
goods, and also of the freight and custom-house duties, and he should
give us an advance of thirty per cent. on their amount; or, he might
see what they were worth, and could be sold for, and we would divide
the profits equally with him. After he had looked at them, he did not
dare to take them himself alone, but said he would bring another
person, in order that with the two of them they might make it safe. He
did not say he had no means of payment, though he did remark he had no
peltries, which we would willingly have taken in payment. The other
person had the means to pay. We told him we would wait until de La
Grange returned from the South River; that I had spoken to his wife on
the subject, and that he was expected back every day; at all events,
that we would wait until we had spoken to some other person. Van
Kleif's wife, however, took some fine thread, ribbons, pins, and what
she wanted for herself.
[Footnote 315: Schenectady, Rensselaerswyck, Esopus.]