Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1841-01-15
A CHRONICLE
OF NIEUW AMSTERDAM.
BY J. T. IRVING.

Many, in the sultry months Of summer,
abandon the throngcd and heated city of
New York, and settle themselves in some
shady nook in the vicinity of the East River,
to breathe the invigorating air OF the country,
and gather fresh strength to withstand the
sapping influences of winter of toll or revel-
ry. Yet few of these, as they pass the nu-
mcrous little islands gemming the bright wa
tiers of that river, or loiter along its borders,
are aware that they are floating by scenes re-
plete with classic "reminiscences Of our Dutch
ancestors, and are treading upon ground hal
lowed by the tales and traditions of other
times, and of the loosely brceched heroes
who figured in the dreamy days Of the Dutch
dynasty. Almost every inlet in this river,
from kip's Bay up to Throg's Neck, has
been the resting place of Evolutionary cha
racter !; and every island the haunt of a
broad-bot,omed bandid Of the true Dutch
school. Time has thrown his mantle over
them and though for while their vices
gave Il notoriety to their names, yet like
many more worthy and famous than them
selves, they have sunk into oblivion, and the
places that knew them know them no more.
Here and there, however, few escaped the
general doom; and although held in no great
estimation in their own time, their rough
characters are handed down to later age, mel
lowed by the hand Of time, which softens
their vices and throws a shadowy air Of CHI
valry around their very crimes.
4 hero of this stamp was Hydcr Van Klof-
ten, the robbcr of Great Barn Island. He
lookup his abode-many, many years ago
upon an island, within few miles of the
eoodly city of Nieuw Amsterdam, and lying
within the very jaws of that angry vortex of
waters, generally known as He'll Gate. He
was a stalwart, strappng fellow, who feared
neither man nor devil, and who was gifted
with blunt conscience, an iron arm, and
strong marauding propensitios, which he in
dulgcd to the great annoyance of the good
folk inhabiting the neighboring shores. His
expeditions were at first carried on By stealth,
and in his own immediate vicinity but as
ne escaped with impunity, they gradually
embraced greater extent of country, and be-
came more frequent and daring until at
last they were carried on in the very heart
of the city, and under the very nose of
ITS irritable Governor, William Keit,
himself. Indeed so unceasing did they at
last become that he gave the inhabitants of
the Colony no rest either by day orby night,
and was always sure to pounce upon those
who least expected him. Nothing was known
to come amiss to him he robbed house, a
stable, hen roost, or a watermelon patel,
with equal alacrity, for he was universe!
genius, and adapted himself with great phi-
losophyto circumstances. He did not, how
ever, confnc himself exclusively to these
for it was well known that he had several
times taken impertinent liberties with the
pockets OF some of the dignitarics of the town
who had been so unlucky as to cross his path
and whose wealth and responsibility should
have shielded them from his rapacity. To
those who submitted quietly, he was suayity
itself-but to those who made the slphtes,
show OF resistance, he threw out significan,
hints about "six inches of cold iron"-"a bed
among the lobsters''-''a tumble over the
cliffs at Kip's Bay"-and variety of argu.
ments Of the same convincing nature and
generally dimisscd them with tweak at the
nose by way Of impressing his remarks upor
their memory.
His house was perched, like an eagle
nest upon small craggy eminence on Barr
Island I; and on the very brink of the rocl
which from its elevated site afforded a com
manding view of every thing that nigh, pas
Up or down the river. Here he would stant
for hours on the watch, like a fish-hawk or
the lookout for his prey; and wo to the un.
lucky craft that vcntured to skim the wa,
tiers when Hyder was on his sand. 1t wa
sure to be boarded and plundered, its ownc
battered and pommelled, and not unfrequent
81
river, to cool the uncomfortable excitement
which such pleasant little adventure NIGH
be supposed likely to awaken even in III.
phlegmatic temperaments of the then sole
navigators of these waters,
These occurrences gradually became SC
frequent, that his name grew to be as grea,
slerror by water as it was already by land ;
and so well skilled was lie ia all the current,