Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1841-01-15

through the D0iling waters OF the Nils, along
the coast Of Little Barn Island, until he
skinned his bark over the quiet, dreamy
waters of tho Harlaem River, aud following
its devious course, emerged upon the broad
bosom of the Hudson, and returned to his
own rock-bound nest by sailing round the
city-bcing the first who discovered that
Nicuw Amsterdam was in reality situated OH
an Island.
Sometimes his skiff was seen darting over
the calm waters of Flushing Bay, ordoubling
the point of Riker's Island; at others il was
ripping though the rivcrnear Throg's Point;
now it would be espied nesting in some cleft
of rock at the foot of Blackwell's Island,
while its owner was keeping hawk-like
watch for the appearance Of some adventure
upon the Bay; and again it would swing for
hours at anchor behind some rock, swaying
lazily in the ripping breeze, or whirling with
the cddies Of the changcfu current. But
whatever his employment of the hour-dd
an adventurous craft but put forth from the
land, his occupation was at an end, his little
skiff shot out upon the deep water, and flew
like bird on the wing in pursuit of ITS prey.
Few escaped him. So quiet were his move
/ ueIltS, uIu ~ OWN Ills UOotS tituk UIduy AZ
tributed his success to improper associations,
and threw out dark hints, that he had deal
ing with certain character notorious for being
no better than he should be; and who, it is
shrewdly suspected, has a sort of kindly feel
ing toward those whom the world regards with
an unfriendly eye.
These were all sources Of great tribulation
to the inhabitants of the Colony but they
we're nothing compared to the CONSERVATION
that would prevail when the sturdy Hyder
was seen urging his piratical craft across
klp's Bay, and making directly for the town.
All was uproar. The fowls were driven to
to their roosts-horscs were battered and
hobbled in the stables-thc doors bolted and
locked, aud the keys lodged in the profound
ipockct of every Dutch proprietor. 1t is also
asserted that in several instances the pigs
were driven into the parlors-and that a
number ofthe more wealthy of tho inl,abi-
tants seized upon their money chests and
buried them in their cellars. But as a worthy
chronicler very properly observes, the world
is given to scandal; and these remarks being
uttered by mere nobodics against person,
who were rich and respectable, it would be
as well to attacl, little credit to them.
| 1t is also asserted, that upon one Of these
occasions the Governor sent orders to have
a small fort, which looked out upon the Bay
garrsoned with troops, the guns mounted
and every preparation made for vigorous
resistance in case of an attempt to storm the
town--a measure which they had every
reason to apprchcnd from their knowledge
Of the desperate character of their formidable
though sing lc-handed enemy.
Yet with all his notoricty there was a
strange diversity of opinion as to his perso-
nal appearance. Some represented him as
a hard-featured ruflian, of about fifty, with a
face scanned with scars, Othcrs-and these
were the young and beautiful Of the other
sex. whose hearts were alive to the romance
of his character, and were soltcncd by his
feats of chivalrous ardihood-contcndod
that he was young fellow, of fine form and
features--a perfect model ola man; that his
clothes were in the last Dutch fashion; tina,
he was a,tired in dashing broad-skir,cd Goa,
with most captivating red stockings, and tina,
his small clothes $50 called) were unexcep-
tionablc, being neatly bluckcd at the knee,
and Of the most vouminous dimensions in the
neither cxtremlies.
| The old ladies, however, who owned pigs
and poultry, described him as all that was
horribc-crucl, relentless, and bloodthirsty
and the heads of the decapitated fowls which
he not unfrcqucn,ly left in the riled roosts,
bore ample testimony to the truth of this
description.
The inhabitants Of Nicuw Amsterdam
were an enduring people; but there is a H.
nit even to Dutch endurance; and the de-
predatons Of this insatiate freebooter had
increased to such degree, that the Colony
was becoming impoverished, and the venom
OF its inhabitants was at last fairly excited
About this time, too, a dead body was pick
ed up IN the Bay; and the dismissal of the
soul was unanimously saddlcd on the broad
back of llydcr. The town now was in grca,
cOmmotion knots of four or five gather
cdcd in various parts Of the city, smoking
vchcmently, and casting furtive gances oveI
their shoulders. Ills true they uttered not
a word; but their looks were portentous, and
| big with the fate of the bandit. There wa.
evidently smouldering fire in the Colony
which wanted but little to fan it into flame
and to excite them to measures that would
Barn Island. That very night it came. A,
nine in the evening, messenger, wheeling
with corpulency and alarm, burst in upon al
assembly ofburgomasters and Scl,epens, who
were smoking in solemn conclavc at the ia.
vern of Myndcrt Quackenboss, with the as.
founding intelligence that there had been &
collision between lIydcr Van Kloften ant
the Governor in which the latter had beel
worsted--that the brigand had broken hi,
pipe-tweaked his nose-and annoyed hi
hinder parts with sundry applications of hi
foot, far more vigorous than agreeable-ant
after rifling his pockets, had taken his dc.
parture, leaving the worthy governor very
much agsrieved in body, and not little in
famed in temper.
Great was the CONSERVATION and unproar
Hand-bills we're posted at every corner, Of
iering reward for the capture of the mis-
! crean,. A general meeting of the burgo
. masters was callcd-to pass resolutions
AID, it is rumorcd, such was tho genera
4 personal apprehension of each, that Klaa