Monmouth weekly herald. [volume] (Freehold, N.J.) 1854-1860, 1859-02-24
For the Monmouth Weekly Herald.
HISTORY OF MONMOUTH;
The Papers of James Careful, Esq.
+ NO. II.

ing part of my last chapter, that Captain
Hudson allowed his men to go on shore
to gather wild oranges, monkeys, &C., but
| forgot to say, that they also had orders
to catch a wild woman or two, if possible.
Now these simple minded adventures,
would cheerfully hare made love to any
pair Of apron strings and they fully ex-
pcctcd to find fruits, flowers, and beautiful
wild women, blooming, bluShing, and
running at large, in this delightful Coun-
ty of Monmouth. Imagine then the up
lifting of astonished brows, and the wide
opening of small gray eyes, when instead
OF the angelic smiles of fair woman, two
painted savages, the first they had ever
seen, emerged from brown rustling
Ticket, and made singular approaches
towards them. But our cunning explor
ers, previous to leaving the Half Moon"
had filled all their pockets with broken
pipe stems, in order to intice whatever
natives they might find into good beha
yier.~ 49,
These Voc, T0gether with some Uol
land gin, seemed greatly to reconcile the
natives to the pestness Of trading, or in
Dutch par'ance sacopping-a very simple
mode Of conveying property, known only
to discoyerers. The process in this case
consisted merely in the paying of so many
pieces Of pipe stems and q swallow of gin,
I for certain quantity of a certain quality
of skins.
History records that these men were
kindly treated by the natives that toy
were given dried berries, green tobacco,
SKINS, and various delicacies.
We feel in duty bound here to mention,
that these kindnesses were duly recipro.
Gated by our open hearted Dutc1men, for
no sooner had they received them, than
off they ran for more Holland spirits,
wherewith to exhilarate the spirits of the
natives or-in broader terms, to make
them soundly drunk, so that they could
the more easily steal their bows, arrows,
and other implements, to carry back to
FaaeSland. t. seaW to their wives and
10 !.
This w. the first landing Of Christians
upon these shores rand when the natives
awoke from their FIRST drunk, 10 their
implements pf war and the chase were all
gone-and so were the honest Dutch
crew Of the, "Half Moon"-and as the
natives rubbed their stiffened eyes, and
saw vessel fading away in the distance,
a thought flashed across their savage
broWs-they had been skifuNy dealt with
From the time when the Half Moon"
bid adeu to these tranquil shores, and
spread her broad sail, to catch the wind
that would bear her toward Manahata"
until the year 1864, there is great blank
in the history of our country. In vain
have searched County records. or pored
over old manuscripts for light. l might
as we'll have peered into the pitchy
depths Of chaos, before the words Let
there be light!' Or endeavored to light
q tallow candle W the Pickering taper Of
human knowledge.
TIL eotnAs brighter god.send than my;
self shall flash with the fires of magma
ton, more lHpincus lustre, let the
doubts and mysteries of fifty three years
of our history, smolder in the ashes of
oblivion
This County was originally settled by
Dutch, Scotch, and New England emf
grants IN 1901.
1t seems from all that we are able to
learn on the subject, that the early set.
tiers scattered themselves about all over
the county. Some of the Dutch, who
were fishermen, settled near the shores.
The Scotch, an Industrious people, early
began to turn up the rich soil Of the val
lies, while the Yankees, trading, cheat
ing, guessing, wooden spoon making.
pumpkin eating, razor,strop shaving, lear
eyed, stripe-legged set of devils, roved
about all over the county, from Mana
squan to Raritan, enticing the innocent
fish mongers into all sorts of ridiculous
trades, with their knick knacks, such, for
instance, as tin watch with cricket in
IT, TO Sc wo7@ a.ound the neck as charm,
and defence against strange devils, and
evil spirits, which were seen all over the
county in those days of simplicity and
wonder, and about which, the Yankees
would tell eye opening stories to the cred
ulous Dutch. In short, the Yankees were
soon regarded as an itinerant race of
sharp noSed, good for nothing pryers,
who would talk day away in a single
trade, but who would not work an hour
to save the infant province from destruc-
ton. They soon became distinct band,
something like the gipsies of England,
with this diEference-that they never told
fol tunes, they were too eager to make
their own. Let Yankee once corner a
Dubchman in trade, and he was gone,
in spite Of his determination to have
nothing to do midi Yankees" The
New Englaaaers looked upon the Dutch,
as their especial objects of prey, and the
more they could cheat them through the
day, the sounder they slept at night.
1t seems THAT at this early day they did
69E Toria1ss ID es, but were contented to
1--we at respectable distances apart "a
very wise plan, and one productive of the
peaceful settlement Of the county.
1t was not until their interests became
more blended, and little Yankees were
born, and Scotch lads and lasses began
to look abroad among their rich neigh
iboFs for social intercourse, and little
moon-faced Dutch boys and girls required
the rigid assistance of Yankee school
masters that all these contrary clements
of society began to swarm together, to
form that bond of union which has con-
tinued to grow in strength as ages have
passed away, and will ever continue to
unite the fortunes and destinies of the
sons of Monmouth, at whatever period,
or with q power however strong, when
the Liberties so long cherished shall be
encroached upon.
Me- Francis Egerton, Duke Of Bridge.