The democrat. [volume] (Weston, W. Va.) 1868-1874, 1874-09-21
OLD DUTCH TIMES.

OLD DUTCH TIMES
There was onco an English sailor,
named Henry Hudson, who made some
very daring voyages. Tho European
nations were trying hard TO find short
passage to India, either by passing
north Of Europe, or by finding some
opening through the new continent Of
America. Henry Hudson had made
two voyages for this purpose, in the
employment OF English companies.
Twice he had sailed among tho ice.
bergs aud through tho terrible cold, as
far as Spiizbergen; and twice he had
turned back because he could get no
further. But he was still as resolute
and adventurous as ever (; always ready
for someting new; ready to brave the
arctic cold or the tropic heat, II he
could find that passage 70 India, which
80 many had sought In vain. AT last,
on the fourth OF April, 1900, the Dutch
East India Company sent him out once
more to seek passage TO India. The
Dutch at that time were tho great COM
rnerciRl nation Of the world, and Am.
sterdam was the center Of the com.
plerce OF Europe. There was not a
forest OF ship.tmber in Holland, but
it owned more ships than all Europe
besides.
Henry Hulson's vessel was named
"The Half.SIoon." he had crew Of
twonty Englishmen and Dutchmen,
and his own son was among thom. First
lie sailed north, as be had done before,
trying TO reach Spitzbergen and Nova
zembla but he found icebergs every.
where, and his men almost mutinied
because OF the cold. Then he resolved
to sail further westward; he passed
nenr Greenland, then southward to
Newland, then TO Cape Cod then as
far south as Virginia; then he turned
northward again, observing the shore
more closely, and found himself at the
mount OF what seemed to him o broad
strait or river. On the third Of Sep.
tember, 1900, he anchored near Sandy
Hook. There the Indians came out TO
tradewith him, and after few day, he
set sail again and penetrated farther
and farther, thinking that he-had found
the passage 10 India at last.
II must have been an exciting thing
TO sail with Henry Hudson up that
noble river, where no white man had
ever sailed before. He said in his mar
rative that the lands on both sides were
"pleasant with grass and flowers and
goodTy trees" sit Is as beautiful q
land as one can tread upon" he de.
clared, "and abounds in all kinds OF
excellent shiptimber." The Indians
came out to meet him in canoes "made
Of single followed trees, " but he would
not let them come on board Of first, be.
cause one Of them had killed one Of his
sailors with an arrow. After awhile,
the Dutchmen put more confidence in
tho Indians, and let them bring grapes
and pumpkins and furs to the vessel
These were paid for by beads, knives
and hatchots. Atlast the Indians in
vited the bold sea.captain to visit them
on shore, and made him very welcome,
and one OF their chiefs "made IN ora.
tion, and showed him all the country
round about" Henry Hudson sailed
up as far as where the town Of Hudson
now stands, and there, finding IL too
shallow for his vessel, sent boat
farther still-as far as what is now
Albany. Then he turned back, disap.
pointed, and sailed out OF the "great
river" or /" Groot Riyer," rs he called
IL, and went back to Holland.
He never saw that beautiful river
again. The Dutch East India Company
did not care to explore IL, since II did
not lead TO India and Hudson, on his
next voyage, went to the northern seas,
hoping TO find the passage to India
that way. BE entered the bay that
bears his name, and there his men
mutinied, tied him, hand and foot, put
him on board o boat with his son and o
few companions among the floating ice,
and sent him adrift. Nothing more
was ever heard Of him. But to this
day, some Of the descendants Of old
Dutch families on the Hudson river
telllegends Of the daring navigator who
first explored 1t, and when the thunder
rolls away over the Highlands, they
say, There are Henry Hudson and his
crew, playing ninepinsamong the hills. /"
Ina few years, trading.posts began
10 be established on the Hudson river.
King James ]. Of England, had lately
chartered two companies for the pur-
pose Of colonizing North America.
One was 10 take the northern part Of
the Atlantic coast, and the other the
southern half; but he required that
their nearest settlements should be q
hundred miles apart, SO that there
should be no quatreling between them.
It did not toccur 10 him, that II he left
this wide space open, some othernation
might slip In between, and found col:
onies OF their own, SO that there might
be quarreling after ALL Yetthis is just
what happened. After Henry Hud-
Bon'sldiscoyeries, Holland laid claim 10
ali the land along the "great river, =
and called the whole territory " New
Netherlands, !, and the Dutchbegan TO
come to thatregion, and trade with the
Indians. Then in 1914, there came q
bold sailor, named Adrian Block, the
fltst European who ever sailed through
Hurlgate, and as far as Block Island,
which, was named inter- Heloadel his
ship Tho aTigern with bear skins, at
the mouth Of the Hudson, and was inst
ready to sail, when his ship caught
Are, aud he had 10 land on Manhattan
Island, where New York city now
atands. There his men spent the win.