The Cheyenne daily leader. [volume] (Cheyenne, Wyo.) 1870-1884, 1876-04-06
The Hudson River.

= IL vas early IN september, lbu9, thaL
Sir Henry Hudson, in the Dutch ship Half
Moon, passed Sandy Hook and cast anchor
in the Bay of New York. He found Indian
villages sprinkled along the shores. and
many birch anoes were gliding from point
to point. Some of them Immediately APP
preached the vessel, and the Indians, in the
most friendly Manners and apparently with
cut the slightest hesitation, came on board.
They were dressed, often very tastefully,
in garments of deer skin. very softly tan
ned, and decorated with fringes and plumes
of gorgeously coloured feathers.
A party from the ship landed on the
Jersey shore. They were very Hospitality
received by the natives. Another party of
five was sent to the north. TIL rude sailors
were probably guilty of some gross outrage.
As they were returning, in the gloomy twi-
light of a rainy evening, two birch canoes,
rapidly padded, and containing in all
twenty-six men, approached them. As soon
rs the canoes came within arrow shot, a
volley Of arrows was discharged into the
boat, which killed one man and wounded
two others. The Indians. apparently
satisfied with their revenge, did not repeat
the volley. which would have been fatal to
all, but turned back and disappeared in he
rapidly gathering darkness.
This night passed quietly. The next
morning several canoes. from another part
of the bay, approached the ship. The in
mates of the canoes were apparently un-
conscious of the hostile encounter of the
preceding evening. In the most friendly
l-.-l l-..-..- 49,,
tobacco, and furs for sale. Trehcherously
Hudson seized four of the most prominent
of them and held them as hostages. im-
prisoned in his cabin. One succeeded in
e~ffecting his escape, and, leaping overheard.
swan to the shore.
After a s~ojourn of nine days in the outer
bay, the Half Moon weighed anchor. and.
passing through the Narrows, entered New
York harbor. These waters had never be-
fore been plowed by any craft larger than q
birch canoe. The next morning. Scptem-
Der 18th, Hudson commenced his memoir
able voyage up the river, still retaining tho
hostages he had SO unjustly seized. Here
and there a small Indian village was seen,
with the smoke of its fires curling up
through the forest. For two days the ship
crept slowly along, with scarcely breeze
enough to fill the sails.
On the third day, a strong southerly
breeze sprang up, and all sail was set.
Through enchanting scenery the little vessel
ploughed the waves of the unknown river.
till, at night, the anchor was dropped amid
the grand and gloomy cliffs Of the High
lands. The next morning a dense fog
covered the river. The Indian captives
succeeded in forcing the cabin window, and
leaping out, swan ashore. Upon reaching
the land, they raised loud shout of indig-
nation and defiance.
At Catskill, n large fiourishing Indian
village was found. The natives were very
friendly, and came freely on board. bring
ing food and furs. Hudson does not appear
to advantage in these transactions. He
was very suspicious Of treachery. To
ascertain whether the natives were plotting
against him, he adopted the foolish expodi-
ont of getting the chiefs intoxicated, hoping
thus to throw them so of their guard that
they would divulge their secret. He invited
several on board, prepared a very palatable
drink of rum, water. and sugar, and soon
had the satisfaction of seeing them all
Gated. But these ~artless men had no secret
to divulge. On of them, at length rolled
s~cnseless on the floor. The rest, in great
alarm, thinking that he had been poisoned,
took to their canoes. In the morning they
returned, and finding their comrade well,
in gratitude made Hudson several presents.
Hudson had sailed up the river, hoping
somewhere to find a passag through to tho
Pacific Ocean. Having reached a point
several miles above the present city Of
Hudson, and being disappointed in this ex-
pectation, he commenced his return. Slow
ly descending the stredm, they came to tho
point where Castleton now stands. Here
there was a small village. over which an
aged and very venerable chief presided.
The good old man took Hudson ashore,
md led him by the hand to his humble
abode. Here no was sumptuously enter
tanned upon corn bread, roasted pigeons,
and a fat puppy. He was cordially invited
to spend the night there. As the suspicious
cry was intended, the natives, in heroic
pledge of their good faith, broke their bow
and arrows and cast them into the fire.
The next day the ship descended the river
about thirty miles, and anchored near the
head Of Manhattan Island. A single canoe
came of from the shore. Hudson's eagle
eye perceived among those in it one of the
c~aptives whom he had so unjustly seized.
He was alarmed, and would allow none of
them to come on board The Indians had
no opportunity to tell their story. Accord
ing to the narrative which the white men
have transmitted to us, two canoes full Of
warriors, came under the stern and dis
charged a volley Of arrows against the ship.
They were as harmless as if they had been
thrown against Gibraltar's rock.
The fire was returned with bullets. These
deadly missiles filed the canoes with the
dead and the dying. The panic-stricken
survivors padded quickly to the shore.
Soon after q group of several hundred In
dinns was seen on a point of land, near
which the ship passed as she floated Town
the stream. A cannon-shot thrown among
them killed two. TIL rest fed to the woods.
Descending a few miles farther, another
- HrlI-l III T..l.--.