The daily gazette., 1877-09-22
Correspondence OF the Gazette.l
Letter from New York.
A TRIP ON THE HUDSON.
- NEW YORK, Sept. 10, 1877


Island. The Hudson, which has been cali
ed the North River and the River OF the
Mountains. presents a greater variety of
views than almost any other river in the
world. With only light stretch of fancy,
we may imagine the tourist may find Loch
Katrine nestled among the mountains of
our own Highlands, and the Palisades,
(Which are from two hundred and dfty to
six hundred feet high, and extend from
Fort Lee to the hills of Rockland county,
the Giants Causeway of Ireland. Hastings,
about twenty-one miles from New York, is
almost opposite the highest point of the
Palisades, viz, "Indian Head" Here 1t is
said that Gatibaldi used to spend his Sun
days with his Italian friends, lat the time he
was keeping factory on Staten Island.
Sunnyside, or "Wolfert's Roost," the
home of Washington irving, is near the
river, but hardly visible through the trees.
Here the late Napoleon III. was once a
visitor. On the east side, about three miles
north, is Tarrytown, the place where Major
Andre was captured. A little north of the
latter place is Sleepy Hollow. in whose
quiet graveyard lie the remains of Irving.
high German doctor during the early days
of the settlement; others that an old Indian
chief the wizard of his tribe, did his pow
wowing there before Hendrich Hudson s
discovery of the river. The dominantEpir-
it, however, that haunts this enchanting
region is the apparition of figure on horse
back without ahead, said to he the ghost of
a Hessian trooper ,and was known at all the
country firesides as the "headless horseman
of Sleepy Hollow" Here lived the fair Ka-
| frina, beloved by all youths, but more es-
pecially by Ichabod Crane, the country
schoolmaster, and reckless youth, Mr..
Van Brunt. A plain stone with the in
scription, "Washington Irving, born April
| Sd, 1873, died November 2sth, 1885," marks
the resting place of one of the sweetest
| writers in our literature.
The next point of Interest along the river
is Sing Sing, The prison is built of stone
which was quarried on the Island by "a
band o'-sln-ing mortals imported from Au-
| burn penitentiary in 1s29.n The Croton
river meets the Hudson about mile above
Sing-Slng and thirty-three miles from New
York city.
I
there are ten thousand gallons of wine
bottled every year, we come into Haver-
straw Bay, the widest part of the Hudson.
On the west bank, north OF Haverstraw
village, is Treason Hill, where ArnolG and
Andre met. About forty-three miles from
New York, on the east bank, is Peekskill,
near which village is the farm of Henry
Ward Beecner.
At Kidd's Point the steamer turns al.
most at right angles and passes the High.
lands. Some upright caissons near the
waters edge mark the spot where Captain
= Kidd's ship was supposed to have beer
! scuttled. Directly above this point rises tn
Dunderberg, mountain about one thous
and feet high, and the story writers tell u
4 that it was the dread of the early naviga
tors, and sailors had to drop the peaks {
. their mainsails in salute to the goblin VIII
= Inhabited 1t and presided over those littl
If imps in sugar-loaf hats and shol
q doublets, who were frequently seen tun
bling head over heels in the rack and mis-
Anthopy's Nose, fifteen hundred fet
high, is another prominent feature of th
Il river On this point was fastened one en-
OF the chain that was thrown across th
channel to Obstructive British ships durin
the Revolution. Turning this point we oil
tain good view of Sugar Loaf Mountai
to the north
AS the steamer approaches Cozzen
Landing we see q small two story hous
with verandah. Here lived Benny II,
u rens, the original of the West Point al
n College song, Benny Harens, Oh !" He
l. those who wish to spend few hours
- West Point are permitted to land al
await the returning boat. Excursion ticke
III from New York to West Point are only OF
% dollar, and there is ample time for lookil
8 over the grounds and taking dinner at u
hotel. The military school here is beau
fully located, the academy buildings a.
e parade grounds being on a plateau abo
" two hundred feet above the river. Ne
the bank and plainly seen from the stear
er. is kosciusko's monument. Just abo
]. this is Fort Putnam, 696 feet high-.l gra
II and veteran ruin of 'I6. About "a mile "A,
id half to the north, in picturesque i.le
are Indian Falls, well known to artists al
by them made familiar to those who hat,
N never had the opportunity of visiting one
10 Hudson. Glen Falls are only a mile dl
n tant. Turning at right-angle just abo
lg West Point,w come to Consultation Islam
where tives Miss susan Warner, auth
of "Queechy" and "The Wide. Wi
World"
A little to the north is Undercliff. hon
le of the poet Morris, now owned by his so
le Directly in front of the house rises the 20
is Gro Nest" 1t was on the piazza of IL
house that the poet wrote:
"Where Hudsons wave DER silyery san
:. Winds through the hill afar,
IL Old Gro Nest, like monarch stands,
10 Crowned with a sin lie star"
SThe mountain here referred to is the II
mountain above West Point the scene
Rodman brakes 'Culprit Fay" and is
[ei o 41S feet high.
To the north Of Gro Nest is Storm X
800 feet above the water, and the high
on peak of the Highlands. Opposite, on
l' east side, is Breakneck, and about hal
,,o' mile to the north is the Old Beacon, l. AZ
ne These mountains We're used for signal $
~ tions during the Revolution.
ess The steamer passing close to the bas,
ew old Storm King. we get "a fine view OF
avs mountain rock, with sides all seemed {