Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1888-08-29
For the SPECTATOR.
Up the Hudson.

For the SPECTATOR.
Up the Hudson.
On bright, sunny afternoon was stroll
ling along the wharf in New York. The
streets were alive with men and thronged
with wagons. A city is always seen at a
great disadvantage along wharf. Of all
the disagreeble people that it has been my
lot to meet, none have been more decidedly
so than the crowds that have jostled me,
and in turn, have been jostled by me, along
the wharves of Norfolk, Baltimore and New
York. However, can soon forget this, for
am soon out on the deck of the "City of
Troy" and steaming up the prettiest of
American rivers. Who has not heard of
the beautiful Hudson, and has not pictured
to himself the grand view it affords. For
many years had bean longing to see with
nv own eyes the scenes that are now one
by one recurring as our boat goes proudly
northward. Long had been eager to see
the original of the many views that have
been finly portrayed by pen and brush. Now
that my desire is being realized, watch
for each bay, each hill and dale, and each
mountain with the keenest pleasure. Well
does this picturesqe river deserve the praise
that all travellers give it. European travel
ers call it our Rhine. In natural beauty they
claim it to be the equal of the more famous
German river. Of course, its banks cannot
afford to the tourist the numerous castles
whose quaint appearance and historical as
sociations appeal so strongly to his poetical
and to his historical fancy. Yet we must
not forget that, while our country cannot
boast Of history extending back over the
distant centuries, it has one of intenser in
terest, firmly woven, into whose texture are
the many incidents in which the Hudson
has played an important part. Up its gent
ly moving waters, on through the short
portage south of Lake George then through
this and the larger Champlaine, was the
great thoroughfare into Canada. Its banks
have been the scene of the conflicting arms
of French and English then, when the
French had lost Canada, and our young
country was at war with its unnatural par
ent, it bore upon its calm bosom many
hostile fleets it witnessed the victory
and the defeat of armies, the great
uess and even the treachery of generals.
This is its written history. What an in
tensely interesting prehistoric past it might
have, fancy only can picture. On its wa
ters, doubtless, many canoe has borne its
savage burden; and onsits banks, doubtless,
were fought many of those bitter conflicts
that led to the great power of the Iroquois
over'the surrounding tribes.
The Hudson has been considerable fac
tor in making New York what it is. Con-
nected, as it has long been, with the great
ner with the Delaware and Lake Cham
plaine, it has been the medium of great
traffic. It is navigable as far as Troy. On
it we find steamers that vie with any in ac-
beauty of construction and
speed. We pass quickly and are kept busy
to locate all the points of interest that are
coming before us. Riverside Park, con-
tanning the remains of General Grant, peers
fine cluster of trees, soon after
leaving New York. Fort Lee has an es-
pecial attraction for us owing to the past.
The convent Of Mt. st. .Vincentis mass of
fine buildings, and is all the more attract.
i've on account Of the castle in front that
was once the property of Edwin Forest.
Yonkers, with its church towers, Greystone,
the residence of the late Samuel j. Tilden,
pass in quick succession. Next comes r.
vington, Tappan Zee, Sunnyside, Irving's
home, TarrytoWn and Sleepy Hollow. These
are all closely connected with Irving, and
are to me the most charming spots of the
whole river. None know of Irving but to
love him, and every hill and mountain, ev-
cry bay and rivulet, every sunlit plain and
gloomy dale that he has pictured with such
purity of thought and beauty of expression
will ever be to many hallowed places.
We must hurry on to our destination.
Sing Sing. with its prison gloom Stony
Point, of Revolutionary fame West Point,
with its magnificent buildings, unsurpassed
Wow quaint Newburgh, with its memen-
toes of the winter that Washington held
there his headquarters, all are worthy of
close attention at my hands, but must
leave them with passing mention. At
Poughkeepsie, we see in construction a
bridge that will vie, when complete, with
any of the kind. The high basaltic columns
known as the palisades, are objects of more
than ordinary interest. They extend to an
almost perpendicular height of 500 feet, and
are geologically of the same formation as
the famous Giants Causeway. The view
of the Catskill is a varied and beautiful
one. The rounded peaks, dark-green with
summer foliage, have an enticing look.
On approaching Albany we pass three
bridges. These appeared too low for our
vessel to pass under. We thought at first
that our eyes were deceiving US, but at our
near approach, we saw one span swing
around on its middle pier with remarka
BILE ease then, our vessel once through,
swing back to its place to afford passage
for the train that came laundering on from
the East. At Troy we land, yet was not
then in a mood to observe its busy but
prosy life. The Hudson was still the one
object of thought. The history and the
story OF the past and only the beauty of
the present just then were in my thoughts.
Surely to be thus continually surrounded
by inspiring beauty must have a great in
fuence in forming the characteristics of
men. Repetition may cause US to look
upon beauty with comparative indiffer-
ence, yet our lives are doubtless in large
measure affected by surrounding scenery
For person whose life is spent in daily
contact with many scenes that 1 could
easily select on the Hudson; for him to OBJ
serve daily the outlines of distant noun
tains, the riverbanks now Widening into
bays, now narrowing and forming deep
current; to see the glorious sunlight re-
fected from wave to wave; to watch the
passage of vessel after vessel majestically
ploughipg the water, and leaving in the
rear foaming path whose two boundaries
diverge right and left with the heaving,
serpentine movements OF fabulous sea-
monsters; for him to enjoy such scenes
ought, and no doubt does make him hap
pier and better man.
Log Cabins have become