The Baltimore County union. [volume] (Towsontown, Md.) 1865-1909, 1908-12-05
UP THE HUDSON.

There is something about a broad
expanse of water that bewitches the
soul. The scene reaches its greatest
charm at sunset and takes on mys-
tic character of moonlight. 1t has
been my fortune recently to come up
the Hudson several evenings by boat.
This is one of the experiences the gods
on Olympus missed. If they were to
return to the earth I am sure they
would change their abode to the top
of Mount Taurus in order that they
might be in easy distance of a trip up
the Hudson.
No description can convey an idea
of the majesty of the great river, skirt
ed as it is by lovely shores, on which
nestle pleasant villages. fine country
seats. Palisades, mountains and his
toric scenes. The river itself is real
ly an arm of the sea, the tides flowing
nearly to Albany and salt water ex-
tending above Peekskill, distance of
more than forty miles from the mouth.
The Atlantic shore has been sinking
for centuries, and the sea has thus iu-
vaded the land. Arthur Brisbane
once called the Hudson "a drowned
river"
At its widest points, in Tappan and
Haverstraw bays, the Hudson is four
miles from bank to bank. For TWEEN.
ty miles along the west shore extend
the abrupt Palisades. For more than
ten miles up the east side lies the city
of New York, which is continued in
an almost unbroken line of suburbs
by Yonkers, Irvington, Tarrytown,
Ossining, Croton, Peekskill and other
beautiful villages almost to the High
lands, or forty miles of city, villages,
hamlets and beautiful homes.
The start of the trip has the Pali-
sades upon the left, and one imagines
that nothing could be more beautiful.
Then as the boat swings out into the
Tappan Zee he is willing to admit
that this is still better, but is now GER
tain that nothing more charming can
be found. He labors under this illu-
sion until he threads his way into the
Highlands, and there he reaches the
acme.
l remember one sunset as it shone
across Haverstraw bay. 1t is called
a bay, but is only a very broad Sec
ton of river. For miles the golden
glory lay across the water. There is
a spiritual suggestion in such scene.
1 have never been able to determine
just what it is. There is hint of in
finite pathways, a gleam of faroff
goals. If all our dreams are not false
and we have racial or individual mem.
ories antedating birth, perhaps this
shining expanse brings "reminiscences
of other golden days.
Why try to analyze the spell! It
is one of those immortal things that
elude definition. At such time it is
enough to be and to absorb. The sun
is setting over Stony Point, the Stony
Point made illustrious by mad An
thony" Wayne during the Revolu-
tion. The serrated peaks above wear
a tint that will never be reproduced
by painters brush. Back little
way we passed Sunnyside and Sleepy
Hollow, that the pen of Irving made
even more famous than the sword of
Wayne did Stony Point. John D.
Rockefeller now fourishes in the same
neighborhood, bringing a very gross
form of wealth into scene once made
really rich by genius.
After passing Stony Point and Yer
plank's, we are abreast of Peekskill.
This old village gave rise to Chaun-
cey M. Depew, but not his humor.
That is still more ancient.
Above Peekskill the river narrows
into the Highlands. Bear mountain
and Anthony's Nose overlook the
gateway. Here the Hudson is like
succession of lakes in the mountains
of Switzerland. On the night / am
describing the moon had risen and was
shining with misty light over peaks
and rivers. The dim radiance made
the buildings on West Point look like
temples of peace rather than of war.
Old Cro'n nest reared dark shoulders
against the sky. This fine double
mountain that the cadets at West
Point practice shooting at and some
times hit, is said to be the scene of
Joseph Rodman Drake's "Culprit
Fay" 1t is probably true, as the
fairies are still there. My little girl
told me so. George P. Morris, of
"Woodman, spare that tree" fame,
also sang of Cro'nest, which greeted
him every morning as he looked across
the river.
Here, however, end both the High
lands and my journey, and am at
home once more on my little tucked
in farm