New-York tribune., 1909-09-25
HUDSON AND INDIANS
WHIT RED MEN THOUGHT.
Greeted Navigator as God, and from
Him Receired First Drink
of Spirits.
of Spirits.


NJ, yo,, Historical Society it IS possible 10 gum
an tde, Of the impression created among lii'
Indians who inhabited the Hudson River NaHeS
hv the arrival of Henry Hudson and MS ere"
on the Half Moon. The account Is from no'e'
made by the Rev. John HeckeWelder 4 Mo'd'''"
missionary, as Il result of talks with old Indians
with whom he came in contact probably ihoIe
than y century ago The manuscript - "''ue'
oThc following account of the hiSl at'Na' u
Turoneans az New York Island Is Ntrpd'l'" d
- o,s related 10 me by aged and respected
Dei,ae,res Moneys and Mahio1nm 'othe'"'S'
cali..i Afohicans or Mahcaudus', forty years
ago ID is copied from notes anu '""''"~0' 'P'7
taken On the spot" They say
g., long time ago when there wa no such
tb,no known 10 the Indians people with
vb.te skin some Indians who had been out hsh-
rnc where the sea widens. cspied. at great dlS-
tance something remarkably large hoating on
the water such as they had never seen before
They Immediately returning 70 the shore ap-
prlsed their countrymen of what they had see"
and pressed them 10 go out with them ana uis
cnver what il might be These together hurried
out ana saw to their great surprise the pheho'h-
enon but could not agree what II might De.
Some concluded it to be an uncomnuhIs EHFe
fish or ether animal. while others we're Oh lhe
oci,ion that il must be some very large house
va
snectators that as this phenomenon moved tow
nrd the shore. whether or not il was an animal
or ANYTHING that had life in il. it would be well
to inform, all the Indians on the inhabited islands
of what they had seen. and put them on thelr
guard
DANCE TO PLACATE MANITIO.
"4ccordingly they sent runners and wateFInrn
Oft to carry the news to their scattered chiefs.
in ii for
the warriors to come These arriving IN num-
hers and themselves viewing the strange ap-
naar,n,a and that it was actually moving tow
nrd them concluded il TO be 4 large canoe or
house in which the Manitto Great or Supreme
Being) himself was and that he probably was
coming to visit them
BY this time the chiefs Of the different tribes
were assembled on York Island and were dehb-
Grating on the manner in which they should re-
ce,va their Manitto on his arrival Every step
had been taken to be well provided with plenty
of meat for a sacrifice. the women were required
to prepare the best Victuals, Idols ana images
were examined and put in order and a grand
dance was supposed not only to be agreeable
entertainment for the Manitto but might WIN
the addition of a sacrifice. contribute toward ap-
ooasine him. in case he was angry with them
..C,oniurors were also set to work 10 determine
vytat the meaning of this phenomenon was ana
what the result would be. Both to these anu To
the chiefs and wise men of the nation men,
women and children were looking up for advice
and protection
Between hope and fear and IN confusion the
dance commenced and while in this situation
fresh runners arrive declaring it house OF
various colors, and crowded with living Great
urcs It now appeared to be certain that it is
the great ManittO bringing them some kind of
gau q. such as they had not before, but other
runners soon after arriving declare il a large
house of various colors. full OF people. yet of
quite n different color than they (the Indians)
are Of; that they were also dressed in 4 different
manner from them, and that one in particular
appeared altogether red, which must be the
Manitto himself.
They are soon hailed from the vessel though
fn a language they do not understand: yet they
shout and yell in their way. Many were for
running off TO the woods. but are pressed by
others to stay in order not TO give offence to
their visitors. who could find them out and might
destroy them.
HUDSON COMES ASHORE
''Ihe house (or large canoe, as some Will have
ft, stops. and a smaller canoe comes ashore
with the red man and some others in it: some
stay 10y this canoe to guard it. And the chiefs
and wise men, councillors, have composed a
large circle unto which the red clothed man.