A History of New York
Page 41
The Dutch language was also still in active use in upstate New York, where Dutch was spoken by the descendants of the original settlers into the early nineteenth century, and used as the language of record by town courts and Dutch Reformed churches until the Revolutionary War.
p. 343 English cherry trees: Regardless of whether or not Stuyvesant decimated his cherry orchard in a Washingtonian manner, one fruit tree from Stuyvesant’s “bouwerie” survived to outlive Irving himself: a pear tree, which had reportedly been planted on the Dutch governor’s farm in 1647. The tree, revered by New Yorkers as a last tangible connection to New Amsterdam, finally succumbed in 1867. A plaque at the north-east corner of Third Avenue and Thirteenth Street commemorates the spot where it stood.
p. 344 stocking in the chimney: Another St. Nicholas innovation that would reappear in Moore’s poem “A Visit from St. Nicholas”: “the stockings were hung by the chimney with care / In hopes that Saint Nicholas soon would be there.”
1 Beloe’s Herodotus.
2 Faria y Souza. Mick. Lus. Note B, 7.
3 Sir W. Jones, Diss. Antiq. Ind. Zod.
4 Plut. de plac. p. p.
5 Achill. Tat. Isag. cap. 19. Ap. Petav. t. iii, p. 81. Stob. Eclog. Phys. lib. i, p. 56. §Diog. Laert. in Anaxag. 1. ii, sec. 8. Plat. Apol. t. i, p. 26. Plut. de Superst. t. ii, p. 269. Xenoph. Mem. 1. iv, p. 815.
6 Aristot. Meteor. 1. ii, c. 2. Idem. Probl. sec. 15. Stob. Ecl. Phys. 1. i, p. 55. Bruck. Hist. Phil. t. i, p. 1154, et alii.
7 Philos. Trans. 1795, p. 72.—idem. 1801, p. 265.—Nich. Philos. Journ. 1. p. 13.
8 Aristot. ap. Cic. lib. i, cap. 3.
9 Aristot. Metaph. lib. i, c. 5. Idem de cœlo 1. 3. c. i. Rousseau mem. sur musique ancien. p. 39. Plutarch de plac. Philos. lib. i. cap. 3. et. alii. ‡Tim. Locr. ap. Plato. t. 3. p. 90.
10 Aristot. Nat. Auscult. 1. 2. cap. 6. Aristoph. Metaph. lib. i. cap. 3. Cic de. Nat. deor. lib. i. cap. 10. Justin. Mart. orat. ad gent. p. 20.
11 Mosheim in Cudw. lib. i. cap. 4. Tim. de anim. mund. ap. Plat. lib. 3. Mem. de l’acad. des Belles Lettr. t. 32. p. 19. et alii.
12 Book i. ch. 5.
13 Holwell. Gent. Philosophy.
14 Johannes Megapolensis, jun. Account of Maquaas or Mohawk Indians. 1644.
15 MSS. Biblist. Roi. Fr.
16 Darw. Bot. Garden. Part I, Cant. i, 1. 105.
17 Vide Ed. Review
18 Grotius. Puffendorf, b. 4. c. 4. Vattel, b. i. c. 18. et alii.
19 Vattel—B.i, ch. 17. See likewise Grotius, Puffendorf, et alii.
20 Black. Com. B. II, c. i.
21 Ogilvie calls it a frigate.
22 This river is likewise laid down in Ogilvy’s map as Manhattan—Noordt—Montaigne and Mauritius river.
23 Juet’s Journ. Purch. Pil.
24 So called, because one Joseph Andrews, a pirate and murderer, was hanged in chains on that Island, the 23d May, 1769. EDITOR.
25 “Men by inaction degenerate into Oysters.” Kaimes.
26 This is a fearful combination of rocks and whirlpools, in the sound above New York, dangerous to ships unless under the care of a skillful pilot. Certain wise men who instruct these modern days have softened this characteristic name into Hurl gate, on what authority, I leave them to explain. The name as given by our author is supported by Ogilvie’s History of America published 1671, as also by a journal still extant, written in the 16th century, and to be found in Hazard’s state papers. The original name, as laid down in all the Dutch manuscripts and maps, was Helle gat, and an old MS. written in French, speaking of various alterations in names about this city observes “De Helle gat trou d‘Enfer, ils ont fait Hell gate, Porte d’Enfer.”—Printer’s Devil.
27 Let. of I. Megapol. Hag. S. P.
28 Ogilvie, in his excellent account of America, speaking of these parts, makes mention of Lions, which abounded on a high mountain, and likewise observes, “On the borders of Canada there is seen sometimes a kind of beast which hath some resemblance with a horse, having cloven feet, shaggy mayn, one horn just on the forehead, a tail like that of a wild hog, and a deer’s neck.” He furthermore gives a picture of this strange beast, which resembles exceedingly an unicorn.—It is much to be lamented by philosophers, that this miraculous breed of animals, like that of the horned frog, is totally extinct.
29 This battle is said by some to have happened much later than the date assigned by our historian. Some of the ancient inhabitants of our city, place it in the beginning of the last century. It is more than probable, however, that Mr. Knickerbocker is correct, as he has doubtless investigated the matter.—Print. Dev.
30 “De Vries mentions a place where they over-haul their ships, which he calls Smits Vleye, there is still to this day a place in New York called by that name, where a market is built called the Fly market.”—Old MS. There are few native inhabitants, I trow, of this great city, who when boys were not engaged in the renowned feuds of Broadway and Smith fly—the subject of so many fly market romances and schoolboy rhymes. EDITOR.
31 This house has been several times repaired, and at present is a small yellow brick house, No. 23, Broad Street, with the gable end to the street, surmounted with an iron rod, on which, until within three or four years, a little iron ferry boat officiated as weather cock.
32 “Perplexed with vast affairs of state and town, His great head being overset, hangs down.” TELECIDES, ON PERICLES.
33 This name is no doubt misspelt. In some old Dutch MSS. of the time, we find the name of Evert Duyckingh, who is unquestionably the unfortunate hero above alluded to.
34 Haz. Col. Stat. Paps.
35 David Pietrez De Vries in his “Reyze naer Nieuw Nederlandt onder het yaer 1640,” makes mention of one Corlear a trumpeter in fort Amsterdam, who gave name to Corlear’s Hook and who was doubtless this same champion, described by Mr. Knickerbocker.
36 De Vries mentions that this windmill stood on the south-east bastion, and it is likewise to be seen, together with the flag-staff, in Justus Danker’s View of New Amsterdam, which I have taken the liberty of prefixing to Mr. Knickerbocker’s history.—EDITOR.
37 This is one of those trivial anachronisms, that now and then occur in the course of this otherwise authentic history. How could Manhattan notes be counterfeited, when as yet Banks were unknown in this country—and our simple progenitors had not even dreamt of those inexhaustible mines of paper opulence. Print. Dev.
38 A corruption of Varleth’s bergh—or Varleth’s hill, so called from one Varleth, who lived upon that hill in the early days of the settlement. EDITOR.
39 Both the gibbets as mentioned above by our author, may be seen in the sketch of Justus Danker, which we have prefixed to the work.—EDITOR.
40 Haz. Collect. S. Pap.
41 Certain of Wilhelmus Kieft’s Latin letters are still extant in divers collections of state papers.
42 The old welsh bards believed that king Arthur was not dead but carried awaie by the fairies into some pleasant place, where he shold remaine for a time, and then returne againe and reigne in as great authority as ever.—HOLLINGSHED. The Britons suppose that he shall come yet and conquere all Britaigne, for certes this is the prophicye of Merlyn—He say’d that his deth shall be doubteous; and said soth, for men thereof yet have doubte and shullen for ever more—for men wyt not whether that he lyveth or is dede.—DE LEEW. CHRON.
43 See the histories of Masters Josselyn and Blome.
44 Haz. Col. Stat. pap.
45 Quum prorepserunt primis animalia terris, Mutum ac turpe pecus, glandem atque cubilia propter, Unguibus et pugnis, dein fustibus, atque ita porro Pugnabant armis, quæ post fabricaverat usus. Hor. Sat. L. i. S 3.
46 In an antique view of Nieuw Amsterdam, taken some few years after the above period, is an accurate representation of this wall, which stretched along the course of Wall-street, so called in commemoration of this great bulwark. One gate, called the Land-poort opened upon Broadway, hard by where at present stands the Trinity Church; and another cal
led the Water-poort, stood about where the Tontine coffee house is at present—opening upon Smits Vleye, or as it is commonly called Smith fly; then a marshy valley, with a creek or inlet, extending up what we call maiden lane.
47 Haz. Col. S. Pap.
48 New Plymouth record.
49 Mather’s hist. N. Eng B. 6. ch. 7.
50 Ballad of Drag. of Want.
51 “——as soon as he rose,
To make him strong and mighty,
He drank by the tale, six pots of ale,
And a quart of Aqua Vitæ.”
52 Domine Hans Megapolensis, treating of the country about Albany in a letter which was written some time after the settlement thereof, says, “There is in the river, great plenty of Sturgeon, which we christians do not make use of; but the Indians eate them greedilie.”
53 This was likewise the great seal of the New Netherlands, as may still be seen in ancient records.
54 Besides what is mentioned by the Stuyvesant MS. I have found mention made of this illustrious Patroon in another manuscript, which says: “De Heer (or the Squire) Michael Paw, a dutch subject, about 10th Aug. 1630, by deed purchased Staten Island. N. B. The same Michael Paw had what the dutch call a colonie at Pavonia, on the Jersey shore opposite New York, and his overseer in 1636, was named Corns. Van Vorst—a person of same name in 1769, owned Pawles Hook, and a large farm at Pavonia, and is a lineal descendant from Van Vorst.”
55 So called from the Navesink tribe of Indians that inhabited these parts—at present they are erroneously denominated the Neversink, or Neversunk mountains.
56 I. E. The Winding Bay, named from the winding of its shores. This has since been corrupted by the vulgar into the Wallabout, and is the basin which shelters our infant navy.
57 De Vriez, makes mention in one of his voyages of Corlears Hoek, and Corlears Plantagie, or Bouwery; and that too, at an earlier date than the one given by Mr. Knickerbocker—De Vriez, is no doubt a little incorrect in this particular. EDITOR.
58 The formidable fortress and metropolis to which Mr. Knickerbocker alludes, is at present a flourishing little town called Christiana, about thirty seven miles from Philadelphia, on your route to Baltimore.—EDITOR.
59 This castle though very much altered and modernized is still in being. And stands at the corner of Pearl Street, facing Coentie’s slip.
60 In a work published many years after the time of which Mr. Knickerbocker treats (in 1701. By C. W. A. M.) it is mentioned “Frederick Philips was counted the richest Mynheer in New York, and was said to have whole hogsheads of Indian money or wampum; and had a son and daughter, who according to the Dutch custom should divide it equally.” EDITOR.
61 We find very curious and wonderful accounts of these strange people (who were doubtless the ancestors of the present Marylanders) made by master Hariot, in his interesting history. “The Susquesahanocks”—observes he, “are a giantly people, strange in proportion, behavour and attire—their voice sounding from them as if out a cave. Their tobacco pipes were three quarters of a yard long, carved at the great end with a bird, beare, or other device, sufficient to beat out the braines of a horse, (and how many asses braines are beaten out, or rather men’s braines smoaked out and asses brains haled in, by our lesser pipes at home.) The calfe of one of their legges was measured three quarters of a yard about, the rest of his limbs proportionable.” Master Hariot’s Journ ... Purch. Pil.
62 This Luyck, was moreover, rector of the Latin school in Nieuw Nederlandt, 1663. There are two pieces of verses to Ægidius Luyck in D. Selyn’s MSS. of poesies, upon his marriage with Judith Van Isendoorn. Old MS.
63 Now called Blooming Dale, about four miles from New York.
64 For certain of the particulars of this ancient negociation see Haz. Col. State Pap. It is singular that Smith is entirely silent with respect to the memorable expedition of Peter Stuyvesant above treated of by Mr. Knickerbocker. EDITOR.
65 A corruption of Top-paun; so called from a tribe of Indians which boasted 150 fighting men. See Ogilvie. EDITOR.
66 Smith’s History of N. Y.