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all their country, which proved eventually the

case."

Such is the interesting tradition, of the Iroquois, of their earliest interviews with the whites, and the incidents which rendered those meetings memorable.

After having passed several days in friendly intercourse and profitable trade with the natives, Hudson, finding he could proceed no higher up the river in his vessel, set out on his return. His ship again grounding opposite the spot where the city of Hudson now stands, and also suffering detention for some days by reason of adverse winds, he went ashore and explored the western bank of the river, where he found a rich soil, covered with goodly oak, walnut, chestnut, and cedar trees, with abundance of slate for houses, "and other good stones."

On the 26th, he was visited by two canoes, in one of which came the old chief who had been intoxicated at Albany. He had descended the river thirty miles to testify his love, bringing with him another old man bearing strings of beads as a present. Hudson caused them, and the four women by whom they were accompanied, to dine with him. Two of the latter were young girls, some sixteen or seventeen years of age, who behaved themselves "very modestly." Dropping down the river on the 27th, he anchored on the 29th in the vicinity of Newburgh, of which he

1609.]

CRUEL PUNISHMENT.

41

took particular notice, as a "pleasant place to build a town in." Here he remained bartering with the natives, until the afternoon of October 1st, when he sailed with a fair wind through the Highlands, and after descending the river seven leagues, the wind failing, he anchored at the mouth of Haverstraw Bay.

The Indians of the Highlands, whose chief village was in the vicinity of Anthony's Nose-a name which has been given to an elevated peak on the east side of the North or Hudson Riversoon came crowding on board in great numbers. One of them, dissatisfied with the trifles he had received in payment for his furs, and desirous of displaying to his friends something of a different character, lurked in his canoe about the stern of the ship, for the purpose of carrying off some article or other from this wonderful floating structure.

Watching his opportunity, he clambered up the rudder, and entering the cabin window, stole a pillow and a few articles of wearing apparel. For this act, so venial in a poor ignorant savage, he was immediately shot down by the brutal mate. His companions, panic-stricken, took to flight. In an effort to recover the articles, another Indian had one of his hands cut off, and was drowned.

Leaving the scene of this disaster, Hudson continued on his way, stopped for the night off the

mouth of Croton River, sailed again at daybreak, and descending the river twenty-one miles, came to an anchor near the upper end of the island of Manhattan.

Previous to exploring the great river which now bears his name, Hudson, perhaps in retaliation for the death of Colman, had made prisoners of two Manhattan Indians, designing to hold them either as hostages for the future pacific behaviour of their tribe, or with a view of carrying them to Europe. Opposite West Point, as be went up the river, these prisoners had escaped, and making their way back with all speed to their friends, collected a large party of armed warriors, who lay in wait for the return of the vessel in the neighbourhood of the inlet of Harlem River.

Near to this inlet the ship was now hove to. One of the savages who had escaped, accompanied by many others, came out in two canoes; but not being suffered to approach the vessel, they fell back near the stern, and discharged a volley of arrows at the crew. A fire was immediately returned from the vessel, by which two or three of the savages were killed. Finding the numbers on shore increasing, the ship was at once got under way. As it moved along, the main body of Indians ran to the point upon which Fort Washington was subsequently erected, and continued the assault by another volley of arrows. The discharge from a cannon killing two of them, the

1609.] HUDSON RETURNS TO EUROPE.

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rest fled into the woods; but a dozen of the bold. est speedily returned, and entering a canoe, advanced resolutely against the ship. The cannon was fired a second time, and the ball, passing entirely through the canoe, killed one of the warriors. A fire from the deck about the same time killing several others, the fight terminated, with the loss of nine Indians. Hudson, soon after, descended to the mouth of the river, and on the 4th of October put to sea, shaping his course south-east by east.

CHAPTER III.

Hudson returns to Europe-Reaches Dartmouth-Communicates with his employers-Sails on a new voyage of discovery -Enters Hudson's Bay-Reaches its southern limitSearches for an outlet-Is frozen in-Scarcity of his provisions-Mutinous condition of his crew-He sails for the mouth of the bay-Mutiny-Abandonment of Hudson and his companions-Signal retribution-The Dutch traffic with the Indians-Captain Argall-New explorations - Blok toasts Long Island-Discovers the Housatonic and Connecticut Rivers-Returns with Christiaanse to Manhattan-Fortified posts erected at Manhattan and Albany-May examines the Delaware Bay-Alliance with the Iroquois.

AFTER leaving Sandy Hook, Hudson held a consultation with his crew, as to whether they should continue their search for a new route to the Pacific, or return to Europe. Finding their

opinions discordant, he concluded to sail for Amsterdam, and report to his employers. The voyage across the Atlantic was prosperous; but, as he approached the coast of England, his men became mutinous, and compelled him to put into Dartmouth, where he arrived on the 7th of November, 1609.

He immediately wrote to the directors of the Dutch East India Company, transmitting them his journal, together with an account of his discoveries. He also proposed to them the plan of another voyage, which he volunteered to undertake upon certain conditions; but before they had decided whether to accept or decline his offer, the English government forbade him from again. entering into the service of the Dutch.

Early the following year, a London company, in whose employ Hudson had made two previous voyages in search of a new route to India, engaged him to explore the inlets to the west of Davis's Straits, through one of which it was conjectured that a passage might be found to the South Sea.

Embarking on board a ship called the Discovery, with a crew of twenty-three men, Hudson left Blackwall on the 17th of April, 1610, and passing Greenland, Iceland, and Frobisher's Straits, entered, on the 2d of August, the straits which now bear his name. After having encountered many perils from storms, and driving ice, and a great

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