this
beauteous
island, adorned by the city of New York, and placing
it
beside
their usurped discovery of South America. And,
thirdly, I
award
my decision in favor of the pretensions of Hendrick
Hudson,
inasmuch
as his expedition sailed from Holland, being truly
and
absolutely
a Dutch enterprise; and though all the proofs in the
world
were introduced on the other side, I would set them
at
nought
as undeserving my attention. If these three reasons
be not
sufficient
to satisfy every burgher of this ancient city, all
I
can
say is they are degenerate descendants from their venerable
Dutch
ancestors, and totally unworthy the trouble of convincing.
Thus,
therefore, the title of Hendrick Hudson to his renowned
discovery
is fully vindicated.
[23] This river is likewise laid
down in Ogilvy’s map as
Manhattan—Noordt,
Montaigne, and Mauritius river.
[24] Juet’s Journ. Purch.
Pil.
The delectable accounts given by the great Hudson
and Master Juet of the country they had discovered
excited not a little talk and speculation among the
good people of Holland. Letters patent were granted
by Government to an association of merchants, called
the West India Company, for the exclusive trade on
Hudson River, on which they erected a trading-house
called Fort Aurania, or Orange, from whence did spring
the great city of Albany. But I forbear to dwell
on the various commercial and colonizing enterprises
which took place; among which was that of Mynheer
Adrian Block, who discovered and gave a name to Block
Island, since famous for its cheese—and
shall barely confine myself to that which gave birth
to this renowned city.
It was some three or four years after the return of
the immortal Hendrick that a crew of honest Low Dutch
colonists set sail from the city of Amsterdam for
the shores of America. It is an irreparable loss
to history, and a great proof of the darkness of the
age and the lamentable neglect of the noble art of
book-making, since so industriously cultivated by knowing
sea-captains and learned supercargoes, that an expedition
so interesting and important in its results should
be passed over in utter silence. To my great-great-grandfather
am I again indebted for the few facts I am enabled
to give concerning it—he having once more
embarked for this country, with a full determination,
as he said, of ending his days here—and
of begetting a race of Knickerbockers that should
rise to be great men in the land.
