[28] A promontory in the Highlands.
[29] Properly spelt Hoeck (i.e.
a point of land).
[30] This is a narrow strait in
the Sound, at the distance of six
miles
above New York. It is dangerous to shipping, unless
under
the
care of skillful pilots, by reason of numerous rocks,
shelves,
and whirlpools. These have received sundry appellations,
such
as the Gridiron, Frying-pan, Hog’s Back, Pot,
etc., and are
very
violent and turbulent at certain times of tide.
Certain
mealy-mouthed
men, of squeamish consciences, who are loth to give
the
devil his due, have softened the above characteristic
name
into
Hell-gate, forsooth! Let those take care how they
venture
into
the Gate, or they may be hurled into the Pot before
they are
aware
of it. The name of this strait, as given by our
author, is
supported
by the map of Vander Donck’s history, published
in
1656—by
Ogilvie’s History of America, 1671—as
also by a journal
still
extant, written in the sixteenth century, and to be
found
in
Hazard’s State Papers. And an old MS, written
in French,
speaking
of various alterations, in names about this city,
observes,
“De Hellegat, trou d’Enfer, ils ont fait
Hell-gate,
porte
d’Enfer.”
The darkness of night had closed upon this disastrous
day, and a doleful night was it to the shipwrecked
Pavonians, whose ears were incessantly assailed with
the raging of the elements, and the howling of the
hobgoblins that infested this perfidious strait.
But when the morning dawned the horrors of the preceding
evening had passed away, rapids, breakers and whirlpools
had disappeared, the stream again ran smooth and dimpling,
and having changed its tide, rolled gently back towards
the quarter where lay their much regretted home.
The woebegone heroes of Communipaw eyed each other
with rueful countenances; their squadrons had been
totally dispersed by the late disaster. Some
were cast upon the western shore, where, headed by
one Ruleff Hopper, they took possession of all the
country lying about the six-mile-stone, which is held
by the Hoppers at this present writing.
The Waldrons were driven by stress of weather to a
distant coast, where, having with them a jug of genuine
Hollands, they were enabled to conciliate the savages,
setting up a kind of tavern; whence, it is said, did
spring the fair town of Haerlem, in which their descendants
have ever since continued to be reputable publicans.
As to the Suydams, they were thrown upon the Long
Island coast, and may still be found in those parts.
But the most singular luck attended the great Ten Broeck,
who, falling overboard, was miraculously preserved
from sinking by the multitude of his nether garments.
Thus buoyed up, he floated on the waves like a merman,
or like an angler’s dobber, until he landed
safely on a rock, where he was found the next morning
busily drying his many breeches in the sunshine.
