Although Verrazano practically discovered this river in 1524, its first navigator was Henry Hudson who in the service of the Dutch West India Company on his voyage in the _Half Moon_ passed through the Narrows in 1609, entered New York Bay and sailed up the Mohegan River as far as Albany.
[Illustration: COPYRIGHT, 1905, BY DETROIT PUBLISHING COMPANY THE HUDSON]
The Hudson was divided by the old navigators into fourteen reaches, one of which, Claverack (Clover Reach), has survived. First came the Great Chip-Rock Reach (the Palisades); then the Tappan Reach where dwelt the Manhattans, the Saulrickans and the Tappans; the next reach ended at Haverstroo; following came Seylmaker’s Reach, Crescent Reach, Hoges Reach and Vorsen Reach which extended to Klinkersberg (Storm King). Fisher’s Reach, Claverack, Backerack, Playsier and Vaste Reach as far as Hinnenhock; then Hunter’s Reach to Kinderhook; and Fisher’s Hook near Shad Island, where dwelt the Mohegans.
No river in America presents so animated a scene as the Hudson from the Battery to the beginning of the Palisades. Ocean steamers, ferry-boats, excursion boats, private yachts, and craft of all sizes and kinds sail or steam down the narrow channel or cross between the shores of Manhattan and New Jersey. The river is always gay and beautiful in sunshine and fog, winter and summer.
On ascending the river, the first point of interest is Weehawken, on the west, where, on a narrow ledge of rock, Aaron Burr killed Alexander Hamilton in a duel, July 11, 1804. Next, and on the eastern shore, is Spuyten Duyvel Creek, associated with the earliest history of the river. This is a narrow stream formed by the in-flowing tide-water of the Hudson and joining at Kingsbridge with the so-called Harlem River, which is a similar in-flowing of the tide-water of Long Island Sound. Here a bridge was built in 1693; and here, on the 2d of October, Henry Hudson had a severe fight with the Indians who attacked the _Half Moon_. The origin of the name is unknown; but Irving’s legend clings to the spot as a limpet to a rock. He tells the story that the trumpeter, Antony van Corlear, was dispatched one evening on a message up the Hudson. When he arrived at this creek, the wind was high, the elements were in an uproar, and no boatman was at hand. He declared he would swim across _en spijt en Duyvel_ (in spite of the Devil), but was drowned on the way.
Yonkers is the next point of interest on this side of the river, supposed to have derived its name from _yonk-herr_, the young heir. After passing Hastings and Dobbs Ferry (named after an old ferryman), the river widens into a beautiful bay. Across the river, opposite Spuyten Duyvel, is Fort Lee, from which Washington watched the battle that resulted in the loss of Fort Washington. From this point the Palisades begin. This range of rocks is from two hundred and fifty to six hundred feet high and extends about fifteen miles from Fort Lee to the hills of Rockland County.
Opposite Dobbs Ferry, the northern boundary line of New Jersey strikes the Hudson; and from this point north the river runs solely through the state of New York. At this point is Piermont; and near it Tappan, where André was hanged. Directly opposite Piermont is Irvington, twenty-four miles from New York, where close to the water’s edge stands _Sunnyside_, the charming home of Washington Irving, “made up of gable-ends and full of angles and corners as an old cocked hat,” to quote the description of the author, who bought and beautified an old Dutch dwelling called _Wolfert’s Roost_.
Three miles north is Tarrytown, a name derived from the Dutch Tarwen-Dorp, or wheat town, and not, as Diedrich Knickerbocker said, because husbands would tarry at the village tavern. A mile north of Tarrytown is the romantic Sleepy Hollow, where still stands the old Dutch Church. Six miles above Tarrytown and Sing Sing, now called by its original name, _Ossin_ (a stone) and _ing_ (a place) is reached. The name is derived from the rocky and stony character of the bank. Here the State Prison is situated.
Rockland and the old “tedious spot”--Verdietege Hook--of the old Dutch sailors are opposite, and a little above the latter, Diedrich Hook, or Point No Point. Croton River meets the Hudson about a mile above Sing Sing and forms Croton Bay. Croton Point, on which the Van Cortlandt Manor House stands, juts out here and separates Tappan Zee from Haverstraw Bay, and at the end of which, once called Teller’s Point, a great Indian battle is said to have taken place. The spot is haunted by the ghosts of warriors and sachems. Three miles more, and we reach Stony Point on the west; and, passing Verplanck’s Point on the east, come to Peekskill, where Nathan Palmer, the spy, was hanged. This was also the headquarters of General Israel Putnam.
Turning Kidd’s Point, or Caldwell’s landing, with Peekskill opposite, we pass through the “Southern Gate of the Highlands.” It is at this spot that Captain Kidd’s ship is supposed to have been scuttled. Here the Dunderberg, or Thunder Mountain rises abruptly from the river; and, as the latter turns to the west (now called for a brief time The Horse Race), another bold mass of rock, Anthony’s Nose (1,228 feet), looms into view.
On the other side of the river is Fort Montgomery Creek, once called Poplopen’s Kill, and here stood Fort Montgomery and Fort Clinton on either side of the mouth. From Fort Montgomery to Anthony’s Nose a chain of iron and wood was stretched across the river during the Revolutionary War to prevent the passage of British boats.
Opposite Anthony’s Nose is the Island of Iona; and now we see the Sugar Loaf, not one hill, as first appears, but a series of hills. At the foot of Sugar Loaf stood Beverly House, where Arnold lived at the time of his treason.
Half a mile below West Point, on the west side of the river, a small stream, rushing down the rocky precipice, forms a snowy cascade, known as Buttermilk Falls.
West Point, with its academy buildings and parade ground on a plateau two hundred feet above the river--the “Gibraltar of the Hudson”--near which may be seen the ruins of old Fort Putnam on Mount Independence, five hundred feet above the river, takes us into historic ground and beautiful scenery. We pass a succession of lofty hills on the same side of the river, the chief of which is Old Cro’ Nest (1,418 feet). Its name was given to it from a circular lake on the summit suggesting a nest in the mountains; and it is thus described by Rodman Drake, in the _Culprit Fay_:
“’Tis the middle watch of a summer night. The earth is dark, but the heavens are bright, The moon looks down on Old Cro’ Nest-- She mellows the shade on his shaggy breast, And seems his huge grey form to throw In a silver cone on the wave below.”
To the north of Cro’ Nest comes Storm King, the highest peak of the Highlands (1,800 feet). First it was called Klinkersberg and then Boterberg (Butter Hill) and renamed Storm King by N. P. Willis. Storm King with Breakneck (1,187 feet), on the opposite side form the “Northern Gate of the Highlands.” The river here is deep and narrow as it cuts its way through what is practically a gorge in the Alleghany Mountains.
The Highlands now trend off to the north-east and the New Beacon or Grand Sachem Mountain (1,685 feet) and the Old Beacon (1,471 feet). The names are explained by the fact that signal fires were kindled on their summits during the Revolution. The Indians called them Matteawan and sometimes referred to the whole range of Highlands as Wequehachke (Hill Country). They also believed that the great Manito confined here rebellious spirits whose groans could often be heard.
On the west shore are situated the towns of Cornwall and Newburg, where Washington had his headquarters in the old Hasbrouck House.
Opposite Newburg is Fishkill Landing and above Newburg on the west side is the Devil’s Danskammer, or Devil’s Dancing Chamber, where the Indians celebrated their religious rites. Several villages and towns are passed on both sides of the river.
One spot of romantic interest on the west shore is Blue Point, where on moonlight nights a phantom ship is often seen at anchor beneath the bluff. It is supposed to be the _Half Moon_, which one day passed the Battery and sailed up the river without paying the slightest heed to signals. The “Storm Ship,” as she is called, is often seen in bad weather in the Tappan Zee and in Haverstraw Bay; but more frequently she appears at rest beneath the shadow of Blue Point.
Across the river is Poughkeepsie, so called from the Indian word Apokeepsing, meaning safe harbour. At this point is the only bridge that crosses the river between New York and Albany.
Six miles above Poughkeepsie, the river makes a sudden turn. The Dutch called this point Krom Elleboge (Crooked Elbow), now Crum Elbow. Ten miles further is Rhinebeck Landing, the approach to the old Dutch village of Rhinebeck, founded by William Beckman in 1647. On the opposite side of the river are Rondout and Kingston on Esopus Creek, which flows north and joins the Hudson at Saugerties.