there at a table on which burned a light as blue as brimstone, sat the three guests from Gibbet Island, with halters round their necks, and bobbing their cups together, as if they were hobnobbing, and trolling the old Dutch freebooter's glee, since translated into English; Digitized by Microsoft® 72 The Hudson River For three merry lads be we, And three merry lads be we; I on the land, and thou on the sand, And Jack on the gallows tree. Vanderscamp saw and heard no more. Starting back with horror, he missed his footing on the landing-place, and fell from the top of the stairs to the bottom. He was taken up speechless, and either from the fall or the fright, he was buried in the yard of the little Dutch Church at Bergen, on the following Sunday. To an earlier generation Jersey City was known as Paulus, Powles, or Pauws Hook. It was important as the western end of the Paulus Hook Ferry, that was one of the chief means of communication between New Jersey and Manhattan Island. The Cortlandt Street Ferry still crosses the same water, but the multitude that it transports each day would populate a good- sized city; the several railroads making this their ter- minal station forming one of the principal arteries of New York life. In the days of the Revolution Paulus Hook was con- sidered an important strategic point, and was gar- risoned by the British from 1776 till 1779, when Major Henry Lee, who had a share in the famous Cow Chase of Andre's " epic strain," fell upon it with his veterans. There was a sudden night attack, a garrison surprised and defeated, and in the early dawn a number of British dead in the fort and the American flag flying over it. Between Jersey City and Hoboken there used to be a marsh or bay, not now in evidence. Hobock was an Indian village, which appears in at least one Dutch Digitized by Microsoft® On the Jersey Shore 73 record, already cited, as Hoboquin. Almost its first appearance in history is as the scene of murders and massacres, of arson and pillage. But the atrocity was not all upon the side of the Indians. In 1643, after a long feud, marked by excesses on both sides, a body of the Dutch, reinforced by Mohawk Indians, crossed the A FLEET THRONGED THE RIVER {From an old print") river at night and murdered a hundred men, women, and children at the promontory called Castle Point. There is no record that suggests any palliation for this crime, which is probably the blackest one that stains the annals of New Netherland. Hoboken should be celebrated wherever steam navi- gation has helped to solve the problem of travel. Here it was that John Stevens lived ; indeed at one time the Digitized by Microsoft® 74 The Hudson River Stevens family owned nearly all of the land in that neighbourhood, and founded the city of Hoboken in 1804. John Stevens — Colonel Stevens — built the steamship Phoenix, the first vessel depending entirely upon steam propulsion to cross the Atlantic. The first steamer that crossed the ocean was the Savannah, built at Corlear's Hook, New York City; but she relied partly upon sail power. A century ago the woods of Weehawken were the scene of one of the most significant and famous private encounters that have ever been recorded. Not only did the participants hold exalted positions in the poli- tical and social world, but at least one of them had connected his name indissolubly with the history of his country and the record of her progress. At the time of the celebrated Burr-Hamilton duel the former had just been defeated in his candidacy for the governorship of New York. As a consequence of the intense political excitement, both parties indulged more or less in acrimonious speeches. General Alexander Hamilton was the reputed author of statements derogatory to the character of his oppo- nent. The matter was taken up and made much of by some of Hamilton's enemies, and finally led to the writing of a letter by Burr, as follows : New York, June 18, 1804. Sir:— I send for your perusal a letter signed Charles D. Cooper, which, though apparently published some time ago, has but very Digitized by Microsoft® On the Jersey Shore 75 recently come to my knowledge. Mr. Van Ness, who does me the favour to deliver this, will point out to you that clause of the letter to which I particularly request your attention. You must perceive, sir, the necessity of a prompt and un- qualified acknowledgment or denial of the use of any expression which would warrant the assertion of Dr. Cooper. I have the honor to be Your