History of the Indian Tribes of Hudson's River — Passage 2 (part 4)
[Edward Manning Ruttenber (1872)] Their traditions repeat that almost with the appearance of Hudson in the lower bay, they began to collect on the shores and headlands, gazing in ' astonishment on the strange sight; that when they first saw the Half Moon they " did not know what to make of it, and could not comprehend whether it came down from heaven or from the devil." Some of them " even imagined it to be a fish, or some monster of the sea, and accordingly a strange report of it soon spread over the land." It was at length agreed among them "that, as this phenomenon moved towards the land, whether it was an animal or not, or any thing that had life in it," would soon be apparent. Runners from the shore went back and forth, and messengers were sent to the chiefs of the country to send in their warriors. As the ship approached they concluded it was " a large canoe or house, in which the great Manitto himself was, and that he was probably coming to visit them." Every thing was put in