of the foundeft, and who was the identical author of that truly philofophical stanza :

"Then why should we quarrel for riches,

Or any fuch glittering toys;

A light heart and thin pair of breeches,

Will go through the world my brave boys!"

Such was the gallant junto chofen to conduct this voyage into unknown realms, and the whole was put under the superintending care and direction of Oloffe Van Kortlandt; who was held in great reverence among the fages of Communipaw, for the variety and darkness of his knowledge. Having, as I before obferved, paffed a great part of his life in the open air, among the peripatetic philofophers of Amfterdam, he had become amazingly well acquainted with the aspect of the heavens, and could as accurately determine when a storm was brewing, or a squall rifing, as a dutiful husband can forefee, from the brow of his 1poufe, when a tempeft is gathering about his ears. He was moreover a great feer of ghosts and goblins, and a firm believer in omens; but what especially recommended him to public confidence, was his marvellous talent at dreaming, for there never was any thing of confequence happened at Communipaw but what he declared he had previously dreamt it; being one of thofe infallible prophets, that always predict a thing, after it has come to pass.

This fupernatural gift was as highly valued among the burghers of Pavonia, as it was among the enlightened nations of antiquity. The wife Ulyffes was more indebted to his fleeping, than his waking moments, for all his fubtle achievements, and feldom undertook any great exploit, without first foundly fleeping upon it, and the fame may truly be faid of the good Van Kortlandt, who was thence aptly denominated, Oloffe the Dreamer.

This cautious commander having chofen the crews that should accompany him in the propofed expedition, exhorted them to repair to their homes, take a good night's reft, fettle all family affairs and make their wills, before departing on this voyage into unknown realms. And indeed this last was a precaution always taken by our forefathers, even in after times, when they became more adventurous, and voyaged to Haverstraw or Kaatskill, or Groodt Efopus, or any other far country that lay beyond the great waters of the Tappaan Zee.

CHAP. IV.

How the heroes of Communipaw voyaged to Hell Gate, and how they were received there.

AND now the rofy blush of morn began to mantle in the eaft, and foon the rifing fun, emerging from amidft golden and purple clouds, fhed his blithfome rays on the tin weathercocks of Communipaw. It was that delicious season of the year, when nature, breaking from the chilling thraldom of old winter, like a blooming damfel, from the tyranny of a fordid old father, threw herself, blushing with ten thousand charms, into the arms of youthful fpring. Every tufted copfe and blooming grove, refounded with the notes of hymeneal love. The very infects, as they fipped the dew that gemmed the tender grafs of the meadows, joined in the joyous epithalamium—the vir gin bud timidly put forth its blushes, "the voice of the turtle was heard in the land," and the heart of man diffolved away in tendernefs. Oh! fweet Theocritus! had I thine oaten reed, wherewith thou erst didst charm the gay Sicilian plains-Or Oh! gentle Bion! thy pastoral pipe, wherein the happy fwains of the Lesbian ifle fo much delighted, then might I attempt to fing, in foft Bucolic or negligent Idyllium, the rural beauties of the fcene-but having nothing, fave this jaded goose quill, wherewith to wing my

flight, I must fain refign all poetic difportings of the fancy, and purfue my narrative in humble profe; comforting myself with the hope, that though it may not fteal so sweetly upon the imagination of my reader, yet may it commend itself, with virgin modefty to his better judgment, clothed in the chaste and fimple garb of truth.

No fooner did the first rays of cheerful Phoebus dart into the windows of Cummunipaw, than the little fettlement was all in motion. Forth iffued from

his castle the fage Van Kortlandt, and feizing a conch shell, blew a far refounding blast, that soon summoned all his lufty followers. Then did they trudge refolutely down to the water fide, escorted by a multitude of relatives and friends, who all went down, as the common phrafe expreffes it," to fee them off." And this fhows the antiquity of thofe long family procesfions, often seen in our city; compofed of all ages, fizes and fexes, laden with bundles and banboxes, escorting some bevy of country coufins, about to depart for home in a market boat.

The good Oloffe beftowed his forces in a fquadron of three canoes, and hoifted his flag on board a little round Dutch boat, fhaped not unlike a tub, which had formerly been the jolly boat of the Goede Vrouw. And now, all being embarked, they bid farewell to the gazing throng upon the beach, who continued fhouting after them, even when out of hearing, wifhing them a happy voyage, advising them to take good

care of themselves, not to get drowned-with an abundance other of those fage and invaluable cautions, generally given by landfmen to fuch as go down to the fea in ships, and adventure upon the deep waters. In the mean while the voyagers cheerily urged their course across the chrystal bofom of the bay, and foon left behind them the green fhores of ancient Pavonia. And first they touched at two fmall islands which lie nearly oppofite Communipaw, and which are faid to have been brought into existence about the time of the great irruption of the Hudfon, when it broke through the Highlands and made its way to the ocean.* For in this tremendous uproar of the wa ters, we are told that many huge fragments of rock and land were rent from the mountains and fwept down by this run away river, for fixty or seventy miles; where fome of them ran aground on the shoals juft oppofite Communipaw, and formed the identical iflands in question, while others drifted out to fea, and were never heard of more! A fufficient proof

*It is a matter long since established by certain of our philo. sophers, that is to say, having been often advanced, and never contradicted, it has grown to be pretty nigh equal to a settled fact, that the Hudson was originally a lake, dammed up by the mountains of the Highlands. In process of time, however, becoming very mighty and obstreperous, and the mountains waxing parsy, dropsical, and weak in the back, by reason of their extreme old age, it suddenly rose upon them, and after a violent struggle, ef fected its escape. This is said to have come to pass in very remote time, probably before that rivers had lost the art of running up hill. The foregoing is a theory in which I do not pretend to be skilled, notwithstanding that I do fully give it my belief.