more than 41,000 inhabitants, disport in the rays of a glowing sun! But of its then race of dwellers not a monument remains to speak of their prowess or inferiority. They have passed down the tide of time, with naught but tradition, and but a frail portion of history of later times, to speak of their “having been !"

The Mohawks held all the lands on the western side of the river, from its head waters to the Catskill mountains; while, in like manner, the Mohicans were the occupants of all the eastern side, from Tappan Sea up to its head. The Mohawks were unfriendly to the Mohicans, and eventually became their

conquerors.

As the " Half-Moon," and her hardy and adventurons mariners, came ploughing her way through the water, the simple-hearted denizens were struck with awe and astonishment; and when the strange and unfamiliar object had folded its wings and remained stationery, still more their wonder grew. But this feeling of awe soon passed away, and here the adventurers remained four days, cultivating the friendship of the natives, trafficing with them for furs, giving them in exchange trinkets and "strong drink." The use of the "fire water" at first, so intoxicated one of their number, and so fearfully astonished the others, "that they knew not how to take it, and made ashore quickly in their canoes," from the deck of the vessel.

Capt. Hudson first entered the waters of New York harbor on the third of Sept. 1609. About the waters of this harbor he spent several days in fishing, visiting, and trafficing with the natives of the surrounding shores. He first entered the "Groot Rivier," or Hudson river, on the morning of the 12th Sept., when he cast anchor, and was soon visited by 28 canoes filled with natives, men, women and children; but fearing treachery, they were not allowed to come on board. At noon, he again weighed anchor and proceeded two leagues higher up the stream. In two days he had reached the high and picturesque regions of West Point, where, on looking around upon the sublime scene by which he was environed, he records that "the land grew very high and mountainous." These regions bore the name of Mateawan. On the 15th he had passed the high mountains above Newburgh, making fifty miles in one day, "observing great stores of salmon." He came at night to the present place of landing at Cattskill, where he anchored and was received by very loving people and a very old man, by whom he and his crew were very well used." He was conveyed on shore in one of their canoes, where he "saw much of Indian corn and beans drying, enough to load three ships."The next day he anchored near the present city of Hudson, where he made a short stay, little dreaming that, as time onward rolled, here would be located a city bearing his honored name. He continued his exploration, cautiously, until the 19th, when he anchored

"a

in our waters. Here our adventurers were much visited by the frank and generous natives, who, on all hands, made them wel

comie.

66

On

Finding that his further progress was attended with hazard, Capt. Hudson, on the 23d, set out on his return. In his descent, he stopped at Redhook, where, within an hour, he caught two dozen mullets, breames, basses and barbis.' He also anchored off Poughkeepsie, and was visited by the natives, who brought him a quantity of Indian corn. the 29th he anchored somewhere near Newburgh, where he observed," here was a very pleasant place to build a towne." His next stopping place was in the vicinity of Stony Point; and, on the 2d of October, he came to anchor in the neighborhood of Fort Washington, where he was assailed by the natives with arrows, who came off in their canoes.Fire arms were discharged in return, when the assailants made ashore again in the greatest terror. On the 4th of October, he "left the great mouth of the Great Rivier," and with all sail set, put off to sea.

Capt. Hudson had a safe and prosperous voyage on his return home, and, in 1610, he again set out on his darling expedition, the discovery of a north-east passage to India.In the neighborhood of Iceland his crew mutinied, and on Sunday the 21st of June, 1611, they forced him, his youthful son, and seven others adrift in a shallop, the fate of whom has never been ascertained. It is supposed that they might have reached Diggs' cape and were massacred, or that they were crushed amidst masses of ice. But it was not until 1614 that Albany got its first infant settlement, and this was only a redoubt or little fort, which was located upon Marte Gerritse's or Boyd's Island, just below the bounds of the city.To this was given the name of Casteel Eylandt, (Castle Island) alluding to its defence. Here was mounted two brass and eleven stone guns, garrisoned by a dozen soldiers under the command of an "Opper-hoofdt," or chief-making just as many men as guns.This spot was chosen for the double purpose of trading with the Indians for furs, and to secure themselves from any sudden attack from their savage neighbors. This post was abandoned in 1617, having encountered there an unexpected foe, the annual floods, which destroyed their works and drove them from the island. The next point of location was at the mouth of the Normans-kill creek, a few miles further south, where was constructed a fortress, and where was held a memorable treaty, which did more to conciliate the good will of the Indians, and to secure their good intentions toward the embryo city, than all the powder and ball which they could have expended. This treaty was long remembered and referred to with pride, by the early settlers of Albany. This post, in turn, was also abandoned, when finally, in the year 1623, the first commencement of the city proper was made. The spot now chosen was near the

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"Fort Orange Hotel," in Market street. Here was erected a fort, which was called "Fort Orange," in honor of the prince of Orange.— From this germ sprang the noble city, which to-day can boast of more truly solid wealth, than any other city of equal dimensions and population, on this continent. Albany received her original charter in 1686.

Albany, in its earlier days, was fruitful in names, often bearing several at the same time. It was called Beaverwyck, until 1623; Fort Orange until 1647; Williamstadt until 1664, when, by reason of the English conquest, it first received the name of Albany, after the Duke of York and Albany, who subsequently ascended the English throne as King James II. During this period, it also bore the nickname of De Fuyck, "Hoop Net," (in reference to the use of that article in fishing,) or, "The Net," (in allusion to the supposed grasping or catching propensity of the inhabitants in the accumulation of wealth.) The Indians of the Munsey tribe called it Laaphawachking, "the place of stringing wampum beads," for which its inhabitants were much prized. The Mohawks called it Scho-negh-ta-da, "the end of the pine woods." The Mohicans called it Gaschetenick; the Delawares, Mahicawaittuck, and the Iroquois, Chohotatia. And for about

a century it was a place almost as common to Indian visitors as to whites. 1t being the advanced post of the fur trade, it was for many years the head Beaverwyck for the sale of the beaver and otter skins of the Indians. It was the market proper for all the furs which "the Great Five Nations" could gather from their vast hunting grounds-their "Couxsachraga," importing the Dismal Wilderness. G. T.

NOTE.-Watson's "Historic Tale of Olden Time," has been drawn upon for that portion of the above which relates to Hudson's pas sage up the river, &c., and the writings of our late fellow-citizen, the Hon. John Van Ness Yates, for other parts of our sketch.-Alb. Eve. Journal.

LIVING SKETCHES OF ITALY-No. 8.

A Prison for Boys in Rome. A part of the Pope's system of “ Prison Dissipline" is that of the Convents. The following account of one of them is from the pen of Signor Siocci, a young Cistercian Monk, who escaped from Rome to England a few month's since.

"Having listened to the whole recital without any manifestation of anger-from which I argued good, and thought myself indebted to the kind interposition of the Father Confessor-he mildly inquired whether I really did not believe in the doctrine of transubstantiation, and, in short, in all that the Romish Church taught. I frankly answered, No. His eminence did not at this reply bristle his hair like a wounded bear, nor swell himself like a porcupine said to dart his quills at an

offender; no, he did something worse; he smiled with the smile of a Jesuit, and said, in a gentle tone, “My son, I clearly perceive that there is no malice in you; you give too ready an ear to the inventions of heretics, and this is a consequence of your not having received sufficient instruction. I feel assured that when you shall have heard a series of lectures from the good Father Jesuits, those excellent men of whom you already know something, your ideas will be cleared, and the darkness with which you are now enveloped will give place to light. Repair, then, immediately to S. Eusebio for three days; that time will, 1 think, suffice to set your doubts at rest. Tell my wishes to your Superior, and go without delay; you will there be treated as you merit.' Praised be the truth! whatever may be the faults of this poor Cardinal, no one can reproach him with telling a falsehood in this instance; as the treatment I received from those excellent men will prove.

"The idea of escaping with so easy a penance, of being able to pass three days away from the monastery of San Bernardo-a place odious to me from a thousand remembrances-and of mixing with persons whom I yet supposed would echo my complaints against the monks, awoke in my heart such joy and gladness, that I prepared with alacrity to obey the command. To return to the monastery-to ask the consent of the Supe rior, which was readily granted-to prepare my portmanteau, was the affair of a moment. As I was getting into the carriage, two persons of sinister aspect approached and signified their intention of accompanying me. Who they were, or what was their profession, I knew not; all that I was acquainted with was their names-one was Constantino Bontempi, the other Pietro Sordini.

These men I had often seen talking with the Superior, but without troubling myself to learn any thing of their calling, for their appearance was by no means prepossessing. With regard to their profession, I think I may venture to assert that they were men of bad character, ruffians of the monasteryflesh sold to the Scribes and Pharisees. These prsons accompanied me to the gate of S. Eusebio, where, having consigned me into the hands of others, they instantly disappeared, taking with them my servant and, what afterwards proved to me a still greater misfortune, my portmanteau. Whether this was the effect of inadvertency, or a refinement of cruelty, I cannot determine. My attention being arrested by the two Jesuits who had come out to receive me, and who were profuse in their civilities, I neither heeded the absence of my servant, whom I supposed occupied in his duties, nor the sudden departure of the carriage, but walked at once into the monastery with my two gaolers

"We traversed along corridors, till we ar rived at the door of an apartment which they requested me to enter, and they themselves retired. On opening the door I found myself

in a close dark rook, barely large enough for the little furniture it contained, which consisted of a small hard bed-hard as the conscience of an inquisitor-a little table cut all over, and a dirty ill-used chair. The window, which was shut, and barred with iron, resisted all my efforts to open it. My heart sunk within me, and I began to cogitate on the destiny that was in store for me; but, notwithstanding all my misgivings, I could not persuade myself that the word of a Cardinal would be broken. At length the truth burst upon my mind, that possibly his words might be easily verified in a contrary sense, and that there was something sybil-like about them. Had I not made to him an open avowal of my disbelief in the Romish opinions? and yet I had interpreted his words "As you merit," in the sense which my own conscience dictated, without reflecting that he spoke according to his.

"The Jesuit Giuliani entered at this moment and found me absorbed in these reflections. Recognizing in him one of the two, who but a short time before, had done the honors of the house and overwhelmed me with civilities, I hoped to be able to obtain, through his means, some enlightenment on the subject that engrossed my thoughts. The profound obscurity which reigned in the apartment prevented me from perceiving that he no longer wore the same hilarity of countenance with which he had received me, otherwise I should probably have abstained from a request which I immediately made, that he would permit the window to be opened for the admission of light and air. Before the words were finished he interrupted me, exclamidg in a voice of thunder, "How ! wretched youth, thou complainest of the dats, whilst thou art living in the clouds of error? Dost thou desire the light of heaven, while thou rejectest the light of the Catholic faith?'

"Though I perceived remonstrance would be useless, I replied, Know, if you are yet ignorant of it, that I have been sent here by the Cardinal Castracani, for three days, for the purpose receiving instruction, and not to be treated as a criminal.'

For three days,' he resumed, counterfeiting my tone of voice; for three days! that would be nothing. The dainty youth will not, forsooth, be roughly treated; it remains to be seen whether he desires to be courteously entertained. Be converted, be converted, condemned soul! fortunate is it for thee that thou art come to this place. Thou wilt never quit it excepting with the real fruits of penitence! Among these silent shades canst thou meditate at thy leisure upon the deplorable state into which thou art fallen. Wo unto thee, if thou refusest to listen to the voice of God, who conducts souls into solitude that he may speak with them!' So saying, he abruptly left me.

"I remained alone, drooping under the weight of a misfortune, which was the more

severe, because totally unexpected. I stood, I know not for how long, like a statue in the same position in which the Jesuit had left me. On recovering from this lethargy, the first idea that presented itself was flight; but this thought was no sooner conceived than abandoned-there was no possibility of flight. I gave myself up to my reflections, which were of the gloomiest character; not a single one could I find calculated to give me the slightest relief. The thoughts of my family were stifled by the desolate remembrance of their estrangement; those of the monastery, and of the shadow of liberty I there enjoyed, were overcome by an innumerable host of bitter recollections, among which arose in gigantic form my unconquerable hatred to the monastic vow. Next, I considered the canonical laws. What relief could I hope for from them? was not the little which they possessed of justice and reason distorted for the purpose of making me a victim? The cardinals and the pope presented themselves to my imagination, but ever with a scornful and deriding laugh, like Democritus of old. The past, the present, and the future, seemed to be indissolubly linked to each other with a triple chain, on which I read nothing but misfortune! The ever-returning

desire of liberty again assailed me, and if I sometimes endeavored to deceive myself with the belief that after three days my torments would cease, a fearful cry immediately dissipated this only hope, repeating to me the mys terious "that would be nothing," thundered in my ears by the Jesuit.

Without giving a long and minute account of the manner in which I passed my wearisome days in this prison, let it suffice to say that they were spent in such reflections as the foregoing, and in ''stening to sermons that were preached to me four times a day, in the private chapel, by the Fathers Giuliani and Rossini. These discourses were directed to the pretended confutation of Protestantism, and I heard them gladly, in the desire of learning the doctrines of the Reformed Church; but I had often occasion to observe how her wholesome principles could be distorted in the hands of the Jesuits. But what scruple can those have in making men speak after their own manner in order to draw their own advantages, who have not hesitated to make even God speak as suits their peculiar purposes?"

GREAT BATTLE WITH AN AFRICAN LION.-A letter from French Algeria gives us the par. ticulars of a battle between a detachment of French soldiers, and a huge lion, one of those kings of the forest that range through the mountains and plains of Africa. In clearing the Arabs from around Oued Zerga, last June, the French soldiers discovered this monstrous lion in friendly intercourse with the natives. His female companion, and a numerous progeny occupied a natural fort in one of the neighboring hills, from whence, as general

purveyor for the whole community, he sallied forth daily to visit the Arab village, where every attention was paid to him, and his wants duly cared for. His visits created no uneasiness among the Arabs. Men, women, and children could approach him without fear.Occasionally, it is true, he would carry home with him a cow, a sheep, or a dog, without asking permission. But he only did so when the villagers neglected to furnish his usual supply, and being a good friend in other respects, the Arabs rather encouraged him in the exercise of his free choice of whatever he wished, themselves and families of course excepted.

The French having expelled the Arabs, his lionship was compelled to take a wider range in search of food, and in an unlucky hour, on the 18th of June last, made himself known to eight French soldiers, who had heard of his majesty and were in search of his lair. He approached them quietly, apparently anxious to open negotiations for a treaty of friendship similar to that existing between his late neighbors and himself. But the French soldiers being a civilized people, entertained mortal antipathy against lions and Arabs-and without waiting for an opportunity to smother the lion and his family in a cave, as Col. Pelissier, or Marshall Bugeaud destroyed seven hundred men, women, and children in Dahra -the eight soldiers formed into a line, and discharged a volley of musketry at his majes ty.

For the first time in his life, he discovered that mankind are not all alike. His first impulse appeared like a determination to give battle, but the odds were against him, and with a slight wound in one leg, he retreated to an adjoining thicket. The soldiers surrounded him, and as night approached they built fires, four of their number remaining on guard whilst the others slept. As the fires began to kindle, the lion commenced his war cry, and in a few minutes the whole wilderness resounded with the echo. Lions and lionesses, answering the cry of the forest king, poured down from the hills. The thicket appeared to be surrounded with beasts.

The soldiers were unable to sleep, but they entertained no fear of an attack so long as they kept up the fires. Faggots were thrown upon the burning heaps. Higher and higher rose the flames, and louder and fiercer roared the beasts. Thus passed the night.

At day-break, as the soldiers were preparing to dislodge their game, one of them discovered the lion within four paces, in the very act of crouching for a spring upon him, and had barely time to present his bayonet, when his powerful adversary came down upon it, the bayonet passing through him up to the lock of the musket. The shock was so great that the soldier was thrown to the ground, and in an instant the paws of the monster were plunged in his flesh. The other soldiers flew to the rescue, but dared not fire lest they should kill their comrade. The unequal combat was horrible! For a time the menacing

attitude of the soldiers around, prevented the frantic lion from despatching his victim. He lay upon the poor soldier with his huge paws indented in the flesh. Although frantic with pain, the lion hardly moved for some moments. He growled terriffically at his enemies, while his motionless victim implored protection.At last the lion moved! His claws sunk deeper! Screams of anguish from his victim pierced the hearts of the spectators, and at the risk of shooting their comrade, two of them fired!

Piercing shrieks from the poor soldier now rent the air, as the wounded beast attacked him with greater fury. Supposing from his cries that their shots had seriously wounded their comrade, the soldiers fired three more, and the lion fell! They marched forward and despatched the monster. Their comrade thus happily rescued, was found to have received only one gun-shot wound, and that not dangerous, being in the thigh; his wounds from the lion's claws were more severe, and he suffered severely from the loss of blood before reaching the hospital. The lion was found to be twelve feet long, and six feet nine inches round the body; his side teeth measured four inches and a quarter from the gums. His tail was six feet two inches long, and his height when standing was over ten feet. He was the largest ever seen in Algeria. An expedition was preparing to attack the lioness and her progeny.

The Fine Arts for the People.

An extract which we made from the Dublin Evening Post on Saturday, containing an account of the opening of the exhibiton of the Royal Hibernian Academy to the operative classes at 1d. each, and of the orderly behaviour of the multitude, who gladly by thousands availed themselves of the boon, has impressed us with a favorable opinion of the good sense and liberal ideas of the Council of the Hibernian Academy, and with a hope that their example may be followed in this country. We know of no sufficient objection to prevent it, at all events, under certain restrictions. For the first week or two it would be right that the admission should be on the present footing; this would secure to those who are willing to pay for them, the facilities to which they have been accustomed; and for their further accommodation, one, or even two days a-week might be set apart during the rest of the season on which the door should have its silver guard.

It may be that the exhibitors of pictures might entertain some fears of their works being damaged. Be they comforted. At Dublin nothing of the kind occurred; the miscellaneous spectators are praised for their quiet demeanor, and we venture to believe that we in this country are on a par with the Irish in civilization. Moreover, a regulation that is adopted with safety across the entrance-passage would hardly be dangerous on the side of the annual exhibitors. At the western end the productions of MURILLO, and CLAUDE, and

TITIAN, and the great masters, are open for nothing, are actually free, without even the penny protection. Yet a disaster to them would be a greater calamity than a scar on "the Portrait of a Gentleman" by Mr. SMITH, or Mr. WHITE, Mr. BLACK, Mr. GREEN, or Mr. BROWN. We mean no odious comparison, but truly our present wielders of the brush produce works not irreparable, for happily, they live to paint again another day. Therefore, they may safely run risks with RAFFAELLE, and share dangers with DOMENICHINO.In truth, however, the danger is small.Wherever the exclusive system has been done away with, the people have proved themselves worthy of the indulgence, and have not abused the confidence reposed in them. With a single exception, the treasures of the British Museum have been respected by the hundreds of thousands who have visited and viewed that vast storehouse of amusement and instruction; and the general indignation that followed that one outrage, mitigated only by the penitence of the breaker of the Portland vase, proved the existence of proper feeling on the part of the public. In like manner the plants are uninjured in St. James's and other parks, and the effigies and monuments are respected in the Abbey and St. Paul's. So safe is it found to trust the people now, that further indulgences are about to be granted, and Deans and Chapters are running races in the march of accommodation.

A CURIOSITY.-There is now in the possession of John L. Dimmock, Esq., a curiosity in the shape of a mass of newly manufactured coral limestone, several inches in diameter, in which are firmly embedded several Spanish dollars. It is a specimen of the treasure found by an American company, organized in Baltimore, in the wreck of the Spanish ship San Pedro, which was burnt and blown up February 14, 1815, near the island of Cocho, on the coast of Venezuela, Central America.It is supposed that the ship had on board when she was destroyed, several hundred thousand dollars, a portion of which has been found by our enterprizing countrymen, and brought away. They will probably become, in good time, masters of all the treasure. Only thirty years have elapsed since this vessel was sunk, and the specie which she contained scattered over the reefs and sands, yet the formation of the rock is perfect, consisting of coral sand and shells, in which is also a piece of the woodwork of the ship. In this respect, it will possess great interest for the geologist.-London Paper.

OLD BIBLES.

I yesterday met with the following paragraph in a Northern paper:

"The Oldest Bible in the World.-Among the curiosities in the rooms of the Connecticut Historical Society, in Hartford, is a Bible printed in 1478, and which Dr. Robbirs thinks the oldest Bible in the world."

This is, of course, a Latin version of the Bible; there were three editions of it printed in that language, in 1478, all in folio: one printed by Leonard Wilde, at Venice; another by Theoderic de Reynberg, and Reynold de Novimagis, (Spires,) also at Venice; and a third by Anthony Koburger, at Nuremberg.

The first edition was printed at Mentz in Latin (folio) by John Faust, soon after the year 1450, certainly before 1455, a second edition was also printed at Mentz in 1462; the third edition was printed at Augsburg 1466; the fourth at Reutlingen (in Wirtemberg) in 1469; the fifth, in two very large volumes, at Rome, in 1471; and the sixth, in Italian, at Venice, also in 1471. Between 1471 and 1478, no fewer than twenty-one other editions of the Bible were published in the Latin, Italian, and "High and Low Dutch languages, at Nenice, Paris, Nuremberg, Mentz, Placentia, Cologne, Pignerol, Naples, Basil, Augsburg, and Delft. So that in all twenty-seven different editions of the Bible were printed earlier than the Bible in the rooms of the Historical Society at Hartford-the oldest of them certainly twentythree years before the date of that rare book; the value of which I would by no depreciate, but give the above statement for the information of those among your readers who are curious in such matters.-Nat. Intel. Sept. 9, 1845.

means

was

TERRIFIC HAIL STORM.-A most frightful storm of hail and rain, accompanied by thunder and lightning, passed over this village on Thursday of last week, doing immense damage to the crops, fruit, &c. It is estimated that in this village and vicinity, upwards of 20,000 panes of glass were broken by the hail. One of Judge Whitney's barns was unroofed; fowls and birds were pelted to death by the hail; carriages upset by the wind; horses broke their fastenings and ran furiously through the streets; corn greatly damaged, fields of buckwheat wholly destroyed; and miles of fences prostrated. In one field of beans, belonging to Capt. Thorp, 200 bushels it is supposed were shelled by the hail. Altogether, it was a most frightful scene, and the only wonder is that our citizens escaped without personal injury. One instance of heroism on the part of a little deaf and dumb boy, some seven years old, a son of Mr. Gabriel Armstrong, is worthy of notice. He in company with a little girl were absent on an errand, and some distance from any house when the storm came on. girl fainted from fright and fell to the ground. The little fellow sat down by her side, and with his bare neck and thinly clad body, endeavored to screen his charge from the effects of the storm. In this situation he remained during the continuance of the storm, and until they were discovered and relieved by the nearest neighbor. His neck was considerably cut by the hail stones, but happily he escaped serious injury.-Broome County Republican.

The