American Scenery, Vol. 1 (of 2): or, Land, lake, and river illustrations of transatlantic natureWillis, Nathaniel Parker
General
American Scenery, Vol. 1 (of 2): or, Land, lake, and river illustrations of transatlantic nature
Willis, Nathaniel Parker
United States -- Description and travel
There is some very romantic scenery hidden among the undulations just
mentioned, embracing several small rivers, and a romantic stream, called
Murderer’s Creek, a tributary of the Hudson. Mr. Poulding, in his “New
Mirror for Travellers,” gives the following interesting legend in
explanation of the name:—
“Little more than a century ago, the beautiful region watered by this
stream was possessed by a small tribe of Indians, which has long since
become extinct, or been incorporated with some other savage nation of
the West. Three or four hundred yards from where the stream discharges
itself into the Hudson, a white family, of the name of Stacey, had
established itself in a log-house, by tacit permission of the tribe, to
whom Stacey had made himself useful by his skill in a variety of little
arts highly estimated by the savages. In particular, a friendship
existed between him and an old Indian, called Naoman, who often came to
his house and partook of his hospitality. The Indians never forgive
injuries or forget benefits. The family consisted of Stacey, his wife,
and two children, a boy and girl, the former five, the latter three
years old.”
The legend goes on to say, that Naoman, in grateful friendship, gave the
wife of Stacey a secret warning, that a massacre of the whites was
resolved on, exacting from her a solemn pledge of secrecy, and advising
instant escape across the river.
“The daily visits of old Naoman, and his more than ordinary gravity, had
excited suspicion in some of the tribe, who had accordingly paid
particular attention to the movements of Stacey. One of the young
Indians, who had kept on the watch, seeing the whole family about to
take their boat, ran to the little Indian village, about a mile off, and
gave the alarm. Five Indians collected, ran down to the river side,
where their canoes were moored, jumped in, and paddled after Stacey, who
by this time had got some distance out into the stream. They gained on
him so fast, that twice he dropped his paddle, and took up his gun. But
his wife prevented his shooting, by telling him, that if he fired, and
they were afterwards overtaken, they would meet no mercy from the
Indians. He accordingly refrained, and plied his paddle, till the sweat
rolled in big drops down his forehead. All would not do; they were
overtaken within a hundred yards of the shore, and carried back with
shouts of yelling triumph.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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