Hell Gate

But our tribulations were not yet over.

After a strenuous night of pitching in the slip, it still remained to take Typhoon up the East River, through Hell Gate, and into Long Island Sound, and to do this under shortened sail proved more of an ordeal than taking her across the Atlantic.

Awaiting a favorable tide, we got underway late in the afternoon with the assistance of our good friends W. P. and Coke Stevens and Henry Frisch, and all went well until we got into the lee of the big buildings on the lower end of Manhattan.

By this time it was dark.

At any rate, his attitude changed perceptibly, and he threw us a line and jerked us out into midstream with a cheery good luck as we cast off.

I suspect that by this time he had recognized the little ship, as most of the other craft seemed to have done by daylight, judging by the tooting that marked our passage up the river.

In order to do Hell Gate in daylight and with a favorable tide, we pulled in near the New York Yacht Club station for the night, and the next day shot through the gate under jib, mizzen, and storm trysail, successfully negotiating the whirlpools and anchoring off Whitestone Landing.

And so it was that the idea that had its birth in the cabin of the Elsie on the Broad Door Lakes thirteen months before, the idea of building a boat that should cross the Atlantic, was realized.

It is certain, however, that to the accounts of Olaf and his followers may be traced the various traditions handed down of this marvellous strait; as how the devil has been seen there sitting astride of the Hogsback and playing on the fiddle; how he broils fish there before a storm; and many other stories, in which we must be cautious of putting too much faith.

In consequence of all these terrific circumstances the Pavonian commander gave this pass the name of Hellegat, or, as it has been interpreted, Hell Gate, which it continues to bear at the present day.

Footnote This is a narrow strait in the Sound at the distance of six miles above New York.

It is dangerous to shipping unless under the care of skilful pilots, by reason of numerous rocks, shelves, and whirlpools.

These have received sundry appellations, such as the Gridiron, Frying-Pan, Hogsback, Pot, etc., and are very violent and turbulent at certain times of tide.

Certain mealy-mouthed men of squeamish consciences, who are loath to give the devil his due, have softened the above characteristic name into Hell Gate, forsooth.

Let those take care how they venture into the gate, or they may be hurled into the pot before they are aware of it.

The name of this strait, as given by our author, is supported by the map of Vanderdonk's History, published in 1656, by Ogilvie's History of America, 1671, as also by a journal still extant written in the sixteenth century and to be found in Hazard's State Papers.

Having made his escape from its terrors, Olaf naturally wished to give an appropriate name to this perfidious strait.

They called it Hellegat, the Hell Gate.

The devil had been seen there, it is said, sitting astride of the hog's back, playing on the fiddle or boiling fish before a storm.

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They made up their minds to roam no more, and they steered their course back, fully determined to build the Dutch city of their dreams in the marshy region of Pavonia where they had first landed.

But just as they sighted the familiar shores of their own village of Communipaw, Commodore Van Cortlandt's tub was rolled high and dry on the point of an island which divided the bosom of the bay.

Olaf looked about and saw that the shore of this island abounded with oysters, and he at once decided to celebrate his wonderful escape from Hell Gate with a banquet.

Invitations admitting of no refusal were dispatched to the oysters.

Olaf Van Cortlandt was a devout trencherman.

Every repast was a kind of religious rite with him, and his first thought on finding him once more on dry ground was how he should contrive to celebrate his wonderful escape from Hell Gate and all its horrors by a solemn banquet.

The stores which had been provided for the voyage by the good housewives of Communipaw were nearly exhausted.

But in casting his eyes about, the commodore beheld that the shore abounded with oysters.

This sounder of brass was moreover a lusty bachelor, with a pleasant burly visage, a long nose, and huge whiskers.

He had his little bowery or retreat in the country, where he led a roistering life, giving dances to the wives and daughters of the burghers of the Manhattoes, insomuch that he became a prodigious favorite with all the women, young and old.

He is said to have been the first to collect that famous toll levied on the fair sex at Kissing Bridge, on the highway to Hell Gate.

To this sturdy bachelor the eyes of all the women were turned in this time of darkness and peril, as the very man to second and carry out the plans of defense of the governor.

It is certain, however, that to the accounts of Olaf and his followers may be traced the various traditions handed down of this marvelous strait, as how the devil has been seen there sitting astride of the hog's back and playing on the fiddle, how he broils fish there before a storm, and many other stories, in which we must be cautious of putting too much faith.

In consequence of all these terrific circumstances, the Pavonian commander gave this pass the name of Hellegat, or as it has been interpreted, Hell Gate, which it continues to bear at the present day.

Footnote.

This is a narrow strait in the Sound, at the distance of six miles above New York.

It is dangerous to shipping, unless under the care of skilful pilots, by reason of numerous rocks, shelves, and whirlpools.

These have received sundry appellations; such as the Gridiron, Frying-pan, Hog's-back, Pot, etc., and are very violent and turbulent at certain times of tide.

Certain mealy-mouthed men of squeamish consciences, who are loath to give the devil his due, have softened the above characteristic name into Hell Gate, forsooth.

Let those take care how they venture into the gate, or they may be hurled into the pot before they are aware of it.

Having made his escape from its terrors, Olaf naturally wished to give an appropriate name to this perfidious strait.

They called it Hellegat, the Hell Gate.

The devil had been seen there, it is said, sitting astride of the hog's back, playing on the fiddle or boiling fish before a storm.

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They made up their minds to roam no more, and they steered their course back, fully determined to build the Dutch city of their dreams in the marshy region of Pavonia where they had first landed.

But just as they sighted the familiar shores of their own village of Communipaw, Commodore Van Cortlandt's tub was rolled high and dry on the point of an island which divided the bosom of the bay.

Olaf looked about and saw that the shore of this island abounded with oysters, and he at once decided to celebrate his wonderful escape from Hell Gate with a banquet.

Invitations admitting of no refusal were dispatched to the oysters.

It is certain, however, that to the accounts of Olaf and his followers may be traced the various traditions handed down of this marvellous strait; as how the devil has been seen there, sitting astride of the hogsback, and playing on the fiddle; how he broils fish there before a storm; and many other stories, in which we must be cautious of putting too much faith.

In consequence of all these terrific circumstances, the Pavonian commander gave this pass the name of Hellegat, or, as it has been interpreted, Hell Gate, which it continues to bear at the present day.

Footnote This is a narrow strait in the Sound, at the distance of six miles above New York.

It is dangerous to shipping, unless under the care of skilful pilots, by reason of numerous rocks, shelves, and whirlpools.

These have received sundry appellations, such as the Gridiron, Frying-Pan, Hogsback, Pot, etc., and are very violent and turbulent at certain times of tide.

Certain mealy-mouthed men of squeamish consciences, who are loath to give the devil his due, have softened the above characteristic name into Hell Gate, forsooth.

Let those take care how they venture into the gate, or they may be hurled into the pot before they are aware of it.

The name of this strait, as given by our author, is supported by the map of Vanderdonk's History, published in 1656, by Ogilvie's History of America, 1671, as also by a journal still extant, written in the sixteenth century, and to be found in Hazard's State Papers.

Having made his escape from its terrors, Olaf naturally wished to give an appropriate name to this perfidious strait.

They called it Hellegat, the Hell Gate.

The devil had been seen there, it is said, sitting astride of the hog's back, playing on the fiddle or boiling fish before a storm.

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They made up their minds to roam no more, and they steered their course back, fully determined they would build the Dutch city of their dreams in the marshy region of Pavonia where they had first landed.

But just as they sighted the familiar shores of their own village of Communipaw, Commodore Van Cortlandt's tub was rolled high and dry on the point of an island which divided the bosom of the bay.

Olaf looked about and saw that the shore of this island abounded with oysters, and he at once decided to celebrate his wonderful escape from Hell Gate with a banquet.

Invitations admitting of no refusal were dispatched to the oysters.