e house referred to in Cooper's "Spy," from which
Harvey Birch helps Henry Wharton to escape. Here Enoch Crosby, the
real spy, was subjected to a mock trial by the Committee of Safety.
Crosby had given information of a band of Tories and allowed himself
to be captured with them, was tried with them and, in order to keep up
the deception and preserve his usefulness, was remanded to the
church-prison with the rest. The Wharton House was erected by the Van
Wyck family, and is still in its possession. In a wheat field across
the road lies the fallen stump of the "Whipping Post," a monument to
the methods of correction used in the Continental army. The next house
to the north is said to be constructed of timber taken from one of the
old barracks.

The road over which we have been traveling was once an Indian trail.
Shortly before the French and Indian wars Lord Louden passed through
this country, and in order to get his baggage train through, the trail
became a road under his direction.

[Sidenote: _FISHKILL._]

The Fishkill Creek, which scuttles across the level floor of the
valley just before one enters the village seems in too much of a hurry
to get away from its peaceful surroundings, which are attractive
enough to make mortals wish to linger, but which do not stay the
brawling stream. Both the mountains and the brook were the Indian
Matteawan, the "Council of Good Fur," but the Dutch christened it Vis
Kill or Fish Creek, and the more musical native name had to give way.

The first house on the right after crossing the stream is one of the
Colonial relics of the place, but the principal buildings of interest
are the Episcopal and Dutch churches. The first, being frame, was used
as a hospital during the Revolution. The Provincial Congress, when it
was compelled to leave White Plains, removed to Fishkill, and at first
attempted to use this church for its sessions, but the place had been
so befouled by flocks of pigeons that a move was made to the Dutch
Church. It was during this time that Washington crossed the Delaware,
and he sent to the Congress sitting here for reinforcements, but no
troops could be spared from the defense of this region. The church
bears a tablet which relates history, as follows:

"Trinity Church, organized in communion with the Church of England by
the Rev. Samuel Seabury, 1756. The first rector Rev. John Beardsley,
Oct. 26, 1766. Reincorporated Oct. 13, 1785, and Oct. 16, 1796. This
building