diversity of land and water
before him, he exclaimed, in a fat, half-smothered voice, "What a
charming prospect!" The words died away in his throat, he seemed to
ponder on the fair scene for a moment, his eyelids heavily closed over
their orbits, his head drooped upon his bosom, he slowly sank upon the
green turf, and a deep sleep stole gradually over him.

Van Kortlandt awoke from his sleep greatly instructed, and he aroused
his companions and told them that it was the will of Saint Nicholas that
they should settle down and build the city here. With one voice all
assented to this.

The great object of their perilous expedition, therefore, being thus
happily accomplished, the voyagers returned merrily to Communipaw, where
they were received with great rejoicings.

It having been solemnly resolved that the seat of empire should be
removed from the green shores of Pavonia to the pleasant island of
Manna-hata, everybody was anxious to embark under the standard of Oloffe
the Dreamer, and to be among the first sharers of the promised land. A
day was appointed for the grand migration, and on that day little
Communipaw was in a buzz and bustle like a hive in swarming-time. Houses
were turned inside out and stripped of the venerable furniture which had
come from Holland; all the community, great and small, black and white,
man, woman and child, was in commotion, forming lines from the houses to
the water-side, like lines of ants from an ant-hill; everybody laden
with some article of household furniture, while busy housewives plied
backward and forward along the lines, helping everything forward by the
nimbleness of their tongues.

By degrees a fleet of boats and canoes were piled up with all kinds of
household articles--ponderous tables; chests of drawers resplendent with
brass ornaments; quaint corner cupboards; beds and bedsteads; with any
quantity of pots, kettles, frying-pans and Dutch ovens. In each boat
embarked a whole family, from the robustious burgher down to the cats
and dogs and little negroes. In this way they set off across the mouth
of the Hudson, under the guidance of Oloffe the Dreamer, who hoisted his
standard on the leading boat.

As the little squadron from Communipaw drew near to the shores of
Manna-hata, a sachem at the head of a band of warriors appeared to
oppose their landing. Some of the most zealous of the pilgrims were for
chastising this insolence with powder and ball, according to the
approv