moment), that if he caught any
mother's son of them looking pale or playing craven, he would curry his
hide till he made him run out of it like a snake in spring-time. Then,
lugging out his trusty saber, he branished it three times over his head,
ordered Van Corlear to sound the charge, and, shouting the words, "Saint
Nicholas and the Manhattoes!" courageously dashed forward. His warlike
followers, who had employed the interval in lighting their pipes,
instantly stuck them into their mouths, gave a furious puff, and charged
gallantly under cover of the smoke.

The Swedish garrison, ordered by the cunning Risingh not to fire until
they could distinguish the whites of their assailants' eyes, stood in
horrid silence on the covert-way until the eager Dutchmen had ascended
the glacis. Then did they pour into them such a tremendous volley that
the very hills quaked around, and certain springs burst forth from their
sides which continue to run unto the present day. Not a Dutchman but
would have bitten the dust beneath that dreadful fire had not the
protecting Minerva kindly taken care that the Swedes should, one and
all, observe their usual custom of shutting their eyes and turning away
their heads at the moment of discharge.

The Swedes followed up their fire by leaping the counterscarp and
falling tooth and nail upon the foe with furious outcries. And now might
be seen prodigies of valor unmatched in history or song. Here was the
sturdy Stuffel Brinkerhoff branishing his quarter-staff, like the giant
Blanderon his oak tree (for he scorned to carry any other weapon), and
drumming a horrific tune upon the hard heads of the Swedish soldiery.
There were the Van Kortlandts, posted at a distance, like the Locrian
archers of yore, and plying it most potently with the long-bow, for
which they were so justly renowned. On a rising knoll were gathered the
valiant men of Sing-Sing, assisting marvelously in the fight by chanting
the great song of Saint Nicholas; but as to the Gardeniers of Hudson,
they were absent on a marauding-party, laying waste the neighboring
watermelon-patches.

In a different part of the field were the Van Grolls of Antony's nose,
struggling to get to the thickest of the fight, but horribly perplexed
in a defile between two hills by reason of the length of their noses. So
also the Van Bunschotens of Nyack and Kakiat, so renowned for kicking
with the left foot, were brought to a stand for want of wind in
conseq