all, looked out
for the arrival of the ship. It was the great yearly event of the town
of New-Amsterdam; and from one end of the year to the other, the
ship--the ship--the ship--was the continual topic of conversation.

The news from the fort, therefore, brought all the populace down to
the battery, to behold the wished-for sight. It was not exactly the
time when she had been expected to arrive, and the circumstance was a
matter of some speculation. Many were the groups collected about the
battery. Here and there might be seen a burgomaster, of slow and
pompous gravity, giving his opinion with great confidence to a crowd
of old women and idle boys. At another place was a knot of old
weatherbeaten fellows, who had been seamen or fishermen in their
times, and were great authorities on such occasions; these gave
different opinions, and caused great disputes among their several
adherents: but the man most looked up to, and followed and watched by
the crowd, was Hans Van Pelt, an old Dutch sea-captain retired from
service, the nautical oracle of the place. He reconnoitred the ship
through an ancient telescope, covered with tarry canvas, hummed a
Dutch tune to himself, and said nothing. A hum, however, from Hans Van
Pelt had always more weight with the public than a speech from another
man.

In the meantime, the ship became more distinct to the naked eye: she
was a stout, round Dutch-built vessel, with high bow and poop, and
bearing Dutch colours. The evening sun gilded her bellying canvas, as
she came riding over the long waving billows. The sentinel who had
given notice of her approach, declared, that he first got sight of her
when she was in the centre of the bay; and that she broke suddenly on
his sight, just as if she had come out of the bosom of the black
thunder-cloud. The bystanders looked at Hans Van Pelt, to see what he
would say to this report: Hans Van Pelt screwed his mouth closer
together, and said nothing; upon which some shook their heads, and
others shrugged their shoulders.

The ship was now repeatedly hailed, but made no reply, and, passing by
the fort, stood on up the Hudson. A gun was brought to bear on her,
and, with some difficulty, loaded and fired by Hans Van Pelt, the
garrison not being expert in artillery. The shot seemed absolutely to
pass through the ship, and to skip along the water on the other side,
but no notice was taken of it! What was strange, she had all her sails
set, and sailed right