even in the most hidden parts of the earth; for we
saw crystal lying in layers between the rocks, and when we rolled away
a piece of the rock, there was, at least on two sides of it, a crust
or bark, about as thick as the breadth of a straw, of a sparkling or
glassy substance, which looked like alabaster, and this crust was full
of points or gems, which were truly gems of crystal, or like
substance. They sparkled brightly, and were as clear as water, and so
close together that you could obtain hundreds of them from one piece
of the crust. We broke some pieces off, and brought them away with us
as curiosities. It is justly to be supposed that other precious stones
rest in the crevices of the rocks and mines as these do. I have seen
this sort of crystal as large and pointed as the joint of a finger. I
saw one, indeed, at the house of Robert Sanders as large as your fist,
though it was not clear, but white, like glassy alabaster. It had what
they call a table point. Robert Sanders has much of this mountain
crystal at his farm, about four miles from Albany, towards the Cahoos,
on the east side of the river, but we have not been there.

[Footnote 353: This was one Frans Pieterse Clauw, who had come out to
Beverwyck (Albany) in 1656.]

On returning to the boat, we saw that the woman-trader had sent a
quantity of bluish wheat on board, which the skipper would not
receive, or rather mix with the other wheat; but when she came she had
it done, in which her dishonesty appeared, for when the skipper
arrived at New York he could not deliver the wheat which was under
hers. We set sail in the evening, and came to Claver Rack,[354]
sixteen miles further down, where we also took in some grain in the
evening.

[Footnote 354: "Clover Reach," now Claverack.]

_2d, Thursday._ We were here laden full of grain, which had to be
brought in four miles from the country. The boors who brought it in
wagons asked us to ride out with them to their places, which we did.
We rode along a high ridge of blue rock on the right hand, the top of
which was grown over. This stone is suitable for burning lime, as the
people of the Hysopus, from the same kind, burn the best. Large, clear
fountains flow out of these cliffs or hills, the first real fountains
and only ones which we have met with in this country. We arrived at
the places which consist of fine farms; the tillable land is like that
of Schoonechtendeel, low, flat, and on the side of a creek, very