went on board the "Quedah Merchant," and steered for the West Indies.
Here he left the "Merchant," with part of his crew, under one Bolton,
as commander. Then manned a sloop, and taking part of his spoils, went
to Boston via Long Island Sound, and is said to have set goods on
shore at different places. In the meantime, in August, 1698, the East
Indian Company informed the Lords Justice that Kidd had committed
several acts of piracy, particularly in seizing a Moor's ship called
the "Quedah Merchant." When Kidd landed at Boston he was therefore
arrested by the Earl of Bellamont, and sent to England for trial,
1699, where he was found guilty and executed. Now it is supposed that
the crew of the "Quedah Merchant," which Kidd left at Hispaniola,
sailed for their homes, as the crew was mostly gathered from the
Highlands and above. It is said that they passed New York in the
night, _en route_ to the manor of Livingston; but encountering a gale
in the Highlands, and thinking they were pursued, ran her near the
shore, now known as Kidd's Point, and here scuttled her, the crew
fleeing to the woods with such treasure as they could carry. Whether
this circumstance was true or not, it was at least a current story in
the neighborhood, and an enterprising individual, about fifty years
ago, _caused an old cannon_ to be "discovered" in the river, and
perpetrated the first "Cardiff Giant Hoax." A New York Stock Company
was organized to prosecute the work. It was said that the ship could
be seen in clear days, with her masts still standing, many fathoms
below the surface. One thing is certain--the company did not see it or
the _treasurer_ either, in whose hands were deposited about $30,000.
* * *
Beauty and majesty on either hand
Have shared thy waters with their common realm.
_Knickerbocker Magazine._
* * *
Their summits are the first to meet
The morning's golden ray,
And last to catch the crimson fires
That warm the dying day.
_Minna Irving._
* * *
On the west shore rise the rock-beaten crags of--
=The Dunderberg=, the dread of the Dutch mariners. This hill,
according to Irving, was peopled with a multitude of imps, too great
for man to number, who wore sugar-loaf hats and short doublets, and
had a picturesque way of "tumbling head over heels in the rack and
mist." They were especially malignant toward all captains who failed
to do them reverence, and brought down frightfu
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