ail. It
gradually increased until we had drifted through the Highlands, which
is regarded as no small advantage whenever they wish to sail up or
down the river; because, if they do not have a fresh breeze aft, they
cannot have much favorable wind, as in blowing crosswise over the
Highlands it blows above the vessel, and sometimes comes down in
whirlwinds which are dangerous. In the evening we sailed before the
Hysopus, where some of the passengers desired to be put ashore, but it
blew too hard and we had too much headway. It did not seem to be very
important. In consequence of the river above the Hysopus being
difficult to navigate, and beset with shoals and passages, and of the
weather being rainy with no moon, we could not proceed without
continual danger of running aground, and so came to anchor.

[Footnote 326: Domine Schaets's son-in-law was Thomas Davidtse Kekebel
or Kieckebuls. His wife had been sent away from Albany by the
magistrates. In 1681 she and her husband came into a final concord;
_Doc. Hist. N.Y._, quarto ed., III. 534.]

_21st, Easter Sunday._ The wind was against us and calm, but we
advanced as far as the Noorman's Kill,[327] where we were compelled to
come to anchor, on account of the strong current running down the
river. We went ashore here to walk about a little. There are two high
falls on this kill, where the beautiful green water comes falling over
incessantly, in a manner wonderful to behold, when you consider the
power, wisdom, and directions of God. The water was the greenest I had
observed, not only on the South River, but in all New Netherland.
Leaving the cause of it for further inquiry, I mention it merely in
passing. At the falls on this river stands a fine saw-mill which has
wood enough to saw. The man who lives there, although not the mildest,
treated us nevertheless reasonably well. He set before us shad which
had been caught the day before, and was very good, better, we thought,
than the same fish in Fatherland. I observed along the shore, trees
which they call in Holland the tree of life, such as we have in our
garden,[328] but they grow here beautiful and large, like firs. I
picked up a small stone in which there was some crystal, and you could
see how the crystal was formed in the stone.

[Footnote 327: Cats Kill. The falls alluded to are the Kaaterskill
Falls.]

[Footnote 328: The garden of the Thetinga State, the manor-house at
Wieuwert. The tree is the arbor-vitae.]

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