ad passes the site where General Wayne had his
headquarters, also, the "Balm of Gilead tree," which gave the name of
Balmville to the suburban locality. Another road affords a glimpse of
the "Vale of Avoca," named after the well-known glen in Ireland, of
which Tom Moore so sweetly sung. Here, some say, a treacherous attempt
was made on the life of Washington, but it is not generally credited
by critical historians. As the steamer leaves the dock, and we look
back upon the factories and commercial houses along the water front,
crowned by noble streets of residence, with adjoining plateau,
sweeping back in a vast semi-circle as a beautiful framework to
the wide bay, we do not wonder that Hendrick Hudson established a
prophetic record by writing "a very pleasant place to build a town."

[Illustration: WASHINGTON'S HEADQUARTERS, NEWBURGH]

* * *

Washington! Brave without temerity; laborious without
ambition; generous without prodigality; noble
without pride; virtuous without severity.

_Marquis de Chastellux._

* * *

=Fishkill-on-the-Hudson.=--Directly opposite Newburgh, one mile north
of Denning's Point (formerly the eastern dock of the Newburgh ferry),
rises on a pleasant slope, the newer Fishkill of this region. A little
more than a mile from the landing, is the manufacturing village
of Matteawan, connected by an electric railroad. Old Fishkill, or
Fishkill Village, is about four miles inland, charmingly located,
under the slope of the Fishkill range. This was once the largest
village in Dutchess county, and was chosen for its secure position
above the Highlands, as the place to which "should be removed the
treasury and archives of the State, also, as the spot for holding the
subsequent sessions of the Provincial Conventions," after they were
driven from New York. A historical sketch of the town, by T. Van Wyck
Brinkerhoff, presents many things of interest. "Its history, anterior
to 1682, belongs to the red men of the valley, and, more than any
other spot, this was the home of their priests. Here they performed
their incantations and administered at their altars." According to
Broadhead, "It would seem that the neighboring Indians esteemed
the peltries from Fishkill as charmed by the incantations of the
aboriginal enchanters who lived along its banks, and the beautiful
scenery in which those ancient priests of the Highlands dwelt, is
thus invested with new poetic associations." Dun