and
sundry other places, well known in history and song--for now do the notes
of martial music alarm the people of New Amsterdam, sounding afar from
beyond the walls of the city. But this alarm was in a little while
relieved; for, lo! from the midst of a vast cloud of dust, they recognized
the brimstone-colored breeches and splendid silver leg of Peter
Stuyvesant, glaring in the sunbeams; and beheld him approaching at the
head of a formidable army, which he had mustered along the banks of the
Hudson. And here the excellent but anonymous writer of the Stuyvesant
manuscript breaks out into a brave and glorious description of the forces,
as they defiled through the principal gate of the city, that stood by the
head of Wall Street.

First of all came the Van Brummels, who inhabit the pleasant borders of
the Bronx: these were short fat men, wearing exceeding large
trunk-breeches, and were renowned for feats of the trencher; they were the
first inventors of suppawn, or mush and milk. Close in their rear marched
the Van Vlotens, or Kaats-kill, horrible quavers of new cider, and arrant
braggarts in their liquor. After them came the Van Pelts of Groodt Esopus,
dexterous horsemen, mounted upon goodly switch-tailed steeds of the Esopus
breed; these were mighty hunters of minks and musk-rats, whence came the
word Peltry. Then the Van Nests of Kinderhoeck, valiant robbers of birds'
nests, as their name denotes; to these, if report may be believed, are we
indebted for the invention of slap-jacks, or buckwheat cakes. Then the Van
Higginbottoms, of Wapping's Creek; these came armed with ferrules and
birchen rods, being a race of schoolmasters, who first discovered the
marvelous sympathy between the seat of honor and the seat of intellect.
Then the Van Grolls, of Antony's Nose, who carried their liquor in fair
round little pottles, by reason they could not bouse it out of their
canteens, having such rare long noses. Then the Gardeniers, of Hudson and
thereabouts, distinguished by many triumphant feats: such as robbing
water-melon patches, smoking rabbits out of their holes, and the like, and
by being great lovers of roasted pigs' tails; these were the ancestors of
the renowned congressman of that name. Then the Van Hoesens, of Sing-Sing,
great choristers and players upon the jewsharp; these marched two and two,
singing the great song of St. Nicholas. Then the Couenhovens of Sleepy
Hollow; these gave birth to a jolly race of publicans, wh