One bright fall day Hudson sailed into the mouth of the great river which now bears his name. He hoped that he had entered the arm of the sea which might carry him to India. He turned the prow of his vessel, the Half Moon, up stream.
HENRY HUDSON
From the painting by Count Pulaski in the Aldermanic Chamber of the City Hall, New York
What Hudson and his men saw
Soon the beauty of the river, the rich colors of the great forests, the steep sides of the palisades, the slopes of the highlands, the strange Indians in their bark canoes, so took the attention of Hudson and his crew that, for a time, they forgot all about a route to India.
What a flutter of excitement the Half Moon must have caused among the Indians! They came on board to give welcome and presents to Hudson and his men.
On the return, probably near the present city of Hudson, an old chief came on board and invited Hudson to visit the little village of wigwams located on the river. There these Dutchmen saw beautiful meadows, fields of corn, and gardens of pumpkins, grapes, and plums.
The chief showed Hudson his palace of bark, and spread a feast of roasted pigeons and other Indian food before him. In spite of such kind treatment, Hudson would not stay over night with the Indians, who even broke their bows and arrows and then threw them into the fire to prove that they meant no harm to the white man, but Hudson and his men were still afraid.