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 On September 5, the log entry read: "Two days ago we came upon three great rivers, and today have found a very good harbor." This simple statement marked the beginning of Hudson's most famous exploration - New York harbor and the river that now bears his name. Not even the skyscraper forest of modern New York City can dwarf the majestic river. Imagine what it was like for Hudson to sail past Manhattan Island's fragrant meadows, hills covered with oak and birch and hemlock, and the sheer cliffs of New Jersey's Palisades. Europe had forests and rivers, but nothing to compare with this wild and beautiful place. Hudson wrote that "It is as pleasant a land as one need tread upon." Then he described its timber, copper, and iron, since that was what the practical Dutch merchants cared about. |