THE MUSEUM 



A Monthly Magazine Devoted to Research in Natural Science. 



Vol. III. 



ALBION, N. Y., MARCH 15, 1897 



No. 5, 



Reminiscences of a Trip to Scho- 

 harie. 



(IV.) 



Visiting this valley for the first time, 

 in which cluster so much thrilling his- 

 tory, and which is so interwoven and 

 connected with our own — the Mohawk 

 — it is not at all strange that we should 

 seek all the knowledge and points of 

 interest available to us, during even a 

 few days' sojourn. 



We are told by this one, of this ex- 

 ploit — by another of that narrow es- 

 cape from capture or death by the In- 

 dians — of their forefathers during the 

 early times. 



So we cannot but admire those wor- 

 thies whose names have come down 

 to us in history, surrounded by a halo 

 of glory; but we must not withhold 

 our praise from those obscure individ- 

 uals in the frontier settlements — like 

 Schoharie — who amid the most appal- 

 ling danger, surrounded on all sides by 

 enemies and worse still — traitors, for 

 the part they performed in the strug- 

 gle for National Independence. 



Many fell in battle; in skirmishes 

 with the enemy at home; and many 

 fell silently in the fields by the rifle, 

 the tomahawk and the scalping knife. 



"Their ashes tlew, no marble tells iis with- 

 er." 



So I would not deem these little 

 sketches on Schoharie complete with- 

 out jotting down some of its early his- 

 tory, as gleaned from various sources. 



vf ^ ii- -)'• ■?!• ^- 



During the early part of the last 

 century, Europe was subjected to a 

 series of religious wars. One of the 

 localities seriously affected by this 



conflict was the Lower Palatinate in 

 Germany. To escape persecution 

 these refugees fled from their native 

 country and came to the new world. 

 The first of the Palatinates (as they 

 were called) arrived in New \'ork 

 about 1707. The projectors of this 

 colonization scheme intended that they 

 should settle in the Mohawk Valley, 

 but through some cause after reaching 

 New York, they separated; some go- 

 ing to Pennsylvania, and to the Hud- 

 son River country, while a few staid 

 in New York. 



Those who settled in the Hudson 

 River country were put to work by 

 Gov. Hunter making tar. Many 

 causes wrought dissatisfaction; chief 

 among which was that they were 

 obliged to serve under government 

 agents, who were both tyrannical and 

 dishonest. They thereby became dis- 

 contented with their abode and deter- 

 mined to seek homes elsewhere. 



History tells us that they journeyed 

 to Albany in 171 1, when hearing of a 

 beautiful valley to the south-west, a 

 few of the most ititrepid, piloted by 

 an Indian guide over the Helderbergs, 

 penetrated the wilderness in that di- 

 rection. After traveling several days 

 they arrived on the height of land — 

 the estuary of the Schoharie and Foxes 

 Creek. 



Here a scene of extraordinary beau- 

 ty burst upon their sight; at their feet 

 the valley spread out before them like 

 a neglected garden, emblazoned by 

 rock-clad hills. The course of the 

 Schoharie Creek was seen, now wash- 

 ing the base of the western hills, now 

 meandering through the flats; some- 

 times its course was hidden from view 

 by the thick foliage, and again as 



