There had been some notice or rumour of a frolic at Kakiat, a secluded hamlet hidden away among the hills of Rockland County, and Van Dam on hearing the news rowed from his home at Spuyten Duyvil the whole length of the Tappan Zee and the Palisades to boot in order to be there. Most modern yotmgsters would be conscious of some slight fatigue after such a ])ull, but not so delicate were the Dutchmen of that earlv dav. Rambout

212 The Hudson River

danced and drank, drank and danced as though he had had no exercise for a week. It was a Saturday night, and midnight came and passed before he knew it. But when he started for home sohcitous companions w^arned him against the peril of sabbath-breaking; for upon all matters of religious observance the Netherlanders were exceedingly punctilious. A young man might play what pranks he would with every pretty girl in the county, and make his potations of applejack both deep and frequent, but it would outrage the sentiment of the community if he broke the Sabbath. But Rambout was skin-full of recklessness, and disregarding every warning, he pulled off, " swearing that he would not land till he had reached vSpuyten Duyvil." According to the best authorities he has not landed there yet. Whethei living or dead, none can say, but doomed to a perpetual journey across the river he undoubtedly is,for many a boat-man on the river has heard the sound of his oars, and more than one damsel, being rowed o' moonlit nights on the river, has clung in terror to her swain, as she fancied she saw in the distance the shadowy form of Rambout Van Dam. There is another haunting shape that occasionally troubles these waters ; it is that of the Storm-ship that makes mysterious journeys, never heeding shoal or headland, tacking when the wind is fair and running free in the teeth of a gale, with never a concession to any weather that mortals give heed to.