*^
 
 CLAUDIUS, 
 
 The Cowboy of Ramapo Valley, 
 
 A Story of Revolutionary Times in 
 Southern New York. 
 
 IR. 
 
 MIDDLETOWN, N. Y. : 
 
 S BAUSON & Bo YD, PRESS STEAM PRINT. 
 
 1894.
 
 Entered according to Act of Congress, in the year one thousand eight hun- 
 dred and ninety-four, 
 BY P. DEMAREST JOHNSON, 
 In the office of the Librarian of Congress, at Washington.
 
 TO 
 
 (5EO?(5E W. SUFFER, 
 
 MY LONG TIME FRIEND AND A DESCENDANT OF ONE OF THE 
 STAUNCHEST PATRIOTS OF THE TIME THAT TRIED MEN'S 
 SOULS, AND IN REMEMBRANCE OF THE MANY HAPPY 
 HOURS WE HAVE PASSED TOGETHER IN RAMB- 
 LING AMONG THE RUGGED MOUNTAINS AND 
 THROUGH THE HISTORIC VALLEYS OP 
 OUR BIRTH PLACE, 
 
 THIS LITTLE BOOK IS DEDICATED, 
 
 WITH THE HOPE THAT MANY MORE OF THOSE PLEASANT HOURS 
 MAY INTERVENE BEFORE OUR PATHS SHALL SEPARATE. 
 
 THE AUTHOR.
 
 PREFACE. 
 
 The part of the country where the scenes of this story are 
 mainly laid is certainly one of the most romantic and beautiful 
 in the land. Between what has always been designated as The 
 Point of the Mountain and the Highlands of the Hudson near 
 the present village of Nyack, lie the rolling lands comprising 
 the county of Rockland. For splendid and romantic scenery 
 it will compare favorably with any county in the State. Not 
 many New Yorkers know what a little Switzerland there is so 
 near the great city or what rugged mountains and pleasant val- 
 leys are to be found almost at their doors and how little need 
 there is, to travel to the distant Adirondacks, to find sparkling 
 streams, limpid lakes, and the other handiwork of nature which 
 makes that region so attractive to the seeker of pleasure. 
 
 But not only for these things is this portion of the State re- 
 markable. Among its rugged peaks and gently rolling hills may 
 be found relics of the time that tried men's souls ; and many a 
 place can be pointed out to the wayfarer, which has been hal- 
 lowed and made sacred by the presence of* the great hero of 
 human freedom and the men who followed him in that long, and 
 finally victorious struggle. 
 
 To the patriotic citizen, and one who loves to ramble among 
 such scenes, many days of pleasure, and profit too, await him, 
 if he will put himself into the hands of some old pioneer 
 acquainted with this stretch of country and be shown where, in
 
 the dark days of the revolution, those men of iron stood on 
 guard amid the rocks and ravines of historic Ramapo Pass. 
 
 As to the characters in this little story : many of them were 
 the true actors in the drama then being enacted and were living 
 men and women of the time. Claudius is so much a true char- 
 acter, that still, among the oldest inhabitants of that district, he 
 is known as the Scourge of the Highlands and the tradition of 
 his desperate and cruel deeds ha* been handed down from father 
 to son ; and in the literature of the two counties of Orange and 
 Rockland. he has a prominent place. 
 
 Rem. Onderdonk too, was more of a hero than he is pic- 
 tured here, and was really a daring and impetuous scout through- 
 out the whole conflict ; and his memory is still fresh and green 
 among the descendants of that family which has always occu- 
 pied a prominent position in that part of the State. 
 
 Many of the incidents here related are also matters of fact 
 and well known among the old families whose forefathers were 
 the first settlers and pioneers of the old county of Orange ; and 
 thus may be seen that the whole story, though colored somewhat 
 by the imagination of the author, has a basis of fact and truth, 
 and in many instances, does not exaggerate what transpired there 
 when the yeoman of Orange helped strike the blow for liberty 
 whose reverberations were heard around the world. 
 
 THE AUTHOR.
 
 CLAUDIUS, 
 
 THE COWBOY OF RAMAPO VALLEY. 
 
 CHAPTER I. 
 
 "For my own part I do not believe the King 
 and Parliament have the right to tax tea, or, for 
 that matter, any other commodity imported by us ; 
 and if this business is persisted in it will lead to 
 bloodshed and it may be revolution outright. The 
 times are wild and unsettled and I shall prepare 
 myself for the worst and be ready to act my part 
 in what may prove to be a bloody drama." 
 
 "I do not agree with you, Barent. I believe 
 the government has the right to tax its subjects 
 for the good of the nation, and though I think it 
 will never come to such a serious pass as you 
 imagine, if it should, I give you my word that I 
 shall always be found upon the side of my King 
 righting against the traitorous faction which has
 
 8 CLAUDIUS, 
 
 for years already spoken lightly of his authority 
 and been breeding contempt for the laws of the 
 land." 
 
 This was part of a conversation which occurred 
 between two young men who had accidently met, 
 while hunting near the base of the mountain 
 range which constitutes the western border of 
 what is now the county of Rockland in the Em- 
 pire State of New York. The time was the 
 autumn of 1774, just after the meeting in Philadel- 
 phia of the first General Congress and the year after 
 the destruction of the tea in Boston harbor. The 
 one addressed as Barent was a young man of 
 about twenty-two years, a representative of one of 
 the leading families of that part of the country, 
 (the Van Houtens). The other one was a youth 
 of probably twenty, who answered to the name of 
 Claudius Smith. He was born among the moun- 
 tains that gird the valley of the Ramapo and from 
 boyhood had been a wild and wayward lad. His 
 family owned a large track of mountain land, 
 which in the eyes of the surrounding neighbors 
 raised it above the common herd. 
 
 The young men, after some further conversa-
 
 THE COWBOY OF RAMAPO VALLEY. 9 
 
 tion of a desultory nature, parted and took the 
 mountainous path to their respective homes. 
 
 Barent Van Houten, as his name indicates, was 
 a descendant of the early Dutch settlers of what 
 was then the County of Orange in the Province 
 of New York. His education was the best the 
 country afforded at the time, and it was only 
 within the last year that he had returned from the 
 city of New York, after graduating from one of 
 its best schools, and now, like many more of the 
 prominent young men of the Province, felt seri- 
 ously interested in the troubles which had been 
 brewing for several years between Great Britain 
 and her American Colonies. As is well known, 
 the descendants of the Dutch settlers in this part 
 of the Province of New York, were in the main 
 found upon the patriotic side during the Revolu- 
 tionary struggle, and the Van Houtons were no 
 exception to the rule. Barent, being one of the 
 most prominent of the young men of that family, 
 was looked upon and recognized as a leader in all 
 things social or political, and his influence among 
 them was great and powerful. In person he was 
 the perfection of manly beauty, being rather above
 
 10 CLAUDIUS, 
 
 the medium height, broad shouldered and power- 
 fully built, with a high and expansive forehead, 
 around which his dark hair clustered in short and 
 wavy curls. His whole contour reminded one of 
 a finished Corinthian column carved by the in- 
 spired hand of Phidias. The Van Houton home- 
 stead was situated in a beautiful valley near the 
 center of what was called in those days Orange 
 County south of the mountains. It was a typical 
 Dutch mansion, built in the most substantial man- 
 ner of stone, with hipped roof and an expansive 
 hall running through the center from front to rear. 
 Everything about it betokened the easy circum- 
 stances and comparative opulence of its owner. 
 The barns and outbuildings were numerous and 
 extensive, as was required by the large and pro- 
 ductive farm surrounding them. The family con- 
 sisted of Rulof, the father, his wife and Barent, 
 their only child. 
 
 Among the neighbors of the Van Houtons was 
 the large and prosperous family of the Onder- 
 donks, distantly related, and of the same patriotic 
 impulses. Of all the young men of the surround- 
 ing country, there was none of more earnest
 
 THE COWBOY OF RAMAPO VALLEY. II 
 
 patriotism than Rembrandt Onderdonk, the eldest 
 son of old Martinus, the owner of many a broad acre 
 of smiling meadow land and forest. Rem., as he 
 was called by his family and intimate friends, was 
 of that wild and impulsive nature that does with 
 the whole heart whatever is to be done without 
 fear or ever stopping to count the cost. He was 
 large of frame and strong of muscle, standing six 
 feet four in his stockings, erect and powerful as 
 the sturdy oak of his native forests, but withal 
 of a jovial, good nature, unless excited by 
 strong provocation, when nothing could with- 
 stand the fury of his rage. Such were the char- 
 acteristics and description of Rem. Onderdonk, 
 who, before the revolutionary struggle ended, be- 
 came known throughout the district as the fighting 
 scout of Ramapo. The family besides Rem., were 
 Dirck, a younger son, and Katherine, the only 
 daughter, the life of the household. 
 
 As time passed things began to take a warlike 
 turn, and early in 1775 the news of the battle of 
 Lexington was heralded over the land, and caused 
 the most intense excitement. At every public 
 place in the country and on every street corner in
 
 12 CLAUDIUS, 
 
 the cities the people were to be seen discussing 
 the question of resistance to the demands of the 
 mother country. 
 
 In that portion of the country where the scenes 
 of our story are laid, the people ranged them- 
 selves either upon the patriotic, or, (as it was called 
 in derision), the tory side of the question. In 
 some few instances families were divided on the 
 subject, but the great majority espoused the cause 
 of the Colonies, and immediately set about mak- 
 ing preparations to meet any emergency that 
 might arise. 
 
 In 1774, at the house of Yost Mabie, at Tappan, 
 the county seat of Orange, a Declaration of Rights 
 had already been signed and given to the world by 
 the leading inhabitants, setting forth in almost iden- 
 tical language with the preamble of the Declaration 
 of Independence what the people demanded. Thus 
 may be seen the spirit which animated the inhabi- 
 tants and made them steadfast through more than 
 eight long years of blood and carnage, and which 
 in the end caused them to triumph over Great 
 Britain's veteran soldiery.
 
 CHAPTER II. 
 
 In one of the wildest and most secluded nooks 
 of Ramapo Pass was gathered in the early spring 
 of 1776 a band of young men. They were 
 dressed, at least most of them, in backwoods or 
 hunter costume, and all of them were armed with 
 rifles. In the centre of the group stood one who 
 was rather better dressed and whose rifle was more 
 elaborately inlaid with silver and mother of pearl, 
 and his form towered above the others like a 
 stately pine among the humbler hemlocks of the 
 forest. His companions stood around him in rapt 
 attention, and it was easy to discern that they 
 looked upon him as their leader, and one whose 
 commands they were ready to obey. This was 
 Claudius Smith, the tory leader of a reckless band 
 of mountaineers, raised by him from among the 
 fortresses of the Ramapo range, and to whom the 
 reader had a slight introduction at the beginning 
 of our story.
 
 14 CLAUDIUS, 
 
 "Boys," said he, addressing those around him, 
 "we are just now on the eve of troublous times, 
 and I have no doubt we shall have a lorfg and 
 bloody war with the traitorous scoundrels who 
 have taken up arms against our lawful King, and 
 it now behooves us, who have always been loyal 
 to him, to foil their designs in every way in our 
 power. And while thus engaged, we can at the 
 same time look out for ourselves and act upon the 
 old maxim that 'charity begins at home.' As 
 you all are aware, that body of traitors, these self- 
 styled patriots called the General Congress, have 
 passed an act and appropriated money to fortify 
 this pass, and, in fact, have already begun the 
 work below Sidman's Bridge. We shall, there- 
 fore, be forced to do things quietly and hide our 
 intentions as much as possible from the argus eyes 
 of the scouting parties who almost daily patrol 
 this valley, which, as you know, leads into the 
 interior of the Province. And now, comrades, let 
 us disperse for the present, with the understanding 
 that one week from to-day, at this same hour, we 
 are to meet at the old cavern on the mountains, 
 where we can lay our plans with less fear of inter-
 
 THE COWBOY OF RAMAPO VALLEY. 15 
 
 ruption. Do not fail to be there, for by that time 
 we shall have something of importance to claim 
 our attention." 
 
 As the tory leader finished his short address 
 each man shouldered his rifle and disappeared 
 amid the gloom of the surrounding forest. 
 
 '' Ha ! ha ! ha ! O, how smart you tink you is, 
 Mas' Claud !" And as the last of the tory gang 
 disappeared in the darkness, there peered out from 
 a dense laurel bush within twenty feet of their 
 trysting place a black head, followed by the stal- 
 wart form of a negro. As he emerged from the 
 bush he jumped up and struck his heels together 
 three times, and as a proper ending of the perform- 
 ance, gave three or four steps of a plantation jig. 
 
 u O ! I got you dis time, Mas' Claud. I was 
 mos' sure you was up to some debilment ! Dem 
 tories am jist like dogs ! Whar you see tree or 
 four makin' a bizness runnin' togeder, you kin 
 be mos' sartin dat somebody's sheep am gwine to 
 suffer. Now I'se bound to sarcumvent your deb- 
 iltry sure." And saying this, Black George, as 
 he was known the country over, grasped his rifle 
 and struck a bee line for the residence of old Mar-
 
 1 6 CLAUDIUS, 
 
 tinus Onderdonk, where he had resided all his 
 life, and to whom both himself and parents be- 
 longed as slaves. 
 
 It was quite late in the evening when George 
 reached the Onderdonk mansion, but he found 
 Rembrandt and several of the young Whigs of the 
 neighborhood, among them being Barent Van 
 Houton, in close and earnest consultation. Before 
 the negro had reached the house he saw the light 
 flickering through one of the shutters, and came 
 to the conclusion that before going to bed, he must 
 inform Mas' Rem. what he had overheard while 
 lying concealed in the laurel bush. He, there- 
 fore, tapped at the window through which he saw 
 the light. In a moment Rem. appeared, and 
 recognizing George, immediately asked what was 
 wanted. The negro whispered into his ear that 
 he had something of importance to communicate. 
 Without further ado Rem. led George in the midst 
 of the assembled company and told him to unfold 
 his secret before them all. George told them all 
 he had heard and seen at the secret meeting of 
 the tory band ; how young Claudius Smith had 
 addressed them and seemed to be their leader, and,
 
 THE COWBOY OF RAMAPO VALLEY. 17 
 
 finally, of the projected gathering of the band a 
 week hence at the cavern on the mountain. 
 
 This, of course, was news to the assembled 
 young men, and though some of them had sus- 
 picions as to the patriotism of Claudius, still they 
 had not thought he would take an active part 
 against the majority of his countrymen. But now 
 they were undeceived, for they well knew the 
 truthfulness and honesty of Black George, and 
 they were sure he had given them a correct report 
 of what he had discovered. 
 
 After George had told his story, the young men 
 held a sort of council of war. Barent Van Honten, 
 who, as was noted before, composed one of the 
 number who had met by appointment at the 
 Onderdonk homestead, immediately suggested that 
 it would be wise to closely watch Claudius and his 
 future movements and if he committed any overt 
 act, to report it at once to the military head- 
 quarters at Tappan. He also announced that a 
 company had been organized there and were ask- 
 ing for recruits to fill up its ranks. u Now is the 
 time," said he, "to show our patriotism by our 
 acts, and setting the example to others by enlist-
 
 1 8 CLAUDIUS, 
 
 ing in the service of the country, and I feel sure 
 there is not one present but feels the same as I do 
 and is ready to throw his all into the scales and 
 abide by the issue, whatever that may be." 
 
 This little speech had the desired effect, for one 
 and all announced their intention of enlisting in 
 the ranks of the patriot army which was being 
 organized throughout the land. 
 
 Thus it may be observed how the seeds of 
 liberty planted by the sturdy fathers of our land 
 germinated in after years and produced a crop of 
 patriotic martyrs whose blood enriched the soil of 
 freedom and in the end built up the mighty fabric 
 whose blessings we now enjoy. It was a late hour 
 when the party dispersed, each one with the full 
 intention of carrying into effect the resolution 
 made at the meeting. 
 
 The next day Rem. Onderdonk made his way 
 to the house of his intimate friend Barent, and, 
 together, they procee4ed to Tappan, the headquar- 
 ters of the company which was being organized 
 for the service. Barent had already been elected 
 a lieutenant in the company and was, therefore, 
 in a hurry to reach the place.
 
 THE COWBOY OF RAMAPO VALLEY. 19 
 
 Rem.'s intention in going there was to obtain 
 through the assistance of Barent a commission as 
 captain of scouts and to receive permission from 
 the committee of safety to raise a company whose 
 business should be to patrol the west bank of the 
 Hudson and watch the movements of the preda- 
 tory bands of tories and cowboys which infested 
 the country lying between that river and Ramapo 
 Pass. His mission proved successful and he pro- 
 ceeded immediately to raise his company, which 
 was accomplished in a very short time, when he 
 announced himself ready to begin operations. 
 
 To say that Rem. was in his glory at the pros- 
 pect of being instrumental in circumventing the 
 royalists did not fully express his feelings on this 
 occasion. His company consisted of young and 
 sturdy patriots whose souls were in the cause and 
 whose confidence in their leader was supreme. 
 Leaving Captain Rem. in a business so much in 
 harmony with his impulsive nature, we will take 
 the reader to somewhat different scenes.
 
 CHAPTER III. 
 
 On the broad piazza of a large and comfortable 
 looking dwelling situated among the pleasant sur- 
 roundings of rural life, and on the highway leading 
 from Ramapo Pass, were seated, in the early 
 evening of a beautiful day in 1776, a young couple 
 in earnest conversation. 
 
 u My dear Mary," said the young man to his 
 companion, "the time has arrived when every 
 young man should feel himself in duty bound to 
 aid his struggling country in the effort she is now 
 making to free herself from the oppression of 
 Great Britain. She needs the influence and mate- 
 rial aid of a:l her sons and daughters too. I am 
 well aware of the tremendous and unequal strug- 
 gle before us, but with an honest belief in the 
 justice of her cause, and a firm reliance on Him 
 who always fights the battles of the weak, I am 
 confident that we will triumph in the end " 
 
 "I believe as you do, Barent, but to think of
 
 THE COWBOY OF RAMAPO VALLEY. 21 
 
 all the misery that such a war will bring upon our 
 land alrnosr unnerves me," said his companion. 
 
 The reader, of course, recognizes the young man 
 as Barent Van Houten, and we will introduce, his 
 companion as Mary Demaray, the only child of old 
 Bernhard Demaray, the most prominent represent- 
 ative of the Huguenot family of that name in the 
 Province. She was beautiful beyond most of her 
 sex. Her hair hung in dark tresses to her slender 
 waist ; her eyes were large and black and of that 
 peculiar expression which tells of love unquench- 
 able, and firm reliance and faith in the object 
 of her affections. Mary Demaray was not the 
 plaything of an hour, nor the kind of young 
 woman that needs to be placed in a hot house 
 atmosphere for fear of withering, but one of the 
 kind born for something higher and better and 
 wh<>se nature was calculated to strengthen and sus- 
 tain the object to which it clung. 
 
 "What you say is no doubt too true," rejoined 
 Barent. "Misery and suffering are the accompa- 
 niments of every war, but the die is cast and the 
 Congress in session at Philadelphia issued a 
 Declaration of Independence on the 4th day of
 
 22 CLAUDIUS, 
 
 last July. It only remains for every true lover of 
 his country to use his earnest endeavor to sustain 
 and uphold that declaration." 
 
 "Yes," said she, "and I would not have you 
 do otherwise, dear Barent ; for I too, though only a 
 woman, have noted each successive act of oppres- 
 sion passed by the Parliament and consented to 
 by the King, as if for the purpose of driving us to 
 rebellion , and, I suppose, if we should remain 
 passive under these, others ot a more virulent 
 nature would be heaped upon us." 
 
 " But the worst feature of this business," con- 
 tinued Barent, " is that there are some persons 
 and families of influence among us who not only 
 feel coldly toward our cause, but, I fear, will even 
 take up arms against us under pretense of loyalty 
 to the King. They are being closely watched and 
 we hope to frustrate their evil designs ; but they 
 can certainly do us much harm and may cause 
 this war to assume a more horrid front by their 
 unnatural behavior. However, let us hope for 
 better days and more peaceful times." 
 
 Barent took an affectionate leave of his betrothed, 
 sprung into the saddle and was away to his com-
 
 THE COWBOY OF RAMAPO VALLEY. 23 
 
 pany at Tappan. Mary watched her lover until 
 his form was lost in the dim twilight, when she 
 turned and entered the house, where her father, 
 the staunch old Whig, was sitting. 
 
 "Well, Mary ! what good news did Barent 
 bring? " asked the old man. " Nothing of greater 
 import than that the Congress now in session at 
 Philadelphia almost unanimously issued a Declara- 
 tion of Independence on the 4th day of last July," 
 replied the daughter. 
 
 " Well done for them ! I glory in their staunch 
 patriotism. The world will now know what we 
 are fighting for ! There is nothing indefinite 
 about that, and it will cause the line to be strictly 
 drawn between patriot and traitor so that we shall 
 know who are our friends, and who our foes." 
 
 Although the Declaration of Independence had 
 been signed several months previously, Barent had 
 brought the first news of the event to this retired 
 spot, the delay of course being due to the lack of 
 telegraphs and railroads at the time of which we 
 are writing. This important event gave hope and 
 courage to the Whigs and caused depresssion and 
 anger among the tories throughout the land.
 
 CHAPTER IV. 
 
 About a week after the meeting of the young- 
 Whigs at the house of Rem. Onderdonk, himself 
 and Black George might have been seen in earnest 
 consultation near one of the large Dutch barns at 
 the rear of the dwelling. " Now George," said 
 Rein., "I shall depend upon you to find out 
 exactly where the meeting place of these tories is 
 situated. Where that cavern is located, I do not 
 certainly know, but I feel sure that you can find 
 it and therefore I want you to start this afternoon, 
 as to-night you know is the time set for their 
 meeting. Proceed to the foot of the mountain, 
 conceal yourself at some point where you can see 
 without yourself being seen, and I am almost con- 
 fident you will notice some of them on their way 
 there, when you can stealthily follow, keeping 
 yourself out of sight, and finally locate the head- 
 quarters of the gang." 
 
 "I am de boy for dat bizness, Mas' Rem !" said
 
 THE COWBOY OF RAMAPO VALLEY. 25 
 
 George. " Jist you leab it to me, and if I don't run 
 dem tories to dar hole, you kin call me a fool 
 nigger !" 
 
 This was a business which exactly suited Black 
 Geoige, and he began the work immediately. 
 Going into the large, old-fashioned kitchen he 
 took from its resting place his trusty old rifle, and 
 taking a path that led through the heavy wood- 
 land northward, he was soon lost to view from the 
 farm house. Striking across the dense swamps 
 and forests which lay between the Onderdonk farm 
 and the base of Kakiatt mountain, he was soon 
 upon ground where he deemed concealment to be 
 the better part of valor. He consequently kept 
 himself under cover as much as possible, picking his 
 way through the underbrush, which grew on the 
 mountain side. He finally secreted himself in an 
 almost impenetrable thicket on one of the foot 
 hills of the range. 
 
 "Now den, Mas' Claud ! I is in dis nest fer to 
 watch yer capers, an' if dis child don't find oui 
 where ye put up nights, den my name ain't 
 George," said the negro to himself. 
 
 He had not been secreted more than half an
 
 26 CLAUDIUS, 
 
 hour when he heard a cautious footstep below him. 
 Peeping cautiously from the bush in which he had 
 taken refuge, George saw a man with his rifle 
 slung across his shoulder slowly and carefully 
 ascending the hill. He passed within a dozen yards 
 of where the negro lay and made his way silently 
 toward the summit. He had scarcely gone a hun- 
 dred yards when George emerged from his hiding 
 place and quietly followed him. 
 
 " Dis am a hot trail sure, and I'se got de scent 
 strong, and I guess I won't lose it," said George to 
 himself, as he stepped quietly along behind the 
 man. They kept on in this way for some time 
 until the person in advance had nearly reached the 
 summit, when he suddenly stopped and gave a 
 peculiar whistle, low and somewhat prolonged. 
 In a moment it was answered from what seemed 
 a rift in the rocks to the left of where he stood. 
 Again another low, short note and an answering one 
 from the rocks and then a man appeared as though 
 he had risen out of the earth close beside the rift. 
 The man then advanced and the two disappeared 
 as though by magic. Black George lay low now, 
 and from then until darknes closed in around the
 
 THE COWBOY OF RAMAPO VALLEY. 27 
 
 mountain, he saw eighteen armed men approach, 
 give the signal, and disappear in the rift in the 
 rocks. The negro now marked well the lay of 
 the land, noted the different land marks, and feel- 
 ing sure he would have no trouble in locating the 
 cavern afterwards, carefully descended the moun- 
 tain and before midnight was again at the Onder- 
 donk homestead. He immediately communicated 
 what he had discovered to Mas' Rein., who, after 
 questioning him to his satisfaction, told him to be 
 sure to keep in mind the direction and landmarks 
 by which to locate the cavern, as his knowledge 
 would, in the near future, be put to the test. 
 "All right, Mas' Rem, I got 'em all here," and 
 Black George tapped his forehead significantly, to 
 show where he had stored the knowledge. 
 
 Among the many admirers of Katharine Onder- 
 donk, the beautiful and accomplished daughter of 
 old Martinus, was young Claudius Smith, the sus- 
 pected leader of the tory band. He had been 
 quite a frequent visitor at the mansion in the 
 past, and from appearances an not altogether un- 
 welcome one at least so thought several of the 
 young men who had some aspirations to the hand
 
 28 CLAUDIUS, 
 
 of Katherine and so his appearance there three 
 days after George had located the tory headquar- 
 ters on the mountain did not seem a thing unusual 
 to the casual observer. 
 
 Claudius was received by Katharine in a cordial 
 manner and invited into the dwelling. His horse 
 was taken by one of the colored servants and 
 properly cared for, and everything was done to 
 make his visit as agreeable as possible. But he 
 did not seem to feel at ease, and Katharine noticed 
 during the conversation that he was preoccupied 
 and his whole demeanor like one who had some- 
 thing weighty on his mind. In the evening Rein, 
 arrived at home and was met by George, who im- 
 mediately imformed him of the presence of 
 Claudius in the house. A frown spread over 
 Rem.'s usually pleasant countenance, and after in- 
 quiring of George how long he had been there 
 strode into the room where his sister was enter- 
 taining her visitor. 
 
 "Good evening Claudius!" said Rem. as he 
 entered. " Good evening Rembrandt ! " returned 
 Claudius. " The weather is fine and the air brac- 
 ing, and I enjoyed my ride over here more than I
 
 THE COWBOY OF RAMAPO VALLEY. 29 
 
 can tell you." "Yes," said Rem., "the weather 
 is fine and everything in nature looks favorable, 
 but our country is entering upon what may prove 
 a long and bloody struggle against the tyranny of a 
 mad King and what appears to be an insane 
 Parliament." 
 
 ' ' Well, ' ' remarked Claudius, " as to there being a 
 long war, it may be true, but as to the tyranny of 
 the King and Parliament, I believe their acts are 
 legal, and that it is only right and proper that we 
 should assist in paying for our own protection. 
 The armies of the mother country were sent here 
 to aid us in defending our soil agdinst the invasion 
 of the French and the atrocities of their savage 
 allies ; and now, when she needs our help finan- 
 cially, I see no reason in our resisting her just 
 demands." 
 
 "I had hoped for better things from you, Claud- 
 ius," returned Rem., "and imagined that in you 
 we would have a strong, intelligent and faithful 
 ally ; but it seems I have been deceived in so think- 
 ing, and must, though reluctantly, place you 
 among the enemies of Liberty." 
 
 "If to be loyal to our annointed King, and
 
 30 CLAUDIUS, 
 
 ready to uphold the laws of the land, makes one 
 an enemy to liberty, you are welcome to place me 
 in that category," replied Claudius. 
 
 Katharine, who had been sitting by silently 
 thus far, now made an effort to turn the conversa- 
 tion toward a less dangerous subject. She there- 
 fore inquired of Rem. (who had just returned from 
 the neighborhood of King's Ferry), as to the health 
 of some relatives residing there. But he did not 
 seem to hear her, and said to Claudius : 
 
 "Well, we have been friends for many years, 
 and I had hoped to remain such for many more ; but 
 the time has arrived when we must consider those 
 who are not for us as being against us." 
 
 "As to that, you must use your own judgment ; 
 but let me warn you, Rembrandt, to beware of 
 following the lead of .the traitorous crew who, as I 
 am informed, are already organizing an army to 
 withstand the just demands of the mother country, 
 for it will bring swift destruction upon the head of 
 every one found in the ranks, and in open treason 
 to the government," said Claudius, as Rem. bade 
 him goodbye and left the house. 
 
 He remained but a short time at the Onderdonk
 
 THE COWBOY OF RAMAPO VALLEY. 31 
 
 mansion after his rather exciting conversation with 
 Rem., and which had left a bitter feeling in the 
 hearts of the young men. Of course his opinions 
 found no sympathy in that quarter, and even 
 Katharine concluded that the principles held by 
 Claudius were not calculated to promote good feel- 
 ing in that community ; and she really hoped his 
 visits there might become less frequent.
 
 CHAPTER V. 
 
 Ramapo Valley, which pierces, and really cuts 
 in twain, the rugged hills of the Ramapo range, is 
 one of the most remarkable defiles in the country. 
 The scenery throughout the entire sixteen miles of 
 its length is grand and imposing. At no place is 
 it more than half a mile in width. From the nar- 
 row pass at its southern outlet, where stand the 
 twin peaks of Noorde Kup, and Hooghe Kup, to its 
 northern extremity, where the mountains slope 
 down into the fertile fields of old Orange, it is 
 romantic beyond description. Upon either side 
 rise the rugged granite walls, from a thousand to 
 fifteen hundred feet in height, while through the 
 center of the valley flow the waters of the lovely 
 Ramapo river ; here, gliding peacefully along 
 through smiling meadows, and again, leaping in 
 mad energy over scraggy rocks, or tumbling in 
 mist and foam over miniature Niagaras, making it 
 all in all one of the most delightful mountain val- 
 leys in this broad land.
 
 THE COWBOY OF RAMAPO VALLEY. 33 
 
 At the time of which we write it was closely 
 settled. Near the southern mouth, fortifications in 
 the shape of a couple of block houses had been 
 erected at some previous period for protection 
 against the Indians, and near by them was a single 
 farm house. From there northward through the 
 valley was here and there a farm house or a log 
 hut of a mountaineer, until you came near the 
 northern end, where a more imposing structure 
 had been built. It was a substantial log house of 
 considerable size and stood in a sheltered nook of 
 the mountains on the east side of the valley. Its 
 surroundings were such as betokened easy circum- 
 stances in those who occupied it. The outbuild- 
 ings were extensive and in good repair, and 
 everything about indicated that the lord of this 
 mansion was not of the common herd. 
 
 This was the home of the Smith family, of 
 which Claudius was a prominent member. The 
 family consisted of the old man Jacobus, his wife 
 Maria, both of whom had already passed the com- 
 mon limit of three score years and ten; two sons, 
 Cobus and Claudius ; and a daughter named Sally. 
 3
 
 34 CLAUDIUS, 
 
 The whole family was noted for the size and 
 strength of its members ; for their rugged endur- 
 ance, and above all for a certain shrewdness in 
 making bargains ; in fact for knowing how to 
 make money, and keeping it after it was made. 
 But above all the rest, were these characteristics 
 developed in the youngest son, Claudius. Not 
 only was he the giant of the family physically, 
 but also far above them in intellect, and all that 
 goes to make a leader of men ; but as the reader 
 has had an introduction to him before, we need 
 follow this line no farther. Be it known from 
 henceforth, that he was the Smith of the family, 
 and the one who afterwards made the name known 
 throughout the land ; whether for good or evil, 
 the reader may be able to decide when our story 
 is told. 
 
 It was quite late in the evening when Claudius 
 returned from his visit to Katharine Onderdonk, 
 and as might be expected he was not in the best 
 humor, for he clearly saw that under the circum- 
 stances it was doubtful whether his suit for the 
 hand of the patriotic maiden would prove success- 
 ful. He feared the influence of Rem. on his sister
 
 THE COWBOY OF RAMAPO VALLEY. 35 
 
 would prove too heavy a factor to be eliminated 
 even by the love he thought the daughter of old 
 Martinus bore him. As he arrived at the 
 house he threw himself from the saddle and entered 
 the room where his mother and sister were sitting 
 engaged in some feminine occupation. 
 
 A mother's eye, it is said, can discern the 
 workings of her offspring's heart quicker and 
 truer than all the world beside. The mother of 
 Claudius was no exception to the rule, for he had 
 scarcely set his feet across the threshold when the 
 old lady discovered the cloud on his brow. 
 
 " How now Claud !" said she, "what is it ails 
 my boy? " What has come over you that I see 
 the bad light in your eye? " " Nothing, mother, 
 that amounts to anything excepting that there are 
 many more traitors to the King than I or any one 
 else expected." "Ah, my boy, it is more than 
 that worries you ! Has old Onderdonk's daughter 
 jilted you? If she has it serves you right, and 
 shame it is that a son of ours should be currying 
 favors from such as they," replied the old woman. 
 
 Such talk from his mother still further angered 
 Claudius, as he answered: "No mother you are
 
 36 CLAUDIUS, 
 
 wide of the mark. It is not love, but war that I 
 am thinking of. Instead of Cupid with his boyish 
 pranks and harmless weapons it will be old Mars, 
 the horrid god of war, at whose shrine we will all 
 be worshipping ; for as I live, I believe ere the 
 new year comes around the war cry will be heard 
 ringing among the hills and valleys of our land. 
 The whole country seems ripe for rebellion, and it 
 behooves us, who are friends of the King, to make 
 preparation to aid him in crushing out the spirit of 
 revolt, which is stalking ghostlike over the whole 
 country." 
 
 "Where is Cobus?" asked Claudius of his 
 mother. " I do not know, though he was here 
 a short time ago. He may be at neighbor Jones', " 
 answered the old lady. 
 
 Cobus was the eldest of the two brothers, in 
 whom Claudius placed great confidence and whose 
 counsel he sought on all occasions. Leaving his 
 mother and sister, he started in search of his 
 brother whom he found at the barn, having just 
 returned from a short visit to one of the neighbors. 
 They held long counsel together, the purport of 
 which is made known by the parting words of
 
 THE COWBOY OF RAMAPO VALLEY. 37 
 
 Claudius : " See every man if possible by tomor- 
 row night. Inform them where we are to meet, 
 and do not forget to impress upon them the fact 
 that there may be work to do, and therefore to 
 come thoroughly armed and ready for active ser- 
 vice." "I will see that all is done as you re- 
 quire," replied Cobus. 
 
 With these words the brothers parted and retired 
 to their respective couches to woo the drowsy god 
 of sleep.
 
 CHAPTER VI. 
 
 On the iyth of June, 1775, the battle of Bunker 
 Hill occurred and the particulars thereof were sent 
 to every nook and corner of the Provinces. It was 
 the first time, really, that any considerable num- 
 ber of the opposing forces had been engaged, and 
 the result was such as to encourage the patriotic 
 sons of America to nobler and more effective 
 efforts. It had been discovered that American 
 militiamen were able to meet the veteran soldiers 
 of Great Britain, and, on even terms to at least hold 
 their own, and render a good account of themselves. 
 Only for the reason that ammunition had failed, 
 they would probably have destroyed the greater 
 portion of the army that was sent to dislodge 
 them. 
 
 This opening battle of the Revolution was con- 
 dusive of much good to the patriotic cause. It in- 
 fused new life into the hearts of the people, and 
 in fact caused the whole country to spring to
 
 THE COWBOY OF RAMAPO VALLEY. 39 
 
 arms. From the bleak hills of New Hampshire 
 to the smiling savannas of our southern land, the 
 call to arms was heard. It united and consolidated 
 the different Provinces in the bold determination 
 to free themselves entirely from the oppression of 
 the mother country. Those who before had 
 wavered and looked upon the signers of the 
 Declaration as men who had rashly burned their 
 bridges behind them now came forward and either 
 enlisted in the army or gave of their means to its 
 support. 
 
 Washington had been appointed by the second 
 General Congress, Commander-in-Chief of the Amer- 
 ican forces and was on his way to Boston to assume 
 the command. In every part of the country com- 
 panies were being organized and drilled for active 
 service against the invaders. Barent Van Houten 
 and his company were already in the city of New 
 York and composed part of the force encamped at 
 Harlem Heights, where fortifications were erected 
 for the defence of the city. Ramapo Pass was also 
 being fortified, appropriations for the same having 
 been made by act of the General Congress, and Fort 
 Sidman was built near the southern mouth of the
 
 40 CLAUDIUS, 
 
 valley to protect this, the main pass through the 
 highlands between the Hudson and the Delaware. 
 
 It was a time of energetic organization among 
 the sons of liberty throughout the thirteen colo- 
 nies, which together, formed the brightest jewel 
 in England's crown. 
 
 Rembrandt Onderdonk, now a captain of scouts, 
 was busily engaged in watching the movements of 
 British war vessels on the Hudson river, and the 
 doings of the tories and cowboys between that 
 river and Ramapo Pass. Word had been sent him 
 from several different points, of depredations com- 
 mitted by them upon the farmers of the district. 
 Cattle and horses were stolen and the inhabitants 
 maltreated and abused if they dared to protest 
 against these acts of violence. 
 
 On the afternoon of the day set for the gathering 
 of the band under Claudius Smith, there seemed 
 -to be more than the usual number of visitors at 
 the Smith homestead in the valley. There were 
 hardy, rough looking men arriving and departing, 
 as though they had come to headquarters to report 
 and receive orders ; and such in fact was the case, 
 for Claudius was there, and the men seen going in
 
 THE COWBOY OF RAMAPO VALLEY. 41 
 
 and out were of the kind who acknowledged him 
 as their leader and in whom they placed the 
 utmost confidence. 
 
 He occupied a small room in the rear of what 
 might be called the" bar-room (for old man Smith 
 kept a country tavern), and there he received his 
 men, gave them their orders, and sent them on 
 their way to carry out his plans. 
 
 As the shadows of night closed in around the 
 valley the chief himself emerged from the house, 
 and mounted his horse which had been held in 
 readiness by a colored servant. He was well 
 mounted on a little and beautiful black gelding, 
 whose glistening coat denoted the care and groom- 
 ing he received, and taking a bridle path down 
 the eastern side of the valley, was soon lost to 
 sight in the gathering twilight. Claudius con- 
 tinued down the valley, until he came to where 
 the towering form of Man of War Rock could be 
 distinguished on the western heights, when he 
 turned sharply to the left and began to ascend the 
 eastern range. 
 
 It was a steep and tortuous path, but the rider 
 knew every inch of it as well as the grounds about
 
 42 CLAUDIUS, 
 
 his birthplace. He ascended until he reached the 
 summit, when he drew rein and stood motionless 
 as a statue. Taking a small silver whistle from 
 his pocket, he placed it to his mouth and blew a 
 low prolonged note. In a few seconds it was 
 answered by a similar whistle from some rocks 
 beyond. Again he blew a short sharp note, and 
 then a man appeared as if rising out of the ground 
 not five rods from where he stood. He raised his 
 hat, gave the chief a military salute, advanced a 
 few paces and came to a halt. 
 
 Claudius sprang from his horse, threw the bridle 
 over his neck, and walking up to the sentinel, 
 asked whether Cobus .had arrived? "Yes," 
 answered the man, "he is there (pointing to a 
 ledge of rocks) with all the rest." "Take care of 
 my horse," said the leader, and with these words 
 he disappeared into a peculiar opening in the rocks. 
 
 The man led the horse a short distance to the 
 north, where beneath the shelter of an immense 
 overhanging rock he secured him to a staple 
 fastened in the solid granite wall. This place 
 (since known throughout that vicinity as Horse 
 Stable Rock) would contain probably thirty or
 
 THE COWBOY OF RAMAPO VALLEY. 43 
 
 forty horses or cattle with comparative ease and 
 comfort to the animals, and was almost perfectly 
 secure from observation. Great hemlocks with 
 their dense, dark foliage reaching almost to the 
 ground, stood along the front, while beneath them 
 grew a natural hedge of evergreen laurel with in- 
 terlacing branches, which together formed an 
 impenetrable thicket, completely hiding everything 
 within. 
 
 The secret rendezvous of the tory band was one 
 of the most remarkable natural caverns in exist- 
 ence. Situated as it was near the summit of the 
 eastern range of the Ramapo mountains, it was 
 well calculated for the headquarters of a gang of 
 lawless spirits, whose doings would not stand the 
 light of day. It also had this advantage, that 
 during the day time no one could approach it 
 without being discovered by the sentinel on guard, 
 as the location commanded a view in every direc- 
 tion. 
 
 When Claudius entered the cavern he found 
 nearly the whole band there. The room, which 
 was about twenty feet square, was lighted by 
 tallow candles set on small ledges against the side
 
 44 CLAUDIUS, 
 
 walls, and one rude chandelier hung from the 
 center of the roof. As he entered the men rose 
 and greeted him cordially. "I am pleased to see 
 you all so punctual," said he, " and now, let us to 
 business ! " He took a seat at a small table in the 
 center of the room, and thus addressed his assem- 
 bled followers : " Boys," said he, " there is work 
 to be done, there is money to be earned, and at 
 the same time our king and country to be served. 
 The British army will, in the near future, require 
 provisions, for which the quartermasters will pay 
 liberally, for they are well supplied with the yel- 
 low gold of Old England, and I see no reason why 
 we, who are in sympathy with their cause, should 
 not earn an honest shilling by supplying them 
 with the beef which is now fattening in the rebel 
 pastures around us. By doing so we will be aid- 
 ing the cause of King George, and what is still 
 more to the purpose, helping ourselves also. What 
 have you to say to this, my men?" asked the 
 chief, as he rose from the chair and looked around 
 the room. 
 
 "We are ready to follow you, Captain Claud, 
 wherever you may lead," replied his men, one and
 
 THE COWBOY OF RAMAPO VALLEY. 45 
 
 all. "And now," said Claudius, "to back up 
 the good resolutions we have made, let us drink 
 health to King George, the rightful sovereign of 
 these colonies." And calling on Cobus to bring 
 out the keg of apple brandy which had been pro- 
 vided for the occasion, they one and all gathered 
 around the table, ready at their captain's word to 
 drink to the health of his majesty. 
 
 Pewter cups holding about half a pint were pro- 
 duced and a liberal supply of the fiery liquid 
 poured into each one, when Claudius gave the 
 signal, and raising the beaker to his lips, said : 
 " Here is long life and health to George the Third, 
 our gracious lord and king ; perdition, death, and 
 dishonor to all his enemies !" As the last words 
 were spoken, they drank to the sentiment, and 
 clashing their cups together, until the mountain 
 cavern rang again, they gave three rousing cheers 
 for Captain Claudius Smith and the undertaking 
 they had in hand. 
 
 "Now," said Claudius, "as you are no doubt 
 aware, our work must be mainly done at night. 
 And when we can capture a sufficient number of 
 cattle or horses, it is our plan to drive them to this
 
 46 CLAUDIUS, 
 
 or some other rendezvous until we get an oppor- 
 tunity to run them into the British lines, where 
 their sale will be quick and profitable." He then 
 appointed his brother Lieutenant ; and thus was 
 organized a band of desperadoes, which, through- 
 out the whole revolutionary struggle was a terror 
 to the surrounding country and made the name of 
 tory and cowboy a stench in the nostrils of every 
 honest man.
 
 CHAPTER VII. 
 
 As time passed and the different results of the 
 Revolutionary struggle transpired, now depressing 
 to the patriotic cause, and again encouraging the 
 actors in it to renewed effort to throw off the 
 British yoke, events were taking place among the 
 rural scenes where our story is laid of a character 
 calculated to arouse the bitter vengeance of the 
 Whigs and cause them to make a combined effort 
 to rid themselves of the cause. 
 
 Captain Onderdonk, as before stated, had been 
 informed of the depredations committed in various 
 quarters by the tories and cowboys under the com- 
 mand of the bandit chief Claudius, but had been 
 kept from attempting their punishment by his 
 other duties along the Hudson River, and in the 
 eastern part of the district, until now, it had be- 
 come a necessity to make a grand effort to rid the 
 country of this pest, or give over a fair portion of 
 the Province to their control. As to the latter
 
 48 CLAUDIUS, 
 
 alternative, Captain Rem. was not constituted 
 that way, and determined to teach them a lesson 
 that should not be forgotten during the remainder 
 of the struggle. 
 
 At this time he was engaged with the greater 
 part of his company in patrolling the west bank of 
 the Hudson from Verdrietige Hook to King's 
 Ferry. The American army had met with disaster 
 at White Plains, and had retreated and crossed 
 the river at the latter place, while detachments of 
 the royalist forces were occupying the east bank 
 and the country beyond for a considerable dis- 
 tance. Under these conditions Rem. did not 
 deem it prudent to leave the river at that point en- 
 tirely unprotected and without a man to watch the 
 movements of the vessels of war which were con- 
 tinually moving either up or down the stream and 
 annoying the inhabitants who resided along its 
 banks. 
 
 He therefore selected twenty of the most reliable 
 men of his company and set out immediately for 
 the vicinity of Ramapo Pass. The remainder he 
 left in charge of his brother Dirck (who acted as 
 his Lieutenant) to keep watch of the movements
 
 THE COWBOY OF RAMAPO VALLEY. 49 
 
 of the enemy there. Rem. knew from the report 
 which Black George had made some time before 
 pretty nearly where he might expect to find the 
 rendezvous of Claudius and his band, but to make 
 it certain not to miss the place he determined to 
 get George to act as guide. 
 
 Captain Onderdonk and his little company 
 arrived at the Onderdonk homestead just as the 
 sun began to paint the eastern horizon with the 
 glorious colors of a summer morning, having 
 marched all that night. The household had not 
 yet begun the labors of the day in fact some of 
 them were still enjoying their morning nap but 
 Black George was found at the barn attending to 
 the stock and overseeing several young darkies 
 who were engaged in doing the morning chores. 
 
 Captain Rem. was received by his family with 
 expressions of joy ; and Katharine rushed into his 
 arms, and hung about his neck with all the effu- 
 sive tenderness of a loving sister for a favorite 
 brother. Some time had passed since he had 
 visited the old homestead, and he was therefore 
 received by the whole household with more than 
 4
 
 50 CLAUDIUS, 
 
 the usuetl demonstrations of gladness. The staunch 
 old Whig, his father, immediately ordered a sub- 
 stantial breakfast to be prepared for the whole 
 company, and the services of every servant and 
 member of the family were called into requisition 
 for the occasion. 
 
 Black George, the chief of the retainers in the 
 employ of old Martinus, was especially busy to 
 make the visit of " Mars Rem." and his company 
 as pleasant as possible. Rem. was led into the 
 great living room of the mansion by his sister and 
 for more than an hour was engaged in answering 
 questions in regard to his own doings, how the cause 
 was progressing in the different localities he had 
 visited in the line of duty, how his brother Dirck 
 fared, and the thousand and one questions sug- 
 gested by parental love and interest in the cause 
 of liberty. 
 
 Breakfast being ready the company was ordered 
 to stack arms and then was conducted into the 
 great kitchen, where the table was found loaded 
 with everything calculated to tempt the appetite. 
 Having been on the march since the evening 
 previous, the men were in condition to do justice
 
 THE COWBOY OF RAMAPO VALLEY. 51 
 
 to the viands set before them. After breakfast 
 Rem. told his men to take a good rest, as in all 
 probability the coining night would be one of ex- 
 ertion, for he determined if possible to find the 
 rendezvous of the cowboys and drive them from 
 the vicinity. 
 
 In the afternoon Rem. consulted with George 
 and they mapped out a plan of procedure to be 
 carried out the coining night. 
 
 The sun had scarcely vanished behind the 
 western hills when Captain Rem. called his men to 
 arms, and headed by Black George they began 
 their march in search of the cowboy band. Strik- 
 ing across the meadow land to the north of the 
 farm house, they soon entered the forest which ex- 
 tended to the foot of the mountain range, and 
 after an hour's tramp came to the base of the 
 mountains. 
 
 The location of the cavern had been so minutely 
 described by George that Captain Rem. thought 
 he could find it without assistance. He therefore 
 divided his command into two detachments often 
 each. George was placed at the head of one of 
 them as guide, while Rem. led the other ; the
 
 52 CLAUDIUS, 
 
 plan of Attack being to approach the stronghold 
 of the cowboys from two sides at once and thus 
 close in around the place and prevent all escape. 
 
 Slowly and silently they ascended the moun- 
 tain. Not a twig snapped, not a footfall was 
 heard as they, with difficulty, clambered over the 
 precipitous rocks, or crawled through the thick 
 underbrush which covered the eastern side of the 
 range. At last the two parties reached the sum- 
 mit and deployed into skirmish lines. They then 
 advanced toward each other expecting to take the 
 bandits by surprise. They approached to within a 
 hundred yards of where they felt certain the 
 cavern was situated when out upon the night air 
 came the report of a dozen rifles, resounding 
 through the mountain valleys and among the hills 
 like the crack of doom. Several of the attacking 
 party went down at the first fire, and at least one 
 of them was mortally wounded. 
 
 Captain Rem. tried to rally his men, and 
 indeed they returned the fire as best they could ; 
 but they were fighting an invisible foe who had 
 been prepared for their coming, and were hiding 
 behind every tree and rock, and with perfect safety
 
 THE COWBOY OF RAMAPO VALLEY. 53 
 
 picked off their enemies as they caught sight of 
 them moving among the trees upon the summit of 
 the ridge. 
 
 There was only one remedy, and that was to re- 
 treat and get out of the scrape as best they could. 
 Rem. therefore gave the order, and down the 
 mountain side they went, carrying their wounded 
 with them. That there had been a traitor in 
 camp was certain, and the only way in which it 
 could be explained was that some person whose 
 sympathies were with the tory band had discov- 
 ered their object while resting at the Onderdouk 
 homestead, or had divined their purpose when seen 
 on their march from the Hudson. 
 
 To say that Captain Onderdonk was disap- 
 pointed at the outcome of the expedition did hot 
 do justice to his feelings on the subject ; but like 
 the true soldier that he was, he was not totally dis- 
 heartened, and consoled himself and followers with 
 the promise that they should do better next time, 
 and he further determined that that next time 
 should not be far distant in the future. The next 
 day he returned with his company to their camp 
 near the Hudson.
 
 CHAPTER VIII. 
 
 Barent Van Houten had been with his company 
 through the disastrous battles of Long Island and 
 White Plains and in the retreat through New 
 Jersey, and was now stationed with it as part of 
 the force occupying the fortifications at Ramapo 
 Pass. This brought him within a short distance 
 of home, and of the one who next to his country 
 held the most sacred place in his affections. He 
 therefore took advantage of the opportunity, and 
 procuring a furlough for a few days, rode over to the* 
 old neighborhood. He found all the friends there 
 in -good health and spirits and overjoyed to receive 
 him safe and sound after his long absence. 
 
 For Mary Demaray the months since he left her 
 to proceed with his company to the seat or war had 
 passed on leaden wings. She was aware of the 
 dangers which surrounded him, of the bloody bat- 
 tles he had participated in and of the defeats the 
 army had sustained of which himself and com- 
 pany formed a part, and consequently she had been
 
 . THE COWBOY OF RAMAPO VALLEY. 55 
 
 ill at ease under the circumstances. But her faith 
 in the cause had been strong, and when she heard 
 the good old dominie pray every Sabbath for the 
 success of the American arms, she had a firm re- 
 liance that the God of battles would in the end 
 favor the cause of the Colonies. 
 
 After Barent had given a detailed account to 
 his parents of all the incidents and accidents he 
 had experienced during the time he had been with 
 the army, of all the sufferings and sacrifices en- 
 dured by the patriots composing the army and all 
 the other information he was possessed of, he rode 
 over to the dwelling of old Bernhard Demaray. 
 He was received there by the whole family with 
 every demonstration of joy at his safe return from 
 the campaigns in which he had been an actor, and 
 for an hour was kept busy relating to the old gen- 
 tleman all the incidents of the war coming under 
 bis immediate notice. To Mary, his betrothed, he 
 poured out the aspirations of his heart as together 
 they talked over their prospects for the future and 
 laid the plans which they expected to see realized 
 when this unnatural struggle should come to an 
 end.
 
 .56 CLAUDIUS, 
 
 As the reader already knows, Barent was com- 
 missioned a Lieutenant when the war began, but 
 he had since been promoted to a captaincy for 
 brave and meritorious conduct on the field of bat- 
 tle. Of course Mary felt a certain pride in the 
 promotion of her gallant lover, who had, in the 
 most unselfish manner, thrown his whole soul in- 
 to the cause of his country, not knowing which 
 way the scale might turn, and recking not of the 
 consequences, if in the end the balance should 
 turn against him. She recognized his noble na- 
 ture, and was proud of the valor he had displayed 
 in many a bloody battle with the enemies of 
 liberty, and gave him all the love her warm heart 
 was capable of, and which was reciprocated by 
 Barent, to whom she was more than all the earth 
 beside. 
 
 But this dalliance with his lady love could not 
 continue, for his furlough was about expiring 
 and he must be off to duty. So taking an affec- 
 tionate leave of Mary, and bidding farewell to his 
 family and friends, he returned to his post at Fort 
 Sidman among the Ramapo mountains. 
 
 About this time, the autumn of 1776, the spirit
 
 THE COWBOY OF RAMAPO VALLEY. 57 
 
 of the Americans was at a low ebb. The army 
 had been chased across New Jersey and into Penn- 
 sylvania, by Cornwallis, and was quartered along 
 the banks of the Delaware. But an encouraging 
 event took place, when Washington, on the 26th 
 December, recrossed the river and won the battle 
 of Trenton. This raised the hopes of the people, 
 so that enlistments became more frequent and 
 supplies more plentiful. 
 
 In that battle the Americans captured one 
 thousand Hessians, slew their leader and escaped 
 back across the Delaware with the loss of two 
 killed in the action and two others frozen to 
 death. A few days after this, viz., January 3rd, 
 1777, having again recrossed the Delaware, Wash- 
 ington fell upon a detachment lying at Princeton, 
 routed them, took three hundred prisoners, and by 
 a rapid march reached the heights of Morristown 
 in safety. This last event set the country wild 
 with joy and raised the hopes of the friends of 
 liberty to a greater pitch than ever before. 
 
 While these great events were transpiring in 
 New Jersey, matters of smaller calibre, but not 
 less interesting to those engaged, were taking
 
 58 CLAUDIUS, 
 
 place among the hills of Ramapo. Claudius, after 
 the repulse of the expedition sent against him 
 under the command of Captain Onderdonk, became 
 more audacious in his manner and actions, and 
 boldly led his men into the open country and 
 seized the horses and cattle belonging to the farm- 
 ers of the vicinity ; and if any resistance was 
 offered, did not hesitate to kill in order to accom- 
 plish his designs. These depredations were 
 becoming of such common occurrence and the 
 inhabitants were so thoroughly terrorized, that in 
 the fall of 1778 complaint was made to the Com- 
 mander-in-Chief, whose headquarters were then at 
 the Suffern mansion at the southern end of 
 Ramapo valley. 
 
 The work of dislodging this band of marauders, 
 as time passed, became difficult. Their emissaries 
 were scattered over all that part of the country 
 which now comprises the counties of Orange and 
 Rockland in New York, and Bergen and Passaic 
 in New Jersey. Every move was watched and 
 every action of the patriots was noted by these 
 traitors to human liberty, and reported to the cow- 
 boy chief. As may be seen, therefore, it was an
 
 THE COWBOY OF RAMAPO VALLEY. 59 
 
 undertaking of considerable magnitude to rid the 
 neighborhood of this well organized band of vil- 
 lains. 
 
 Through the center of this district which they 
 infested, ran the range of mountains known as the 
 Kakiatt, or Ramapo range, in the fastnesses of which 
 were located their hiding places. The complaints 
 against the bandits were so many and became so 
 urgent, that Washington finally, after counseling 
 with officers who knew the difficulties and dangers 
 attending the business, selected Captain Rem- 
 brandt Onderdonk, with his company of scouts, to 
 pursue this band of outlaws, until they were all 
 either killed, captured, or driven out of the country. 
 
 With this end in view, the General sent for 
 Rem., who at the time was with his company near 
 King's Ferry on the Hudson. Rem. soon appeared 
 at headquarters ready for business. He was con- 
 ducted into the presence of Washington by Captain 
 Barent Van Houten, who had lately been appointed 
 one of his aids. 
 
 "Captain Onderdonk," said Washington, "I 
 have sent for you to confer upon business of a very 
 important nature. It appears from many reports
 
 60 CLAUDIUS, 
 
 received at these headquarters that the mountain 
 range between this point and King's Ferry is in- 
 fested by a well organized band of tories and cow- 
 boys, led by a most unscrupulous and cunning man 
 by the name of Claudius Smith. You have been 
 recommended by those in whom I place the 
 utmost confidence as the one person above, all 
 others to command the expedition I intend to send 
 against them. I will not force this command up- 
 on you. I know the danger and difficulties attend- 
 ing an undertaking of this kind. In fact I will 
 accept none but volunteers, both officers and men. 
 What say you Captain Onderdonk, can we have 
 your services." 
 
 "General," answered Rein., U I have enlisted 
 for the war and expect to serve until victory 
 crowns our efforts or my life shall last, and am at 
 the service of my country in any capacity the 
 Commander-in-Chief may see fit to designate. " 
 "Thank you, Captain Onderdonk ! I am pleased 
 to find you willing to undertake this business and 
 believe you will be able to accomplish what you 
 are about to set out to do," said the general. 
 " Captain Van Houten will accompany you, and
 
 THE COWBOY OF RAMAPO VALLEY. 6 1 
 
 when the soldiers of this post are drawn up for in- 
 spection, you have my permission to call for as 
 many volunteers as you need to reinforce your own 
 command, and for the success of the expedition 
 you have my best wishes." 
 
 So saying Washington dismissed Captain Rem., 
 who immediately proceeded with Barent to recruit 
 his ranks. 
 
 When the men comprising the garrison of Fort 
 Sidman were ordered out for inspection, Barent 
 announced the wishes of the General. Captain 
 Rem. selected twenty-five men out of hundreds who 
 volunteered their service, and leaving them at the 
 fort until he could bring his old company from 
 King's Ferry, he bade Barent good bye and 
 started on his return to camp.
 
 CHAPTER IX. 
 
 At the base of the mountains where Call Hollow 
 pierces the range toward the north, was situated at 
 the time of which we write a somewhat dilapidated 
 log house. Its surroundings were wild and for- 
 bidding. The dark green foliage of the old hem- 
 locks which grew around it almost hid the struc- 
 ture from observation, and made the place look 
 dismal and gloomy in the extreme. The sole oc- 
 cupant of this cheerless abode was an old woman 
 of probably seventy-five. Though stooping some- 
 what under the weight of years, Aunt Hester, as 
 she was called by all who knew her, was still ac- 
 tive and quick in her movements, and her black, 
 piercing eyes retained the brightness of youth. 
 
 Throughout the whole neighborhood she was 
 known as a fortune teller, and by the superstitious 
 portion of the inhabitants she was suspected of 
 holding secret communications with the gentle- 
 man in black. Strange stories of uncanny doings 
 in the old house were told by the people who had
 
 THE COWBOY OF RAMAPO VALLEY. 63 
 
 occasion to pass the place at night. Curious illum- 
 inations of the house had been seen in the small 
 hours of the morning, when the old lady had 
 guests of strange character, and goings on were 
 heard and seen which had the appearance of 
 ghostly revels. In fact the old woman had been 
 seen by several (whose words were hard to doubt) 
 dancing with her naked feet in the midst of glow- 
 ing coals, while some one who had the appearance 
 of Satan himself was playing upon a fiddle to 
 make the music for her. 
 
 Of course, all these stories caused the timid 
 ones to shun the place, and therefore Aunt Hester 
 was not troubled or overburdened with visitors. 
 It was only now and then, some rustic Romeo ven- 
 tured there to consult her in regard to his future, 
 or to find out how his suit would be received by ( 
 his intended Juliet. It was seldom any one would 
 own to having thus consulted her, but still it was 
 surmised that others, whose pretentious to greater 
 intelligence was well known, had crossed the old 
 dame's palm with the gold so necessary to future 
 insight, and received from her the horoscope of 
 their nativity.
 
 64 CLAUDIUS, 
 
 Be this as it may, one thing is certain, that 
 on a dark and stormy night in the early part of 
 the winter of 1778, when the north wind came 
 howling down Call Hollow and the old hemlocks 
 bent and swirled under the wintry blast, a stalwart 
 form might have been seen knocking for admission 
 at the door of the old log house. As the man 
 stood there waiting to be admitted, the snow, 
 driven by the fitful gusts of wind, whirled around 
 him and dashed into his face with terrible force. 
 He became impatient and knocked long and 
 loudly. At last the door opened slowly and the 
 old woman asked who was there and what was 
 wanted. " In the first place I want to get in 
 out of this infernal storm," said the man, as he 
 pushed through the half open door, "and in the 
 next place I have come to find out what is to be- 
 fall me in the future ? " " Why should you come 
 to me on such an errand, Claudius Smith ? Can't 
 you let an old woman like me rest in peace," re- 
 plied the old dame. "Well, Aunt Hester," said 
 Claudius, (for it was he) "it is said in all the country 
 round that you can tell .what the future holds in 
 store for us poor mortals, and so I have come to
 
 THE COWBOY OF RAMAPO VALLEY. 65 
 
 you for that purpose. See, here is the glittering- 
 gold which is the open sesame to your black art ! " 
 saying which, he laid an English sovereign in her 
 hand. 
 
 "Claudius Smith," said Aunt Hester, her small 
 black eyes glittering in the light of the tallow 
 candle, like those of a basilisk, u you don't want 
 me to tell you of the future. You know what 
 that will be without my telling ; therefore go, 
 leave me in peace, and trouble no more a decrepit 
 -old woman ! " She knew of the doings of the man 
 who now stood before her ; of how unscrupulous 
 he was, and how merciless toward those who 
 offended him in any way. She therefore tried to 
 put him off in the manner stated above. 
 
 But the tory chief would not be denied, and in- 
 sisted that she should read the future for him. 
 "Well," said she, "if you will have it, and noth- 
 ing else will do, why so be it," and suiting the 
 action to the words, she brought out a small pine 
 table and placed it in the centre of the room. 
 Upon this table she placed a pack of common 
 playing cards and a glass half filled with water.
 
 66 CLAUDIUS, 
 
 "Sit there," said she to Claudius, as she set a 
 chair at one side of the table. She stood at the 
 opposite side and taking up the pack of cards be- 
 gan to shuffle them in a peculiar way and finally 
 spread some of them upon the table, while she 
 kept the remainder in her hands. " Now draw 
 out three cards," said she, at the same time ex- 
 tending to him the part of the pack she had re- 
 tained. 
 
 Claudius did as he was told and drew out three 
 cards. "What have you got," asked the dame. 
 The tory leader spread the three cards face up 
 upon the table. " I have the six, four and trey of 
 spades, ' ' replied he. ' ' Thirteen ! ' ' groaned the old 
 woman. " Woe ! woe ! to you man ! " 
 
 "Now what have we here?" said she, as she 
 raised the half filled glass of water and looked 
 into it. u I see a beautiful maiden, with spark- 
 ling blue eyes and with golden curls. She is sit- 
 ting in a rustic arbor overgrown with creeping 
 vines. A young man approaches and she receives 
 him with joy ! Now she is gone ! Again I see 
 her, but frowns are in the place of smiles and 
 anger has taken the place of joy ! The vision
 
 THE COWBOY OF RAMAPO VALLEY. 67 
 
 disappears, and another takes its place ! " she said, 
 as with trembling hand and tragic manner she 
 raised the glass still higher and gazed as if en- 
 tranced into its limpid depths. 
 
 U I see a burning building. The flames are 
 shooting skyward. Armed men are around it, and 
 the family whose home it was, are vainly try- 
 ing to save their household goods. The armed 
 band is gathering the horses and cattle, and now 
 at the command of one who seems to be their 
 leader, they inarch away, taking the farmer's 
 horses and cattle with them. But another and a 
 stranger apparition appears ! I see the same 
 armed band, led by the same leader, in deadly 
 combat with a larger force. Blood is flowing 
 freely and dead men lie around. At last the band 
 is overpowered and all are taken prisoners that re- 
 main alive except the leader and three others, 
 who escape by flight. Once more ! the fates 
 are propitious and another scene passes before 
 my eyes ! A country village with court house 
 and jail and now a gallows comes into view ! 
 Upon the scaffold under it stand four men, one 
 of whom is the leader of the armed band !
 
 68 CLAUDIUS, 
 
 Officers of the law are in attendance, and soldiers 
 of the patriot army surround the gallows ! Lo ! 
 the rope is cut, and all four are launched into 
 eternity ! Thus have I told your future, Claudius 
 Smith ! You would have it so, and I am not to 
 blame!" 
 
 "You lie, you weather beaten hag!" shouted 
 Claudius. "That is not my horoscope ! You are 
 trying to play upon my fears and only that you are 
 a woman I should tear your old heart from your 
 shrunken body ! " 
 
 "I have told you the truth," said old Hester, 
 "and now you may do your worst. I do not fear 
 you ! You may kill an old and unprotected woman, 
 but what would it benefit you? You would add 
 one more sin to the many for which your guilty 
 soul must answer. And that is all ! " 
 
 The words of Claudius had aroused the old 
 woman's ire, and though the heavens should fall, 
 she would not take back a word, nor change in 
 the slightest degree, the horrible horoscope she 
 had read him. 
 
 Claudius, though disappointed and angered at 
 the outcome of his visit to the old hag at Call
 
 THE COWBOY OF RAMAPO VALLEY. 69 
 
 Hollow, set out on his return to the headquarters 
 of his band. On his way through the mountains 
 he had ample time to think over the occurrences 
 of the evening, and though he made more than 
 one resolution to throw the whole thing off his 
 mind, his thoughts would constantly revert to the 
 old woman's dire prophecy. In common with 
 many people of the period there was in his com- 
 position an element of superstition which caused 
 him, in many instances, to do things totally at 
 variance (as his friends and comrades thought) 
 with his usual good judgment. After a toilsome 
 journey among rocks, through underbrush, and 
 over fallen tree tops, he arrived at the cave and 
 threw himself upon a couch for a good rest.
 
 CHAPTER X. 
 
 The year 1777 was one of great military activity 
 in the Colonies, or, as had been proclaimed by 
 the Declaration, the United States. The struggle 
 for independence might be said to have reached its 
 climax at the end of that year. Princeton, Ben- 
 nington and Brandywine had been fought, and the 
 situation even then was favorable to the American 
 arms. But when, on the night of the i7th of 
 October, the signal fires were lighted announcing 
 the capture of Burgoyne, the whole country was 
 elevated to the highest pitch of joy. From Lake 
 Champlain to the Gulf of Mexico there was feast- 
 ing and rejoicing. The fine army under the vet- 
 eran General Burgoyne, in its march from Canada 
 to form a junction with Clinton at New York, 
 never anticipated so serious a check, and its offi- 
 cers never expected that the ragamuffin army under 
 Gates would even be a hindrance to their victorious 
 inarch.
 
 THE COWBOY OF RAMAPO VALLEY. 71 
 
 But the fortunes of war are always uncertain, 
 and Bemis' Heights, Saratoga and Stillwater 
 taught them a lesson they did not soon forget. In 
 South Carolina and Georgia, also, the half starved 
 and squalid troops of Marion and Sumter, which 
 had been hiding in swamps and forests, now came 
 forth, and with renewed energy, attacked .the 
 British garrisons and harrassed them by unex- 
 pected forays, until they were compelled to leave 
 their outposts in the interior and retire to the 
 coast. 
 
 Thus the prospects which before these events 
 were gloomy and depressing, became brighter and 
 more cheering for the patriot cause. 
 
 It was the latter part of this same year and 
 shortly after his appearance at the old log house, 
 that Claudius made a secret visit to the Onderdonk 
 homestead. He knew that Rein, had been com- 
 missioned to hunt him down and to extirpate his 
 band if possible, but still he determined to find 
 out from Katharine herself the state of her feel- 
 ings toward him. The tory chief loved her with 
 all the fervor of which his selfish heart was capa- 
 ble, and believed that Katharine in a measure 
 reciprocated those feelings.
 
 72 CLAUDIUS, 
 
 He therefore, very unexpectedly to the whole 
 family, appeared at the mansion, and soon learned 
 from her, that under no circumstances would she, 
 the sister of Captain Rem. Onderdonk, and the 
 daughter of a staunch old Whig, become the bride 
 of an enemy to her country and the cause so dear 
 to her heart. Claudius knew well the stock from, 
 which she sprung and knew just as well the use- 
 lessness of trying to alter her mind by pleadings,, 
 no matter how eloquent they might be. He there- 
 fore took leave of her with courteous words and 
 polite manner, but with dire hate at heart and 
 half formed resolutions of vengeance in his mind. 
 
 Captain Rem. and his company, though they had 
 been scouring the mountains and hunting through 
 every gorge and valley in the range and had even 
 thoroughly explored the cavern that was formerly 
 the rendezvous of the tory gang had been unsuc- 
 cessful thus far in accomplishing their purpose. 
 The emissaries of Claudius had kept him well 
 posted in regard to their movements and he had 
 scattered his band and kept them under cover for 
 the present only to be gathered again when the 
 time was more propitious.
 
 THE COWBOY OF RAMAPO VALLEY. 73 
 
 One day in the early spring of 1778, Black 
 George came running almost breathless from the 
 direction of the forest north of the Onderdonk 
 dwelling, and calling the old gentleman aside, 
 said: "Mas' Onderdonk, de cowboys am comin' 
 sure! I seed dem from whar I wus cuttin' wood 
 jist beyant de swamp! Dar am more den forty ob 
 dem, and I am mos' sartin dat young Claudius 
 Smit am de boss ob de gang! Dey aint comin' fer 
 no good, and I better git de boys togedder fer to 
 be ready fer em, eh, Mas' Onderdonk?" "Yes, 
 George," replied the old man, "but if there are as 
 many of them as you think, we will hardly be able 
 to withstand them." " We kin do de bes' we kin, 
 Mas' Onderdonk," returned George. And having 
 received permission, he called the work hands of 
 the farm, white and black together, to defend the 
 place as best they could. The whole of them 
 when assembled numbered ten, young and old. 
 
 They were armed with anything that came 
 handy axes, pitchforks and iron bars being 
 among the weapons provided, George and old 
 Martinus only, being armed with rifles. "Now," 
 said George (when he had assumed the command),
 
 74 CLAUDIUS, 
 
 "we better meet em at de barn, fer dey'll git dar 
 fust. I'll take Sam and de boys to help me dar, 
 and you, Mas' Onderdonk, and Csesar kin stay at 
 de house and take kar ob old missus and Miss 
 Katharine." 
 
 After making this disposition of his garrison, 
 George constituted himself a picket to watch the 
 movements of the marauders. He placed himself 
 behind one of the small outbuildings north of the 
 barn where he could note the first appearance of 
 the enemy from the direction they were expected 
 to come. It was now nearly dark and he had not 
 been on guard more than half an hour, when 
 through the gathering gloom he saw some moving 
 objects at the edge of the forest. He called Sam's 
 attention to them and while they were trying to 
 ascertain what it meant, they were astonished at 
 the appearance of probably thirty well armed men, 
 approaching from a direction at nearly right angles 
 from where the moving objects were first seen. 
 
 Black George, rifle in hand, stepped out from 
 the covering building and called out : "Hi 
 dar ! halt ! what you want har? Stop, right whar 
 you is! You har me? Don't you come any
 
 THE COWBOY OF RAMAPO VALLEY. 75 
 
 ferder, or I'll let you know what am inside dis 
 fowlin' piece!" But they paid no attention to 
 his command and came on secure in overwhelm- 
 ing numbers. "Take dat, den ! dod bust yer bad 
 skins ! " shouted George, as he raised his rifle and 
 fired into the crowd. There was a yell of pain 
 from some one in the gang; but on they came, and 
 before the little band of defenders could make any 
 resistance they were overpowered and taken 
 prisoners. 
 
 After disposing of the men and boys at the barn, 
 Claudius, (who was in command,) gave orders to 
 collect the horses and cattle, while himself and a 
 couple of his men went to the mansion. Old 
 Martinus, who saw the folly of attempting to 
 make a stand against such a large force, was found 
 sitting on the porch. Katharine and her mother 
 were inside of the house, and though badly 
 frightened, were attending to their household 
 duties. As Claudius approached the old man, 
 he bade him good evening, and in his 
 most suave tones asked after his health. He 
 said he was very sorry to inconvenience him, but 
 that the King's forces were in need of provisions
 
 7 6 CLAUDIUS, 
 
 of all kinds and he was therefore under the neces- 
 sity of confiscating his cattle and horses. " The 
 soldiers of the King must be supplied," said he, 
 "and his enemies should be compelled to bear 
 their share of the burden !" 
 
 "Claudius," said the old man, "I know what 
 you came for. I also know that you have the 
 power to take what you wish; therefore make no 
 excuses, but admit honestly that you came 4o rob 
 and plunder us, not that you may supply the 
 British army, but that you mean to drive off my 
 cattle and horses and sell them for your own 
 benefit." 
 
 " Well," said Claudius, "let it be as you say ; I 
 will not argue with you, for argument is generally 
 unprofitable and takes up precious time." 
 Just then Katharine appeared in the doorway and 
 was greeted by the tory chief with a courteous sal- 
 utation. " Good evening, Katharine ! I am happy 
 to meet you!" said he. "Shame upon you 
 Claudius ! for what you are doing," said she, and 
 turning to her father remarked : "We are being 
 stung by the viper we have warmed, but we will 
 let him know that, though they may rob us of our
 
 THE COWBOY OF RAMAPO VALLEY. 77 
 
 possessions, they can never crush the spirit of the 
 true sons and daughters of liberty. You may do 
 your worst, I only despise you ! " "I am sorry 
 you have so bad an opinion of the soldiers of the 
 King, but necessity must be our plea," answered 
 Claudius. 
 
 Turning to his men who had gathered in front 
 of the house with the cattle and horses belonging 
 to the Onderdonk farm, ready to be driven away, 
 he said : " Drive on, boys ; we have a long way to 
 go ; and seeing the night is going to be very dark, 
 two of you go back and fire the barns that we may 
 have some light by the way." In a few moments 
 a bright blaze shot heavenward and lit up the sur- 
 rounding landscape. With a low and courteous 
 bow to Katharine, he mounted his horse and with 
 the rest of his band disappeared in the darkness. 
 
 "What have they done with George, and the 
 rest of the boys?" asked Katharine, as the flames 
 burst out anew from the great Dutch barn. "I 
 will go and find out," replied the old gentleman ; 
 and calling Csesar they went to the barn and found 
 that George and his companions had been securely 
 locked in the granary, where they would certainly
 
 jg CLAUDIUS, 
 
 have perished but for the timely coining of their 
 
 liberators. 
 
 " Oh dear ! " groaned George as he came out and 
 viewed the burning buildings. "You rascal 
 tories ! you'll hab ter pay fer dis night's work ! 
 Jis wait till Mas' Retn. comes back and den I guess 
 dar'll be an overhaulin' of dis bizness ! Oh ! Mas' 
 Onderdonk ! dey haint lef ' a horse nor a cow on 
 de hull place. Dem tory debils done took 'em all 
 sure ! Sarten as my name am George, I'll help put 
 up de job to make 'em pay for dis night's doins ! " 
 And with many such threats of vengeance, the 
 poor negro sat down upon a rock in the barn yard 
 and wept like a child at the destruction accom- 
 plished by the outlaws. 
 
 The horses and cattle were driven and sold to a 
 detachment of the British army lying at a point 
 about three miles north of Tappau, in the valley 
 of the Hackensack. Their plan of dispersing and 
 seeking their rendezvous separately, after dispos- 
 ing of their booty, made it almost impossible to 
 punish these marauders or to intercept them while 
 on one of their forays after cattle, as their depre- 
 dations were nearly always committed in the 
 night.
 
 CHAPTER XL 
 
 The winter of 1778 was really the most gloomy 
 period of the war. Washington, with the main 
 body of the American army was encamped at Valley 
 Forge, in the northeastern part of Pennsylvania. 
 The clothing of the men was worn out and they 
 came upon the parade ground with rags dangling 
 from their persons. The shoes of many of 'them 
 were gone, and the tracks made by their bloody 
 feet could be seen on the frozen ground of this 
 valley of despair. The continental paper money had 
 become so much depreciated that even an officer's 
 pay would scarcely keep him in clothing. The win- 
 ter was one of the coldest ever experienced in that 
 latitude, and the condition of the army on that ac- 
 count was worse than can be described. To add 
 to the miseries of destitution and nakedness, sick- 
 ness became prevalent, and no medicines were to 
 be had. 
 
 But through all these adversities the fires of 
 patriotism still burned brightly and the spirit of
 
 80 CLAUDIUS, 
 
 devotion to the cause of liberty animated their 
 hearts and upheld them in the determination to 
 shake off the British yoke. The picture of the 
 great hero on his knees, amid these scenes of 
 suffering and wretchedness, praying to the God of 
 battles for the deliverance of his beloved country 
 from the yoke of the oppressor, was a sure pre- 
 cursor of the end. 
 
 On the 6th day of February, France, through 
 the influence of Benjamin Franklin, acknowledged 
 the independence of the United States, and agreed 
 to send a fleet to their assistance. Thus things 
 began to look brighter as spring opened, and when, 
 on the a8th of the following June, the battle of 
 Monmouth was fought and won by the American 
 forces, the country again became hopeful. 
 
 Captain Barent Van Houten, though acting as 
 one of Washington's aids while his headquarters 
 was at the Suffern mansion, near Fort Sidman, had 
 remained with his company when the Commander- 
 in-Chief went south to Valley Forge. The time 
 had passed slowly and without much to interest 
 them, as their only duty was to guard the pass, 
 until the summer of 1779, when his company,
 
 THE COWBOY OF RAMAPO VALLEY. 8l 
 
 among others, was detached to make part of the 
 force of General Wayne to attack Stony Point. 
 
 It was a warm morning in early July that 
 the order came to "fall in," and in a short 
 time the detachment was making its way along the 
 old King's road, leading from the point of the 
 mountain to King's Ferry. It was a hot and dusty 
 march and quite a number of the men succumbed 
 to the overpowering heat. 
 
 At a point some five or six miles south of their 
 destination they found Captain Rem. Onderdonk 
 and his company of scouts awaiting them. He had 
 received orders to form a junction with the men 
 from Fort Sidman, and, together, they took up the 
 march toward the fort on the Hudson. 
 
 Some time had elapsed since Barent and Rem. had 
 met, and many things had transpired in the old 
 neighborhood which interested them both. As they 
 journeyed together toward what might be their final 
 destination, Rem. told of the destruction of the 
 barns on the old farm, how the cowboys under 
 Claudius had run off the cattle and horses belong- 
 ing to his father and how he would make them
 
 82 CLAUDIUS, 
 
 feel his vengeance if he was spared long enough 
 to accomplish it. " Barent," said Rem., " I shall 
 not rest until that infernal band of thieves and 
 bandits are destroyed, and if I come safely through 
 the coming fight, I shall attend strictly to that 
 business until it is finished. My company was re- 
 inforced for that purpose and I scoured the moun- 
 tain range from end to end to find them, but thus 
 far they have eluded me. Their spies are located 
 in every neighborhood and in every hamlet 
 throughout the district ; but if I once strike their 
 trail I will not leave it until I have run them to 
 earth." 
 
 "I hope you may be successful," returned 
 Barent, "but you have a cunning fox to deal with, 
 and I fear he will give you a long chase before he 
 is caught." "Well," said Rem., "I shall not 
 leave a stone unturned to destroy them and rid the 
 land of their presence, for there is no safety for 
 either age or sex so long as these scoundrels are in 
 existence." 
 
 At the distance of about a mile from Stony 
 Point the detachment was halted, and, through 
 the growing darkness, they saw approaching
 
 THE COWBOY OF RAMAPO VALLEY. 83 
 
 another body of men. It was the battalion which 
 had landed at Sandy Beach on the Hudson, and 
 the two detachments meeting there were to form 
 the attacking force under General Wayne. It was 
 now nearly dark, and while the men stood at rest 
 in the ranks, the general rode down the line and 
 thus addressed them : 
 
 " I expect every man to do his duty ! That fort 
 must be taken, and not a musket must be fired ! 
 Let every man draw the charge from his piece and 
 be sure to fix his bayonet securely, for it is only 
 with cold steel we must capture it ! " 
 
 Captain Rem. Onderdonk was selected to lead 
 the forlorn hope which was to attack the fort on 
 the west side as a feint, while the main body 
 should make the attempt from the east, or river 
 side. 
 
 As is well known, a negro who knew the path, 
 led the main body through the marsh between the 
 river and the bluff upon which the fort was 
 located. As the men still stood in the ranks 
 Captain Rein, stepped in front of them to call for 
 volunteers to form the forlorn hope. " I want," said 
 he, "only such men as fear God and not man !
 
 84 CLAUDIUS, 
 
 Let those who are willing to volunteer step 
 one pace to the front ! " As one man, the whole 
 detachment advanced a step. Rem. then selected 
 fifty men, and under cover of the darkness imme- 
 diately started for the fort. 
 
 The main body followed until it came to the foot 
 of the promontory upon which the fort was built. 
 When they arrived there they halted and remained 
 there awaiting the attack of the forlorn hope. All 
 at once the rattle of musketry was heard on the 
 western slope and the shouts of the men as they 
 made the attack ! 
 
 While this was going on and while the forlorn 
 hope was being mowed down like wheat before 
 the sickle, the main body under the immediate 
 command of Mad Anthony, was led by the old 
 negro through the morass and up the narrow path 
 leading to the fort. 
 
 They had nearly gained the summit, when they 
 were discovered by the garrison and a devastating 
 fire was poured into them. Almost at the first fire 
 General Wayne was wounded in the head. ' ' Carry 
 me at the head of the column," said the general. 
 His order was obeyed, and upon a stretcher he led
 
 THE COWBOY OF RAMAPO VALLEY. 85. 
 
 the impetuous charge of his men, who with fixed 
 bayonets carried everything before them. 
 
 It was the work of only a few minutes to cap- 
 ture the fort, so overpowering was the rush of the 
 Americans. But the forlorn hope suffered fear- 
 fully. Of the fifty men composing it only ten sur- 
 vived ; but among these was the heroic leader. 
 The British loss was six hundred in killed, wound- 
 ed and prisoners, while the American loss was only 
 one hundred. 
 
 Captain Rem., whose attack and feint upon the 
 western side of the fort had contributed so much 
 to its capture, was complimented by General 
 Wayne for his bravery and good conduct in lead- 
 ing the forlorn hope. A large quantity of amuni- 
 tion and military stores, of which the x\merican 
 army stood in great need, were taken. 
 
 The fort was taken July I5th, and the next day 
 about half of the prisoners, under the escort of 
 Captains Rem. and Barent with their two com- 
 panies, took the road back to Fort Sid man. They 
 had got about one-half the distance between the 
 two points when night overtook them, and they 
 determined to halt until daylight. Their whole
 
 86 CLAUDIUS, 
 
 force consisted of only about seventy-five men, 
 while their prisoners numbered more than three 
 hundred. They therefore took possession of the 
 barn and outbuildings belonging to the old country 
 tavern just west of Coe's corner on the old King's 
 road, and for safety locked the prisoners in them. 
 After placing a strong guard around the buildings 
 the officers took lodgings in the tavern for the 
 night. 
 
 About 2 o'clock the next morning a great com- 
 inotion was heard by the sentinels on guard, 
 among the prisoners confined in the barn, and 
 believing that they were about to rise and over- 
 power them, they fired into the barn. This firing 
 in the still hours of the early morning, imme- 
 diately aroused the officers and soldiers not on 
 duty, who rushed to the barn to find that four of 
 the prisoners had been killed and a number 
 wounded. 
 
 The cause of the commotion inside was found 
 to have been a quarrel ending in a knock down 
 fight among the captured soldiers. In the morn- 
 ing the dead men were buried behind the barn, 
 where their remains still lie ; but their ghosts
 
 THE COWBOY OF RAMAPO VALLEY. 87 
 
 often (so the inhabitants say) stalk abroad and 
 to this day haunt a house which in after years was 
 built upon the site of the old barn. After the 
 burial of the dead prisoners, they resumed their 
 march and toward night of the same day arrived 
 at Fort Sidman.
 
 CHAPTER XII. 
 
 While the events described in the previous 
 chapter were passing in different parts of the 
 land, a terrible and mysterious occurrence took 
 place in the Onderdonk family. The morning 
 after the capture of Stony Point the old man and 
 most of the family were about attending to the 
 morning's work and preparing to rebuild the 
 barns which had been destroyed by the tories, 
 when the old lady appeared, and with blanched 
 face and trembling voice, asked whether any one 
 had seen Katharine. They all returned a nega- 
 tive answer. She had not been seen by any of the 
 family since the previous night, when she had 
 bidden her parents good night and retired to 
 her room. 
 
 A search was immediately instituted about the 
 premises, and every member of the family be- 
 gan an investigation to find the cause of her dis- 
 appearance. No noises had been heard and there
 
 THE COWBOY OF RAMAPO VALLEY. 89 
 
 were no signs of a struggle in her room, as every 
 article of furniture therein was in its place. Her 
 couch was undisturbed, showing that it had not 
 been occupied by her during the night. Every 
 piece of woodland, every thicket, and, in fact, 
 every place throughout the neighborhood was 
 searched by the family and friends ; but at night- 
 fall they all returned to the house unsuccessful. 
 She had disappeared completely and myteriously 
 and no one could account for it. 
 
 Of course there were suspicions but there was 
 really no foundation for them until Black George 
 the next morning reported that he had found the 
 marks of footsteps in the earth under the window 
 of Katharine's room. He insisted that they were 
 the tracks of two large men, as they were of im- 
 mense size. He immediately set out to follow the 
 trail and only lost it some distance in the forest 
 north of the dwelling. The direction taken by 
 the men whose footsteps had been discovered, 
 caused Katharine's friends to suspect that Claudius 
 Smith had something to do with her unaccount- 
 able disappearance. 
 
 It was well known among them that the tory
 
 90 CLAUDIUS, 
 
 chief had been a suitor for her hand and that she 
 had rejected his offer with disdain ; but they did 
 not think it possible for him to commit a crime of 
 this kind. They knew his crafty and covetous 
 nature, and that he would not hesitate to commit 
 almost any kind of depredation if he saw in it any 
 financial gain for himself ; but they did not dream 
 that Claudius would take so much trouble for 
 either love or vengeance's sake. 
 
 As might be supposed, her family, and especially 
 her father and mother, were overcome and nearly 
 crazed by the occurrence, and Black George, who 
 loved the young misuss, and looked up to her al- 
 most as to a superior being, was literally crushed 
 in spirit by the sad incident. He was sent to 
 Fort Sidman to inform Rem. of his sister's strange 
 disappearance, and arrived there just as Rem. 
 and Barent with their companies had returned 
 from Stony Point. 
 
 "Oh ! Mas' Rem., dis am awful ! My good- 
 ness ! how kin I tell you ! Oh ! it am terrible ! " 
 eried George, as he attempted to inform Rem. of 
 what had happened. "What ails you, George? 
 What causes you to act in this manner," said
 
 THE COWBOY OF RAMAPO VALLEY. 9 1 
 
 Rem. "Come, tell me what brings you here? 
 How are the folks at home?" asked he. " De 
 folks am all well what am home ; but Miss Kath- 
 arine ain't home and we don't know whar she 
 am gone," answered George. And then he told 
 the story to Rem. as best he could, between 
 groans and threats of vengeance against her ab- 
 ductors. 
 
 "Can it be possible," said Rem., turning to 
 Barent, who had heard part of George's story, 
 " that she has been abducted by that infernal 
 tory? I know she disdainfully and in cutting 
 words refused an offer of his hand, but I can 
 scarcely believe that Claudius, merely to gratify 
 his spite, would commit a crime so detestable and 
 add another incentive to hunt him down like a 
 dog." 
 
 " This is terrible ! " said Barent, "and if there 
 is anything I can do to aid you in this emergency 
 I wish you would command me." "I do not 
 know in what manner you can assist me except 
 that your better acquaintance with Colonel 
 Malcolm, the commander of this post, might help 
 me to procure a furlough for a few days," answered
 
 92 CLAUDIUS, 
 
 Rem. "Come," said Barent, "we will go to him 
 at once." And together they proceeded to the 
 headquarters of the commander. Colonel Malcolm 
 forthwith granted the request and George and 
 Rem. immediately set out on their journey home. 
 
 On their way to the Ouderdonk dwelling, 
 George gave Rem. all the particulars in re- 
 gard to the disappearance of his sister that he 
 was possessed of. " Dey mus' be slashin' big 
 fellers dat owned dem tracks, fer you know, Mas' 
 Rem., dat my feet ain't much like a baby's, and I 
 do declar, dat bofe of mine could git into one ob 
 dem tracks," said George, as they journeyed 
 along. 
 
 In due time they arrived at the house where 
 Rem. found his father and mother, bent under the 
 weight of sorrow that had overwhelmed them and 
 the whole household in a state of consternation. 
 He consoled the old people as well as he could by 
 telling them that he thought no harm would come 
 to Katharine, and that in all probability she would 
 be found and returned to them in safety. 
 
 He examined the ground around the house and 
 with the help of George followed the trail made by
 
 THE COWBOY OF RAMAPO VALLEY. 93 
 
 the abductors far into the forest and made one dis- 
 covery which George had failed to notice. That 
 was the place where two horses had been standing, 
 as shown by the ground being stamped over by their 
 feet. Here, no doubt, was the place where Kath- 
 erine had been placed upon one of the horses and 
 taken to some secure point in the mountains, but 
 where that was, no one thus far could tell. 
 
 After finding out all he could and encouraging 
 the old farmer and his wife to the best of his 
 ability, Rem. was obliged to leave the old home 
 and repair to the scene of duty. He had intended 
 ere this to have started on another hunt for the 
 cowboy band, but other duties had kept him from 
 it, and the state of affairs was still such as to 
 prevent his immediate prosecution of that purpose.
 
 CHAPTER XIII. 
 
 The latter part of the year 1779 had been a 
 period of gloom and misfortune to the American 
 arms, especially in the South, where, at Savannah, 
 the combined American and French forces had 
 been repulsed by the British army occupying that 
 city. 
 
 Affairs at the North were also in such a condi- 
 tion as to keep our hero and his friend Barent 
 fully employed at Fort Sidman and King's Ferry, 
 and the west bank of the Hudson which it was 
 necessary to patrol constantly. At this time, the 
 beginning of the year 1780, quite a large detach- 
 ment of the American army was stationed at 
 Tappan, where Washington occupied the DeWint 
 mansion as his headquarters. The old building 
 still stands, as strong and substantial as ever. It is 
 built of stone excepting the front, which is com- 
 posed of brick brought from Holland, and the 
 date, 1700, is masoned into the front, where it is 
 still as legible as when placed there, one hundred 
 and ninety-four years ago.
 
 THE COWBOY OF RAMAPO VALLEY. 95 
 
 Sir Henry Clinton, the British commander at 
 New York, was continually sending out bands of 
 tories and regulars to devastate the country within 
 a radius of thirty miles of the city. One of these 
 bands marched up the Hackensack Valley, burning 
 the farm houses and, in many instances, murdering 
 old and decrepit men whose extreme age inca- 
 pacitated them for military duty. This predatory 
 gang burned the settlement of Closter in New 
 Jersey, and bayoneted in cold blood several Whigs 
 who were too old to run away or make any resist- 
 ance. 
 
 About this time, too, there was enacted a tragedy 
 which should have caused the blush of shame to 
 mantle the cheek of every actor in it. Colonel 
 Baylor, with part of a troop of light horse, had 
 taken possession of a barn for the night in a 
 neighborhood called old Tappan, about a mile west 
 of Tappan proper. While sleeping, they were 
 surprised and surrounded by a large detachment 
 of British and tories, under the command of a 
 blood-thirsty officer of the British army. They 
 were so thoroughly taken by surprise that they did 
 not have the opportunity to fire a shot, and sur-
 
 96 CLAUDIUS, 
 
 rendered at discretion. Instead of being held as 
 prisoners of war the most of them were imme- 
 diately shot or bayoneted. Every one of them 
 would have been butchered but for the humanity 
 of a British officer who dared to disobey the orders 
 of his commander. Their bodies were thrown in- 
 to the vats of an old tannery near by. 
 
 Such actions had the effect of putting a more 
 malignant face on a struggle which already had 
 begun to assume all the horrors of civil strife ; and 
 it aroused the patriots to more determined efforts 
 and gave them reason for retaliation when the oc- 
 casion offered. 
 
 The duties of the revolutionary scouts were 
 onerous in the extreme. They were expected to 
 patrol thoroughly certain portions of the country, 
 intercept and repulse, if possible, these predatory 
 bands, and report to the headquarters of the com- 
 mander of the district, any movements of the 
 larger bodies of the enemy. They were in fact the 
 police of the time, protecting the non-combatants 
 and circumventing the evil disposed persons who 
 always, in time of war, take advantage of the condi- 
 tion of the country to prey upon their neighbors.
 
 THE COWBOY OF RAMAPO VALLEY. 97 
 
 Thus we may understand that Captain Rem. 
 and his company had enough to engage their at- 
 tention and to fully employ their time. 
 
 On the evening Miss Katharine Onderdonk dis- 
 appeared she had retired to her room about eleven 
 o'clock. The air was somewhat sultry and hoi, 
 and sitting down at the bedside she took up a 
 book that was lying upon the table and began to 
 read. She had been reading perhaps half an hour 
 and was just upon the point of retiring when a 
 strong hand grasped her from behind and a heavy 
 blanket was thrown over her head, completely 
 smothering any outcry that she might attempt to 
 make. She was then lifted bodily from the chair 
 and, the window being raised by some one from 
 the outside, was placed gently upon her feet on 
 the ground. The two men then picked her up 
 and carried her, with the blanket still about her, 
 until they arrived at the edge of the forest about 
 half a mile from the house. They then lifted the 
 blanket from her, and placed a heavy bandage over 
 her eyes. "Come," said one of the men, "it is 
 easier for us that you should walk, and it will be 
 7
 
 98 CLAUDIUS, 
 
 more pleasant for you to keep quiet than to make 
 any noise." One of the men took her arm, and, 
 in the darkness, led her (she knew not whither) for a 
 considerable distance, and then came to a halt. In 
 a short time she was lifted upon a horse in front 
 of one of her captors, and the word was given to 
 proceed. 
 
 On through the forest, up the mountain side, 
 over rocks and through underbrush, the little 
 cavalcade wended its way, until Katharine could 
 begin to distinguish through the bandage the 
 breaking of the day. Thus far she had main- 
 tained a strict silence, knowing full well the 
 futility of any protestation she might make ; but 
 now she asked what was meant by their carrying 
 her off in this manner, away from her old and 
 infirm parents, and what evil thing she had 
 done to be thus treated ? 
 
 The only answer she received was to be lifted 
 from the horse and led down what seemed to her 
 an almost endless stairway. At the bottom they 
 stopped, a door grated on its hinges, opened, and 
 shut again, as she was ushered into what she 
 found to be a subterranean room of about ten feet
 
 THE COWBOY OF RAMAPO VALLEY. 99 
 
 square. A lamp was burning on a table in the 
 centre. A lounge, upholstered in damask, stood 
 in one corner, while in a recess was a small 
 library filled with books. The room also con- 
 tained three or four chairs. 
 
 Alone, and not knowing where she was, the 
 thoughts which came into her mind were far from 
 being of a consoling nature. She knew that her 
 parents would be almost distracted by her sudden 
 and unaccountable disappearance and that, at their 
 age, it might have a fatal issue. But she also 
 knew there was no use in whining and weeping 
 over the matter, and she therefore determined to 
 make the best of her surroundings and wait 
 patiently for deliverance. Katharine was not of 
 the whimpering and weeping kind ; but of that 
 nature which rises to the occasion as the difficulties 
 become greater, and the obstacles seem more in- 
 surmountable. She saw no one for some hours, 
 and then a _small 'colored girl was let in by the 
 outside guardian of her prison. She carried some 
 refreshments on a server, which she placed upon 
 the table. There were some fruit, a loaf of bread, 
 and a small bottle of wine. Though her appetite
 
 100 CLAUDIUS, 
 
 was not of the best, she knew that for the sake of 
 her health and strength she must eat and drink too. 
 She therefore ate of the fruit sparingly and drank 
 a small glass of the wine. 
 
 She tried to find out from the young African 
 who had brought her there and what was the 
 cause of her incarceration ? But she might just 
 as well have interrogated the walls of the cavern. 
 She was either an idiot or else had been told to 
 keep her mouth closed and was obeying that in- 
 junction to the letter, for Katharine could not get 
 one word from her, good or bad. She therefore 
 gave it up. 
 
 The little girl had been inside but a short time 
 when a rap was heard at the door, and she grasped 
 the server and was let out by the unseen sentinel. 
 
 Several days and nights must have passed before 
 Katharine saw any human being except the colored 
 attendant. There was no way of distinguishing 
 day from night, as no ray of sunshine ever pene- 
 trated her gloomy abode. This confinement 
 became very monotonous, and, at times, tears of 
 sorrow for her suffering parents and friends would 
 moisten the eyes of the captive.
 
 THE COWBOY OF RAMAPO VALLEY. 1OI 
 
 The little library was a great relief to her and 
 she spent most of the time in reading the books it 
 contained and which had been selected with great 
 good taste, comprising the best works of the day 
 both in fact and fiction. But her thoughts were 
 constantly reverting to the loved ones at 
 home who knew not whether she was dead or 
 alive, and this worried her more than anything 
 else. 
 
 It was probably a week after she had ar- 
 rived there that Katharine heard a heavy footstep 
 outside. The key grated in the lock, the door 
 swung back on its rusty hinges, and the tory 
 chief entered the room. He was dressed with 
 extra care. His buckskin breeches and leggings 
 were new and bright, a fine broadcloth coat cov- 
 ered his person, and a broad silk crimson sash was 
 coiled around his waist. With a low and courtly 
 bow he saluted the captive maiden. Without return- 
 ing his salutation she arose from the chair upon 
 which she had been sitting and fastened her eyes 
 upon him with a look full of disdain and defiance. 
 
 "My dear Miss Onderdonk," said Claudius, "I 
 am sorry to have discommoded you, but I was com-
 
 102 CLAUDIUS, 
 
 pelled to it, as it was the only way in which I 
 could be assured of your society and be certain of 
 an uninterrupted conversation with you. The 
 times are uncertain and tempestuous, the country 
 is overrun by armed bands, and so under the cir- 
 cumstances, it was the best I could do. I hope 
 you will forgive me ! " " Claudius Smith ! " said 
 she, "if manhood or honor had any part in your 
 constitution, the blush of shame would now man- 
 tle your cheek ! You have used your power to 
 carry off and incarcerate a defenseless woman, 
 when you knew her friends, and especially those 
 who are strong enough to protect her were away, 
 fighting the battles of their country. If you have 
 a spark of honor left in your heart you will take 
 me from this gloomy cavern and let me return to 
 my old and decrepit parents who need my assist- 
 ance every hour." 
 
 ''My dear Katharine!" returned he, " If I 
 should do as you desire, I would be deprived of 
 your sweet company, the enjoyment of which is 
 the one great reason of your presence here at this 
 moment." "If," replied she, " you could under- 
 stand the horror and disgust I experience in your
 
 THE COWBOY OF RAMAPO VALLEY. 103 
 
 presence, bad as you are, I believe you would take 
 pity on me and rid me of it ! " 
 
 These words angered Claudius so much that he 
 forgot his usual cool and calculating manner ; and 
 rising, he stepped toward Katharine as if to lay 
 his hands upon her. Before he could reach her, 
 however, she drew a small dagger from her bosom 
 and raising it aloft, said : " Come one step nearer, 
 and I shall plunge this into my heart ! If you 
 thought to wreak your vengeance on me, you 
 may ; but it will be only on my dead body ! The 
 daughter of a patriot and the sister of one of the 
 sons of liberty, does not fear death and would em- 
 brace it a thousand times, rather than submit to 
 dishonor ! " Her eyes flashed fire, and her whole 
 demeanor told Claudius that she was not to be 
 trifled with. He therefore retreated to his seat 
 near the door of the cavern. "Well," said he, 
 rising, "I will leave you for the present, hoping 
 that at some future time, you may be in better 
 humor." " Go," said she ! u your presence lends 
 an added horror to this imprisonment." 
 
 At a signal the door opened and Claudius passed 
 out leaving Katharine alone, a prey to her own
 
 104 CLAUDIUS, 
 
 bitter reflections on her present condition, and the 
 faint prospect of her friends ever discovering the 
 place of her confinement. 
 
 The place where she was imprisoned was 
 situated in the roughest and least frequented part 
 of the Ramapo mountain range several miles from 
 the big cavern where the cowboys had their head- 
 quarters. One might pass a thousand times within 
 a few feet of the mouth of this cave and not dis- 
 cover it. It was so completely hidden by bunches 
 of mountain laurel which grew around the en- 
 trance that it would, be a mere accident if it was 
 found. 
 
 As Claudius stepped out he said to the sentinel : 
 " See to it that she is provided with plenty of food 
 and look out that no prowling mountain hunter 
 discovers the place." "All right," replied the 
 man, "I will be careful." 
 
 The tory chief struck off into a mountain path 
 leading to the east. After following it for about a 
 quarter of a mile he came to a small log cabin 
 almost hidden by the dense foliage of beech and 
 hemlock which surrounded it. As he entered he 
 was greeted by an old negress of perhaps eighty 
 years.
 
 THE COWBOY OF RAMAPO VALLEY. 105 
 
 u Ise so glad you come," said she, "Ise bin 
 lookin' for you a good while." "Well, what can 
 I do for you, Aunt Sue?" said Claudius, as he 
 sat down upon the only chair in the little room. 
 "I 'spec a little money will come good. Ise done 
 spent mos' all you lef ' me de udder time ; an' de 
 young gal ober in de cave dar mus' hab something 
 to eat," replied the aged African. "That is 
 right, Aunt Sue," answered he, " I want you to 
 fix up things nicely for her while she stays with 
 us, and be sure to send it to her regularly." 
 Claudius took a handful of coin from his pocket 
 and threw it into the old woman's lap, saying, 
 "There, aunty, I guess there will be enough to 
 last until I come again." "Yes," said she, "I 
 tink so ; and now I mus' send de little one off to 
 de store agin." "The little one" spoken of by 
 the old negress was the colored attendant of Kath- 
 arine, who also lived with the old woman in the 
 little log house. 
 
 The tory captain now left the cabin and took a 
 path leading down the western side of the range. 
 He followed this path until it brought him out into 
 the Ramapo valley about a mile north of Man of War
 
 106 CLAUDIUS, 
 
 Rock. He then continued up the valley, follow- 
 ing the east bank of the Ramapo river for half a 
 mile more, which brought him in sight of his 
 father's tavern, when he came to a halt. From 
 this point he could get a good view of the premi- 
 ses. It was some time before he ventured further, 
 but when he had satisfied himself that the coast 
 was clear, he took a short cut across the meadow 
 and went to the house'. 
 
 It had become necessary for him to use caution 
 as he had become in a measure a marked man, and 
 many were on the lookout to capture him. His 
 many crimes and depredations (as noted before) 
 had aroused the country and made it dangerous for 
 him to appear in the settled portions of the dis- 
 trict without a sufficient force at his back to pro- 
 tect him. But on this occasion, being sure that 
 everything was quiet, he boldly entered his father's 
 house. 
 
 Some time had passed since he had visited them 
 and the old people received him with every appear- 
 ance of joy. To tell the truth, and, as the old 
 saying has it, "to give the devil his due," 
 Claudius had always been to them an affectionate
 
 THE COWBOY OF RAMAPO VALLEY. 107 
 
 son. Though he had committed many a cruel 
 deed, at heart he was not one of those who gloated 
 over and relished these actions. It must be ad- 
 mitted that circumstances had something to do 
 with his bad reputation, and that if those circum- 
 stances had been different, Claudius also might 
 have led a different life. 
 
 When the war broke out, he was no doubt hon- 
 estly in favor of and an upholder of the policy of 
 the King and Parliament. But being born and 
 brought up in a neighborhood which happened to 
 be intensely patriotic, and his family being one 
 out of a hundred to espouse the cause of King 
 George, he and they, were no doubt more or less 
 persecuted for opinion's sake. His disposition 
 therefore became in a manner soured, and 
 he began that predatory warfare, which, in 
 after years, made his name a synonym for all that 
 was treacherous and cruel. 
 
 Nature had not been niggardly in her favors to 
 Claudius. His frame was of iron, his intellect was 
 above the average, and all who knew him had to 
 acknowledge that his was the perfection of manly 
 beauty.
 
 108 CLAUDIUS, 
 
 As he entered the house he met his mother and 
 throwing his arms around her neck, imprinted a 
 kiss upon her wrinkled cheek. "How have you 
 fared this long time, mother? " said he. "I have 
 often wished to see you all, but business has kept 
 me from it !" " Oh ! I have often longed to see 
 you, my boy ; and many a sleepless night have I 
 spent thinking of you ; but I suppose you cannot 
 always come when you would like to," replied his 
 mother. 
 
 "That is true; business is sometimes impera- 
 tive and must be attended to when duty calls," 
 said Claudius. "Has Cobus been here lately?" 
 asked he. "No," answered his mother, "but we 
 are expecting him to-night. We heard from him 
 yesterday, as one of your men passed here, and he 
 told us he had seen him near King's Ferry in the 
 morning and that we might expect him home to- 
 night."' "I hope he will come," said Claudius, 
 "as I wish to consult with him on some important 
 business." 
 
 It was quite late in the evening when a rap was 
 heard at the door, and on opening it Cobus walked 
 in. " Good evening all ! " said Cobus, and as he
 
 THE COWBOY OF RAMAPO VALLEY. 109 
 
 saw the tory leader, he cried : " Hello, Claudius ! 
 you here? So those noble patriots have not yet 
 caught you, eh?" "No," replied he, "not yet ; 
 though they have given me more than one close 
 chase thus far I have eluded them." 
 
 After partaking of a supper prepared by their 
 mother, the cowboy chief and Cobus retired to an 
 inner room for consultation. 
 
 "Cobus," said his brother, "you know I sup- 
 pose, that the Whigs and traitors hereabout, are 
 determined to disperse and destroy our band at all 
 hazards." That arch traitor Washington, it is 
 said, is interesting himself in the matter, and has 
 given positive orders to annihilate us, no matter 
 what number of men it shall take or what it may 
 cost. Now, from henceforth, it stands us in hand 
 to move with the greatest caution ; and what we 
 do, mtfst be done with the greatest secrecy. Thus 
 far we have been very successful in all our un- 
 dertakings. What the future may have in store for 
 us, is hard to determine, but with our tried and 
 true men the bulk of whom have proved them- 
 selves loyal to us in many a close and desperate 
 skirmish, we ought to be able to accomplish a
 
 HO CLAUDIUS, 
 
 great deal, not only for ourselves, but for the cause 
 we have espoused." 
 
 "Yes," answerd Cobus, "what you say is true, 
 but that love escapade of yours, I mean the ab- 
 duction of old Onderdonk's daughter has aroused 
 a bitter and desperate feeling against us, not only 
 in her immediate family, but throughout the 
 whole district and her brother will no doubt, just 
 as soon as his other duties will permit, not leave 
 a stone unturned to find her and take vengeance 
 on her captors. 
 
 "They do not know certainly who accomplished 
 that job," said Claudius. "No," said Cobus, 
 " they do not know, but they have good reason to 
 suspect, for they know that you were one of her 
 suitors and are really the only one who would dare 
 to abduct her." "Well let that pass," returned 
 Claudius, " and let them suspect whom they like. 
 I am ready to take the chances of their ven- 
 geance." 
 
 " Cobus," said Claudius, " there lives about five 
 miles west of the Hudson, an old and wealthy 
 farmer by the name of Van der Blum, who owns a 
 large herd of cattle, besides numerous horses. I
 
 THE COWBOY OF RAMAPO VALLEY. Ill 
 
 think it is practicable for us to make a descent on 
 his premises, and capture them. I would like to 
 have it done without causing bloodshed, but in 
 any case we must try to get them, because it will 
 be a very easy matter to run them into the British 
 lines and get well paid for our trouble. The attack 
 must be made at night and then we can get them to 
 their destination before morning and thus escape 
 the scouting parties who are watching every move- 
 ment made." 
 
 Thus were these brothers in iniquity concocting 
 another dastardly scheme to rob their neighbors.
 
 CHAPTER XIV. 
 
 After the abduction of Katharine, Black George 
 was ill at ease. He went about his daily duties on 
 the farm with a gloomy countenance and at times 
 seemed so much preoccupied as not to notice what 
 took place about him. "Mas' Onderdonk," said 
 he one day, addressing the old gentleman, U I 
 would jis like ter go huntin' fer a spell. De work 
 on de farm ain't in bad shape now, and my 'pinion 
 am dat dar am some deer in de mountain dis fall 
 and if you can spar me dis nigger would jist like 
 to take a trip. If you tink you can say yes, I'll 
 fix up de ole rifle and git up in de mornin' airly 
 and start.". 
 
 George was aware of his master's fondness for 
 venison and had broached the subject by a shrewd 
 mention of that dainty, and he also knew that the 
 loss of his daughter had made the old man more in- 
 dulgent to those around him than ever before. So 
 when he received the expected permission he im- 
 mediately set about preparing for the hunt. He
 
 THE COWBOY OF RAMAPO VALLEY. 113 
 
 cleaned the old smooth bore rifle, moulded some 
 bullets and was ready to start by day break. 
 
 Black George, though he had made hunting the 
 excuse for wishing a vacation, had other business 
 in mind beside that ; and as he journeyed alone, 
 he thus communed with himself. " Dis nigger am 
 goin' ter hunt, but not fer deer and sich like. I is 
 tarmined to find out what dey've done wid my 
 young missus if it takes de hull week. Dey've 
 got her some whar in .dese mountains, dat am 
 sartin, and I mus' lay some plan ter find out whar 
 dey've kep' her. De fust thing I mus' do am ter 
 go an' see ole Aunt Hester up dar in Call Holler. 
 Dey do say dat she kin tell whar ter find whats 
 bin los', an' I belieb I'll try her." 
 
 It was toward evening when George reached 
 Call Hollow and came in sight of the old log 
 house and home of Aunt Hester, the fortune teller. 
 He was, like most of his race, very supersti- 
 tious, and when he knocked at the door, his hand 
 trembled with excitement. He had heard, as who 
 had not, of the old woman's strange and myterious 
 power and he looked upon her as being something
 
 114 CLAUDIUS, 
 
 greater and several degrees higher than the gener- 
 ality of mortals. George knocked several times 
 before there was any answer, but the door finally 
 opened slowly, and in a cracked voice the old 
 crone asked, what was wanted. 
 
 "I'se come ter ask you some questions about 
 something I'se los', " said George. "Come in 
 then," said she. "But what makes you think I 
 can tell you where to find what you have lost?" 
 " O, I don't know edzactly, but I heerd you 
 could," replied George. "Well, have you any 
 money? for unless you have, the secret cannot be 
 revealed," continued the old lady. This question 
 caused the negro to wince, as he had very little 
 money, and what he did have, he hated terribly to 
 part with. Finally, after deep reflection, he ad- 
 mitted he had a few shillings. 
 
 "I must have silver or the charm will not 
 work," said Aunt Hester. "Any how, it's got 
 to be done, and if I mus', den I mus," said 
 George, as he laid a silver shilling in her hand. 
 11 Now sit down on this chair and tell me what you 
 have lost," said she, as she sat down opposite to 
 where George was sitting. He then related to the
 
 THE COWBOY OF RAMAPO VALLEY. 115 
 
 old fortuneteller the story of Katharine's disappear- 
 ance and gave her all the particulars he remem- 
 bered of the sad affair, winding up with the asser- 
 tion : " We can't find her no whar. " 
 
 Aunt Hester sat for some time as though in deep 
 thought. Her eyes were closed, and her whole ap- 
 pearance seemed as one in a trance. Suddenly she 
 straightened up, opened her eyes and said : "She is 
 locked up in a small cavern in these mountains. 
 Two men, obeying the orders of another, took her 
 from her home and carried her some distance and 
 then placed her on a horse, and before daybreak, 
 shut her in this cave, where she is still. There is 
 a path, but little used, that leads to the top of the 
 ridge where an old and blasted hemlock stands I 
 Not far from the tree, there is a little cabin and 
 the persons who live in that can tell you where she 
 is. Find that hemlock with a dead and lightning 
 splintered top and you will not be far from your 
 young missus." 
 
 This being all the information he could get 
 from the old woman, George took his departure 
 and went in quest of the path that led to the old 
 tree at the top of the ridge. He kept along the
 
 1 1 6 CLAUDIUS, 
 
 base of the mountain, scanning closely everything 
 that looked like a path in the right direction until 
 it got too dark to distinguish anything. He then 
 prepared to camp out, a not unusual thing for him 
 on his hunting expeditions. Finding a secluded 
 place under an overhanging rock against the 
 mountain side, he was soon sleeping soundly, 
 oblivious to all things earthly. 
 
 The next morning he arose bright and early, 
 and after partaking of a frugal break fast of bread and 
 cheese which he had carried in his hunting pouch, 
 he again began his search. Still following the moun- 
 tain base toward the northeast he finally struck an 
 almost imperceptable trail, which seemed to lead up 
 the mountain side and toward a point which, in his 
 own mind, he thought must be the right direction. 
 Turning into it he followed it for a consider- 
 able distance and until it brought him out 
 upon a table rock of some extent where he could 
 get a view, not only of the country beneath him, 
 but also a long stretch of the ridge above. 
 
 He stopped there to reconnoitre and find his 
 bearings. Toward the south and east the beauti- 
 ful and fruitful valleys of the Hackensack and
 
 THE COWBOY OF RAMAPO VALLEY. 1 1/ 
 
 Pascack stretched out, while toward the north and 
 west his view was limited by the long range of the 
 Ramapo hills and the rugged peaks of Verdritige 
 Hook stretching almost from where he stood to the 
 precipitous rock which juts far out into the waters 
 of the Hudson. 
 
 While standing there his eyes wandered over the 
 range toward the north, and he was just about 
 starting on the path again when all at once 
 *he caught a glimpse of a huge hemlock whose 
 naked branches were outlined against the sky, far 
 up on the summit of the ridge above him. Grasp- 
 ing his rifle tighter, and thinking of the old for- 
 tune teller's description, Black George, with 
 renewed energy, continued the ascent. 
 
 The distance was greater than it seemed as there 
 was more than one intervening precipice and 
 rocky gorge which it was necessary to flank or 
 avoid. But he trudged on, saying to himself : 
 " Dat ole woman done tole de truth, I'se sure ! Dat 
 am de tree wid de dead lims at de top, de same as 
 she tole me. Oh ! lor' a massy ! if dis nigger kin 
 only fine out whar dey am keepen her, wont ole 
 Mas' Onderdonk an' Captain Rem. be glad ? "
 
 Il8 CLAUDIUS, 
 
 At last the path brought him to the summit and 
 very near the great hemlock. There it stood just 
 as the dame of Call Hollow had described it a 
 large thunder-riven tree, whose topmost branches 
 had been blasted by the lightning's flash, and whose 
 giant proportions made it the monarch of the 
 mountain. And there also, not more than a hun- 
 dred yards from it, stood the little cabin, a 
 diminutive log house, which George recognized at 
 once, from the description given by Aunt Hester. 
 
 He kept back out of sight as much as possible, 
 in the thick undergrowth of the forest, and 
 made up his mind to watch the cabin and find out 
 whether the occupants had any visitors. It was 
 nearly noon when he reached the summit of the 
 mountain and he had been concealed about an 
 hour, when from his hiding place he saw a man 
 enter the log house. He was heavily armed, and 
 dressed in half military and half hunting costume, 
 a three-cornered hat, and a buckskin hunting 
 jacket, and breeches, and a crimson scarf or sash 
 was wound around his waist. This dress showed 
 that he belonged to some band of irregulars, who 
 fought on their own hook, and was a certain sign,
 
 THE COWBOY OF RAMAPO VALLEY. 119 
 
 in George's estimation, that he was one of the 
 tory gang of Claudius. 
 
 George continued to watch until the man came 
 out of the house, followed by a little colored girl, 
 and together they started in a westerly direction 
 from the house. The girl had a small basket in 
 her hand while the man carried a pitcher of 
 water, or some other liquid. The negro crawled 
 out of his hiding place and followed the pair as 
 best he could without being seen. He kept them 
 in sight for about five minutes, when, in a twink- 
 ling, they both disappeared. "Well, now den! 
 don't dat beat all ? " said George to himself. "Dey 
 mus a gone ker chuck, into de ground ! But jis 
 wait. Dis darkey am bound fer to fine de hole 
 whar dey gone in, if it takes de hull day." And 
 as he said this he sat down in a clump of bushes 
 to await their reappearance. 
 
 It was near a bunch of laurel where he had lost 
 sight of them and it was this spot that he kept his 
 eye upon. He did not have long to wait, for in a 
 few minutes a little black head arose as it were 
 from behind the bush and its owner tripped lightly 
 back along the path leading to the log cabin.
 
 120 CLAUDIUS, 
 
 George now determined to get close enough to the 
 spot to make sure what kind of a place it was, and 
 getting down on his hands and knees, he crawled 
 toward the place as carefully as he could. 
 
 It was sometime before he got there, as he did 
 not wish to be seen from the cabin, and more than 
 that, he did not know how many more armed men 
 were hidden about. After considerable labor, he 
 reached the spot, and raising himself to his feet, 
 saw just behind the laurel bush the entrance to the 
 cavern. Quietly dropping upon his hands and 
 knees again, he crawled away as silently as possible, 
 and was soon out of sight and hearing from the 
 cabin and its inmates. 
 
 "Oh glory!" said George, when he got far 
 enough away. u I foun' de spot fer sartin ! Dat 
 am de place dey've got her shut in. An' if we 
 don't make dem fellers sorry fer dat job, den my 
 name ain't George." Occasionally thinking aloud 
 in the manner noted above, he took the shortest 
 road for home, and arrived there just as darkness 
 closed in around the Onderdonk homestead. 
 
 Of course, his first business was to report what 
 he had. discovered to old Martinus and the rest of
 
 THE COWBOY OF RAMAPO VALLEY. 121 
 
 the family, and then to make arrangements to 
 inform Rem. also. He was believed to be with 
 his company between Tappan and King's Ferry 
 and George was dispatched early the next morning 
 to find him, and tell the good news. 
 
 The discovery George had made in the moun- 
 tains created quite a commotion in the neighbor- 
 hood, and several of the inhabitants volunteered 
 to aid in rescuing Katharine from the power of 
 the outlaws. But as nearly all the able-bodied 
 men were enlisted in the service of their country, 
 the main dependence must be placed upon Rem, 
 and such of his company as could be spared to 
 accompany him. 
 
 George found Rein on the borders of Quashpeake 
 Lake, and most of his company scattered along 
 that part of the Hudson immediately east of the 
 lake. He was highly elated when he heard George 
 relate what he had discovered, and though < he was 
 not entirely certain that the person imprisoned in 
 the cavern -was his sister, he had good reason to 
 believe it to be she. "In any case," said Rem, 
 "they have some one shut up there, and it is our 
 duty to liberate whoever it may be."
 
 122 CLAUDIUS, 
 
 He gathered about him a dozen or more of his 
 men, and leaving Dirck in command of the re- 
 mainder, started forthwith for the mountains. By 
 a forced march they arrived the next night at the 
 foot of the hills where the path discovered by 
 George led up to the summit They halted here 
 temporarily, to give the men a rest. When dark- 
 ness had fairly set in, George, at the command of 
 Rem, took the lead, and with the rest following in 
 single file began the ascent. In silence, each man 
 following in the footsteps of the other, they slowly 
 and cautiously wended their way to the summit 
 and arrived at the foot of the blasted hemlock near 
 midnight. There they remained until daylight 
 began to streak the eastern sky, when, still led by 
 the faithful negro, they quietly surrounded the 
 mouth of the cavern. So silently had they come 
 thai even the sentinel had not discovered their 
 presence. 
 
 At a motion from Rem. the men brought their 
 rifles to a present, and while thus prepared he 
 picked up a fragment of rock and threw it into the 
 entrance to the cavern. It could be heard tumbling
 
 THE COWBOY OF RAMAPO VALLEY. 123 
 
 from one rocky step to another, until it landed at 
 the bottom. 
 
 At once a noise as of startled footsteps was heard, 
 and up rushed the sentinel, (who no doubt had 
 been quietly sleeping), only to look into the muz- 
 zles of a dozen rifles, held dangeronsly near his 
 head. "Surrender !" shouted Rem, in a voice 
 that resounded through the rocky ravines and came 
 echoing back in a hundred different tones. The 
 sentinel seeing there was no help for it quietly de- 
 livered his rifle and other arms, and was placed in 
 charge of two of the company. "Hand over the key 
 to this infernal hole in the rocks !" demanded 
 Rem ; "that I may set at liberty whoever is con- 
 fined therein ! " 
 
 Taking the key, and followed closely by Black 
 George, Rem. led the way down the incline to the 
 doorway of the prison. Unlocking the heavy door 
 which guarded the entrance, he swung it back, and 
 stepped into the room. There sat Katharine, near 
 a table and in an attitude of defiance as though she 
 expected to again meet her persecutor. She was 
 completely dazed and for a moment seemed almost 
 struck dumb.
 
 I2 4 CLAUDIUS, 
 
 "My dear sister!" cried Rem, "do you not 
 know me ? " As he said this, she sprang into his 
 arms. " Oh Rein !" was all she could utter, as 
 her head dropped upon his shoulders, and she 
 burst into tears ! " Oh Rem! have you come at 
 last? I have looked for you so long !" said she 
 as she still clung about his neck. " Yes, my dear 
 Katharine, I have come to set you free, but we all 
 have this faithful friend to thank for finding out 
 where you were confined." Thus saying, he pushed 
 George forward into the light. " But for his perse- 
 vering shrewdness, we might never have found 
 you." "Why, George, how can I ever thank 
 you enough or repay you for this?" said Kath- 
 arine. "You paid me a hundred times fore now, 
 Miss Katharine," replied he. "I is only glad ter 
 git you out ob dis awful place." " Come, let us 
 get away from this miserable hole," said Rem, 
 and taking his sister's arm, led her out into the 
 free mountain air. 
 
 "Oh, Rem!" said she, "I feel as though in 
 another world and I do not know how to be grate- 
 ful enough for getting me out of that lonesome and 
 gloomy place. Though I have not been ill
 
 THE COWBOY OF RAMAPO VALLEY. 125 
 
 treated or abused by my captors, still the suffering 
 in mind I have endured through these long and 
 dreary weeks of imprisonment, almost drove me 
 insane. The thought that my friends were igno- 
 rant of the place of my confinement and that the 
 chances of ever being able to find it were few and 
 distant, worried me terribly ! How are father and 
 mother, Rem ? Oh ! I have thought so much 
 about them, and how they suffered in mind, on ac- 
 count of my absence that for many nights I did 
 not close my eyes to sleep." " Of course, they 
 were almost crazed at first, but on account of the 
 encouragement of friends and myself, they have 
 borne up under this affliction better than could 
 have been expected," replied Rem. 
 
 The journey down the mountain was very trying 
 to Katharine, as in her imprisonment nearly all 
 exercise had been denied her ; but the anticipation 
 of soon meeting her parents and friends again 
 nerved her for the effort and when they arrived at 
 the base of the mountain she insisted on continu- 
 ing the journey on foot to her home. They there- 
 fore continued on ; and reached their destination 
 early in the evening of the same day.
 
 126 CLAUDIUS, 
 
 There was great rejoicing in the old mansion 
 where for some time there had been nothing but 
 bitter sorrow, and the old people seemed to take 
 on a new lease of life now, that their beloved 
 daughter had been returned to them, almost as 
 one raised from the dead. Katharine's bosom 
 friend, Mary Demaray, had, during the whole time 
 of her absence, acted the part of a daughter to the 
 old people. She visited them daily, and by many 
 little attentions and in every way encouraging 
 them by her hopeful and cheering conduct had 
 kept up their spirits under their sad and terrible 
 affliction. 
 
 Leaving Katharine at home in the bosom of her 
 family and among friends whose love she prized, 
 we will follow Captain Rem. on his return to the 
 borders of Lake Quashpeake near the banks of the 
 Hudson. Though it was hard to break away from 
 the joyful and reunited family, the call to duty wa s 
 imperative, and Rem. and his men set out imme- 
 diately for their scouting ground.
 
 CHAPTER XV. 
 
 Captain Rembrandt Onderdonk and his little 
 company were on their way to the scenes of their 
 duty and had just passed through a small piece of 
 wood land and were about to cross a meadow two 
 miles west of their destination, when one of his 
 men discovered a British officer alone under a 
 tree on the opposite side. The young scout who 
 had made the discovery had recently purchased a 
 new rifle and had had no opportunity to test its 
 qualities up to this time. He therefore determined 
 to try it now. It was a long shot, but lying down on 
 the ground he rested the piece over one of the rails 
 of a fence near by, and taking a long and true 
 aim, fired ! The unfortunate officer dropped stone 
 dead, shot through the heart. He belonged to a 
 detachment lying just over the ridge and near the 
 Hackensack river. 
 
 It may be said, and truely too, that such actions 
 did not come within the bounds of civilized war- 
 fare, but the burning of Closter, the massacre of
 
 !28 CLAUDIUS, 
 
 Colonel Baylor and his troops at Old Tappan and 
 the murder of many old and decrepit men by the 
 tories and British soldiers, had aroused such a bit- 
 ter and revengeful feeling throughout the land 
 that many things were done now, and thought to 
 be fair retaliation, which, but for them, would have 
 been condemned by all. After this incident they 
 struck off to the north for the purpose of avoiding 
 the British pickets who were stationed quite a dis- 
 tance up the Hackensack valley. They had got 
 almost to the end of their journey when Captain 
 Rem. was notified by one of his men, who had re- 
 mained behind when the expedition was sent to 
 liberate his sister, that the cowboys would that 
 night attack the Van der Blum place, which was 
 located about three miles west of where they 
 were. The scout had made the discovery while 
 patroling the country just north of the Van der 
 Blum farm. He saw the gang, or a part of them 
 in concealment in a thicket about a mile from the 
 place to be attacked, and had overheard them dis- 
 cussing their plans. 
 
 Captain Onderdonk immediately determined to 
 frustrate their designs if possible. For that pur-
 
 THE COWBOY OF RAMAPO VALLEY. 129 
 
 pose he gave orders to his men to proceed to the 
 place separately and to keep under cover as much as 
 they could. They all got there unseen by every 
 one except the family. The old fanner was 
 highly pleased to receive such a reinforcement at 
 such a critical time, and treated the men to every- 
 thing the place afforded. The scouts were 
 secreted in the dwelling and in a short time were 
 prepared to receive the marauders. 
 
 Just as the last ray of daylight disappeared in 
 the west, the cowboys emerged from the forest 
 about a quarter of a mile north of the house. 
 About half of them, obeying the orders of their 
 leader, proceeded to collect the herd of some 
 twenty cattle which were pasturing in the 
 meadows between the woodland and the barns, 
 while the other half came directly to the barn. 
 Without pretending to ask the consent of the 
 owner, they went into the barn and in a very short 
 time brought out the horses, tethered them to- 
 gether, and were ready to move away. 
 
 They had just passed the house, believing 
 themselves secure ' from interruption by the old 
 9
 
 130 CLAUDIUS, 
 
 couple and the few female servants they knew to 
 be in their employ, not even taking the trouble to 
 investigate whether there might not be some others 
 there, when into their rear was poured a withering 
 fire, which either killed or wounded nearly half of 
 the band. Before they recovered from their 
 astonishment, Rem. and his men rushed out, and 
 before the cowboys could rally and return the fire, 
 another volley was sent into their ranks. 
 
 "Now for them !" cried Rem, as he ordered 
 his men to use the bayonet ! "Give it to them 
 boys!" And with a rush they were upon them 
 with the naked steel. The cowboys could not 
 stand before this onslaught, and took to their 
 heels, except those who were too badly wounded 
 or lay dead upon the ground. As they were run- 
 ning away, several of them turned and fired, but 
 with little effect, as only one of the defenders was 
 wounded. 
 
 During the fray, Rem. hunted for Claudius with 
 the savageness of a tiger after its prey, but he was 
 not to be found as the expedition was commanded 
 by his brother Cobus. Having left their dead and 
 wounded on the ground, it became the duty of
 
 THE COWBOY OF RAMAPO VALLEY. 131 
 
 Rem. and his men to bury the dead and to care 
 for those who had received injuries. The wounded 
 men had their wounds dressed, and the next morn- 
 ing the dead (five in number) were buried at the 
 edge of the forest. The wounded, to the number 
 of four, were left at the farm house in charge of four 
 of Rem's company until they were strong enough 
 to be disposed of as prisoners. 
 
 After attending to this part of the business the 
 remainder of the company left for the lake. This 
 fortunate intervention of Captain Onderdonk and 
 his scouts saved the old farmer an amount of pro- 
 perty whose loss would have seriously crippled him 
 for years, and he gratefully acknowledged his 
 indebtedness to the scouts for their opportune 
 arrival on the scene.
 
 CHAPTER XVI. 
 
 The war, which had been dragging along for 
 nearly five years, was still being prosecuted with 
 varying success by both sides. At times, the King's 
 forces were successful and everything looked dark 
 for the patriot cause, and then again the American 
 arms would triumph, and cause rejoicing through- 
 out the land, and a consequent depression in the 
 feelings of those who sympathized with the King 
 and Parliament. 
 
 One of the most depressing and terrible blows 
 the cause of liberty had yet received, occurred dur- 
 ing the latter part of this year 1780. General 
 Arnold, through interceding with Washington, 
 had obtained the command of the fortress at West 
 Point on the Hudson, at that time the most im- 
 portant post in America. He then proposed to 
 Sir Henry Clinton, the British commander at New 
 York, to surrender the post and Major John Andre, 
 132
 
 THE COWBOY OF RAMAPO VALLEY. 133 
 
 the Adjutant General of the British army, was sent 
 to confer with him on that subject. He ascended 
 the river in the Vulture, an English sloop of war, 
 landed near West Point, and at midnight met and 
 had a conference with the traitor, at what has 
 since been designated as the Treason House near 
 the village of Haverstraw and which was then 
 owned by one Joshua Hett Smith. 
 
 Andre's intention was, after the conference was 
 ended, to again board the Vulture and return in her 
 to New York. But while he was on shore Captain 
 Onderdonk's company of scouts which was patrol- 
 ling the west bank of the Hudson at that point, 
 opened fire on the vessel, and she dropped down 
 the river. Morning dawned before they had com- 
 pleted their plans and Andre was left within the 
 American lines. He then determined to cross the 
 river and return to New York that way. He reached 
 Tarrytown in safety, but there he was arrested by 
 three militiamen named Paulding, Williams and 
 Van Wart, who searched him, and finding papers 
 on his person which led them to believe he was a 
 spy they took him to the nearest military post. 
 Though he attempted to bribe them in every way,
 
 
 iM*~ 
 
 134 CLAUDIUS, 
 
 these incorruptible patriots, though poor and 
 needy, refused his offer, and conducted him to 
 Colonel Jamison. 
 
 Andre was finally taken across the river to Tap- 
 pan and there imprisoned in the Yost Mabie 
 house, since known as the Seventy-six House, un- 
 til he could be tried as a spy. Captain Barent Van 
 Houten and his company, after the capture of 
 Stony Point, had been on duty at Fort Sidman and 
 the different fortifications in Ramapo Pass, but 
 were now ordered to Tappan to act as a guard 
 around the prison of Major Andre. On their way 
 there they stopped at the Van Houton home for a 
 rest. Old Rulof received them with gladness, and 
 set before them everything in the shape of refresh- 
 ments that the house afforded. 
 
 While in the old neighborhood Barent took ad- 
 vantage of the occasion to call upon his betrothed. 
 He found Mary in a cheerful mood, as her particu- 
 lar friend Katharine Onderdonk had just been 
 rescued from the tory gang of Claudius, and the 
 great rejoicing in the neighborhood on account of 
 that event made his visit there a pleasant occasion. 
 
 In the afternoon Barent and Mary, together
 
 THE COWBOY OF RAMAPO VALLEY. 135 
 
 with Lieutenant Bertholf of his company, made a 
 call at the Onderdonk mansion. They found the 
 family in good spirits. The new barns and out- 
 buildings replacing those burned by the cowboys 
 were about completed, and to cap the climax of 
 their joys, their only daughter was in their midst 
 once more. The afternoon was one of the love- 
 liest of the season, and the clear bracing Septem- 
 ber air was most invigorating. 
 
 The young Lieutenant with Katharine on his 
 arm, and Barent and his betrothed following, 
 spent the afternoon in rambling through the 
 orchards and about the farm, and enjoyed the 
 balmy weather and the society of one another to 
 the fullest extent. The early frost had painted 
 the mountains with all the colors of the rainbow. 
 The crimson of the maple, the russet brown of the 
 oak, the scarlet and purple of the sumac, 
 together with the dark green of the laurel and 
 hemlock, made it a fairy scene far beyond descrip- 
 tion or the power of the most cunning artist's 
 pencil. 
 
 By the time they arrived from their ramble in 
 the fields, Barent and Mary noticed that Lieuten-
 
 136 CLAUDIUS, 
 
 ant Bertholf was in great danger of being captured 
 and made a prisoner by the intelligent conversa- 
 tion and captivating manners of the lovely sister of 
 Captain Rein. It was also apparent that Kath- 
 arine seemed to enjoy the society of the young 
 lieutenant immensely. 
 
 Lieutenant Henry Bertholf came of a solid old 
 Dutch family from beyond the mountains in this 
 same county of Orange, a family whose name had 
 been associated with and was prominent among 
 the early settlers of that part of the Province of 
 New York. In the early part of the war he, as 
 well as all the other members of the family, had 
 espoused the cause of the Colonies and had, since 
 then, taken an active part in the struggle. Henry 
 had walked down to Fort Sidman and enlisted as 
 a private, but by good conduct and especially by 
 great bravery shown in the desperate attack on, 
 and capture of the fort at Stony Point, he had 
 been promoted to a lieutenancy. He was about 
 the medium height, straight as an arrow, with 
 deep-set flashing gray eyes overhung by a broad 
 and intellectual brow. He certainly had no reason
 
 THE COWBOY OF RAMAPO VALLEY. 137 
 
 to quarrel with dame nature in regard to his per- 
 sonal appearance. 
 
 But this dalliance with love and beauty could 
 not continue, so after taking leave of the old folks 
 and bidding a sweet good bye to the young ladies, 
 Barent and the young lieutenant took their de- 
 parture and at the head of their company con- 
 tinued the march to Tappan. 
 
 They arrived there near noon of the next day, 
 went into camp and part of their men were imme- 
 diately detailed to guard the unfortunate young 
 officer confined in the old stone tavern. The cap- 
 ture of Major Andre and the opportune arrival of 
 Washington at West Point saved the post from fall- 
 ing into the hands of the British; but Arnold being 
 apprised through the stupidity of Colonel Jamison, 
 escaped, eventually got on board of the Vulture 
 and lived to reap the base reward of his treachery 
 a commission as Colonel in the British army 
 and the sum of six thousand three hundred and 
 fifteen pounds sterling. 
 
 Washington appointed a board of fourteen mili- 
 tary officers to try Andre, who, after hearing his 
 confession, (for he was too conscientious to deny
 
 138 CLAUDIUS, 
 
 the part he had taken in the matter), unani- 
 mously convicted him of being a spy, and, accord- 
 ing to the law of nations, condemned him to 
 death upon the scaffold. During his confinement 
 he won the love and respect of all whose duties 
 brought them near his person and especially of 
 Captain Barent Van Houten and the officers and 
 men of his company who had been detailed to 
 guard his prison. 
 
 It was on the morning of the 2d of October, 
 1780, when the beating of the reveille awoke the 
 soldiers of the guard at Tappan and ushered in the 
 day of doom for Major John Andre, the British 
 spy. The sun rose in all the glory of an October 
 morning, and its first rays, as they glinted over the 
 rocky barrier of the Palisades, penetrated through 
 the iron bars and lighted up the cell of the doomed 
 man. There was scarcely one who knew him 
 who did not deprecate the stern necessity of war 
 and wish it could be otherwise in his case. The 
 doom of a spy is death, and every soldier knows 
 it ; and when he ventures within the enemy's 
 lines he is certain of the penalty if taken. But if 
 some mercy had been shown to Captain Nathan
 
 THE COWBOY OF RAMAPO VALLEY. 139 
 
 Hale, who knows whether Major John Andre 
 might not have been spared ? 
 
 Washington offered to exchange Andre for 
 Arnold but Sir Henry Clinton refused. He even 
 set a plan on foot to capture the arch traitor that 
 he might have an excuse to pardon Andre, but 
 this plan miscarried, and Sergeant John Champe, 
 in consequence, served a hard apprenticeship in 
 the British army for his daring attempt to capture 
 the traitor. 
 
 Andre had petitioned Washington to be shot as 
 a soldier instead of being hung like a common 
 criminal. The Commander-in-Chief, moved by 
 his appeal, presented the request to his officers, 
 but it was refused. Finding that there was no 
 alternative, he became submissive to his fate and 
 calmly prepared for death. 
 
 Captain Van Houten's company was ordered 
 under arms and formed in front of the prison. 
 Lieutenant Bertholf entered the old tavern, and 
 proceeding to the room in which he was confined, 
 informed Andre that the hour for his execution 
 had arrived. He had already prepared himself 
 for the summons and said he was ready for the
 
 140 CLAUDIUS, 
 
 ordeal. The lieutenant escorted him to the front 
 of the building where the soldiers were in line, 
 ready for the march to the gallows. This had 
 been erected on the hill west of the little village, 
 probably a quarter of a mile distant. Placing him 
 between two ranks of soldiers the order was given 
 to advance ; and he began his last journey on 
 earth, which was to end at the scaffold. 
 
 Solemnly, and with muffled drums beating, the 
 detachment wended its way up the hill. Lieu- 
 tenant Bertholf walked by his side the whole dis- 
 tance and the only complaint he made was as to 
 the manner of his death. " I had hoped to die the 
 death of a soldier," said he, "but the fortunes of 
 war have denied me that boon, and I must be con- 
 tent ! " 
 
 Arriving at the gallows the company formed a 
 hollow square about it. The condemned man 
 was placed in a wagon and when the word was 
 given, it was drawn from beneath him and the 
 victim was left dangling in the air. 
 
 Thus perished as a spy Major John Andre, Adju- 
 tant-General of the British army, who under other, 
 and more favorable circumstances, might have
 
 THE COWBOY OF RAMAPO VALLEY. 141 
 
 lived to be an ornament to his country. Through 
 the infamy and base treachery of one who had 
 been honored and confided in by the nation this 
 noble young man died a shameful death on the 
 gallows. 
 
 He was buried near the spot where he was exe- 
 cuted and his remains rested there until 1821, 
 when, by the orders of the Duke of York, his 
 body was disinterred and carried to England, and 
 his remains now repose in Westminster Abbey, 
 that Pantheon of England's honored dead. After 
 the execution, the company returned to camp at 
 Tappan, where Washington then had his head- 
 quarters.
 
 CHAPTER XVII. 
 
 Upon the highest point of Tome mountain, the 
 loftiest peak of the Ramapo range, and which 
 overlooks the valley of the Ramapo for many 
 miles, might have been seen on a pleasant morning 
 in October, 1780, a man with a small field glass 
 closely scanning the valley around Fort Sidman. 
 He seemed to be intently watching something that 
 was taking place in the immediate vicinity of the 
 fort. After looking through the glass for some 
 minutes, he turned and said to a companion who 
 was sitting on the branching roots of a huge elm 
 a short distance behind him : " Cobus, there is 
 a great commotion at the fort, and from what I can 
 observe, it looks as though an expedition is being 
 fitted out for some purpose. Take a look through 
 the glass, and see what you can make of it ! " 
 
 After looking through the glass Cobus replied : 
 "Yes, there appears to be something more than 
 common going on, and I think, with you, that a 
 142
 
 THE COWBOY OF RAMAPO VALLEY. 143 
 
 body of soldiers is about to move from the fort. 
 Yes, now I see them moving and I believe they 
 mean to march south. Look for yourself, Claudius, 
 and see if it is not so?" 
 
 Claudius, for it was none other, took the glass 
 from his brother's hand, and looked steadily 
 through it for some time. As he lowered it he 
 replied: "Yes, they are moving south, and I 
 have no doubt are bound for the Jersies. Well, 
 let them go and it may be that some of them will 
 never get back, for I think there will be some 
 warm work in that direction before long." "At 
 any rate," said Cobus, "they are not moving in the 
 direction to give us any trouble, and that is some 
 satisfaction." 
 
 "That is true," remarked Claudius, "and 
 while the garrison here is only strong enough to 
 man the works and protect the Pass> we can do 
 some profitable business for ourselves." "There 
 is only one party we have to fear and that is the 
 company of scouts under that infernal Rem. 
 Onderdonk," said Cobus. "You are right there," 
 said his brother, " they are more troublesome to 
 us than the whole rebel army combined."
 
 144 CLAUDIUS, 
 
 From the summit of Tome mountain, where 
 these two worthies stood, could be had one of the 
 finest views of mountain, valley and woodland to 
 be found in the country. To the north could be 
 seen the two mountain ranges that bound the valley 
 on either side, until they slope down to the fertile 
 fields in the far distance. To the south the eye 
 took in the level lowlands and gently rolling hills 
 of the whole stretch of country almost to the city 
 of New York. To the east might be seen the 
 rugged peaks of Verdrietige Hook and the entire 
 County of Orange south of the mountains, bounded 
 only by the Highlands of the Hudson and the hills 
 of Westchester ; while beneath through the whole 
 length of the valley glided the silver waters of the 
 Ramapo. 
 
 To the lover of nature in her different moods, 
 here was a study of wondrous diversity and 
 beauty ; but whether these two brothers either 
 realized or enjoyed this grand scenery is beyond 
 our ken. 
 
 " Come Cobus, let us find the boys and see what 
 arrangement can be made," said Claudius, as he 
 turned and took the path down the mountain to 
 the north, followed by Cobus.
 
 THE COWBOY OF RAMAPO VALLEY. 145 
 
 In a small and secluded valley, about a mile 
 north of Torne mountain, were gathered a band 
 of about twenty men. They were dressed in a 
 diversity of costumes and all were armed with 
 rifles which were stacked conveniently around the 
 camp. They seemed to have nothing particular 
 to do, but were lounging about in all sorts of 
 positions. Some were enjoying their pipes, some 
 roasting meat over a fire, and others were lying 
 down and seemed to be sleeping. But at the same 
 time an observer would have noticed that several 
 sentinels were stationed at proper distances about 
 the camp to guard against any attempt at surpris- 
 ing it. 
 
 As the reader has no doubt surmised, this was 
 the camp of the cowboys and tories under the 
 command of Claudius Smith. 
 
 A log hou'se of pretty fair size stood in a clump 
 of evergreen trees and formed the neucleus about 
 which several shanties of smaller size were built. 
 It was about the hour of noon when Claudius and 
 his brother arrived in the camp, and, calling his
 
 146 CLAUDIUS, 
 
 men around him, laid before them a scheme to rob 
 some farms north of the mountains. 
 
 "To-night," said he, "we will make our way 
 through the mountains to the north end of the 
 valley and lie quiet there until darkness again 
 makes it safe to get out into the open country, 
 when, if our plans do not miscarry, we can, with 
 ease and safety, run off the large herd belonging to 
 old Gerardus Bertholf, who lives about an hour's 
 march from the north outlet of the Pass. If noth- 
 ing intervenes to prevent we can drive them down 
 the north side of the mountain as far as Wanaque 
 Valley, and through that to New York. It is im- 
 possible to take the shorter way by the Pass on ac- 
 count of the fortifications and the constant patrol 
 of scouting parties through it." 
 
 " Prepare yourselves for business men and be 
 ready to move at sun set," said Claudius, and 
 turning to Cobus, he continued, "leave two good 
 men to guard the camp until we return." 
 
 There was hurry and bustle in the camp of the 
 cowboys. Knapsacks were packed, arms were 
 cleaned and ammunition prepared, and when the 
 sun disappeared behind the western hills they
 
 THE COWBOY OF RAMAPO VALLEY. 147 
 
 were ready for the march. At the word from 
 Claudius the cowboys started, with Cobus in the 
 lead. He was acquainted with every mountain 
 path and with almost every rock and tree in the 
 range. 
 
 They got to their destination about daybreak, 
 and selecting a spot where the foliage and under- 
 growth were very thick, they awaited again the 
 darkness of night. 
 
 Claudius sent one of his men out to reconnoitre 
 and report. He returned about noon and reported 
 that the coast was clear and that they would have 
 no difficulty in capturing the whole herd, as they 
 were pasturing in the meadow some distance from 
 the house and with no one to guard them but two 
 men and a boy. As night set in they started for 
 the farm and in about an hour arrived there. 
 
 Quietly they gathered around the doomed herd, 
 collecting them together with as little noise as 
 possible. Just as they thought they had succeeded 
 without alarming any of the household, a dog 
 came out barking furiously, and making towards 
 them seemed determined to lay hold of the first 
 one he came to. This frightened one of the latest
 
 148 CLAUDIUS, 
 
 recruits of the band and he fired a pistol at the 
 dog. Just as he fired, Claudius seized him by 
 the throat and dashed him to the ground. 
 
 "What do you mean?" said the chief. " But 
 for your ignorance, I would crush out your mis- 
 erable life ! You have brought the whole family 
 and neighborhood upon us ! Get up now and 
 fight for your life !" said he, as he lifted the man 
 to his feet as though he had been an infant. 
 
 Sure enough out came the old man, rifle in 
 hand, and his two workmen, armed with hay 
 forks. They dashed at the first one they saw, 
 supposing the hen house was being robbed. 
 
 Claudius did not wish to shed blood if it could 
 be avoided, but the old farmer was so impetuous 
 that, in self defense, one of the cowboys was 
 compelled to fire, and down went the man badly, 
 though not mortally wounded. Seeing him fall, 
 his two workmen took to their heels and escaped 
 in the darkness. 
 
 Detailing about half the band to drive the cat- 
 tle ahead, Claudius, with the other half covered 
 the rear, to prevent any attack from that direction.
 
 THE COWBOY OF RAMAPO VALLEY. 149 
 
 Leaving the farmer where he fell, they hurried 
 away with their booty. 
 
 Before morning dawned the cowboys with the 
 cattle were in Wauaque Valley, where they deemed 
 themselves comparatively secure, as many of the 
 inhabitants were sympathizers with the mother 
 country. But beyond the valley and on the south 
 side of the mountains, the people were in the main 
 patriotic and many of the male population were in 
 the American army. It was therefore necessary to 
 use a great deal of caution after arriving at that 
 part of the journey, and for that reason, when the 
 mouth of the valley was reached, Claudius gave 
 orders to halt and wait for daylight. ^0,1--?^ 
 
 The old farmer, Gerardus Bertholf, though badly 
 wounded, still thought of recovering his property, 
 and when he' found that the cowboys had taken 
 his whole herd he determined to circumvent them, 
 if possible. 
 
 He therefore dispatched one of his men down 
 Ramapo Valley for the purpose of notifying 
 Colonel Malcolm, the commander at Fort Sidman. 
 When the man arrived at the fort he was taken 
 immediately to the commander. He told him
 
 150 CLAUDIUS, 
 
 that no doubt the marauders had taken the road 
 through Wanaque Valley for the purpose of driv- 
 ing the cattle to New York. 
 
 Colonel Malcolm saw that by sending a com- 
 pany of soldiers immediately to the -southern 
 mouth of the valley, they might intercept the 
 cowboys before they passed that spot. He there- 
 fore dispatched a company of twenty men under a 
 trusty officer for the purpose. 
 
 They took the road along the base of the eastern 
 range and arrived at the southern outlet before the 
 gang had passed. Concealing themselves in the 
 bushes each side of the road they awaited their 
 approach. 
 
 The shadows of night had scarcely fallen over 
 hill and valley when the cowboys were heard com- 
 ing down the road. About half of their men 
 acted as an advance guard and preceded the herd 
 which were being driven by the remainder. 
 
 On they came, thinking themselves secure from 
 attack, until those in front had just passed the 
 place where the soldiers were concealed. Then 
 the order to fire rang out upon the still night air, 
 and caused them to turn and look back. As they
 
 THE COWBOY OF RAMAPO VALLEY. 151 
 
 did so the report of twenty rifles startled the 
 echoes and the bullets crashed into their ranks ! 
 Those in the rear closed up and awaited the onset 
 of the soldiers. As they rushed from the bushes 
 into the road the remaining cowboys returned the 
 fire so effectively that the scouts were for a moment 
 staggered. Rallying immediately, however, they 
 charged with the bayonet directly among the 
 enemy ! 
 
 The noise and clatter of the affray frightened 
 the cattle and caused a stampede. Helter skelter, 
 away they went into the bushes, up the mountain 
 side, and out into the open country, so that in a 
 few minutes not an animal was left in the road. 
 
 The cowboys retreated very slowly up the valley 
 and those who were not killed or wounded in 
 front, now came back to aid their comrades. 
 
 As the soldiers were pursuing the rear guard, 
 the others coming up now, fired a volley into their 
 ranks which almost threw them into confusion 
 again. But the officer in command divided his 
 force, and, at the head of one part charged back 
 among them ! This soon ended the fight, as the Cow-
 
 152 CLAUDIUS, 
 
 boys fled into the mountains and left the soldiers 
 masters of the field. 
 
 The extreme darkness of the night made the 
 aim of the combatants uncertain and prevented a 
 heavy loss of life ; but as it was, four of the 
 marauders were killed, and quite a large number 
 wounded how many could not be found out, as 
 they carried them away in their retreat. The 
 soldiers had three men killed and five wounded. 
 
 In the morning some of the cattle .were col- 
 lected, and on their return to Fort Sidman the 
 soldiers drove them back to the Pass, where the 
 old farmer finally recovered them. It was after- 
 ward learned that the cowboys gathered the rem- 
 nant of the herd as best they could and finally got 
 them into New York. But it was a costly job for 
 the tory gang, and the few they eventually sold 
 scarcely paid the expenses of the journey. 
 
 As we have noticed before, the business of these 
 predatory bands was becoming unprofitable and 
 very dangerous as the people were on the watch 
 for them, aud when they could be located they 
 were pounced upon either by the scouting parties 
 led by such men as Captain Rem. and his brother
 
 THE COWBOY OF RAMAPO VALLEY. 153 
 
 Dirck, or by detachments from Fort -Sid man and 
 Tappan. 
 
 Still, when they reached the rocky fastnesses of 
 the Rainapo range, they were comparatively 
 secure. They knew every inch of the ground and 
 it was nearly an impossibility to take them by 
 surprise, when they had once reached these natural 
 strongholds. 
 
 Claudius had experienced a sad disappointment 
 when he visited the little cavern near the old 
 hemlock again to find that the bird had flown and 
 left the cage empty. The sentinel had been taken 
 prisoner and turned over by Rem.to the regulars at 
 Tappan, so there was no one to tell the tale of 
 Katharine's rescue but the old negress and the 
 little colored girl who occupied the log hut near 
 the cave. 
 
 By questioning them, Claudius found out that a 
 party of armed men had surprised the sentinel 
 and taken Katharine away with them. Of course, 
 Claudius was fully satisfied who had been instru- 
 mental in her rescue, and this knowledge added 
 another grain to the weight of vengeance he was 
 accumulating and laying up against Rem. This
 
 I 5 4 CLAUDIUS, 
 
 king of the scouts had so often stepped between 
 him and his most cherished plans, that he now 
 hated him with a perfect hatred and impatiently 
 awaited the time when he could wreak his ven- 
 geance upon him to its full satisfaction. 
 
 The ton- chief had met with great success at the 
 beginning of his career and for a time he had sup- 
 posed himself to be one of fortune's favored ones. 
 Now, however, the times were greatly changed. 
 The patriot cause was looking brighter, and on 
 several occasions his band had been defeated when 
 from appearances everything seemed favorable to 
 success. 
 
 Oftentimes when alone in one of his strong- 
 holds in the mountains his thoughts would revert 
 to that dark and stormy night when he visited the 
 fortune teller of Call Hollow and heard from her 
 lips that dire prophecy of what his end would be. 
 In his own mind he would then think over recent 
 events, and compare them with the words of 
 the old woman ; and, imagining that some por- 
 tion of the prophecy had proved true, would ask 
 himself whether the end might not be the same ? 
 
 Then again, he would, by an effort of his
 
 THE COWBOY OF RAMAPO VALLEY. 155 
 
 strong will, throw all these gloomy forebodings to 
 the winds, and appear before his companions as 
 one of the most light hearted and careless of the 
 band. But do what he would, ever and anon, the old 
 hag's words would come back to him with increased 
 force and as time went by the effect of these un- 
 happy thoughts was plainly discernible. His band 
 of reckless outlaws had been diminishing for some 
 time and recruits were few and far between,' 
 plainly showing to others, as well as to himself, 
 that the business was becoming unpopular. 
 
 Claudius had appeared as one of the most hard- 
 ened, and one not likely to give a thought to past 
 
 sins, vet now the blood of his victims seemed a 
 
 
 
 heavy weight on his soul and caused him many a 
 sleepless night.
 
 CHAPTER XVIII. 
 
 The year 1780, had been one of many tips 
 and downs in the cause of freedom. In the 
 South, the city of Charleston had surrendered to 
 the British ; the battle of Hanging Rock had 
 been won by General Sumter, and though starting 
 into the fight with only two rounds of ammunition 
 for each of his men, they soon filled their cart- 
 ridge boxes from those of the fleeing tories. 
 
 Many times Marion and Sumter went into battle 
 with only enough muskets for a portion of their 
 men, but as some of them fell either killed or 
 wounded, the remainder armed themselves with 
 the guns of their disabled comrades and continued 
 the fight. 
 
 At King's mountain, the independent riflemen, 
 
 each company under its own leader, attacked 
 
 Ferguson, who had been sent to gather and rally 
 
 the tories of the neighborhood, and killed one 
 
 156
 
 THE COWBOY OF RAMAPO VALLEY. 157 
 
 hundred and fifty of his men, together with their 
 leader, and took the rest prisoners. 
 
 At the battle of Cainden the patriot army 
 suffered a defeat. It was there that the chivalric 
 Baron De Kalb, who commanded the Continental 
 regulars, fell covered with wounds and glory, a 
 costly sacrifice in the cause of liberty. 
 
 Before the battle began, he told his brother 
 officers that he could not depend upon the militia; 
 but that he was too old to run, and that his Conti- 
 nentals would stand by him. And so it proved ; 
 the militia fled at the first fire, and the brunt of 
 the battle fell upon the regulars, who fought until 
 they saw their beloved commander fall, pierced 
 with eleven wounds, when they, too, retired, 
 though in good order. 
 
 But the British loss in this battle was heavier 
 than the American, and though the patriots retired 
 aud left the British masters of the field, the effect 
 was little less injurious to them than a defeat. 
 
 About this time there was quite a large detach- 
 ment of our French allies stationed just south of 
 Rarnapo Pass, under the command of Count 
 Rochambeau. The French and American officers
 
 158 CLAUDIUS, 
 
 often met at the SuflTern tavern, owned by a staunch 
 old patriot named John Suffern, and used as a 
 headquarters by Washington when in that neigh- 
 borhood. 
 
 At one of these convivial meetings, a contro- 
 versy arose between a young French and American 
 officer which ended in a challenge being given 
 by the Frenchman and accepted by the American. 
 They met at a place near the base of Noorde Kup 
 peak, just north of what is called the Point of the 
 Mountain. At the first fire the young Frenchman 
 fell, mortally wounded. He was buried on the 
 banks of the Mahwah. where his remains still lie, 
 far from his native land and the loved ones at 
 home. 
 
 Fortunate it is that, since that day su.ch dis- 
 tressing incidents have become less frequent and 
 such false ideas of honor more unpopular in 
 our glorious land. 
 
 Here too, in the Sufiern home, was often seen 
 Colonel Aaron Burr, then a dashing young officer 
 in the Continental army. It was from this place 
 that he rode many times over to Paramus to visit 
 the beautiful Theodosia Prevost, who afterwards
 
 THE COWBOY OF RAMAPO VALLEY. 159 
 
 became his wife. Even when stationed across 
 the river in Westchester, he was attracted by her 
 magnetic influence, and, calling a boat's crew and 
 with his horse tied in the boat, he would cross to 
 Sneden's landing and ride from there flfteen miles 
 to Paramus and back again before the first ray of 
 sunlight lit up the eastern horizon. 
 
 All through the war Burr served his country 
 faithfully : but in after years, though elevated to 
 the second place of honor in the gift of his fellow 
 citizens, he let his ambitious designs and desire 
 for self aggrandizement lead him into a conspiracy 
 to establish an empire west of the Alleghanies, of 
 which he should be the emperor, or chief. For 
 this he was arrested and tried at the city of Rich- 
 mond, but for want of proof was finally released. 
 His after life, however, seemed embittered by this 
 failure, and when his beloved and beautiful 
 daughter, Theodosia, was lost at sea, he became 
 gloomy and despondent and in his retirement was 
 almost forgotten by his countrymen. 
 
 It was also near this place, in the valley of the 
 Ramapo, where the great chain was made which 
 was stretched across the Hudson at West Point to
 
 l6o CLAUDIUS, 
 
 prevent British war vessels from ascending the 
 river. The remains of many of those old furnaces 
 and forges where it was made can yet be seen dot- 
 ting this historic valley throughout its whole 
 length. They are the fit reminders of the indus- 
 try and perseverance of our forefathers, who delved 
 from the surrounding hills their mineral treasures. 
 
 It was at the base of old Hooghe Kup, that 
 grand sentinel which guards the southern outlet of 
 the valley, that in 1715 the Tuscarora tribe of 
 Indians rested for some lime, on their journey from 
 their seat in North Carolina, to join their relatives 
 the Iroquois. or Five Nations, in Central New 
 York. 
 
 Here in the mountains which bound the western 
 side of the Pass, may yet be found a mixture of 
 that race. Of course they have been mixed with 
 white and negro blood, but some specimens may 
 still be found of that race, which, before the white 
 men came, were the conquerors of almost half 
 the continent. 
 
 After remaining here for a while, they took up 
 their march and became one of the Six Nations 
 which afterwards became the deadly enemies of
 
 THE COWBOY OF RAMAPO VALLEY. l6l 
 
 the Colonies in their struggle for independence. 
 For several years they harassed our frontier, and 
 almost drove the white settlers from that part of 
 the State. At last, General Sullivan was dis- 
 patched with an army to punish them. Near 
 where the city of Elmira now stands, he met and 
 vanquished them and taught them a lesson they 
 did not forget for a generation. 
 
 It was this tradition among what is left of the 
 tribe that caused Silas Mountpleasant, a nephew of 
 the head chief, to wander back from Lake Erie 
 and pass the rest of his life in the shadows of the 
 Ramapo range. For long years he was a well 
 known member of the community residing in, or 
 near the valley, remaining until consumption, 
 that scourge of the red man, ended his life in the 
 house of a great hearted neighbor, who, for sev- 
 eral years before his death had cared for him as if 
 one of his family. 
 
 But the red man's career is almost ended, not 
 only in this valley, but throughout our whole 
 broad land ; and it will not be many years before 
 they, like the bison of their plains, will be among 
 the things which are not. u
 
 CHAPTER XIX. 
 
 The great struggle for Independence was slowly 
 drawing to a close and the battles between the op- 
 posing forces, this year, (1781) were in almost 
 every instance favorable to the American arms. 
 Though the traitor Arnold had done some mis- 
 chief in the burning of the city of Richmond, 
 and some other less important places, yet at Cow- 
 pe.ns, Guilford Court House, and Eutaw, the 
 patriots more than held their own. 
 
 Washington, with a large part of the army, 
 together with our French allies, making a feint as 
 though intending to attack New York, had 
 marched from Newburgh on the Hudson, and 
 when within a short distance of that city swerved 
 aside, and, by forced marches night and day, in- 
 vested Cornwallis at Yorktown. 
 
 Captain Barent Van Houten and his command 
 had been ordered to join the army on its march 
 162
 
 THE COWBOY OF RAMAPO VALLEY. 163 
 
 through the valley and were now forming a part of 
 the besieging force. 
 
 So rapid had been the movements of the allied 
 army, that it was some time before Sir Henry Clin- 
 ton discovered their purpose and they were already 
 besieging Cornwallis when he found that they had 
 disappeared from his front. 
 
 Clinton at once embarked with an army of 
 seven thousand men to go to the relief of York- 
 town, but five days before his arrival there Corn- 
 wallis had surrendered his whole army of more 
 than seven thousand men, besides an immense 
 quantity of arms and military stores. Clinton 
 therefore returned to New York, disappointed in 
 his expectation of raising the siege. 
 
 The surrender of Corwallis and his well equipped 
 army was the cause of universal joy and rejoicing 
 to the people of the country and nothing but 
 praises of Washington and La Fayette, Rocham- 
 beau and De Grasse, were heard throughout the 
 land. 
 
 Soon after the surrender, the northern division 
 of the army returned to its old position on the 
 Hudson, which of course brought Barent and his
 
 164 CLAUDIUS, 
 
 men back again to Fort Sidman. They were re- 
 ceived with acclamations of delight on their return. 
 Bonfires were burned and signal lights blazed 
 from every mountain top between the banks of the 
 Hudson and the Delaware. 
 
 As the war was now thought to be nearly over, 
 the dawn of peace gave opportunity to attend to 
 other things nearer home, which had been post- 
 poned for the more pressing needs of the country 
 at large. One of these, and the main one too, was 
 to crush out and disperse the predatory bauds of 
 malignant tories which infested^ the mountain 
 region of the southern part of New York. 
 
 To do this effectually, the company under the 
 command of Barent Van Houten, and the scouts 
 led by Captain Rembrandt Onderdonk, were detail- 
 ed for the purpose. 
 
 Many an effort had been made before to accom- 
 plish this, but they had never proved entirely 
 successful and the tories and cowboys still pur- 
 sued their dastardly vocation of robbing and mur- 
 dering the unarmed inhabitants of this district. 
 But now, a supreme effort to destroy them was to 
 be made, and these companies were selected on
 
 THE COWBOY OF RAMAPO VALLEY. 165 
 
 account of their superior knowledge of the part 
 of the country in which they were to operate. 
 These two officers, too, were thoroughly ac- 
 quainted with the ground and for that reason were 
 well adapted to lead the expedition. 
 
 The urgent need of patrolling the banks of the 
 Hudson was now relaxed, which left Captain Rem. 
 and his men free to join in this long cherished, 
 though often deferred plan to drive these outlaws 
 from their haunts. 
 
 To accomplish this business properly, it was 
 necessary that the two officers should have a. 
 mutual understanding of the matter. 
 
 Having been notified of their selection, they 
 met and conferred in regard to the plan to be 
 pursued. This conference was held at the old 
 tavern at Coe's corner, midway between King's 
 Ferry and Fort Sidman. 
 
 Captain Onderdonk proposed that his company 
 should begin the search at the eastern end of 
 Verdrietige Hook mountain and scour every nook, 
 cave and valley in that range and then take in the 
 Kakiatt and Cheesecock hills toward the west, 
 while Captain Van Houten and his command
 
 l66 CLAUDIUS, 
 
 should start into the mountains at Fort Sidinan 
 and eventually both commands meet about 
 midway between the two points, thus making 
 a sweeping hunt and covering every inch of 
 the ground for the whole distance. 
 
 This plan of campaign was agreed to by Barent 
 and acquiesced in by their two lieutenants, Dirck, 
 Captain Rem's brother, and Bertholf. 
 
 After talking over the details of the expedition 
 more particularly, they separated, and repaired to 
 their respective camps. Captaim Rem. after 
 receiving special orders to drop everything else 
 and hunt the cowboys, sent to the old place 
 for Black George to join him at King's Ferry 
 and aid in the grand search for Claudius and 
 his men. 
 
 This, of course, just suited the faithful African, 
 who had been wishing for this opportunity. He 
 had made so many terrible threats as to what he 
 would do if he could only get another chance at 
 the tories that the opportunity now offered to be 
 in at the death of the gang, made this a red letter 
 day in his existence.
 
 THE COWBOY OF RAMAPO VALLEY. 167 
 
 And certainly George was not a mean recruit, 
 for he was so thoroughly acquainted with almost 
 every mountain path, that in this respect at least, 
 he was far ahead of nearly every other member of 
 Captain Rem's company. 
 
 U O, Mas' Rein! dis am jist what Fse been 
 waiten fer," said he, when he arrived at the 
 camp. " Dis nigger's been waiten' fer de time to 
 come when we mus' git eben wid dat tory gang 
 an' make dem fellers sorry fer all de debbilment 
 dey eber done ! Look out ! Mas' Claud, we is 
 comin' fer you sure dis time ! " 
 
 Leaving Captain Rem. almost ready to begin 
 the campaign against the cowboys we will take 
 a look at the preparations being made at Fort 
 Sidmau for the same purpose. 
 
 Captain Van Houten and his efficient lieutenant 
 began immediately on their return to get their 
 men ready for the expedition. Every rifle was 
 cleaned, every cartridge box was replenished, and 
 each man's knapsack was packed with provisions 
 for the compaign. Everything was put in order 
 as though entering on a regular campaign against 
 a powerful enemy. The same preparation had
 
 168 CLAUDIUS, 
 
 been made by the scouts at King's Ferry, and 
 two days after the conference at Coe's corner r 
 both detachments were ready to enter the moun- 
 tains.
 
 CHAPTER XX. 
 
 As the men under Captain Rem. and his brother 
 struck into the Verdrietige Hook range, near the 
 borders of the Hudson, he said to them : 
 
 "Let the search be thorough. Cover every 
 inch of the ground. Beat every bush and thicket; 
 and to him who first discovers the whereabouts of 
 Claudius and his band I promise ten pounds in 
 sterling silver." 
 
 Captain Onderdonk had a huge account to settle 
 with the tory chief, a great portion of which re- 
 mained still uncancelled upon the debtor side of 
 the book. There was the burning of the barns 
 and outbuildings on the old place ; the running off 
 of the cattle and horses ; and, above all, and over- 
 shadowing all the rest, was the dastardly abduc- 
 tion of his sister Katharine. At last he hoped the 
 time had arrived to strike a balance and close the 
 transactions between them. 
 169
 
 jyO CLAUDIUS, 
 
 Ever since the breaking out of hostilities Rem. 
 had hoped to meet Claudius face to face and settle 
 the score with him personally ; but thus far that 
 wish had been foiled, and they had never met 
 since the evening he saw him at his father's house. 
 But now he thought the opportunity would come 
 when that wish would be gratified, and he impa- 
 tiently awaited the time. 
 
 There was a large tract of country to be covered 
 in this search, and to do it successfully required 
 considerable time and a great deal of hard and 
 weary work. But Captain Rem's company was 
 used to mountain fighting, and inured to all kinds 
 of hardship. The men from Fort Sidman were 
 unused to mountain climbing, and were not so 
 well acquainted with the ground ; but their hearts 
 were in the work, which caused them to overcome 
 all obstacles with a determination that knew no 
 such word as fail. 
 
 The ton sympathizers of Claudius were now on 
 the alert, and the expedition had scarcely entered 
 the mountains before messengers had informed 
 him of what was in the wind. His first thought 
 was to disband his gang, and thus escape the
 
 THE COWBOY OF RAMAPO VALLEY. 1 71 
 
 punishment they had so richly deserved. But 
 then he knew that himself, and most of his men, 
 were so well known among the inhabitants of the 
 surrounding district that eventually they would 
 be taken, if only one or two at a time, and when 
 there was no chance for resistance. 
 
 He therefore determined that in numbers there 
 was strength, and that at some one of the almost 
 impregnable locations in the mountains he would 
 make a stand and fight it out so long as there was 
 a man left to stand by him. 
 
 He, himself, and many of his men. could no 
 doubt escape by leaving this part of the country 
 altogether ; but even in the heart of an outlaw 
 there is love for the place of his birth and 
 the associations surrounding his earlier years, 
 which, in the most degraded and desperate, is hard 
 to eradicate and entirely subdue. 
 
 From King's Ferry Claudius received notice 
 that his old enemy, Rem. Onderdonk, was on the 
 war path to hunt him down. He, Claudius, was 
 not to be frightened, however, though the whole 
 world was against him ; and he certainly deserved 
 this credit that as the difficulties and dangers
 
 I 7 2 CLAUDIUS, 
 
 increased his courage rose with the occasion and 
 made him more determined than ever to resist 
 
 He was born among these hills ; his old parents 
 were still living ; and every object that binds one 
 to his native place was located here. He knew 
 the ordeal was before him, and he braced himself 
 to meet it. From boyhood he had roamed over 
 this wild and romantic district, free as the moun- 
 tain eagle ; and now, to think of being driven 
 from all the associations of his youth and man- 
 hood too, made him desperate and he resolved, if 
 necessary, to die in the last ditch. 
 
 Claudius and his brother met at the old tavern 
 in the nook of the mountains and there made 
 arrangements to gather the band to defend what 
 they considered their birthright. Their men were 
 fighters every one, for the weak ones had long 
 since been weeded out to make room for more 
 solid material, and now the band was composed of 
 the hardy, reckless men of the mountains, whom 
 work could not weary, nor danger intimidate. 
 
 After remaining at their old home for several 
 hours they took leave of the family and started 
 for the camp of the outlaws, situated, as before
 
 THE COWBOY OF RAMAPO VALLEY. 173 
 
 shown, about a mile north of Torne mountain. 
 When they arrived there they found nearly the 
 whole band had got word of the expedition and 
 were gathered there to await the commands of 
 their leader. They placed implicit confidence in 
 Claudius and recognized his superior intelligence 
 and knowledge. As the two brothers entered the 
 camp the men gathered around them, anxious to 
 hear any news they might have to communicate. 
 There were some twenty-five of them, and every 
 man of the number could be depended upon in 
 almost any emergency. 
 
 "Well, comrades," said the chief, " I suppose 
 you are aware of the extraordinary efforts that are 
 being made, not only to drive us out of the coun- 
 try, but to capture any or all of us and to bring us 
 to trial on. charges of robbery and murder. We 
 have our choice of three different modes of action. 
 One is to separate and scatter ourselves over the 
 country and run the risk of being taken one or 
 two at a time and be dealt with as these victorious 
 rebels may think best. Another is, to deliver 
 ourselves up to the authorities and supplicate for 
 mercy. And then there is another and the last,
 
 IJ4 CLAUDIUS, 
 
 which is to stand up like men and soldiers and 
 fight it out as long as there is a man of us left to 
 handle a rifle. 
 
 "I have determined to leave it to yourselves, 
 my men, who have stood by me all these years in 
 fair weather and foul, in sunshine and in storm, in 
 the bloody fray, and on many a weary night 
 march, to choose which of the three modes we had 
 better adopt" 
 
 " Come, what is your verdict ? " said Claudius, 
 as he finished speaking. 
 
 " We will fight it out and die like men rather 
 than run like frightened rabbits, or crawl like 
 whipped curs to their feet ! " said one and all, and 
 throwing their caps in the air they gave three 
 rousing cheers that made the mountain gorges 
 ring again, and shook the foliage on the trees 
 above. 
 
 "They have already begun the hunt," said 
 Claudius. " They are strong in numbers, and one 
 of the parties, at least, is incited by offers of re- 
 ward to the man who shall first discover us. To- 
 night we will break camp, and try to find a more 
 suitable place to make a final stand against these
 
 THE COWBOY OF RAMAPO VALLEY. 175 
 
 invaders of our mountain home." Turning to 
 Cobus, he ordered him to attend to getting 
 everything in readiness to move at sunset. 
 
 As soon as the sun disappeared behind Torne 
 Mountain the cowboys left their old camping 
 ground, and under the lead of Cobus and the chief 
 proceeded through the mountains towards the east. 
 They traveled until near midnight when Claudius 
 called a halt and told them this was the place he 
 had selected to make a final stand against their 
 enemies. 
 
 The place was well adapted to stand a siege, as 
 nature had made it almost impregnable. A rocky 
 gorge of many feet in depth cut into the mountain 
 on the east. On the south was a huge precipice, 
 the walls of which rose nearly perpendicular from 
 the base of the hill, while on the west was 
 another deep valley, down which a mountain tor- 
 rent leaped in foamy rage. Only on the north 
 side was it unprotected by nature's own handi- 
 work ; but on that side the plateau extended back 
 almost as far as the eye could reach and for a 
 distance of more than five hundred feet there was 
 scarcely a tree or bush to obstruct their view.
 
 176 CLAUDIUS, 
 
 Enemies approaching from that direction would 
 have to expose themselves to view for all that 
 distance, which would give the garrison of this 
 natural fortress opportunity to pour a withering 
 fire into their ranks from behind a breastwork built 
 across from gorge to chasm. 
 
 In this place the cowboys made their camp. 
 There was ample room for tents and all the camp 
 equipment and before another night's shadows had 
 darkened the surrounding landscape, the fortifica- 
 tions were completed and everything in readiness 
 to receive the enemy. 
 
 It was then, when all had been done that could 
 be done to make the stronghold of the tories safe 
 against almost any number that might attack it 
 that they had time to think and meditate on what 
 might happen in the near future ; and Claudius, 
 whose mind was ill at ease, was often in deep 
 thought. 
 
 One day while they were still waiting to hear of 
 the approach of the force they knew was being 
 sent against them Cobus thus addressed his 
 brother, who seemed to be in one of his 
 melancholy moods :
 
 THE COWBOY OF RAMAPO VALLEY. 177 
 
 " What ails you, Claudius? You seem to be in 
 a gloomy state of mind these days, in fact so much 
 so that our men have noticed it and it is having a 
 bad effect upon them ! They say your courage 
 must be failing, and that you are brooding over 
 expected defeat!" 
 
 "Cobus," replied the tory chief, "do you be- 
 lieve that one human being can look farther into 
 the future than another?" 
 
 "Well," said Cobus, "I have heard that there 
 are persons who can see into the future and tell to 
 almost a certainty, what is to befall another ; but 
 I have had no experience in that line myself and 
 do not place much confidence in such stories. But 
 why do you ask me such a question, Claudius ? " 
 
 " It was about the beginning of the war," replied 
 his brother, " that I happened near Call Hollow 
 ( which you know is about midway between the 
 Pointof the Mountain and King's Ferry) and visited 
 an old crone who resides there in a dilapidated old 
 hut and got her to tell my fortune. And to tell 
 you the truth, Cobus, thus far in my career, her 
 words have come true ! It w r as a terrible horoscope
 
 178 CLAUDIUS, 
 
 she drew for nie and if the end should prove to be 
 as she foretold then indeed am I doomed ! It was a 
 mere fit of curiosity which impelled me to call on her 
 and I never took her prophecy seriously ; but still, 
 when I recognize the fact that a part of it has 
 come true, I cannot help but feel a little anxious 
 as to whether the other part of it may not be the 
 same." 
 
 "Throw these gloomy forebodings from your 
 mind and be yourself again ! Much depends upon 
 you in the coming struggle !" said Cobus. 
 
 " What you say is true and I will take your 
 advice," replied the chief.
 
 CHAPTER XXI. 
 
 Captain Rein, and his company of scouts were 
 making a thorough search for the hiding place of 
 the cowboys and had covered the ground from 
 Verdrietige Hook to the Kakiatt Hills when one of 
 his men came in and announced that he had 
 found, (as he described it), " the nest of the cow- 
 boy gang." He described the place as well as he 
 could to Rein, and said they were located on a 
 point of the mountains that was almost impregna- 
 ble by nature. 
 
 Captain Onderdonk and his brother Dirck knew 
 the spot well and coincided with the report he 
 brought as to its being one of the strongest 
 natural fortresses in the whole Ramapo range. 
 They knew that the only way to assault it success- 
 fully would be to attack the position with a large 
 force from two directions at once. 
 
 Nothing had been heard from Barent and his 
 179
 
 180 CLAUDIUS, 
 
 men yet, but Rem. supposed they must be within 
 a very short distance of where the cowboys were 
 stationed. After consulting with some of his 
 officers, Captain Onderdonk sent a messenger to 
 find Barent and his men, if possible, and invite 
 him to a conference before the attack was made, 
 so that they might have an understanding as to 
 the manner in which it should be conducted. 
 
 The messenger returned the next day and re- 
 ported that he had found them about three miles 
 west of the tory stronghold and that Captain Van 
 Houten would meet him at a point about half way 
 between the two companies. 
 
 In accordance with this understanding the two 
 commanders met a short distance from the base of 
 the mountain and there laid out the plan of 
 attack. The next morning after the conference 
 they were to march toward one another and dis- 
 pose their forces so as to surround the cowboy 
 rendezvous as nearly as possible. Whichever 
 company got into position first should notify the 
 other by a single rifle shot. 
 
 It was toward evening the next day and 
 Rem. and his men were making their way
 
 THE COWBOY OF RAMAPO VALLEY. 1 8 1. 
 
 as well as they could over the rocks and through 
 bushes along the Summit of the range, when, from 
 toward the west, came the report of a single rifle 
 ringing through the forest, notifying him that 
 Barent and his men were in position. In a 
 short time an answering report told Captain Van 
 Houten that the scouts, too, were in their 
 place. 
 
 The besiegers saw the difficulties which faced them 
 and were pretty well satisfied that the only vulnera- 
 ble point of the tory position was on the north side,, 
 and that to capture the place they must make the 
 assault from that direction and carry it at the 
 point of the bayonet. But even to attempt that 
 would incur a heavy loss, and many of their men 
 who had passed through the long and weary 
 struggle which had about ended, safely, would 
 now be laid low by the bullets of this outlawed 
 band. 
 
 It was the intention of both commanders to cap- 
 ture or destroy these marauders with as little loss 
 of life on their part as possible. But they were in 
 a strong position, and to carry it, there must 
 necessarily be some sacrifices.
 
 1 82 CLAUDIUS, 
 
 The fight began almost immediately after the 
 two companies got into position, and a continuous 
 discharge of musketry was kept up until night 
 closed in around the combatants. In the evening 
 Captain Barent and his men met and determined 
 on a plan of assault. This was that Bareut and his 
 company should keep up the fire from across the 
 valley to the west, while Rem. and his command 
 should clamber up the gorge on the east side, gain 
 the plateau and just as morning dawned, charge the 
 breastworks which covered the position of the cow- 
 boys on the north. 
 
 Toward midnight Captain Rem. led his men up 
 through the rocky chasm as quietly as possible. 
 Like beasts of prey stealing on their victims, the 
 scouts crept over the many obstructions in their 
 path, now crawling on their knees through 
 the dense laurel bushes which grew along the 
 precipitous sides of the gorge and again 
 clambering over the rough and scraggy rocks 
 that lined the bottom of the ravine. They finally 
 reached the summit of the plateau about an hour 
 before daybreak. 
 
 It was arranged that just as soon as it was light
 
 THE COWBOY OF RAMAPO VALLEY. 183 
 
 enough to see at all, the company from Fort Sid- 
 man should begin firing and make as great a 
 demonstration as possible, to attract the attention 
 of the tories, while the scouts, under Captain 
 Rem, should then charge the breastwork from 
 the north. They therefore lay on their arras 
 waiting for daybreak. They had gained the posi- 
 tion without alarming the besieged, and were 
 ready to rush upon the cowboys at a moment's 
 notice. 
 
 Just as the first sign of daylight lit up the east- 
 ern sky a terrific discharge of fire arms greeted the 
 tories from across the valley to the west. It was 
 the signal for the scouts to charge the fortifica- 
 tions, and as the tories were in the act of returning 
 the fire a shout was heard, and as they turned to 
 find out from whence it came they saw the whole 
 company with Captain Rem. at its head in the act 
 of mounting the embankment. 
 
 " Come on, my men ! Use only cold steel !" 
 shouted their leader, as he sprang over the earth 
 works, followed by his men. 
 
 The cowboys were in a measure surprised by 
 the sudden onset, but still they were soon ready to
 
 1 84 CLAUDIUS, 
 
 receive them. Rem. raged through the fight 
 like a demon and got so far in advance of his 
 men that, at one time, he was completely sur- 
 rounded by the desperate tories. But with 
 every swing of his good right arm a cowboy 
 bit the dust, and very soon he cleared a place 
 around him. 
 
 "At them, boys!" cried he; "down with the 
 abductors of women! " 
 
 "It was a bloody and terrible hand to hand 
 struggle which now ensued. Man to man! face to 
 face! they met, with all the accumulated hatred of 
 years nerving each arm and inspiring every heart. 
 
 Captain Rem. hunted for the tory chief and at 
 last saw him in the act of cutting down one of the 
 scouts whose valor had urged him too far from his 
 command. With one bound the giant scout was 
 upon him! 
 
 "I have found you at last!" cried Rem, as he 
 grasped the' tory leader by the throat and hurled 
 him to the ground. But Claudius, with one over 
 powering effort, struggled to his feet, and with 
 intense hate flashing from his eyes, faced the scout. 
 Both were armed with heavy swords, and as they
 
 THE COWBOY OF RAMAPO VALLEY. 185 
 
 fought, and with skill parried each other's blows, 
 they unconsciously approached the precipice at the 
 south side of the plateau. Captain Rem. was 
 between it and the cowboy chief and just in time 
 saw what Claudius meant. Rushing forward he 
 grasped the tory's coat, and, with all the power of 
 his strong arm, with a backward motion threw 
 him over into the abyss! Not stopping to see 
 what became of him, Rem. joined his men just as 
 the last of the cowboys surrendered. 
 
 The whole band, except three, were either 
 killed or prisoners. These three men, being near 
 the breastwork, when they saw the folly of further 
 resistance, sprang into the forest and made good 
 their escape. 
 
 After the battle, Captain Rem. sent half a 
 dozen men to bring in the body of the tory chief. 
 After a long search they returned with the in- 
 formation that it was nowhere to be found. They 
 saw where he had fallen on a ledge, not more than 
 ten feet from the top ; and from the broken twigs 
 and bushes below, they were sure he had escaped, 
 after all, by climbing down the face of the moun- 
 tain.
 
 l86 CLAUDIUS, 
 
 The destruction of the cowboy band was com- 
 plete, even though their leader had for the present 
 saved himself. This gang of marauders, who, for 
 more than seven years had been the terror of the 
 district, were dispersed and scattered so thor- 
 oughly that the prospect of their ever becoming 
 the cause of trouble again to the inhabitants of 
 this part of the country, was slight indeed. 
 
 After dismantling the fortifications erected by 
 the cowboys and collecting the booty found in 
 their stronghold, Captains Barent and Rem. re- 
 paired with their companies to Fort Sidman.
 
 CHAPTER XXII. 
 
 From the surrender of Cornwallis to the third of 
 September, 1783, when the treaty of peace was 
 signed at Paris, the two armies lay inactive except 
 that each held the forts and cities they occupied at 
 the time. When the news came that the treaty 
 had been signed by the representatives of the two 
 nations and that Great Britain had recognized the 
 Independence of the United States, the country 
 put on its holiday garb and gave itself over to 
 rejoicing, at this, the closing event of the long and 
 sanguinary struggle for liberty. 
 
 It was not until the 25th day of November of 
 the same year, that the British army evacuated 
 the city of New York. As the last of the invaders 
 embarked for England, Washington, at the head of 
 his victorious army entered the city amid the 
 acclamations of the citizens, who made it a day of 
 rejoicing and thanks to Almighty God for the 
 
 great deliverance. 
 
 187
 
 1 88 CLAUDIUS, 
 
 Shortly afterward Washington repaired to An- 
 napolis, where Congress was in session, and 
 formally resigned his commission, accompanying 
 his act with a short and affecting speech, in which 
 he briefly enumerated the chief events of the war, 
 and commended his country to the protection of 
 Heaven. 
 
 This was the last act in the great and bloody 
 drama which had ended in making a free people 
 and establishing an asylum for the oppressed of all 
 nations. Since then, from this western land has 
 radiated the beneficent and invigorating warmth 
 of this sun of liberty, whose rays still enlighten 
 this glorious hemisphere where freedom had its 
 birth place. 
 
 That Claudius had escaped safe and sound was 
 believed by Rem, and he felt that his mind would 
 never be at ease until that king of the cowboys 
 and tories was brought to justice. It was known 
 that the Smith family originally came from Long 
 Island and thither Rem. felt sure the tory chief 
 had fled. Cobus and two others of the 'band had 
 also escaped just as the fight ended, and the
 
 THE COWBOY OF RAMAPO VALLEY. 189 
 
 general opinion was that they also were concealed 
 at the same place. 
 
 As the war was now over and peace had been 
 proclaimed throughout the land Rem. procured a 
 warrant from a civil magistrate in which Claudius 
 a'nd his brother were charged with the murder of 
 several citizens of the County of Orange. This 
 was placed in the hands of an officer, who, accom- 
 panied by Rem. and Dirck, immediately proceeded 
 to Long Island in search of the outlaws. They 
 arrived there in due time, disguised as farm laborers 
 who were looking for work among the farms of 
 the Island. For some time they could hear noth- 
 ing of the fugitives and began to think they had 
 taken refuge in some other locality. 
 
 The part of the island where they were search- 
 ing was mainly inhabited by royalists, whose 
 sympathies were with the enemies of the country, 
 which made it difficult to get any information that 
 would lead to the arrest of the cowboys. 
 
 It was probably a week after their arrival be- 
 fore they got any knowledge of the hiding place 
 of the fugitives. One day as Rem. was listlessly 
 wandering about he thought he caught a glimpse
 
 190 CLAUDIUS, 
 
 of Claudius at a farm house near the little village 
 of Huntington. He reported what he had dis- 
 covered to Dirck and the officer and they 
 determined to set a watch that night upon the 
 premises. 
 
 As soon as twilight cast its uncertain shadows 
 over the village they repaired to the place and 
 secreted themselves where they could see any one 
 who might enter or leave the suspected house. 
 They had been con'cealed but a short time when 
 the door opened and Claudius stepped out. He 
 cast furtive glances to the right and left and then 
 cautiously walked out upon the highway and 
 started down the road past where Rem. and his 
 party were concealed. He got just opposite to 
 them, when all three sprung in front of him. He 
 attempted to draw a pistol, but he was already 
 covered by the weapons of his captors, and, upon 
 the demand of the officer, surrendered without 
 striking a blow. 
 
 The surprise was so complete and sudden that 
 he had no chance to resist. He was immediately 
 disarmed and shackled, and then placed in charge 
 of Rem. and Dirck.
 
 THE COWBOY OF RAMAPO VALLEY. 191 
 
 It was now Rem's opportunity to gloat over his 
 fallen enemy, but his soul revolted at the thought. 
 Our hero was made of different stuff, and in his 
 heart he felt a certain commiseration for the con- 
 quered bandit. 
 
 The next object of the officer and his com- 
 panions was to secure the other three men. They 
 therefore took Claudius to the village jail where 
 he could be kept safely until the others were 
 captured. The attempt to get from the tory chief 
 any information as to the place they were secreted 
 in, of course was futile. He had too much honor 
 left to divulge the place of their concealment and 
 stubbornly refused to tell anything that might 
 lead to their arrest. 
 
 They finally enlisted the services of the local 
 officers of the law in their cause, and before a 
 week transpired all three were captured. 
 
 The next object of the captors was to get their 
 prisoners safely into Goshen jail. For that pur- 
 pose, and to guard against any attempt their 
 friends might make to rescue them, they raised a 
 posse to accompany them on their journey home. 
 
 It was a long and dangerous road they had t
 
 192 CLAUDIUS, 
 
 travel to reach their destination ; but fortune 
 favored them, and in five days from the time they 
 started with their prisoners they arrived safe and 
 sound at the county seat of Orange, and incarce- 
 rated this remnant of the cowboy band behind the 
 bars of Goshen jail. 
 
 Here they remained for several weeks while the 
 authorities were preparing for their prosecution 
 by collecting all the evidence possible from the 
 surrounding district. It was determined to give 
 them a fair and impartial trial ; and every advan- 
 tage the law allowed to persons charged with 
 crime. 
 
 At last the day arrived and Claudius and his 
 men were arraigned at the bar of justice. When 
 the question was put to them as to whether they 
 were guilty or not guilty each man arose in his 
 place and answered in the negative. 
 
 The trial proceeded and able counsel was em- 
 ployed to defend the cowboys and Claudius himself 
 was active in their defense, often asking questions 
 and suggesting others to their lawyers. 
 
 The case dragged along for many days and 
 caused a great sensation throughout the whole
 
 THE COWBOY OF RAMAPO VALLEY. 193 
 
 county and even far beyond its limits. The 
 Court House was packed with eager listeners 
 each day. Men from the mountains, from Long 
 Island, and members of the families, some one 
 of whom had suffered from the ruthless actions of 
 the band, were in attendance, anxious to see and 
 note each phase of the drama being enacted before 
 them. 
 
 Finally, the time came when the evidence both 
 for and against was all in, and the counsel were 
 ready to make their pleas to the jury who had 
 patiently set for many days listening to the testi- 
 mony. 
 
 The prosecution had succeeded in proving its 
 case against all the prisoners at the bar and there 
 was no doubt in the minds of the spectators as to 
 their guilt. The jury retired, and, after deliber- 
 ating for several hours, came into the court and 
 returned a verdict of "guilty" against them all. 
 The judge then arraigned them separately for 
 sentence. 
 
 When Claudius was placed at the bar and the 
 question was put to him whether he had anything 
 13
 
 104 CLAUDIUS, 
 
 to say why sentence of death should not be 
 passed upon him he arose, and thus addressed the 
 court : 
 
 " May it please your honor ! I know that nothing 
 " 1 can say will avert the doom that awaits me ; 
 " but it may be the last opportunity I shall have to 
 " excuse my past life before the people ! I was 
 "born among these mountains and from youth 
 "until manhood I roamed over them, free and 
 " unshackled as the air I breathed ! No word of 
 " dishonor was ever coupled with the name I bore 
 " and I looked forward to a life of respectability 
 " and usefulness ! 
 
 "I had scarcely attained manhood when this 
 " war began, and, as everyone knows, I espoused 
 "the cause of the mother country! This 
 "was the one great and overwhelming fault 
 " the greatest sin in the estimation of my enemies, 
 "which I could, under any circumstances have 
 ' committed ! But in my heart I thought I was 
 " doing right, and may your honor please, I have 
 " never repented that choice ! I am still a tory, 
 " and your honor knows what that word signifies 
 " among the self-styled patriots of our land !
 
 THE COWBOY OF RAMAPO VALLEY. 195 
 
 " Inasmuch as I espoused that cause I deemed 
 " it my duty to further the interests of my King^ 
 "in every way I could! I gathered around 
 " me a loyal band of fighters for the King and 
 44 Parliament and did their enemies all the damage 
 " in my power ! 
 
 "Though I never was enlisted among the 
 "British regulars I fought my battles with an 
 " honest heart and thought I was serving my 
 "country as well as they ! 
 
 " 1 admit that I have been instrumental in 
 " putting men to death ; but on every occasion it 
 " was in open fight or in the attempt to take from 
 " rebels to their King provisions needed by the 
 41 adherents to our cause ! For our opinion's sake 
 " both me and mine have been persecuted, but all 
 " through these cruel years I have still been stead- 
 " fast to my first love ! 
 
 " For this great crime I am about to die. But yet 
 ** if I could live these years again, I would again be 
 " guilty of the same offence ! If for the cause of 
 " liberty these same deeds had been done you 
 "would have called me patriotic and praised 
 4 4 these l deeds of blood ' as you now term them and
 
 196 CLAUDIUS, 
 
 *' would have said to me, 'well done, thou good 
 " and faithful servant ! ' 
 
 " But whv should I thus stand here and speak 
 " in yain ? I know the fiat has gone forth and we 
 ** must pay the penalty you have provided. But I 
 " have given you some wholesome truths and 
 *' thank you for the opportunity ! I do not whine 
 " and whimper at my fate nor with driveling tears 
 * 4 supplicate for mercy. All I ask your honor for, 
 " is to let the day come quickly for our execution 
 " and that you do not keep us in suspense ! I am 
 *' ready for the ordeal and shall meet it like a 
 " soldier ! 
 
 The other men made no remarks before their 
 sentence. They were ordered to stand up, and the 
 judge sentenced all to be hung at Goshen Jail on 
 the aoth day of December, 1783. 
 
 When the day of fate came round Claudius and 
 his companions were led out, and, between two 
 ranks of the veteran scouts of Captain Rem, were 
 marched to the gallows, which had been built a 
 short distance from the jail and on the ground 
 now comprising the village green of Goshen. 
 
 Around the scaffold in hollow square stood the
 
 THE COWBOY OF RAMAPO VALLEY. 197 
 
 stern and war-worn veterans of the Revolutionary 
 army. The local officers of the law were in 
 attendance preparing the prisoners and adjusting 
 the machinery of death. 
 
 Claudius and his brother retained their com- 
 posure to the last. The towering form of the 
 tory chief was erect and his mien as proud as 
 when he stood at the head of his bandit fol- 
 lowers. 
 
 Just before the signal was given to cut the cord, 
 Claudius bade his fellow victims farewell and in a 
 loud, strong voice, announced himself ready. The 
 sheriff stepped back, and, at his signal, the execu- 
 tioner severed the cord that held the fatal trap 
 door, and all that was left of the terrible baud of 
 marauders was launched into eternity. 
 
 Thus was the prophecy of the old crone of Call 
 Hollow fulfilled, and in the death of Claudius the 
 country was rid of a scourge, but who, under other 
 circumstances, might have been one of the great 
 ones of the land and an honor to his birth- 
 place. 
 
 The bodies of the cowboys were buried in the 
 old jail yard and in after years, when a new
 
 198 CLAUDIUS, 
 
 court house was being built, the laborers who 
 were digging for the foundation exhumed four 
 human skeletons which were recognized by some 
 of the old inhabitants of Goshen as those of 
 Claudius and his three men. 
 
 The bones of these skeletons were not imme- 
 diately reinterred, but remained above ground until 
 the court house walls were being built, when one of 
 the masons took the skull of Claudius, which was 
 known from its greater size, and built it into the 
 front wall, immediately over the front door of the 
 court house, where, in all probability, it remains 
 to this day.
 
 CHAPTER XXIII. 
 
 After the proclamation of peace and the dis- 
 banding of the Revolutionary army, the fortifi- 
 cations at Fort Sidman and other parts of Ramapo 
 Pass were abandoned, and Captain Rem. and 
 Barent returned to their respective homes. 
 Throughout the long struggle they had filled their 
 positions with honor to themselves and benefit to 
 their country, and now, when they retired to rural 
 pursuits, and to enjoy the blessings for which they 
 had given the best years of their lives, they did so 
 among a people who loved and respected them. 
 
 As years wore away, and the people began to 
 realize, more and more, the great blessings to the 
 country which the great conflict had insured, 
 every actor in it was reverenced and loved as a 
 benefactor of his race. 
 
 The long struggle, as is always the case, left the 
 199
 
 200 CLAUDIUS, 
 
 country heavily in debt and the disbanding of the 
 army threw a large number of men, who for years 
 had known no other employment than that of the 
 soldier, upon the communities of the different 
 States. By their long service, many of them had 
 become totally unfitted for the duties and functions 
 of civil life and became wanderers and vagrants 
 over the land. 
 
 The morality, also, of a nation suffers in conse- 
 quence of war, especially in those portions where 
 the army has been mainly located for it is a well 
 known fact that men will become more or less cor- 
 rupt by the close and intimate association of 
 great numbers. These disadvantages of course 
 were not peculiar to the United States, neither 
 was she excepted from this general rule and was 
 bound to suffer accordingly. 
 
 We will now return to the rural scenes where 
 our story began, and, with the reader, find out in 
 what condition the war had left them. 
 
 The desolate appearance caused by the cowboy 
 raid on the premises of old Martinus Onderdonk 
 had disappeared, and in the place where the 
 burned buildings had stood, new and substantial
 
 THE COWBOY OF RAMAPO VALLEY. 2OI 
 
 barns and outbuildings had been erected. The 
 old man and his wife, on account of the weight of 
 years, had in a measure retired from the manage- 
 ment of the farm, and Rem. and Dirck and their 
 only sister Katharine, had taken their places in 
 the active work of conducting the place. Black 
 George was still there, and as chief of the re- 
 tainers, magnified his office, and felt that the 
 whole management of the farm rested upon his 
 shoulders. 
 
 Since the war ended Rem. had bent all his 
 energy toward making the farm yield as much as 
 possible and also in beautifying its surroundings, 
 until now, two years after hostilities had ceased, it 
 not only produced abundantly but was also a thing 
 of beauty to the eye. The broad fields and verdant 
 meadows stretched away almost as far as the eye 
 could reach, covered with waving grain and luxu^ 
 riant grass. 
 
 It was in this rich and fertile valley, also, that 
 the farms of old Rulof Van Houten and Bernard 
 Demaray were situated ; and the three together 
 formed what everyone admitted them to be, the 
 garden of the county. Their productiveness was
 
 2O2 CLAUDIUS, 
 
 proverbial and the beauty of their location was the 
 admiration of all the country round. 
 
 Barent Van Houten, as might have been ex- 
 pected, was an almost daily visitor at the Demaray 
 homestead, and in the society of Mary, passed 
 much of his time. When his company was dis- 
 banded he was accompanied home by Lieutenant 
 Bertholf, his warm personal friend and companion 
 throughout the whole conflict 
 
 From some intimations already thrown out, the 
 reader will surmise what attracted him thither, 
 and will not be surprised at finding him spending 
 many pleasant hours at the side of Miss Katharine 
 and in the enjoyment of the hospitalities of the 
 Onderdonk home. 
 
 At the earnest solicitations of Barent and Rem, 
 he remained in the neighborhood several weeks 
 and when at last, he left for his home beyond the 
 mountains, he carried with him the self satisfying 
 knowledge that he was the accepted lover of Kath- 
 arine Onderdonk. 
 
 For Captain Rem, the world jogged along in the 
 old groove. From the time he reached manhood 
 he had been a soldier, with no time to waste on
 
 THE COWBOY OF RAMAPO VALLEY. 203 
 
 love or women ; and now, when the tumultuous 
 scenes of the struggle were past the old habits still 
 stuck to him, and he settled .down into calm and 
 contented bachelorhood. 
 
 The care of the farm occupied a portion of his 
 time, and when not engaged in that, he gave his 
 attention to his books of which he had collected a 
 library of all the best in science and history to be 
 procured ; and among them he found his greatest 
 enjoyment. 
 
 But the time came when Captain Rem's fellow 
 citizens, recognizing his ability and knowledge of 
 the world, looked to him as the one above all in 
 the district most competent to represent them in 
 the councils of the nation, and he was almost 
 unanimously elected as a Member of Congress. 
 He performed the duties imposed upon him so 
 well that he was returned again and again, until 
 as the years passed, it became a burden to him 
 and he voluntarily retired to private life. When 
 finally old age came, and bent him with its weight 
 of years, he died as he had lived, surrounded by 
 friends and respected by all who knew him.
 
 204 CLAUDIUS, 
 
 Captain Barent Van Houten was instrumental 
 in organizing the new State and became promi- 
 nent in civil life as he had been in the troublous 
 times that were past. It was to him, also, that 
 the power was given to organize the militia of the 
 county, and he was appointed the first commander 
 and received his commission as Brigadier General 
 from General George Clinton, the first Governor 
 of the State. 
 
 When peace was fairly established and the 
 machinery of civil government began to. run 
 smoothly, and such men as Captain Barent Van 
 Houten and Rembrandt Onderdonk were elevated 
 to places of power and honor, then the people 
 settled down with the assurance that every man 
 would receive the protection he was entitled to by 
 law and for the first time came over them that 
 feeling of security which had been interrupted for 
 eight long years of turmoil and uncertainty. 
 
 It was a lovely summer morning in the month of 
 June, 1785, that the wedding bells rang out from 
 the old Dutch Church at Tappan, and from the 
 surrounding country the people were congregating
 
 THE COWBOY OF RAMAPO VALLEY. 205 
 
 to witness a double wedding. The two couples 
 who were about to enter the domain of Hymen, 
 were representatives of the leading families of 
 the County of Orange and loved and respected 
 by all. 
 
 Captain Barent Van Houten, and the lovely 
 Mary Demaray ; and Lieutenant Henry Bertholf, 
 and . the beautiful and accomplished Katharine 
 Onderdonk were to be married that morning and 
 the whole congregation of the church was coming 
 out to witness the ceremony. 
 
 When the hour arrived the good old Dominie 
 Demaray a near relative of Mary came down 
 the aisle, the bridal party arranged themselves 
 facing the preacher's desk, and when, after an 
 hour's service for it took a good while to get 
 married in those days the white-haired minister 
 pronounced them wedded the vast assemblage 
 congratulated them and wished them joy and all 
 the blessings of a long and prosperous life. 
 
 Thus were they wedded in the midst of friends 
 and neighbors and through their long and useful 
 lives they never regretted the day that made them 
 one; and in after years when sons and daughters
 
 206 
 
 CLAUDIUS, 
 
 were born and grew up around them they blessed 
 that day again and never forgot to make it a day 
 of rejoicing while they lived.
 
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