Poems Sigourney 1834/First Gift to the Indians at Albany
FIRST GIFT TO THE INDIANS AT ALBANY.
"Albany was first visited by its discoverer, Capt. Hudson, on the 19th of September, 1609. The frank and generous natives made his people everywhere welcome, and they, in return, made their hearts gay with wine and aqua vitæ, till one of them became intoxicated, and greatly astonished the others."
Watson's Historic Tales of the Olden Time.
They come! they come! the pallid race,
The red men gather from the chase,
From forest-shade and light canoe
They throng that "water-bird to view,
Whose mighty wings that near the shore,
They deem their Great Manitto bore.
Frank is their welcome to the band,
The ready smile, the open hand,
The proffered fruits, with gladness prest,
The purple plum in downy vest,
The clustering grape, the corn-sheafs gold,
The untaught greeting, warm and bold.
But by what gift, what token strong,
Did Europe's sons, renowned in song,
Mark their first visit to the child
Of simple faith and daring wild?
A cup! a cup! but who may tell,
What deadly dregs within it swell?
The sickening eye, the burning cheek,
Its fearful magic strangely speak,
And on their turf of verdant die,
See! they who taste it helpless lie.
Type of the woes that soon must sweep
Their blasted race away,
Down to oblivion dark and deep,
With none their hopeless wrongs to weep,
Or mourn their sad decay.
Yes, when the Old World hasting prest
Her friendship on this infant West,
The boon she brought, the pledge she gave,
Was poison and a drunkard's grave.
But thou, fair city, throned in pride,
Queen of the Hudson's silver tide,
Well hast thou, by thy deeds, effaced
This stain upon thine annal traced—
Well hast thou by thy zeal to aid
Temperance, thine early trespass paid:
And as the kneeling form that prest
A Saviour's tear-laved feet, was blest,
So hast thou shown, with victor-sway,
That love which washes sin away.