The Legend of Sleepy Hollow and Other Wr - Washington Irving [257]
hp
see footnote on p. 402.
hq
From A Tale of a Tub (1633), by English poet Ben Jonson (act 3, scene 1, lines 67—74).
hr
Edward Hyde, Lord Cornbury, royal governor of New York and New Jersey (1703—1708).
hs
1705 [Irving’s noteJ.
ht
Big and clumsy.
hu
Tuberculosis.
hv
Small covered pots used to hold ointments.
hw
Robert Hunter, royal governor of New York and New Jersey (1710—1719); he brought the Palatines (German refugees) to New York to produce naval stores for England.
hx
Mercenary soldiers from the Ukraine region.
hy
Rabies.
hz
Farmer (from the Dutch word boer).
ia
I will not, sir (Dutch and low German).
ib
Jacob Leisler (c.1640-1691), known for leading Leisler’s Rebellion (1689), in which he deposed New York’s lieutenant governor, Francis Nicholson, and named himself governor; he was tried and executed after refusing to step down.
ic
Candle made of the dried pith of a rush plant dipped in tallow.
id
Of the same age.
ie
Calvinist manual (1563) used to instruct children in the Christian faith.
if
Hunting knife.
ig
Landmarks along the Hudson River (subsequent references to such landmarks will not be annotated).
ih
This must have been the bend at West Point [Irving’s note].
ii
See footnote on p. 10.
ij
Belt made of strings of beads or shells that were used for money by some Native Americans.
ik
Small, schooner-rigged boat.
il
Provisions.
im
In Greek mythology, warriors under Achilles’ leadership in the Trojan War.
in
The song is unidentified.
io
Henricus Selyns (1636—1701), pastor of the Reformed Dutch Church of New York (his poems were included in H. C. Murphy’s Anthology of New Netherland, 1865).
ip
See footnote on p. 411.
iq
Woman (Dutch).
ir
Site of the fortifications that guarded the approach to New York’s harbor.
is
See “Rip Van Winkle” (p. 87).
it
See p. 454.
iu
i.e., The “Thunder-Mountain,” so called from its echoes [Irving’s note].
iv
Boundary line.
iw
Among the superstitions which prevailed in the colonies, during the early times of the settlements, there seems to have been a singular one about phantom ships. The superstitious fancies of men are always apt to turn upon those objects which concern their daily occupations. The solitary ship, which, from year to year, came like a raven in the wilderness [see the Bible, 1 Kings 17:1-17], bringing to the inhabitants of a settlement the comforts of life from the world from which they were cut off, was apt to be present to their dreams, whether sleeping or waking. The accidental sight from shore of a sail gliding along the horizon in those as yet lonely seas, was apt to be a matter of much talk and speculation. There is mention made in one of the early New England writers of a ship navigated by witches, with a great horse that stood by the mainmast. I have met with another story, somewhere, of a ship that drove on shore, in fair, sunny, tranquil weather, with sails all set, and a table spread in the cabin, as if to regale a number of guests, yet not a living being on board. These phantom ships always sailed in the eye of the wind; or ploughed their way with great velocity, making the smooth sea foam before their bows, when not a breath of air was stirring.
Moore has finely wrought up one of these legends of the sea into a little tale [“Written on Passing Deadman’s Island in the Gulf of the St. Lawrence, Late in the Evening, September, 1804,” by Irish poet Sir Thomas Moore], which, within a small compass, contains the very essence of this species of supernatural fiction. I allude to his Spectre Ship, bound to Deadman’s Isle [Irving’s note].
ix
Legendary substance said to change baser metals into gold.
iy
See footnote on p. 37.
iz
Sideboards.
ja
Wealthy Dutch families whose descendants were recognized as the aristocracy of New York; American author Herman Melville’s mother was a Gansevoort.
jb
“Sinbad, the Sailor” is one of the better-known stories from The Arabian Nights (see endnote 6 to Bracebridge Hall).
jc
See p. 447.
jd
That is, planned.
je
Reckless.
jf
Rascal.
jg
One