Robert Juet's Journal
On the day we traditionally mark as Hudson's arrival at Albany, the Halve Maen continues upriver another six miles or so, likely anchoring in the vicinity of Vloman Kill, near the modern site of either Henry Hudson Park or the Port of Albany. This is the limit of navigation: the farthest point upriver the Halve Maen itself will reach. The crew trades with the local Mohicans, buying grapes and pumpkins for the ship's stores, and most notably, trading iron tools for the beaver skins which would become the cornerstone of New Netherland's economy.
On September 19th, 1609:
The nineteenth, was faire and hot weather; at the floud being neere eleuen of the clocke, wee weighed, and ran higher vp two leagues aboue the Shoalds, and had no lesse water than fiue fathoms: wee anchored, and rode in eight fathomes. The people of the Countrie came flocking aboord, and brought vs Grapes, and Pompions, which wee bought for trifles. And many brought us Beuers skinnes, and Otters skinnes, which wee bought for Beades, Kniues, and Hatchets. So we rode there all night.
-- Robert Juet's Journal.
