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diff --git a/42327-0.txt b/42327-0.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..9911491 --- /dev/null +++ b/42327-0.txt @@ -0,0 +1,3824 @@ +*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 42327 *** + +PETER OF NEW AMSTERDAM + +A STORY OF OLD NEW YORK + +BY + +JAMES OTIS + +[Illustration] + + NEW YORK -:- CINCINNATI -:- CHICAGO + AMERICAN BOOK COMPANY + + + + + COPYRIGHT, 1910, BY + JAMES OTIS KALER + ENTERED AT STATIONERS' HALL, LONDON + W. P. 4 + + + + +FOREWORD + + +The purpose of this series of stories is to show the children, and even +those who have already taken up the study of history, the _home life_ of +the colonists with whom they meet in their books. To this end every +effort has been made to avoid anything savoring of romance, and to deal +only with facts, so far as that is possible, while describing the daily +life of those people who conquered the wilderness whether for conscience +sake or for gain. + +That the stories may appeal more directly to the children, they are told +from the viewpoint of a child, and purport to have been related by a +child. Should any criticism be made regarding the seeming neglect to +mention important historical facts, the answer would be that these books +are not sent out as histories,--although it is believed that they will +awaken a desire to learn more of the building of the nation,--and only +such incidents as would be particularly noted by a child are used. + +Surely it is entertaining as well as instructive for young people to +read of the toil and privations in the homes of those who came into a +new world to build up a country for themselves, and such homely facts +are not to be found in the real histories of our land. + +JAMES OTIS. + + + + +CONTENTS + + + CHAPTER PAGE + + WHERE I WAS BORN 9 + + ALONE IN HOLLAND 11 + + AN IMPORTANT INTRODUCTION 13 + + I GO MY WAY 15 + + THE BARGAIN 16 + + SAILING FOR THE NEW WORLD 18 + + A VIEW OF NEW NETHERLAND 20 + + THE "BROWN MEN" OR SAVAGES 22 + + SUMMONED TO THE CABIN 24 + + TOYS FOR THE SAVAGES 27 + + CLAIM OF THE WEST INDIA COMPANY 29 + + MAKING READY FOR TRADE 30 + + HANS BRAUN AND KRYN GILDERSLEEVE 32 + + THE GATHERING OF THE SAVAGES 34 + + GOING ASHORE 36 + + BUYING THE ISLAND OF MANHATTAN 38 + + BOATS USED BY THE SAVAGES 41 + + WANDERING OVER THE ISLAND 42 + + THE HOMES OF THE SAVAGES 44 + + MASTER MINUIT'S HOME 46 + + BEGINNING THE WORK 48 + + A STRANGE KIND OF CRAFT 49 + + BUILDING A FORT 52 + + IN CHARGE OF THE GOODS 53 + + THE VALUE OF WAMPUM 56 + + BUILDINGS OF STONE 59 + + THE GOVERNMENT 60 + + A PROSPEROUS TOWN 61 + + QUARRELSOME SLAVES 64 + + A BRUTAL MURDER 67 + + THE VILLAGE CALLED PLYMOUTH 68 + + I GO ON A VOYAGE 70 + + A LUKEWARM WELCOME 72 + + TWO DAYS IN PLYMOUTH 74 + + FORGING AHEAD 76 + + THE BIG SHIP 78 + + MASTER MINUIT'S SUCCESSOR 80 + + TROUBLE WITH THE ENGLISH 82 + + MASTER VAN TWILLER DISCHARGED 84 + + DIRECTOR KIEFT 86 + + UNJUST COMMANDS 88 + + MASTER MINUIT'S RETURN 90 + + THE REVENGE OF THE SAVAGES 91 + + MASTER KIEFT'S WAR 93 + + DIRECTOR PETRUS STUYVESANT 95 + + TIME FOR SIGHT-SEEING 97 + + HOW THE FORT WAS ARMED 99 + + VILLAGE LAWS 101 + + OTHER THINGS ABOUT TOWN 102 + + A VISIT OF CEREMONY 104 + + NEW AMSTERDAM BECOMES A CITY 106 + + MASTER STUYVESANT MAKES ENEMIES 107 + + ORDERS FROM HOLLAND 109 + + MAKING READY FOR WAR 110 + + AN UNEXPECTED QUESTION 112 + + WITH THE FLEET 114 + + DRIVING OUT THE SWEDES 116 + + THE UPRISING OF THE INDIANS 118 + + AN ATTACK BY THE INDIANS 120 + + HASTENING BACK TO NEW AMSTERDAM 122 + + COAXING THE SAVAGES 124 + + INTERFERENCE WITH RELIGIOUS FREEDOM 126 + + PUNISHING THE QUAKER 128 + + OTHER PERSECUTIONS 130 + + DULL TRADE 132 + + THE CHARGE MADE BY HANS BRAUN 133 + + DISMISSED BY MASTER STUYVESANT 134 + + ENGLISH CLAIMS 137 + + IDLE DAYS 138 + + ON BROAD WAY 139 + + LOOKING AFTER THE FERRY 142 + + THE COMING OF THE ENGLISH 143 + + A WEAK DEFENSE 145 + + MASTER STUYVESANT ABSENT 146 + + DISOBEYING COMMANDS 148 + + SURRENDER OF THE CITY DEMANDED 149 + + A THREE DAYS' TRUCE 150 + + VISITORS FROM THE ENGLISH 152 + + MASTER STUYVESANT'S RAGE 153 + + THE END OF DUTCH RULE 155 + + THE CITY OF NEW YORK 157 + + + + +PETER OF NEW AMSTERDAM + + + + +WHERE I WAS BORN + + +If I ever attempted to set down a story in words, it would be concerning +the time when I was much the same as a slave among the Dutch of New +Amsterdam, meaning a certain part of the world in that America where so +many of my father's countrymen came after they left England, because of +the King's not allowing them to worship God in the way they believed to +be right. + +It sounds odd to say that an English boy was ever held as slave by the +Dutch, and perhaps I have no right to make such statement, because it is +not strictly true, although there were many years in my life when I did +the same work, and received the same fare, as did the negroes in the +early days of New Amsterdam. + +Before I was born, my father was clerk to the post-master of Scrooby, +one William Brewster, and perhaps thus it was that when, because of +troubles concerning religion, Master Brewster journeyed to Leyden with a +company of people who were called Separatists, my parents went with +him. + +[Illustration] + +And so it was that I was born in Leyden, in the year of our Lord, 1612, +but I never knew what it was to have a mother, for mine died while I was +yet in the cradle. Thanks to the care of a loving, God-fearing father, +however, I could do very much toward looking out for myself by the time +I had come to the age of eight, when I was left entirely alone in the +world. I love now to think that during the years of my life while the +good man remained on this earth, I did not cause him any great anxiety, +and required little care. + +Within two months after my father died, which was in the year 1620, many +of the congregation in Leyden set off with Master Brewster for the New +World, there to build up a city where men might worship God in +whatsoever fashion they pleased. + +Those of the Separatists who were left behind, cared for me as best they +might until a year had passed; but none of them were overly burdened +with this world's goods, and, young though I was, I realized, in some +slight degree, what a tax the care of a lad nine years old was upon +them. + + + + +ALONE IN HOLLAND + + +[Illustration] + +Later, those who had in charity taken charge of me also set off to join +Master Brewster's company in America, and I, an English boy, was left +much the same as alone in Holland. I could speak the Dutch language, +however, and was willing to work at whatever came to hand, so that I +earned enough with which to provide me with food; as for clothing, I +wore the cast-off garments of the Dutch boys, whose mothers, taking +pity upon an orphan, freely gave them to me. + +Among the few English then left in Leyden was Master Jan Marais, a +professor in the University, whom my father had known; and he, so far as +lay in his power, kept a watchful eye over me; but this was only to the +extent of inquiring for my welfare when we met by chance, or in +recalling my name to those among his Dutch friends who were in need of +such services as so young a lad could render. + +Now it seems, although I knew nothing concerning it at the time, that +there had been formed in Holland, among the merchants, what was known as +the West India Company, whose purpose was to make a settlement in that +part of the New World which they had named New Netherland, claiming to +own it, and there trade with the savages, or engage in whatsoever of +business would bring in money. + +Master Peter Minuit--whom I should call Heer Minuit, because such is the +Dutch term for master, but the odd-sounding title never did ring true in +my ear--had been appointed by this company, which had already sent out +some people to the world of America, Director of the settlement that was +to be made. He came on a visit of leave-taking to Master Jan Marais, and +it so chanced, whether for good or for evil, that while the two were +walking in the streets of Leyden, they came upon me, standing idly in +front of a cook-shop, and saying to myself that if the choice were given +to me I would take this or that dainty to eat. + +[Illustration] + + + + +AN IMPORTANT INTRODUCTION + + +It may have been in a spirit of fun, or that perhaps Master Marais had +in mind to do me a good turn, but however it came about, he said as +gravely as if I were the burgomaster's son: + +"Heer Peter Minuit, allow me to present to you Master Peter Hulbert, who +has had the misfortune to lose both his father and his mother by death." + +Master Minuit was not unlike many others whom I had met, save that there +was in his face a certain look which bespoke a kindly heart, or so it +seemed, while he gazed at me much as he would at a young calf that he +had in mind to purchase. + +I never did lay claim to being comely, either as boy or man; but yet it +must have been that this sturdy visitor saw something about me which +attracted either his closest attention or his charity, for he said with +a kindly smile, as he patted me on the head: + +[Illustration] + +"Well, namesake Peter, since nearly all your English friends have gone +to America, what say you to voyaging in the same direction?" + +I failed to understand the meaning of the question, and probably stood +staring at him like a simple; yet at the same time I noted a quick +glance from Master Marais, as if the Director had said something which +caught his attention. An instant later, he said with more of seriousness +in his voice than seemed to me the matter warranted: + +"It may not be well, Heer Minuit, to put into the lad's head a desire +that cannot be gratified." + +"And why may it not be?" Master Minuit asked, wheeling sharply about. +"If namesake Peter has no friends in Holland who can take charge of him, +why may he not go to that land on the other side of the world with me? A +youngster of ten years might find many a meaner post than that of body +servant to the Director of the new town in America." + + + + +I GO MY WAY + + +Whatever speech these two may have had together afterward, I know not; +but certain it is that Master Marais, speaking to me hastily, as if it +were not well I should hear what passed between him and his friend, +directed that I go my way until nightfall, when I was to come into the +University grounds with the intent of seeing him. + +[Illustration] + +It was all very well to tell me to go my way; but I had none. One +section of Leyden was the same as another to me, who was penniless and +hungry, casting about in the hope of earning as much, by whatsoever +employment came my way, as would buy what might serve for supper. + +However, I was not so dull as to fail in understanding that Master +Marais would have me out of his path for a time, and I went off +rapidly, as though business in Leyden would come to a standstill if I +did not make haste. + +Then, once out of sight of these two, I looked about, keeping my eyes +wide open in the hope of seeing one who required my services, but +failing utterly, so that when night came, hunger had such a hold upon my +stomach that I was like to have begged from whosoever passed me on the +street. + +Had I done so, it would have been the first time in my life, and since +that afternoon I have had no reason to ask in charity aught of any one, +for surely have I earned double that which I have ever received. + + + + +THE BARGAIN + + +Now lest you think I am given to using too many words, it is enough if I +say that at the appointed time I met Master Marais at the University, +and there learned from him that Master Peter Minuit had offered to take +me as servant to that place in America which was called New Netherland, +pledging himself, in due time, to set me on a path which would lead to +honest manhood. He agreed to provide me with such an outfit as would be +needed, and to bear the charge of my living while we remained in +Holland. + +Master Marais, after first stating that it was for me to decide, since +my future, perhaps, depended upon the answer to be given Master Minuit, +advised that I accept gratefully the Director's offer. + +And so I did. What other could a lad, who had neither father nor mother, +say, when he was given a chance to earn honestly that which he needed +for the care of his body? + +[Illustration] + +To me, boy as I was, the long voyage overseas had no terrors; but was +rather an inducement, for I would see strange sights before coming to +the New World, and then who should say that I might not, one day, rise +to be as great a man as was Master Minuit? + +Master Marais told me I had decided well, when I said that I believed +myself fortunate in having such an opportunity, and straightway took +charge of my affairs, having been so instructed by my new master. I was +given of clothing more than ever I had before, and fed until I was no +longer hungry, during such time as I remained in Leyden. + +Then came the day when Master Marais sent me to Amsterdam with a letter +to Master Minuit's agent, and from that hour I was no more than any +parcel of goods, which the West India Company counted to send into the +New World. + +It troubled me little, however, that I was considered of no importance, +for in exactly that light did I look upon myself; yet I could not but +wonder, if so be I was servant to the Director of the new country in +America, that no one told me to do this or do that, but left me to my +own will, save that I was ordered to keep strictly the rules laid down +by the mistress of the house in which I lodged, until such time as the +_Sea Mew_ was ready to set sail. + +Then it was that one of the sailors came to my lodgings to summon me, +and I know not how it was he chanced to learn of my whereabouts, for I +had had speech concerning my affairs with no person in Amsterdam, +although it may well be that Master Marais had sent information +concerning what was to be done with me. + + + + +SAILING FOR THE NEW WORLD + + +It was in January, in the year of our Lord 1626, when the _Sea Mew_ set +forth on her long voyage, and during a certain number of days after we +left port, it seemed as if my end was near at hand. There are those who +make light of the sickness of the sea; but I am not one, for verily my +sufferings on board the _Sea Mew_ passed man's power of description. + +I saw Master Minuit when I first went on board; but it was as if a cat +had been looking at a king, for he remained in the after part of the +ship where were the people of quality, while I, only a servant, was +herded among the sailors, well up in the bow, where kicks and cuffs were +the rule, and blessings the exception. + +The life of a boy at sea, whether he be a servant in the employ of some +passenger, or belonging to the ship's company, is at its best truly +pitiable. No one has a good word for him; strive as he may, he is always +in some person's road, and the end of a wet rope is ever ready to the +hand of that person who, having lost his temper, would vent his spite +upon the most helpless being near at hand, which is the boy. + +[Illustration] + +I had counted on seeing much of the world during this voyage in the +_Sea Mew_, believing that we should visit strange lands, where I could +roam about feasting my eyes upon all manner of odd things; but none of +this came to pass. + +Twice during the voyage did the _Sea Mew_ cast anchor off some island, +where it would have given me no little pleasure to go on shore that I +might compare the land with the country I had known; but I lacked the +courage to ask permission of my master, who as yet had not spoken to me +since the ship left port, and no one, not even the friendliest among the +seamen, had enough of charity in his heart to say "Come." + + + + +A VIEW OF NEW NETHERLAND + + +Because of all this, the voyage, which took up nearly four months, was +one of discomfort, if not exactly of suffering, and when we came to +anchor off that place in America which had been named New Netherland, I +would have rejoiced even though it were the most desolate island, +because of my life on shipboard having, for a time at least, come to an +end. + +But before I tell you what I saw when I gazed upon this part of the New +World for the first time, to the end that you may the better understand +what I am talking about, let me say that toward the close of the year of +grace, 1624, a company of forty-five persons, men, women and children, +with all their home belongings, their tools for the farms, and one +hundred and three cows and sheep, had been sent out from Amsterdam in +three large ships and a small boat, called by the Dutch a yacht, +although in England it would have been spoken of as a pinnace. + +Some of these people, who agreed with the West India Company to build at +this place a trading post, had already set up such houses as would serve +to shelter them from the weather. + +[Illustration] + +And this is the picture which I saw on the fourth day of May, in the +year of our Lord, 1626, when I stood on the forward part of the _Sea +Mew_, gazing shoreward with hungry eyes, for the one desire I had was to +plant my feet once more upon the solid earth. + +We were lying where two grand rivers came together, forming a harbor in +which all the King's ships might ride in safety. In front of me was a +range of small hills, whereon grew noble trees that had just put on +their dress of green to mark the coming of the summer, and in the +valleys, betwixt the forest and the shore, were small dwellings or huts +built of the bark of trees, much as a child might make a house of twigs. + +Beyond these huts were settlements like unto nothing I had ever seen, +made up of buildings which looked not unlike gigantic logs that had been +split in the middle, with the cleft side lying on the ground. Some of +these half-round shelters were exceedingly long, others short, and all +had one or more doors close to the ground, but no windows that I could +see. + +They were made, as I afterward learned, of the bark of birch trees laid +over a framework of saplings, and fastened in place with the sinews of +animals, or with small wooden pegs. From more than one of them came +smoke, telling of fires and of cooking, but I saw no chimneys. + + + + +THE "BROWN MEN" OR SAVAGES + + +Here and there, either in this odd village, or near the bark huts of the +Dutch people, wandered colored men, not black like those negro slaves we +had on board the _Sea Mew_, but rather the color of a copper kettle +that has been somewhat used over a fire. For clothing, they wore nothing +more than a piece of skin tied around the waist, or leggings of hide. + +Their heads were bare, with the hair shaven from off a goodly portion, +leaving a long tuft directly on the top, which by means, as I afterward +learned, of animal fat, was made to stand upright like a horn. + +These were the savages, and I looked no longer at the dwellings built in +the shape of a half-moon, or at the loosely stacked strips of bark which +marked the home of some Dutchman who had come here at the bidding of the +West India Company, for all my thoughts were centered upon these brown +men, of whom I had heard as one hears a fairy tale, not believing in its +truth. + +Now although the land was goodly and fair to look upon, a veritable +garden of pleasure, to those who had come from a long voyage on the +angry waters, as had we of the _Sea Mew_, yet there came into my mind +the fear that these brown men who wandered here and there, giving little +heed to us who were so lately arrived, and who were the owners of this +New World, might come at some future time to say to themselves that it +were better the Dutch had never landed in their midst. If that day ever +did arrive, woe unto us whose skins were white! + +Little did I believe, even as I dreamed, that such would come to be the +truth; that the day was not far distant when these savages who made even +of their hair a seeming weapon, would come to thirst for the blood of us +who hoped to find fame or fortune, or both, in this New World of +America. + +At a mile or more from the point where we had anchored, we were told +there was a strip of marshy ground, stretching across from river to +river, and lying so low that when the tide was at its height, the +streams were united, making of this settlement an island, which the +Indians called Manhattan. + +There were trees in the forest before me enough to make all the masts +that could be used by the people of the world, and in such a wilderness +how abundant must be the game! In these huge rivers how great in number +the fish! + +I panted to leave the narrow space of ship; to go on shore where I could +wander among the trees and amid the flowers; where I could see these +strange, brown people, whose huts were to me much like hills thrown up +by ants; to come in contact with all these things which God had made, +and in so doing rejoice that I lived. + + + + +SUMMONED TO THE CABIN + + +Now it was as if Master Minuit, who had given no heed during all the +voyage as to whether I might be alive or dead, suddenly remembered that +somewhere on board the _Sea Mew_ he had a servant by the name of Peter +Hulbert, and straightway sent one of the serving men from the great +cabin to hunt me out. + +[Illustration] + +From the time of leaving Amsterdam until this moment, no one had shown +any desire to have speech with me, while all had acted as if believing I +was of no more use in this world than to cumber their path; thus it came +near to startling me when my name was called, so that I hung back, +hardly knowing if I was expected to go forward or aft, until one of the +seamen, hearing the serving man vainly shouting, asked me if that was +not my name which was being spoken so loudly. + +Whereupon I awoke to my senses, and went toward the stern to meet this +fellow, who was bawling at the full strength of his lungs, as if he +would make his tongue do the work of a trumpet, and by him was led into +the great cabin where stood my master, as if he had been awaiting my +coming. + +[Illustration] + +From that moment until this I have never sought for employment; there +has ever been something which I should do for others, or was in duty +bound to do for myself, until I am come to think that he who goes into a +new world to help in building there a city, much the same as fastens +himself into a treadmill in such a fashion that he may not contrive his +own escape. + +Now did I learn what it meant to act the part of body servant to such as +Master Minuit, and was not a little surprised at finding that he had +two others, one a man grown, and a second who was three or four years my +elder, both of whom took advantage of every opportunity to lord it over +me when the master was not within hearing. + + + + +TOYS FOR THE SAVAGES + + +During the long voyage I had tried time and again to picture to myself +what would be expected of me when I began to serve Master Minuit, and +fancied the duties would be to look after his belongings, perhaps his +weapons, or his clothing, or to serve him while he sat at meals. + +[Illustration] + +Therefore it was that my surprise was exceeding great when the first +task which he set me, was that of taking from certain huge boxes, which +had been brought into the great cabin, what appeared like toys for +children, rather than things such as grown men would set a value upon. + +A stout chest, fitted with handles, so that it might the more readily be +carried, had been placed nearby these big boxes, and, under Master +Minuit's direction, I took out these fanciful things, laying some upon +the floor, and stowing others in the chest. + +There were strings of beads such as young Dutch girls wear around their +necks; short lengths of bright red, or blue, or yellow cloth of wool; +ornaments for the ears, made of Dutch brass, and fashioned so rudely +that none save the poorest in the land would covet them; belts of +gaudily colored leather, and small axes and knives formed of iron so +badly worked that but little rough usage would serve to turn the edges. + +I cannot well name all the useless trinkets which I handled that day, +working as deftly as I might, to the end that my new master should lay +no blame upon me for clumsiness; but all the goods were of so little +value that, poor though I was, there came into my heart no desire to +possess them. + +[Illustration] + +As I worked, and while the other two servants were busily engaged making +into packages the belongings of my master, that they might the more +readily be carried on shore, I could not fail of hearing, even though +making no effort to play the part of eavesdropper, the conversation +which was going on between Master Minuit and those Dutch gentlemen who +had come out with him to build up this new land. + + + + +CLAIM OF THE WEST INDIA COMPANY + + +And what I thus heard, without being minded to play the listener, was +that among the orders given by the West India Company, was one to the +effect that before Master Minuit should do anything toward taking upon +himself the governing of the country, the land of Manhattan Island was +to be bought of the brown men, and these useless trinkets were to serve +in the stead of purchase money. + +To the better understanding of this order, let me go back in the tale to +where I have said that the West India Company claimed to own the land +which was called New Netherland. Their reasons for making such claim +were that the Dutch government had, many years before, sent out the ship +_Half Moon_, commanded by an Englishman named Henry Hudson, who believed +himself to be the first white man that ever saw these rivers; and +afterward that famous Dutch seaman, Adrian Block, had followed Master +Hudson, stopping at this same island of Manhattan. Therefore it was, +because of their vessels being supposed to have come to this place +first, that the people of Holland claimed the land as their own. + +As I came to know later, however, a certain sailor from Florence had +been sent to America by the French king, near ninety years before Master +Hudson's coming, and, on landing nearabout where we then were, claimed +all the country in the name of France. + +Perhaps the West India Company knew somewhat of this, and, fearing the +French king might set up ownership to the island of Manhattan, had +decided to buy it of theirs, first because of having been discovered by +them, and again because of being bought in fair trade. + +All this which I have just told you came to me afterward, when I knew +more of the great world and of the manner in which the nations of the +earth struggled one against another to increase their possessions. + + + + +MAKING READY FOR TRADE + + +At the time, however, there was no thought in my mind save that if +Master Minuit should buy this island of Manhattan with all the trumpery +goods he had in the great cabin, then would he be paying a price far too +small for even the least portion of it. + +You can well fancy that I did not neglect my work while thus looking +with contempt upon the goods before me. My duty was to make quick +despatch of the task set me, and at the same time take good heed that it +was done in such a manner as to win the approval, if not the praise, of +Master Minuit. + +Many a long hour did I spend putting the childish things into the chest, +and in taking them out and exchanging for others, when those in company +with my master believed we were gathering too much of value, if indeed +there could be value to such goods. When it was done, I had the idea +that Master Minuit was pleased with me, for he said that from then on I +was to hold myself close to his person, going where he went, and +stopping where he stopped. + +[Illustration] + +I make but a poor attempt at telling the tale, otherwise I would have +said that when we were first come to anchor, some of those people who +had been sent over by the West India Company in advance of our ship, +came on board the _Sea Mew_ to speak with my master; and, as each in +turn was done with his business, or with his pleasure, as the case might +be, orders were given him that the savages be told they were to meet +Master Minuit on the shore nearby where we were then lying at anchor, to +the end that he might have speech with them. + +It puzzled me not a little to understand how he could have speech with +the brown men, when they did not speak in the same tongue as did he; but +I had enough of wit to understand that it did not concern me. Master +Minuit most like had considered well the matter. + + + + +HANS BRAUN AND KRYN GILDERSLEEVE + + +[Illustration] + +When I was done with my task, instead of going into the forward part of +the ship where I had lived from the time we left Amsterdam, my master +gave orders that I should remain nearby where were his own quarters, and +sent me with his other servants, of whom I have already told you +somewhat. + +The elder, who might have been thirty years of age, was named Hans +Braun. He was as sour-visaged, square-jawed, thick-headed a Dutchman as +ever stepped foot in Holland; one who knew not the meaning of the word +friendship, and cared for his own comfort and his own pleasure more than +he did for the master he served, or for anything whatsoever. + +When I came to have a good look at him, as he beckoned me to follow to +that portion of the ship where he and his mate found lodgings, I said to +myself that there at least was one in this New World who would never +lend a helping hand, and would not hesitate to do a wrong if thereby he +could compass his own ends. + +The other servant was Kryn Gildersleeve, who, mayhap, was three or four +years my elder; a dull, heavy lad, who did not give promise of being a +cheerful comrade, and yet I would have put faith in him under the same +conditions that I would have suspected Hans of working me harm. + +If I have been overly careful in speaking of these two fellow servants, +it is because of our being at a later day so placed that they could do +me much of evil, or of good. + +I had rather an hundred times over have gone into my meaner lodgings in +the forward part of the ship, than spend the night in what were most +comfortable quarters, with such as Hans, and yet it was not for me to +say whether I would come here or go there, after the command had been +given. Before another day was very old, however, I understood that, +without having spoken a wrong word or done anything against him +whatsoever, Hans Braun would never be my friend. + + + + +THE GATHERING OF THE SAVAGES + + +It seemed, as I afterward learned, that Master Minuit had given orders +for me to follow him on shore, while the other two were to remain aboard +the ship, and this it was, most like, which displeased Hans. + +However that may be, it has nothing to do with my tale, and perhaps I am +giving overly many words to it; yet would I have you know how I, the +youngest body servant of Master Minuit, Director of the West India +Company's lands in America, came to see so much of that which was, in +fact, important business, such as a lad would not be likely to have any +part in. + +[Illustration] + +We were yet on board the _Sea Mew_, when I, who was standing by the rail +on the quarter-deck, where I could hear the slightest summons from my +master, saw the brown men gathering on shore and verily it was a sight +to cause wonder. + +These brown men, with their hair standing upright on the middle of their +heads, and naked to the waist, but wearing leggings fringed with strips +of hide, and queer, soft shoes ornamented with colored quills of the +porcupine, which I afterwards learned were called moccasins, seated +themselves on the sand of the shore, gazing out toward the _Sea Mew_. + +Below, in the great cabin, I could see that my master and his companions +were arraying themselves as if about to set out for an audience with the +king, and why this should be I failed to understand, save that they +counted to surprise the savages by their bravery of attire. + +Master Minuit wore a long coat of blue cloth, which was fastened around +his waist with a silken sash, and black velvet breeches, gathered in at +the knee with a knot of blue ribbon, while his low shoes, ornamented +with huge silver buckles, set off, as it seemed to me, the shiny +blackness of his silken hose. + +[Illustration] + +He had on a broad-brimmed hat of felt, in which was a plume of blue, and +over his shoulder was a blue sash, which, coming to a point under the +left arm, gave a hanging for his sword. + +The gentlemen with him were decked out in no less brave apparel, and I +said to myself that if the savages of Manhattan Island gave heed to gay +adorning then they were like to be pleased on this day. + + + + +GOING ASHORE + + +I was the one sent ashore in charge of the chest of trinkets, and that I +was thus given a position of trust did not serve to sweeten the sour +look on Hans' face, for he acted much as if believing he was the only +one of Master Minuit's following who could be depended upon for any +service of note. + +It is impossible for me to say in such words as would be understood, how +delighted I was to be on dry land once more. The scent of the flowers, +the odors that came from the forest, and the songs of the birds, so +filled me with delight that it was indeed a difficult matter to act as +if I still held possession of my wits. Perhaps, if the savages had not +been seated nearby, noting every movement made by those concerned in the +care of the chest, I should not have succeeded so well. + +Before these half-dressed, brown men, who watched intently, with never +the ghost of a smile or show of interest on their faces, one could not +but act in a dignified manner, and I held myself as if I, not Peter +Minuit, were the Director of New Netherland come to take possession of +my office. + +Save for long reeds, at one end of which was a small stone vessel, which +I afterward learned was a contrivance used for burning that Indian weed, +tobacco, the savages had nothing in their hands. It seemed to me that it +would have been only natural had they brought with them some of their +weapons, and I was disappointed because of their not having done so, for +my curiosity was great regarding what sort of bloodletting instruments +were in use among them. + +[Illustration] + +During a full hour I sat on the chest, while two of the seamen loitered +near at hand to make certain the brown men did not attempt to find out +what we had brought ashore, and then came my master, followed by all the +gentlemen of the _Sea Mew_. + +Every one was dressed in his bravest garments, and on stepping out of +the small boat on the sand, all gave particular respect to my master, as +if to show the savages that he was the man who had been sent to rule +over this country of New Netherland. + +[Illustration] + +This company of gentlemen walked gravely in procession to where the +chest was standing, giving no heed to the savages until they were +gathered around the useless trinkets, and then they bowed as if each +brown man before them were a king. + + + + +BUYING THE ISLAND OF MANHATTAN + + +I had again been puzzling my brain to figure out how any trading of land +could be carried on, since it was not reasonable to suppose the savages +had knowledge of the Dutch tongue, or that Master Minuit understood such +words as the brown men spoke. + +It was all made plain, however, when one of the white men who had come +from Amsterdam the year before, stepped forward, bending low before my +master as he began making odd sounds to the Indians, which must have +been words of some kind, since they answered him in the same manner, +after which the whole crowd of top-knotted, half-naked savages rose to +their feet. + +Then our Dutchman would repeat the Indian words in English to Master +Minuit, though no one could say whether he repeated exactly that which +the savages had told him, and thus a full hour was spent in telling of +the greatness of Holland, the good intent of the West India Company +toward the brown people, and the advantage it would be to have white men +in the land. + +Master Minuit was not the only one who could deal out soft words, for +the chief savage of the company was quite his match in such business, +and made it appear as if this island of Manhattan were the one place in +all the great world, while at the same time he claimed that the +Manhattan Indians were the only real men ever born. + +Finally Master Minuit got at the kernel of the nut by telling the +savages that he was ready to buy, and to pay a good price for their +island, at the same time letting it be understood that they need not +move away so long as it was their desire to be neighbors and friends +with the white men, who would pay all kinds of prices for furs, or +whatsoever they had to sell. + +This was the time when the chest was opened, and I looked to see the +brown men walk away angrily, believing Master Minuit was making fools of +them when he offered such trumpery stuff for good, solid land; but much +to my surprise the savages hung over the beads and cloth as if they were +worth their weight in gold. + +[Illustration] + +Had I owned the island, and Master Minuit was trying to buy it from me +for what he had in the chest, I would not have given him as much of the +soil as he stood on, for a shipload of the stuff; but these savages +seemed to think they were getting great wealth in exchange for the land, +and he who was acting as mouthpiece had need to keep his tongue wagging +lively in order to repeat all that was said. + +By noon the bargain had been made; the savages kept a tight grip on all +they had received, even when they were invited on board the _Sea Mew_, +where writings of the trade were to be made, and I had hard work not to +laugh outright when I saw how gingerly they stepped into our staunch +longboat, as if fearing it would overset. + + + + +BOATS USED BY THE SAVAGES + + +This fear of so seaworthy a craft as ours, was all the more comical +after I had seen such boats as the savages themselves used, and you may +believe that I am stretching the truth to the point of breaking it, when +I say that they put off in toy vessels that were little better than +eggshells. + +What is more, they showed no fear in so doing even when the waves ran +high, and it seemed as if no human power could prevent the frail craft +from being swamped. + +These canoes, as the savages called them, were given shape by thin +splints of wood, bent something after the fashion of a bow, with the +forward and after ends, although one looked the same shape as the other, +rising high above the midship portion. They were covered with bark from +the birch tree, sewn together with sinews of deer, or of such like +animals, and smeared plentifully with balsam from the pine trees. Where +in another craft would have been the rail, were strips of wood not +thicker than my smallest finger, but of such toughness as to give shape +to the boat. + +I could easily, and have done so many times since, toss the largest of +these canoes on my shoulder and carry it without feeling that I was +burdened. Yet four or five of the brown men would get inside one of +these drowning machines, as Kryn called them, kneeling in the bottom, +since there was no chance to sit squarely down, and dart over the waves +with greater speed than our crew could row the longboat. + +[Illustration] + + + + +WANDERING OVER THE ISLAND + + +When Master Minuit was about to go on board the _Sea Mew_ with the +savages whose land he had just bought, he graciously gave me permit to +wander at will over the island, with the understanding, however, that I +was to be on the shore, ready to come aboard ship, before nightfall. + +It can well be understood that I took advantage of the permission +without delay, and before I had finished with my roaming, I came to +believe that my master had not driven as hard a bargain as at first +sight appeared. + +In England, or in Holland, the land would not have been looked upon as +of much value to a farmer. There were some spots where a kind of wheat +was growing, but these were few and far between. A goodly portion of the +upper part was swampy, and beyond that were ledges, covered with +creeping vines, over which one could not make his way even if he felt so +disposed. + +One of the Dutchmen who had come over before we did, told me that he did +not dare let his cows or sheep wander beyond the marshes, because of the +forest's being filled with bears, wolves, and other ravening creatures +which would make speedy end of them. + +[Illustration] + +When I asked as to the outlook for a farmer, he turned up his thick +nose, saying that save for the fact of the land being rich, never +having been planted, he could not raise enough to keep his family and +his cattle from starving. + +Then it was he told me that the West India Company did not give great +heed to what might be grown in the earth, but counted on building here a +town in order that they might make much money by buying furs of the +savages. + +It seemed that there were animals in the forest nearabout, the skins of +which were valuable in many of the other countries of the world, and it +was Master Minuit's business, if he would please those who had made him +Director of New Netherland, to exchange toys and beads for furs. + +Those white men who had been induced to come over from Holland by +promises of being well paid for their labor, were to turn all their +attention to getting lumber out of the forests, doing no more in the way +of farming than would provide them, as nearly as might be, with food. + + + + +THE HOMES OF THE SAVAGES + + +This same Dutchman, seeing that the Indian houses excited my curiosity, +offered to go with me inside one, and, on my agreeing eagerly, he led +the way into the first building on our path, with no thought of asking +permission, much as if entering his own dwelling. + +It surprised me to see what flimsy affairs they were, and yet it was +said that the savages lived in them during the winter when there is much +snow on the ground. I have already told you that instead of having a +roof laid on upright sides, the top was rounded like a huge log cleft in +halves, and once inside I understood why they were built in such +fashion. + +[Illustration] + +The timbers were nothing more than small, young trees, the thicker ends +of which were thrust into the ground, and the tops bent over until the +whole formed an arch. On the outside of this was bark taken from the +birch tree, sewed or pegged in place, and in the center of the floor, +which was simply the bare earth beaten down hard, a fire could be built, +the smoke finding its way out through a hole in the roof. + +Why such frail buildings did not take fire from sparks, I could not +understand, for it would have needed but a tiny bit of live coal to set +the whole thing in a blaze. + +There were no people in this house which we entered, and therefore it +was that I could look about me more closely than would otherwise have +been the case. I saw pots and kettles fashioned of what looked to be +gourds, or baked clay; sharpened stones lashed to wooden handles, to be +used, most like, as axes, and shells with an edge so sharp that one +might have whittled a heavy stick into shavings, which shells, so the +Dutchman told me, served the savages as knives. + +[Illustration] + +There were many wooden bowls, which must have been formed by these same +knives of shell, and one of them, half filled with a greasy looking +mixture, was yet standing upon the embers, as if its contents had been +heated in that vessel of wood over the fire. + +The beds were not uninviting, save that they were far from being +cleanly, and gave forth a disagreeable odor, for they were made of furs +piled high upon a coarse kind of straw. + + + + +MASTER MINUIT'S HOME + + +Then it was that this very friendly Dutchman showed me the house in +which Master Minuit was to live, until such time as a building, made +after the manner of those in Holland, could be set up. + +It was no more than a log hut, large, to be sure, but yet formed of the +trunks of trees laid one on top of the other, with the ends notched so +that they would lock together, as it were, and the floor was the same as +I had seen in the house of the savage, simply earth beaten hard until it +was nearly smooth. + +[Illustration] + +The idea of bringing his fine garments into such a place, or even of +wearing them where were none save the Indians to see his bravery of +apparel, caused me to smile; but I soon came to know that my master had +no intention of spending very many days within this rough dwelling of +logs. + +The _Sea Mew_ was moored stem and stern, as if for a long stay, and +Master Minuit and the other gentlemen appeared to have no idea of going +on shore to live as did the savages. + +It is not needed for me to say that I also remained aboard the ship, +although it would have pleased me far better to have taken my chances +with the people in the huts, for these Dutchmen who had come in advance +of us were really pleasant fellows, who did not think it beneath their +dignity to answer such questions as a lad like me, who saw so much that +was curious everywhere around, was aching to ask. + + + + +BEGINNING THE WORK + + +There was little chance for me to gratify my curiosity in these first +days after we were come to America, for Master Minuit counted on having +much work done during the summer, in order that we might be prepared for +the frosts of winter, and I had no idle time for making acquaintance +with this New World. + +My master put the interests of the West India Company even before the +well-being of the people who were to make a new town, and his first act, +after buying the island of Manhattan for much the same as no price at +all, was to begin the gathering of furs. + +The people who had come ahead of us were cutting timber in the forest, +and dragging, or rafting, it down to the point where it would be in good +position to be taken on board the first ship that was to be loaded, and +with such tasks Master Minuit did not interfere. + +The gentlemen who had come with him were to go, each in a different +direction, up the rivers in search of savages who would exchange +valuable furs for trumpery toys, and it was my duty to assort these +goods, under the direction of my master, as a matter of course, into +various lots to the end that each of the traders would have some portion +of every kind. + +When this had been done, and I was kept at the task during the greater +part of two days, each assortment was packed into a chest like unto the +one we had taken ashore when the island was purchased of the savages. + +To Hans and Kryn was given the duty of putting these goods into the +boats; packing up food for the many crews, and doing the heavy work +generally, which was not to the liking of the sour-faced servant, who +would have been better pleased could he have remained snug in the great +cabin, as did I. + + + + +A STRANGE KIND OF CRAFT + + +Five traders at length set out, each in a boat with four Dutch sailors, +and one of the brown men to show him the way, and before the last had +departed I saw a craft, made by the savages, which was by no means as +light and fanciful as were the canoes of the birch-tree bark. + +The boat had been fashioned out of a huge log, and although there seemed +to be great danger she would overset if the cargo were suddenly shifted +to one side, she was of sufficient size to carry a dozen men with twice +as much of goods as we put on board of her. + +I was puzzled to know how these brown men, who had not tools of iron, +could build such a vessel, which would have cost the labor of two +Dutchmen, with every convenience for working, during at least ten days. +Later, however, when I had more time for roaming around on the shore, I +learned in what manner the task had been performed, and then was I +filled with wonder because of the patience and skill of these savages +who were so childish as to be pleased with toys. + +When a wooden boat, or "dugout," such as I have just spoken of was to be +built, the brown men spent much time searching for a tree of the proper +kind and size, and, having found it, set about cutting with both fire +and sharpened shells. + +A fire was built entirely around the tree, but the flames were prevented +from rising very high by being deadened with wet moss or leaves, thus +causing them to eat directly into the trunk. When the surface of the +wood had been charred to a certain extent, the Indians scraped it away +with their knives of shell, and this they continued to do, burning and +scraping until finally the huge tree would fall to the ground. + +[Illustration] + +Then was measured off the length of the boat they wanted to make, and +the same kind of work was done until they had cut the trunk again, +leaving a log fifteen, twenty, or even twenty-five feet long, as the +builders desired. Next this log was hollowed out by fire and scraping, +until only the shell of the tree was left, so you can have some idea of +the amount of work that was done by such rude methods. + +The ends were fashioned much after the shape of the canoes, save that +neither the stern nor the bow rose above the midship portion; thwarts, +or seats, were fitted in as neatly as one of our workmen could do it +with the proper tools, and when finished, the craft would carry quite as +large a cargo as one of our longboats. + +Our Dutch seamen looked upon these boats with wonder, questioning if +they would not be swamped in a heavy sea; but those of our people who +had lived here nearly a year, declared that these dug-outs would swim +where many a better built craft would go to the bottom. + + + + +BUILDING A FORT + + +Within an hour after the last of the traders had set off, Master Minuit +had his workmen busy on a fort, to be built an hundred yards or more +from the place where we first landed. + +Although these brown men appeared so very friendly, it was not in his +mind to give them any chance to work mischief, and, therefore, some +place where our people could defend themselves against an enemy, was +needed. + +All the Dutchmen who had been hewing timber were called upon to take +part in the work, and it went on with amazing rapidity, for Master +Minuit was not one who gave those in his employ much chance to suck +their fingers. + +The fort was made in the form of a triangle, with bastions, or +projections, at each corner, so that while within them the defenders +could have a view of each side-wall. Around the entire building, say at +a distance of twenty feet, was a palisade, or fence, of cedar logs +planted upright in the earth, and fastened together with heavy timbers +at the top. + +A more solid fortification of wood I have never yet seen, nor have I +known of a like defence to have been made in so short a time. + + + + +IN CHARGE OF THE GOODS + + +Before the fort was finished, two of the gentlemen traders came back, +their chests emptied of beads, cloth, and trinkets, but the boats piled +high with furs of all kinds, and I heard Master Minuit say that one such +cargo was worth more than all the grain that could be raised in two +years, by all the white men on the island. + +The log house was taken for a storeroom, and Hans set at work making a +list of the furs, which was anything rather than a pleasant task, for +these skins were none of the sweetest or most cleanly, and the Dutchman +both looked and smelled very disagreeably. + +[Illustration] + +While Hans was sweating over the furs in the log house, I stayed in the +great cabin of the _Sea Mew_, refilling the chests with goods, and +before the task was finished, Master Minuit told me that I was to have +charge of all the things brought for trade with the savages. + +In other words, I was no longer to be body servant, but a real +storekeeper, which was more of a jump in the world than I had even hoped +to make for many a long year to come. + +The palisade of the fort was not yet wholly done, when a dozen or more +of the men were set about building inside the fortification a log +house, where the goods were to be kept and where I was to find lodgings. + +Kryn Gildersleeve, like the honest lad he was, gave me joy because of my +thus having become, as it were, a real member of the Company; but Hans +was angry, believing if any of the servants were to be promoted, it +should have been himself, and I am told that he declared I would not +long be allowed to enjoy my high station. + +By the time the palisade had been built my house was finished, and all +the goods brought from the _Sea Mew_, which gave me much of work to do, +because my orders were to unpack and store the different articles where +I could bring them out at a moment's notice. + +You must not understand that Master Minuit had entrusted to me the +trading. That portion of the work was for himself and the gentlemen who +had come with him; but I was in charge of the goods, as Hans was keeper +of the furs, while Kryn alone waited upon the master as body servant. + +When any of the savages came in from the village close by, or from far +away, to bargain for our toys, one of the gentlemen looked after him, +and I brought this thing or carried that according to orders, for the +Indians were not allowed to come inside the log house lest they might +make mischief. After the trading was at an end, Hans would be summoned +to carry away the furs. + +[Illustration] + +If none of the other gentlemen were near at hand, it was my duty to +summon Master Minuit, when any of the brown men came to the fort with +such a burden that I could understand he was eager to buy of our goods. + + + + +THE VALUE OF WAMPUM + + +Because of thus being employed, I very soon saw that which served the +savages as money, and queer stuff it was, being neither more nor less +than bits of shell. + +The brown men called the stuff wampum, and because of having such poor +tools it must be an enormous amount of work to make it. As nearly as I +could learn, there were certain big shells which washed up on the shores +here after a storm, and only some part of the inside of these, and a +portion of the mussel shells, were used. + +From the big shells they made a smooth white bead, grinding the shell +down against a rock until it was perfectly smooth, and then boring a +hole through it. The beads of wampum made from the mussel shells were in +shape much like a straw, and less than half an inch in length. + +These beads the Indians strung on the dried sinews of wild animals, from +a half a yard to four feet in length, when, as I have already told you, +they were used as money. + +But wampum is even more than that among the savages. When these strings +are fastened to the width of five or six inches into a belt, they are +given to messengers to take to another tribe, much as kings of old used +to give their seal rings as a sort of letter of recommendation. + +[Illustration: The great Wampum Belt of the Onondagas.] + +The wampum belts were sent in token of peace after a war, or as a +present from one ruler to another, and, as can be seen, this wampum was +even of more value to the savages than gold is to white men. + +One would think that when they got our beads in exchange for their furs, +they would have strung them with those which had been cut from shells, +and yet they did nothing of the kind, for in their eyes one of those +tiny, white balls, which had a hole through the middle, was of more +value than a cupful of Master Minuit's best. + +I do not know how it was figured out; but you must know that in Holland +they have a coin called a stuyver, which is worth in English money near +to two pennies. Our people here allowed, in trading with the Indians, +that four beads of wampum were equal to one stuyver, or two pennies, and +a single strand six feet long, was equal to four guilders, or, roughly +speaking, about eight shillings. + +There is no need for me to say that our people did not buy wampum of the +Indians; but in the course of the bargaining it passed back and forth, +because of being the only coins the brown men had, and therefore I +suppose it was, that Master Minuit believed it necessary to put some +fixed price upon it. + + + + +BUILDINGS OF STONE + + +After the fort and the storehouse had been finished, the Dutch laborers +were set about cutting out stone from the ledges of which I have spoken, +to be used in the place of bricks. From this rock Master Minuit decided +that a more secure warehouse for the company's goods should be made, +and, also, a dozen or more of the men were set about building a mill to +be worked by horse-power, so that it might be possible to grind the +grain. + +[Illustration] + +This horse-mill also was to be built of stone, with a large loft that +would be used as a church. + +There had been no ministers brought over when we came in the _Sea Mew_; +but in place of them were two zeikentroosters, which is a Dutch word for +"Consolers of the Sick;" but what they might be called in plain English +I know not. It appeared to me that the zeikentroosters in Holland were +much the same as deacons in England, though as to this I may be wrong. + +At all events, there were two of them came in our ship, and, until the +first minister arrived, they held regular meetings out of doors while +the mill was being built, and afterward in the loft. + + + + +THE GOVERNMENT + + +While the people were working on the mill, the fort, and the storehouse, +or at the quarry, Master Minuit, busy man though he was, found time to +set up a regular government in this town of huts which he called New +Amsterdam, himself being at the head of it with no one to say him nay, +and a Council of five chosen by the West India Company from among the +white people. + +There was also a secretary for this Council, and a Dutch official, which +in Holland is called schout-fiscal, which means about all of the offices +that could be held in an ordinary village, for he was sheriff, +constable, collector of customs, tithing-man, and almost anything else +you chose to call him. + +The secretary and the schout-fiscal were also appointed by the Company +in Amsterdam, and every act of the Council, as well as the rules and +regulations laid down by Master Minuit, were all to be approved by the +gentlemen in Holland before our people would be bound by them. Thus it +can be seen that while one might suppose the citizens of New Amsterdam +made their own laws, it was in fact the West India Company which had +full direction of affairs. + +After a time, when I had been so far entrusted with the business of the +settlement as to understand how it was conducted, I came to realize that +all which was done by us of New Amsterdam was for the profit of the +Company, rather than for the benefit of the people, and this finally +came to be one of the causes which worked for the downfall of Dutch +power in the New World. + + + + +A PROSPEROUS TOWN + + +Before I had been many days in charge of the Company's goods we began to +drive a flourishing trade, for all those gentlemen who had set off with +trinkets to buy furs, urged the brown men to go down to New Amsterdam +and see what the white people were doing on the island they had bought +at so generous a price. + +And you can well fancy that these Indians were not slow in accepting the +invitation. It must have been to them much like visiting a museum, or a +menagerie, to come into our town and see another race of people working +in a manner entirely different from their methods, and using tools +which afforded a great saving of labor, the like of which they had never +heard about. + +[Illustration] + +Before two weeks were passed, there was never a day that from three to +twenty canoes were not hauled up on the shore of the point, and these +brown people were gathered around the fort, many naked, excepting for +queer breeches and belt; others wearing a kind of cloak made of furs, +and now and then one who had a mantle of some sort of feather work, but +all burdened with bales of furs, deer meat, wild turkeys, ducks or +anything which it seemed to them likely would be bought by these Dutch +traders, who had of toys such a store. + +I was kept busy from morning until night, trotting in and out of the +house with this article or that, as whosoever was conducting the +business commanded, and I dare venture to say that Hans was having a +sorry time indeed, for the weather had grown warm, and his quarters in +the log hut, with those ill-smelling pelts, must have been anything +rather than pleasant. + +The first event of great importance to us of New Amsterdam, was the +loading of a ship to be sent home, and I am minded to tell you exactly +how the cargo was made up, so that you may see whether the West India +Company's servants had idled away any of their time. + +There were 7,246 beaver skins, 1,781-1/2 otter skins, 675 poorer otter +skins, 48 mink skins, 33 poorer mink skins, 36 wild cat skins, and 34 +rat skins. The rest of the lading was made up of oak and hickory timber, +while the whole of it was valued by Master Minuit at 45,000 guilders, +and it is for you to find out how much that would be in the money of +your own country. + +[Illustration] + +Before this ship sailed we had gathered our first harvest, which was +made up of wheat, rye, barley, oats, buckwheat, beans and flax, and in +such quantity that, unless there should be large additions to our +numbers, we had need to feel no anxiety regarding the winter's store of +food. + +I am telling you this that you may understand how industrious our +Dutchmen were, to raise so much on land that at first sight one would +have said was in no way suited for planting. + +Now it was that our people began to use stone in the building of houses, +and the first looked so comfortable that others were eager to have +dwellings like it. The consequence was, that during this first fall +after our arrival, there were no less than twelve stone dwellings in +progress, while Master Minuit already had such a home as was a credit to +any town which had been no longer begun than New Amsterdam. + + + + +QUARRELSOME SLAVES + + +It was during this year of our Lord, 1626, when the venture of making a +village in the New World was well-nigh shown to be a success, that the +first serious crime was committed, and one which cost, before many years +had passed, much of white blood. + +Among the laborers who had been brought over in the _Sea Mew_, were nine +negro slaves, the West India Company having sent them in the belief that +because of their skins' being black they might do much toward gaining +favor with the brown men. + +In Holland these fellows had shown themselves to be fairly good +servants, although not greatly given to industry; but no sooner were +they landed in the New World than they became indolent and ill-tempered, +seeming to believe that because of this country's being inhabited by +people whose skins were dark, they were entitled to a full share of +everything, with no longer the need to look upon any man as master. + +[Illustration] + +The result of it all was that the negroes became troublesome, ready to +quarrel with any man who crossed their path, and unwilling to do so much +of labor as would have provided them with food to eat. + +They swaggered here and there around the village, taking good care, +however, not to cross Master Minuit's path, else would he have pulled +them up with a round turn. At night, when the head men of the village +were in their dwellings, these black fellows did not hesitate to quarrel +with, or even illtreat, the hard working Dutchmen who had never a harsh +word for any one. + +Now I have heard it said later that Master Minuit was at fault because +of his not giving to those negroes, when they first showed signs of +being unruly, such a punishment as would never have been forgotten; but +it must be borne in mind that my master was an exceeding busy man, +having the care of everything whatsoever on his shoulders, from the +cutting of stone to the dealings with the West India Company. + +Then again, there is a question in my mind as to whether he knew how +overbearing they were growing, for our people, realizing that his cares +were many, suffered much in the way of small injuries rather than +complain to him. + +However this may be, I shall always hold that the behavior of these +negroes was no affair of Master Minuit. Until some of the people had +called his attention to it, matters went on as they began, with the +black men growing more and more unruly. + + + + +A BRUTAL MURDER + + +Finally, a certain Indian, having with him a small boy, came down to +trade twenty-two beaver skins for red cloth. Because of none of the +gentlemen traders being near at hand when he arrived, I was forced to +ask him to wait until nearly nightfall, and by the time he had finished +his bargaining, darkness was come. + +Now it was usual for these brown men, who lived at a distance, to +shelter themselves for the night nearabout New Amsterdam in the +dwellings of the Manhattan Indians; therefore no one gave heed to the +fact that these two visitors went out from the fort at quite a late hour +in the evening. + +Exactly what happened, no one, excepting those concerned directly in it, +could say; but certain it is that between the fort and the settlement of +the Manhattan Indians, within an hour from the time I saw them last, +this Indian and the boy were set upon by four negroes, who beat the man +so brutally while robbing him of the goods he had just purchased, that +he died before mid-night. + +The boy escaped, as we learned later, so terrified that he dared not +even trust himself among the Manhattan Indians, but hid in a swamp +during a certain time, after which he rejoined his people. + +The negroes were brought before the council; but only one was proven +guilty, owing to lack of evidence, and this fellow was hanged off-hand, +while the others, although declared innocent of the murder, were soundly +flogged as a warning to others of their kind. + +Not until several years had passed, did the Dutchmen hear further +concerning this most brutal murder, and then it was that the boy, whose +father, or uncle, had been killed, aroused the people of his tribe to +wreak vengeance upon the white men, thus aiding and bringing about a +most terrible Indian war, although we of New Amsterdam did not suffer +through it as did others who, coming to this New World years afterward, +were wholly innocent of doing any wrong to the brown men. + +However, save that the trouble which resulted in much bloodshed, began +there, the war has but little to do with New Amsterdam, and I shall say +no more regarding it at present. + + + + +THE VILLAGE CALLED PLYMOUTH + + +I had thought that, having been given the office of storekeeper, I was +like to remain all my days in the town, without having the privilege of +going even on a trading ship, and yet matters so came about that I +became a great traveler, so far as seeing the New World was concerned. + +Shortly after we were come to New Netherland, Master Minuit heard from +the savages that at a place called Plymouth, many miles from us, a +company of Englishmen had made for themselves a village which was fair +to look upon, and growing exceeding fast. + +Now you may suppose that I had not been dumb during this time, when I +was showing goods to the savages while our gentlemen made the bargains, +but so I must have been had I not learned a word now and then of their +speech, until, by using many signs in addition, I could carry on quite a +conversation with such of the brown men as would stoop to make talk to a +boy. + +[Illustration] + +Therefore it was I understood Indian words far better than I could speak +them, and when these stories were told concerning a company of English +people at this new village of Plymouth, my heart went out to them, for +was I not an English boy, and these my countrymen? + +I had known, of course, that those of my race who once lived in Leyden, +came to this New World; but that we might be anywhere near them never +entered my head, until the savages told us of Plymouth, and then I said +to myself that there could be no greater pleasure than to see these +people who had been friendly with my father and mother. + + + + +I GO ON A VOYAGE + + +I also knew, because of hearing him speak of it to some of the gentlemen +traders in my presence, that Master Minuit had sent a letter to the +governor of Plymouth by one of the Indians, and a reply had come back; +but more than that I heard nothing until the Secretary told me, one +certain morning, that I was to make a sea voyage with him. + +It was a direct command from Master Minuit, and I made ready without +asking to what land we should go, because it was for me to obey, not to +question; but I had a great hope that Hans Braun might not be put into +the storehouse in my place, fearing lest he would not willingly give up +the position, after learning how much more pleasing it was to handle the +toys than the ill-smelling furs. + +"We are to journey as far as Plymouth, where is a village in which +English people live," the Secretary, whose name was that of a Frenchman +and bothered my tongue, said to me when I went on board the pinnace +Nassau, which had been made ready for the voyage. + +One might have knocked me down with a breath, so astounded and overjoyed +was I at the possibility of seeing my father's friends, and it was a +full five minutes before I could set down an account of the goods that +were being brought on board, for Master Minuit counted on sending a +present to the governor of Plymouth, of no less value than a chest of +sugar, near to an hundred strings of wampum, and three rolls of best +cloth, each of a different color. + +[Illustration] + +If it had been in my power to provide the wind for the voyage, it could +not have been more favorable, and the _Nassau_ sent up a jet of spray +from her bow, as we sailed down the river on the eastern side of New +Amsterdam till we were come to what is called Long Island Sound, which +is a vast inland sea. + +Then we crossed the bay which is called Narragansett, because of the +Indians of that tribe living along the shores, and afterward were come +to a trading post belonging to the people of Plymouth. + + + + +A LUKEWARM WELCOME + + +It was as if my heart came into my mouth when I saw these English +people, and I made no doubt they would welcome me warmly on knowing that +my father was of the same religious faith; but they gave little heed to +my words, and because of being received so coldly, I felt shame that I +had rejoiced when the Secretary told me where our voyage was to come to +an end. + +However, we were not then at Plymouth, but nearly twenty miles away. +That the Englishmen might have warning of our coming, word was sent +ahead by one of the savages who had journeyed with us, that a messenger +from the West India Company wished to visit Plymouth, and would do so if +the governor of the town would send a boat to a point four or five miles +from where we then were. + +All this was done as the Secretary wished, and we walked across a neck +of land, some of the people from the trading post carrying the chests of +gifts, until coming to where a boat was in waiting. + +Before another night had come we were in Plymouth; but it was to me as +if I had met entire strangers, for none gave me the hearty welcome I +had been hungering for, although my story was not doubted. I suppose +there were too many like me in this wide world, and those who were +battling against the wilderness and the savages, as were these people, +could give but little heed to a lad who had no standing among men. + +[Illustration] + +I was lodged in the fort, where were women who did by me as best they +might; but my heart was sore because of disappointment. + + + + +TWO DAYS IN PLYMOUTH + + +The Secretary was received into the house of the governor, Master +Bradford, and I neither saw nor heard from him, save when he sent me +word next morning, which was the Sabbath, that he expected I would show +myself at the meeting-house. + +[Illustration] + +All this would I have done even though he had not been so thoughtful, +for I was burning to hear the preachers my father had known: but the +sermon was overly long; I was tired from the journey of the day before, +and, without meaning so much disrespect to the minister, I fell asleep, +nor did I awaken until one of the tithing-men struck me a sharp blow on +the head with a long pole, at the end of which was affixed a wolf's +tail. + +It can well be supposed that from then on I sat bolt upright, my face +crimsoned with shame, and after such moment I had no desire to make +myself known to any who had met my father and mother, lest they reproach +me for the crime I had committed. + +We stayed in Plymouth the first two days of the week, and I had good +opportunity to see the town; but did not fall in love with it. Although +the people had been living there more than seven years, save for the +manner in which the houses were built, they were not so comfortably +settled as we of New Amsterdam, who had been in America no more than +fourteen months. + +I had a good look at that valiant soldier, Miles Standish, who had +fought in the Dutch army, as I well knew, and was much pleased with his +appearance, though I made no effort to have speech with him because of +what I had done in the church. + +It was Wednesday morning when we set out on our return, and I must +confess that I was happy, rather than sad, at turning my back upon the +English to meet the Dutch, for while we have less of preaching in New +Amsterdam, there is more of friendliness shown to strangers, or, so it +seemed to me whose heart was sore. + +Neither Hans nor Kryn had been called upon to take my place in the +storehouse, and within ten minutes after the _Nassau_ had come to +anchor off the fort, I was at work showing goods to the savages, as if I +had seen no more of this New World than those who labored with me. + +By this time our church was set in order, being, as I have said, in the +loft of the horse-mill, and you may be certain I did not allow my eyes +to close in slumber when I went to hear the zeikentroosters explain the +holy words next Sabbath day. We had no such pulpit as they at Plymouth, +but our benches were fairly comfortable to sit on, and Master Minuit's +chair had in it a red cushion that made a braver show than anything I +saw among the English. + + + + +FORGING AHEAD + + +Now, as the days went on, our town of New Amsterdam grew amazingly fast. +It was soon learned that there was good farming land along the eastern +side above the swamps, and within two years no less than six farms, +boweries,--the Dutchmen call them,--were laid out with good promise of +bountiful crops. + +The fort had been rebuilt of good stone, in the same shape as when first +made, and the storehouse for the trading goods had been finished as +Master Minuit promised. In addition to what we bartered with the +Indians, stores of all kinds that could be brought from Holland were put +on sale for the benefit of the laborers, and, because of my not being +able to do all the work, Kryn Gildersleeve was sent to me as an +apprentice. + +[Illustration] + +If that was not a rise in the world, then I do not know what it may be +called, and for it all I have to thank Master Minuit, who ever dealt by +the orphan lad as if he had been the son of a director in the West India +Company. + +It was no longer necessary for us to heap up stones to serve as +chimneys, for the laborers were making good bricks. To get lime we +burned the shells of oysters, of which there are in this land so many +that all the world may feed upon them till the youngest man has grown +gray-headed, without lessening the supply. + +Ships were coming to us from Holland nearly every month to take away the +furs that had been bought, and the timber cut from the forests. Of +building stone we had all that could be used, no matter how many other +people might make their homes in New Amsterdam. + +Truly it was wonderful how soon we made of that wilderness a country +that kings might covet, which indeed they did, as I came to know before +I was at an end of my service with the West India Company. + +If I give so much time to telling you of what we did in New Amsterdam +when Master Minuit was at the head of the government, you will not be +inclined to listen when I speak of what the other governors, sent by the +West India Company, accomplished for the good or ill of the country. + + + + +THE BIG SHIP + + +Therefore it is, that instead of pleasing myself by telling of all my +master did, I will come directly to that time when he left us. According +to my belief, the West India Company could not have found in all the +world any other man who would have served so faithfully, both the people +and the Company, as did Master Minuit. + +The last thing of moment which Director Minuit did, was to have built, +so that the merchants of Holland might see what we of New Netherland +could do, one of the finest ships, so I have heard it said, that was +ever put together. She was called the _New Netherland_. She measured +eight hundred tons, and carried thirty guns. + +At the time she was launched, I said to myself that never in this world +would be found men who could build a larger or more beautiful ship than +this, and yet I made a mistake in saying so, as I have made many others +during my life. + +[Illustration] + +I would I might tell you of the merrymaking and the feasting when the +_New Netherland_ was sent from the land into the water. I wish it might +be possible to describe the astonishment of the savages as they saw this +huge vessel being built up timber by timber, until she was fit to +encounter the tempests, and the waves, and the manifold dangers of the +sea. + +But I have said that in order to tell of what other things were done in +New Amsterdam I must make of what should be a long story, a short one. + +Now, whether it was the building of this wonderful ship that displeased +the directors of the West India Company, or other matters of Master +Minuit's government that offended them, I cannot say. And indeed it is +not to be expected that he who plays the part of clerk in a storehouse +should know much concerning affairs of state. + + + + +MASTER MINUIT'S SUCCESSOR + + +I am certain, however, that in six years after we arrived in the _Sea +Mew_, when New Amsterdam was a town of which to be proud, Master Minuit +set out for Holland, taking with him in the same ship no less than five +thousand beaver skins. + +When Master Minuit left us, it was our belief that he would soon come +back; but there must have been in his mind some doubt regarding it, for +he gave me much farewell advice on the night before the ship sailed, +declaring, that so far as anything he might do, I should be advanced in +the West India Company's employ as rapidly as was best. + +It must be that my master seriously offended the Council of the Company, +for I went in their employ no further on the road to fortune, or to +fame, than where he left me. + +During the year the affairs of New Amsterdam were looked after by the +Council of the town, and then came a new Director by the name of Wouter +Van Twiller. Of him I can tell you very little, for, unlike Master +Minuit, he showed no interest in the welfare of those who were serving +him. + +A short, fat man, who was overly fond of good dinners, and if I, who am +nothing but a clerk in the employ of the Company, may say it, with not +of brains enough to look after the concerns of such a town as New +Amsterdam was becoming, yet withal he accomplished somewhat toward +making this place beautiful. + +[Illustration] + +As I have said before, my duties kept me in the storehouse, and so +rapidly had the trade with the Indians increased, that instead of having +only Kryn Gildersleeve to help me, there were now five men under my +charge, while I myself was doing much of the bargaining with the +Indians. Therefore it is that I know but little concerning what this new +Director did or did not do. + +It was told in New Amsterdam that he had been no more than a clerk in +the employ of the West India Company in Holland; but he knew somewhat +regarding trading, for we set up posts here and there in such number +that all the gentlemen traders who had come over with Master Minuit were +needed to look after them, which accounts for my being allowed to +conduct the business affairs in the fort. + + + + +TROUBLE WITH THE ENGLISH + + +I do know this, however, that an English vessel came to anchor one +certain day off the town, and her captain said it was his purpose to go +up the river to one of our posts called Port Orange, there to trade with +the Indians on his own account. + +Master Van Twiller forbade his doing so; but after remaining five days, +the English captain sailed up the river, and then it was that our new +Director, calling together all the men in the town, armed three vessels +and drove the English out of the river. + +I also know that he brought trouble to himself and to the West India +Company, by doing that which the English people in Plymouth claimed he +had no right to do, and it was much like this: + +[Illustration] + +Our Dutchman, Adrian Block, had sailed up a river to the east of us, +which he called the Fresh River, and Master Minuit had traded there with +the savages to the extent of near ten thousand beaver skins, besides +other furs, each year. + +Now it seems the English of Plymouth claimed that this land had been +given them by King James, and so notified Master Van Twiller; but he +sent his secretary with a lot of toys, and bought from the savages that +piece of land called Connittecock, building thereon a trading post, in +which we mounted two cannon, and called it the House of Good Hope. + +Because of this the English of Boston, together with those in Plymouth, +set about driving the Dutch away from Fresh River by building another +post a short distance above them, and there, so I learned from the +traders who came to New Amsterdam, we were having considerable trouble. + +Master Van Twiller contrived also to get himself into trouble with the +English at Jamestown, and did have a pitched battle with them at our +forts at Nassau, on the Delaware River, gaining a victory, but giving +the Dutch a bad name with their neighbors. + + + + +MASTER VAN TWILLER DISCHARGED + + +This much I know, Master Van Twiller did much that was unwise; but out +of the harm he accomplished considerable of good, so far as concerned +New Amsterdam. + +He strengthened and beautified the fort, building within its limits a +goodly house of brick where he himself might live. He also laid out a +farm on the East River equal to any in Holland. On this he put up a +barn, a brewery, a boathouse, and a good stable, together with two +mills, and dwellings for a blacksmith, a cooper, and such soldiers as +might be lodged there to protect the place. + +Master Van Twiller also built us a wharf on the easterly side of the +point; a church which would have been an ornament to any town, as well +as a house for the minister, for by this time we had a licensed +clergyman. + +But with it all, so it was charged against him, he was making himself +rich at the expense of the Company, for he bought of the Indians, to be +held as his own property, three of the large islands nearby, as well as +a farm of sixty-two acres, which lay between the fort and the swamp. + +[Illustration] + +In some way the Council of the Company in Holland heard that Master Van +Twiller was working more to his own advantage than theirs, and before he +had been in New Amsterdam five years, a ship called the _Blessing_ came +into the harbor, having on board Master Wilhelm Kieft, who had with him +papers to show that he had been appointed Director of New Netherland. +Master Van Twiller was ordered to return at once to Holland, and there +give an account of his proceedings. + +And now, because of this same Master Kieft's having worked much harm to +us in New Amsterdam, causing the Indians to rise against us, I am minded +to tell you more concerning him than I have thought well to say +regarding Master Van Twiller. + + + + +DIRECTOR KIEFT + + +First, the seamen of the _Blessing_ whispered here and there stories +concerning him which were not to his credit; that he had failed in +business in Holland, and as a punishment his portrait had been nailed to +the gallows; again, that when he was sent by the king to Turkey, having +been given charge of money to be paid for the release of some Dutch +people who were held in slavery there, he put it in his own pocket, +allowing the poor men to wear out their lives as slaves to the Turks. + +He was a small man, with a sharp nose, sharp chin, and a face generally +that gave one the idea of a weasel, or of a person who is ever ready to +shed blood even though he does not benefit thereby. + +Perhaps I am overly severe in describing this new Director of ours, +because of the trouble which we in the storehouse had with him. + +Under Master Van Twiller we had conducted the business as we thought +best; but all that was changed before Director Kieft had been with us +eight and forty hours, for he soon gave the people in the employ of the +West India Company to understand that matters in New Amsterdam would, +from then out, go according to his liking, and with no reference +whatsoever to the Council, or to any other officers in the town. + +[Illustration] + +And all this he did with a high air, which chafed us the more because of +Master Van Twiller and Master Minuit having ruled us with kindly hands. + +He set himself up almost as a king, by discharging the members of the +town Council, and by appointing all the public officers, even so +important an one as the schout-fiscal. + +He decided, without heed to judge or jury, all cases which were brought +up in court, and, in fact, took upon himself the entire government, +regardless alike of Council or of the West India Company. + +But, in justice to Master Kieft, I must say that he took heed to that +which was wrong among us, for straightway he caused all our vessels to +be repaired, and indeed they were in sore need of attention. + +He enlarged and beautified the storehouse, of which I was in charge, +and, what was more to my liking, put an end to the trading with the +Indians by the people of the town, which had become, as I believed, a +serious evil, for almost every man in New Amsterdam was buying furs of +the savages on his own account, which was much to the loss of the West +India Company, and served greatly to cheapen our goods. + + + + +UNJUST COMMANDS + + +It would be useless for me to try to tell you all with which our people +charged Master Kieft before he had been in New Amsterdam a year. It is +better I should spend my time relating what he did which cost the lives +of so many white men, for to his door may be laid much of the suffering +which we knew while he ruled over us, although we were in the meanwhile +called upon to answer for the crime of the negroes who had killed the +Indian, as I have told you. + +First let me say, that on a certain morning, very shortly after Master +Kieft came among us, we found posted on the trunks of trees, on rocks, +and on the corners of the houses, written notices, signed by the new +Director, stating that whosoever traded with the Indians, save while +doing so at the command of the West India Company, should suffer death; +and that the Company's servants must begin work at a certain hour very +shortly after daybreak, and not cease labor until sunset. + +[Illustration] + +Also, among many other things, it was declared that the Indians +themselves should pay a certain amount of wheat, wampum, or furs toward +the support of the soldiers employed by the Company in different parts +of the country. + +There were many matters in these written notices that it is not +necessary for me to speak about. The last was that which caused us the +most trouble, for the Indians openly refused to obey any such command, +and Master Kieft went so far as to hang four whom he accused of trying +to persuade others of their tribe not to do as he had ordered. + +Now you can well fancy that such cruel acts served to make enemies of +those Indians who had been our friends. + + + + +MASTER MINUIT'S RETURN + + +It was while we were all in a turmoil with this new order of things, +that we had startling proof that my old master, Peter Minuit, was again +in the New World. + +It appears, although I cannot explain exactly why, that the West India +Company had turned him out of their employ, and Queen Christina of +Sweden had offered him a high office if he would build in America a town +for the Swedish people, such as he had built for the Dutch. + +This Master Minuit agreed upon, and at the time when, as I have said, we +were in the greatest turmoil because of the savages, he came over from +Sweden to the South River, not more than an hundred and thirty miles +from our town of New Amsterdam, and began building a fort. + +This news plunged me into a state of most painful excitement, for I +burned to see the good man once more, and to beg that he take me into +his service; but Master Kieft had given orders that no person be allowed +to leave New Amsterdam, save with his permission. Therefore how could I, +in charge of the Company's storehouse, expect to be allowed to go among +those who were considered enemies to the Dutch, for speedily had our +Director declared war against these Swedish people led by Master Minuit? + +Perhaps it is enough if I say that Master Kieft did not drive Master +Minuit away, and that the latter continued to build up a trading post +for the Swedish people until it became a stronghold in this New World. + + + + +THE REVENGE OF THE SAVAGES + + +While he was striving against the Swedes, word was brought Master Kieft +that some hogs, which had been turned out in the forest on Staten +Island, were no longer to be found there, and our sharp-nosed Director +immediately made up his mind, without any proof whatsoever, that the +savages who called themselves Raritans, had stolen them. + +Making no inquiry into the matter, he sent out a company of soldiers who +surrounded the unfortunate Indians in their village, and slaughtered +them as if they had been wild beasts, killing men, women, and children, +after which everything in the way of property was either destroyed or +carried away. + +The embers of the Raritan village had hardly more than grown cold, when +it was discovered that some of our own people had taken the hogs from +Staten Island, thus showing that the terrible murders had been committed +without any cause whatsoever, save Master Kieft's own suspicious, evil +imaginings. + +[Illustration] + +Then it was that instead of the people of New Amsterdam going out +peacefully, earning money for the West India Company, as they were in +duty bound to do, all were the same as shut up on Manhattan Island with +enemies on every hand; for, as may be supposed, such of the Raritan +Indians as remained alive sought every opportunity to gain revenge, +beginning by killing four planters on a farm at Staten Island, and +burning the buildings. + +This caused Master Kieft to shut his eyes to his own crime, and at once +every man was called upon to aid in killing the Raritans. Trade was +neglected, and our Director went so far as to offer such of the Indians +as remained friendly, ten long strings of wampum for the head of every +Raritan Indian which should be brought to him, and twenty strings for +each head of those who had been concerned in the murders on Staten +Island. + +As if blood did not flow in sufficient quantity, the people of the boy +who had escaped when the negro slaves murdered his father, or, as some +say, his uncle, declared war against us by killing poor old Claus +Schmidt, the wheelwright, who lived nearest the swamp; and we of New +Amsterdam had good reason to fear that all the savages roundabout might +take part, either with the Raritans, or with these new enemies, and we +should be murdered at the very time when our town was becoming of +importance. + + + + +MASTER KIEFT'S WAR + + +Master Kieft, taking no council save with his own evil thoughts, +announced that he would declare war against every brown man in the +country, and there is no question in my mind but that such might have +been the case to our utter destruction, had not the chief men of New +Amsterdam, and among them those who had been in the Council during +Master Van Twiller's reign, risen up against the Director, so far as +could be done without laying themselves open to a charge of mutiny. + +Our sensible men claimed, and with good reason, that war ought not to be +declared because of the crops being still unharvested, and because of +our having to gather in the cattle, swine, and sheep still roaming the +woods. They declared also, that the farmers who had settled some +distance away, had a right to be given warning in time for them to save +a portion of their property. + +To this Master Kieft agreed; but only for a certain time. He took it +upon himself to make preparations for war, and when winter was fully +come did actually begin it, setting himself, with no more than two +hundred and fifty Dutchmen, against two thousand savages who, because of +our greed for furs, as shown both by the people in their private +trading, and by the West India Company, were armed with the same kind of +guns we were using, as well as supplied with an ample store of powder +and ball. + +[Illustration] + +I would not, if I could, tell you all that followed. It is too cruel a +story; it has more to do with murder and death by torture, and with +keenest suffering, than would be well for you to hear while we have +gathered to listen to my poor tale of how the town of New Amsterdam was +built, and how it grew. + +It was a time when the bravest man's cheeks might well grow pale; when +women and children shrieked with fear, or trembled in silent terror at +the slightest unusual sound; when it was as if all the country +roundabout had been stained the color of blood; when we could no longer +lie down at night, or rise up in the morning, without fear; when we +ceased to live the lives of peaceful, honest traders, but were become +the same as hunted beasts,--and all through the evil of one man. + +Master Kieft was sent for by the West India Company none too soon, and +the pity of it is that he ever came to New Amsterdam, with his +hatchet-shaped face, to plunge us into a war with the savages, who had +all the right on their side. + +Hans Braun claimed because of Kieft's having built the great stone +tavern, which was the largest and most beautiful in all America, that he +had left behind him a monument which would ever keep his memory green. +But I question if any one, after Director Stuyvesant turned the building +into a town hall, ever cared to remember that it had been built by +Wilhelm Kieft. + + + + +DIRECTOR PETRUS STUYVESANT + + +On the eleventh day of May, in the year of our Lord, 1647, a fleet of +four large vessels sailed into the harbor of New Amsterdam, bringing the +new Director, Petrus Stuyvesant, his family, servants, soldiers, and +many laborers. + +A one-legged man was Master Stuyvesant, who had been a brave soldier, +and, later, a governor of the island of Curaçoa, wherever it may be. +That he believed he was of considerable importance in the world, could +be told by his manner of moving about and of holding speech with any who +was lower in station than himself. + +[Illustration] + +It was as if he were too high and mighty to concern himself with what +might or might not be done in the storehouse, even though through that +building came the greater portion of all the money the West India +Company received from the New World. + +Do not understand me as saying that he gave no heed to such portion of +the Company's business as was under my charge. He took note of it, but +not as Master Minuit would have done, by coming daily in person to see +for himself that I, and all under me, were doing full duty. + +Director Stuyvesant sent the secretary, Master Van Tienhoven, to learn +what was being done, and that gentleman, as if believing I was not +making the best bargains for the Company, spent a goodly portion of his +time in the office of the storehouse, under the pretext of allowing me +to go here or there as I pleased. + +While Master Kieft was in office, I had so much of labor to perform that +two or three weeks, even a month on a certain time, would pass without +my having been outside the building. + + + + +TIME FOR SIGHT-SEEING + + +When the Secretary proposed that I take some time for pleasure, claiming +to do so only for my good,--although, as a matter of fact, I believe it +was but his purpose to learn whether or no I had been doing my full duty +by the Company,--I took advantage of the offer. + +If any could do better for New Amsterdam than I, then it was time a +change was made in the office of storekeeper and trader, this being my +title at the time, as can be shown by the records in Holland. I had +nothing to conceal, having ever done my work to the best of my ability, +and Master Van Tienhoven had free permission, so far as I was concerned, +to search for flaws. + +I may as well say at once, that he never found anything in my conduct +deserving of blame, although I did not hold my office quite so long as +the West India Company did business in America. + +However, Master Tienhoven was so far my friend that he gave me many an +opportunity of wandering about the town, which was almost strange to me, +after having been kept at work in the storehouse so long. + +The Indian village was no longer to be seen. When Master Kieft stirred +up so much trouble with the savages, the last one of the Manhattans fled +to the forest, there, most like, to join with our enemies against us, +nor did we see any of them save when they came in with furs or wild fowl +for barter. + +Where the village of the Manhattans had stood were gardens and houses, +many built of stone in the Dutch style, and in front of the fort, from +the lower bastion to the water's edge, was the green, or the common, +where the soldiers paraded on feast days that people might admire them. + +Inside the fort, and not far from my storehouse, was the church of stone +built by Master Kieft, the jail, the dwelling of the Director, +concerning which I have already told you, and low stone barracks, or +quarters for the soldiers, while on the northernmost bastion was a +wind-mill, made after the fashion of those in Holland. + +[Illustration] + + + + +HOW THE FORT WAS ARMED + + +It may interest you to know that our fort was well armed, having mounted +and ready for service, eight bombards, by which I mean heavy cannon with +wide, flaring mouths; six culverins, or exceedingly long, slim guns with +handles on either side for carrying; and seven serpentines, these last +being thin, long guns with grooves on the inside to throw the shot in a +whirling manner. As missiles for the serpentines, two balls were +chained together, being sent among the enemy in such way that they swung +round and round, oftentimes inflicting much damage. + +The palisade, which had been built straight across the island while the +savages were thirsting for our blood, was to me a wonder in those days +when Master Tienhoven gave me an opportunity for strolling about the +town. + +It was made of cedar logs full twelve-feet high, and less than a +quarter-mile back from the fort, stretching across the island for a +distance of nearly twenty-five hundred feet. Here and there, say every +three hundred feet, was a small fort built of logs, where the soldiers +could be protected while beating back an enemy, and at the water's edge +on the river to the eastward, was what is called a half-moon battery, +set well out into the stream, where were mounted two guns. + +[Illustration] + +The same kind of fortification stood at the other end of the palisade, +on the shore of that river discovered by Master Henry Hudson, and near +each battery was a gate giving entrance to the town, while an arch with +heavy barriers, formed with much ornamentation of carving, stretched +across the Broad Way. + +Following this palisade was a wide lane, along which were built the huts +of the slaves, servants, or people who were poor because of being lazy. + + + + +VILLAGE LAWS + + +It was on this palisade that I read the first of Director Stuyvesant's +messages, and during that stroll I saw so many of them that I can even +now repeat the words. They ran like this, and, to my mind, it would have +been well if Master Kieft had given his attention to the same matter: + + "Whereas, we are informed of the great ravages the wolf commits on + the small cattle; therefore to animate and encourage the + proprietors who will go out and shoot the same, we have resolved to + authorize the assistant Schout and Schepens to give public notice + that whoever shall exhibit a wolf to them which hath been shot on + this island, on this side Haarlem, shall be promptly paid therefor + by them, for a wolf twenty florins, and for a she-wolf thirty + florins in wampum, or the value thereof." + +When the farmer's bell tolled from the belfrey of the church within the +fort, all the gates in the palisade were closed, and no person might +enter or leave the city from that time, which was nine of the clock in +the evening, until sunrise of the next morning. + +I have heard it said that there were many living beyond the palisade who +claimed that this was all too early for them to leave the houses of +their friends in the town, when there for a visit of pleasure; but I +hold to it that he who would remain out of his bed longer than that is +little better than a night-brawler, because of honest people being ready +for sleep when the day's work is at an end. + + + + +OTHER THINGS ABOUT TOWN + + +A thing which displeased me, though perhaps I was easily put out by +anything Director Stuyvesant did, was that he should have set up the +gallows in front of the stone tavern built by Master Kieft, after it had +been turned into the town hall. + +[Illustration] + +To me that instrument of justice was a blot on the fair building, even +though it be something necessary in all towns; the whipping-post and the +stocks seem to be there by right, and do not cast such a horror upon +him who passes them, but to have ever in sight that which had been built +for the taking away of men's lives is, in a way, brutal. + +The hooft, or city dock, was ever a pleasant lounging place to me, +particularly when there were many ships in the roadstead. It was +pleasing to sit there idle, thinking Master Tienhoven was poring over my +accounts when the day was so fair that one enjoyed being in the +sunshine, and to watch the ships or the small boats that flitted to and +fro. It was enough to make one believe that in the days to come this New +Amsterdam of ours might grow to be even as large as Amsterdam in +Holland. + +[Illustration] + +Then could I, and all others who had a part in the building of the town, +look back with pride upon our life-work, save that in it should be +something of shame and crime, as in the case of Master Kieft, who, I may +say here, was drowned in a shipwreck on his way back to Holland to +answer to the Company for his misdeeds. + +But there was at times one matter which gave me pain at the city dock, +and that was whenever there arrived a vessel laden with black men, who +had been stolen from Africa. With such a scene in view I had no desire +to linger. + +It so chanced that I went there on a certain day when the _White Horse_, +a slave ship that came more than once to our town, was sending ashore a +throng of forlorn looking negroes to be exposed for sale, and there was +so much of suffering and heart-sickness in the scene that I went back to +the storehouse, glad to stay with Master Tienhoven rather than see the +misery which I could not cure. + + + + +A VISIT OF CEREMONY + + +Before Master Stuyvesant had ruled over us many months, he went in great +state to meet the governor of the Massachusetts Bay Colony at some place +in the Connecticut Colony, and if all that was said regarding the matter +be true, he did what he might to persuade the Englishmen that he was of +vast importance in this New World. + +He journeyed on the ship _Black Eagle_, taking with him no less than +eight servants, four trumpeters, and twelve soldiers, and I wonder much +whether those people who had built here in America such towns as Salem, +Plymouth, and Boston, were greatly impressed because the chief +magistrate of New Amsterdam, where were living no more than fifteen +hundred persons, could not go abroad without a following of twenty-four +men, to say nothing of the secretaries, the clerks, cooks, and +jacks-of-all-trades whom I saw flocking on board the ship. + +[Illustration] + +I was told that Director Stuyvesant went to meet the chief men of the +eastern colonies to talk with them about the threatenings of the +Indians, and as to what should be done in regard to sending to their +owners runaway slaves, and concerning other such like matters; but how +the different affairs were settled, I never heard. + +At all events, Master Stuyvesant came back in the same high and mighty +state as when he left us, after having been absent near to two weeks, +and in the meantime had made many enemies in New Amsterdam, for there +were not lacking those who claimed he was trying to make friends with +the English for some purpose of his own, when all his time should have +been spent in behalf of the West India Company. + + + + +NEW AMSTERDAM BECOMES A CITY + + +It was in the year 1652 that the town we had built was made a city, with +a charter straight from Holland, and our people rejoiced because of its +being possible at last, after so much of misrule, for them to have some +voice in affairs. + +According to this charter, the freemen of our new city were to select a +schout, four burgomasters, nine schepens, which last were what in +England would be called magistrates--and a council of thirty-six men +whose duty it would be to advise with the Director on all affairs +concerning the public welfare. + +There was great rejoicing in New Amsterdam when Stoffel Mighielsen, the +town crier, made this announcement, and I dare venture to say that on +the night the news was made public, but little attention was paid to the +farmer's bell by those who lived outside the palisade. + +[Illustration] + +On every hand you could hear men giving joy to each other because of the +time's having come when the Director would no longer have absolute power +over all in the town, but must be guided by those who were to be +elected by the ballots of the people, and following such rejoicings was +ever the question as to when the election would be held. + +There was much talk as to who should be chosen to fill the offices, and +all with whom I spoke declared that they were not to be influenced by +anything Master Stuyvesant might say; but would pick out such men as +could stand up honestly for the rights of all, instead of bending like +slaves to the whims of the Director. + + + + +MASTER STUYVESANT MAKES ENEMIES + + +Because of our people's being so excited over this opportunity to have a +part in the affairs of the city, you can well fancy what discontent, +which swelled almost to open mutiny, was among us when Master Stuyvesant +boldly announced that there would be no election. He had decided, so he +said in that high and mighty voice of his, that he would appoint the +city officers himself, without vote of the people, and this he did, +naming those men whom he knew would sneeze when he caught cold. + +Of course there were many vain threats made, and much whispering in dark +corners, the purport of which might have been construed into open +mutiny, had Director Stuyvesant or any of his following overheard the +stealthy conversation. The whipping-post, and even the gallows, stood +too conveniently at hand, while Big Pieter, the negro executioner who +had charge of the public floggings, was ever ready to adjust a noose, or +swing with vicious force the thongs of the whip. + +Many a time did I hear threats which would have sent him who made them +straight to the gallows, had they been repeated in the government house; +but the people were cautious, not minded to risk their necks for the +common good, and, so far as I can tell, Director Stuyvesant never knew +how near he was to a hornet's nest, when he took it upon himself to +throw aside one of the greatest privileges of New Amsterdam's charter. + +I doubt if it would have disturbed him much even had he known of the +discontent, for he ruled, as the saying is, with a rod of iron, and +seemed to think that there was never one, or an hundred, of the common +people to whose mutterings he need take heed. + +But for that act of his, I question if our men of the city would have +stood so calmly by when the English fleet came to capture New Amsterdam, +turning out of office every Dutchman. Director Stuyvesant would have +found more by his side in that bitter hour, when he was the same as +driven from the land, if he had kept the promise made when he first +arrived, to govern the people of our town as a father governs his +children. + +But it is not for me to speak of the English yet, for there is much to +tell concerning what was done by the Dutchmen, before Colonel Richard +Nicolls anchored off the battery with the guns of his fleet trained upon +us. + + + + +ORDERS FROM HOLLAND + + +We had settled down to the belief that while Director Stuyvesant ruled +us with an iron hand, neither allowing the people nor the West India +Company to interfere with his wishes, he was improving the city, when +orders came from Holland which aroused us all to the highest pitch of +excitement. + +The West India Company had sent positive commands that the Swedes, whom +Master Minuit had settled on South River, were to be driven out from +their posts, and there was not a Dutchman in New Amsterdam who did not +burn with the desire to have a hand in the driving; as if this big +country of America were not large enough for all the Swedes and the +Dutchmen that might want to live in it. + +Now you must know that when Master Minuit was made governor of the +Swedish people on South River, there had already been built there a fort +by the Dutch, which was called Casimer. This the Swedish people captured +and changed its name to that of Trinity. When Master Minuit came, he +built a fort on the river above Trinity, and named it Christina, in +honor of the Swedish Queen. + +They were not bad neighbors, these Swedish people whom the Queen had +advised to make a home in the New World. They minded their own business +far better than did either the Dutch or the English, and were at peace +with the savages, dealing honestly by them and treating them as if they +were equals; therefore, why the West India Company should want them +driven out of the New World was more than I could then, or can yet, +explain to my own satisfaction. + +However, the order had come that these people, who had been harming no +one, be deprived of the homes which they had built in the wilderness, +and there was in my mind the belief that Director Stuyvesant was only +too well pleased to receive such commands. + + + + +MAKING READY FOR WAR + + +Straightway there was much marching to and fro by the soldiers; and +great scurrying by the seamen, who were at once set about carrying +cannon and ammunition aboard the vessels, for Master Stuyvesant had +decided he would fit out a fleet of no less than seven ships. + +The trumpeters were sent up and down the land to every Dutch farm and +settlement calling for those who were willing to aid in driving out the +Swedes, to present themselves at the fort that they might be drilled and +equipped, and many there were who obeyed the summons. + +[Illustration] + +Those were idle days for me. No one thought of trading, and if +peradventure a solitary Indian did venture into the city with a bundle +of furs, he saw so much in the way of war-like preparations, that he +scurried away, forgetting his desire for beads or cloth, to tell his +people that the Dutch of New Netherlands were making ready to drive +every other person off from the face of the earth. + +Master Tienhoven no longer visited the storehouse, because of being busy +with taking down the names of those who would join Director Stuyvesant's +army, and I was at liberty to wander at will around the fort, if I but +kept a watchful eye over my quarters, in case any came who was brave +enough to venture in for trade where was so much of military +preparations. + +More than once I said to myself that if Master Minuit could have been +spared to the Swedes, our people would not have an easy task of driving +them away; but I knew, from word brought a long time before, that he was +no longer in this world; therefore, perhaps, Director Stuyvesant would +be able to work the will of the West India Company. + + + + +AN UNEXPECTED QUESTION + + +That I should be counted as among those to accompany the expedition, +never once had lodgment in my mind, until Master Tienhoven came to me +the day before the fleet was to sail, asking if all my preparations for +the voyage had been made. + +[Illustration] + +I was in a maze of perplexity because of the question. He who has charge +of a company's goods is supposed to remain where he can keep them under +his hand, more particularly in time of war, and for me to be pinned to +Master Stuyvesant's coat sleeves not only seemed useless, but positively +foolish. + +It may be that I said something of this kind to the Secretary, for he +shut me up in short order by curtly saying, as if he had his +instructions so to do, that the Director had supposed I would know my +duty sufficiently well to follow the army because of its being possible +there might be much plunder, in which case I was the one person who +should take charge of the Company's share. + +I was not such a simple but that I could understand it would please +Master Tienhoven right well if I made protest against going, for there +was little love lost between us two, and, believing he would repeat to +the Director in his own fashion whatsoever might be said by me, I held +my peace, save in so far as to ask on what ship I would be expected to +sail. + +He told me that Master Stuyvesant would himself embark upon one of the +vessels which had been sent out from Amsterdam, called the _De Waag_, +and that as an officer of the Company, even though an humble one, I +would be expected to journey on the same vessel. + +To one who had not been given to spending his wages upon brave attire, +and who owns little more than that in which he stands, it is not a +lengthy task to make ready for a voyage, however long. + +And here, by the way, let me say, lest any should think I was not +prudent, that I had carefully saved the wages paid me by the West India +Company, to the end that I might have sufficient of money to start in +some business on my own account, when the day came--as I believed it +would soon, yet without having much reason to do so--that my services +would no longer be required in New Amsterdam. + + + + +WITH THE FLEET + + +And now to go back to the war against the Swedes: I left the storehouse +in charge of Kryn Gildersleeve, and on Sunday morning bright and early +was in church to hear the sermon which was to be preached, as a portion +of the religious preparations for the driving out of the Swedes. + +When the sermon was at an end, instead of looking around the fort to see +the soldiers paraded before being sent on board the fleet, I quietly +took boat for the ship _De Waag_, and was there an hour after noon, when +Director Stuyvesant, attended by eight trumpeters, and a bodyguard of +sixteen men, put off from the shore amid the booming of cannon, as if he +had been a veritable king. + +I know not whether the Director had really given orders to his secretary +that I should be informed as to what was expected of me, but suppose +such must have been the case, although no heed was given to so small an +official as myself, from the time of setting sail until we were returned +to New Amsterdam. + +[Illustration] + +So far as Master Stuyvesant was concerned, I might as well not have been +there, but this overlooking me did not cause my heart to burn, for I was +well content to be forgotten entirely by the gentleman who ruled over +our city with an iron hand. + +The officers of the ship, whose acquaintance I had already made, gave me +fairly comfortable quarters, apart from the Director's following, and +although such expeditions were not to my mind, I drank in all of the +enjoyment that could come to one who was embarked upon a venture which +to him seemed wrongful. + +There is no need why I should tell you anything whatsoever concerning +the journey from New Amsterdam to Trinity, save to say that we arrived +off that fort at noon on the following Friday, when without delay our +trumpeters were sent on shore to demand the surrender. + + + + +DRIVING OUT THE SWEDES + + +In the fort were forty-six men with a captain, and, as a matter of +course, they could do no less than surrender when called upon so to do, +for our force numbered upwards of seven hundred, and we had sent from +the fort in New Amsterdam, on board the vessels, guns enough to tear the +fort into splinters within an hour. + +The Swedish captain said all he could to soften the heart of Director +Stuyvesant, who would listen neither to entreaties nor arguments, save +that he permitted the garrison to march out with full honors of war, and +immediately this had been done, a number of our men, sufficient to hold +possession of the place, were sent on shore. + +Then nearly all the people of the fleet assembled on board the _De Waag_ +to hear our preacher give thanks to God for the bloodless victory which +had been won, and within four and twenty hours we were on our way to +Christina, where, so we learned at Trinity, there was a force of only +about thirty men. + +[Illustration] + +Here the trumpeters blew their shrill blasts again in front of the fort +and surrender was demanded; but the governor of the colony was not +minded to give in without at least a struggle of the tongue. From the +second until the fifteenth day of September, we lay there at anchor +while he protested against what he called high-handed proceedings, +trying vainly to prove to Director Stuyvesant that he and his following +had as much right in the wilderness of the New World, as had the Dutch. + +It was all in vain, however, and, as may be expected, the result was +that we captured Christina as we had Trinity, thus putting an end to +this colony of New Sweden. + +Again did we give thanks to God, although we had done a wrong, and it +was while we were thus praising the Lord, and giving much credit to +ourselves for having conquered without bloodshed seventy-seven men with +a force of seven hundred, that a messenger came in hot haste from New +Amsterdam. + +In the twinkling of an eye our rejoicings were turned to something very +like fear. + + + + +THE UPRISING OF THE INDIANS + + +And this is the news which the messenger brought:--It seems that two +days after our fleet had sailed from New Amsterdam, Master Van Dyck +found an Indian woman in his orchard stealing peaches; without parley or +warning, he shot her dead, and there were those of her tribe nearby who +carried with all speed to the Indian villages information of the murder. + +The savages knew that Master Stuyvesant and nearly all the fighting men +of the city were away, and speedily they gathered to take revenge. It +was said that no less than two thousand savages, having come in +sixty-four canoes, paddled down the Hudson River in front of the city +while we lay off Christina arguing with the Swedish governor. + +The Indians claimed that they had come only in order to find some +enemies of their tribe whom they believed had fled there, and proceeded +to break open a dozen or more of the houses while searching for those +whom they professed to be seeking. + +Now there had been left in the fort less than twenty soldiers, while +the greater number of our cannon were on board the fleet for the purpose +of killing the Swedes, in case they refused to give up their forts to +us. Therefore it would have been folly had our people made any attempt +at holding the savages in check. + +[Illustration] + +The burgomasters and other officers of the city did what they could to +pacify the painted visitors, and so far succeeded, by soft words, as to +persuade them to withdraw to Nutten Island. + +One can well fancy in what a state of terror were those whom Director +Stuyvesant had left behind in New Amsterdam, while so great an army of +savages, who had just cause for anger, was so near at hand. + +The women and the children fled to the fort for protection, where but +little could have been given them had the brown men made an attack, and +during all the hours of the day no one dared venture abroad. The shops +and the dwellings alike were left unprotected, while those trembling, +frightened ones who crouched within the fort, believed that death was +close beside them. + +[Illustration] + + + + +AN ATTACK BY THE INDIANS + + +The Indians remained quietly on Nutten Island until nightfall, when they +came into New Amsterdam again, went directly to Master Van Dyck's house, +and killed him. + +One of his neighbors attempted to lend him aid, and was stricken down in +short order,--not, however, before he had given an alarm. Such soldiers +as had been left in the fort, together with the men of the city, +hastened with true courage to the scene of the murder, where a small +battle took place, in which three Indians were killed outright, and many +wounded. + +It was as if the savages needed only this to send them upon the war path +again; but instead of making any attack upon New Amsterdam, where were +so few to oppose them, they went to the plantations nearby, killing or +capturing men, women, and children, burning dwellings and destroying +crops. + +Yet this was no more than we had threatened to do to the Swedes, and +without such cause as the savages had. + +During the three days that the Indians remained near New Amsterdam, so +the messenger said, more than one hundred persons had been killed, and +nearly twice as many carried to a dreadful captivity. The buildings on +twenty-eight of the plantations were burned and the crops destroyed +utterly. + +It needed not that this man who had come to us pale with terror, and +fearing lest on his return he should find those whom he loved butchered, +should tell us into what condition the city was plunged because of such +a state of affairs. We could see, in our minds, the people of New +Amsterdam as they cowered like sheep before wolves, unable to flee. + +There was no place for them to go, save into the wilderness where lurked +brown men who were thirsting for revenge, and they were unable to do +more than make the merest show of defence, owing to the fact that +Director Stuyvesant had taken with him nearly all the able-bodied men, +and a goodly portion of the weapons, to the end that he might do much +the same as were the savages doing. + +[Illustration] + + + + +HASTENING BACK TO NEW AMSTERDAM + + +It can well be supposed that every man of us, from the Director down to +the youngest soldier, was eager to get back to New Amsterdam, for I +question whether, with the single exception of myself, there was a +member of the company who had not left behind him loved ones; and how +could our people find any satisfaction in continuing the conquest of +the Swedes, when there was every possibility that the savages were +murdering and torturing white men, women, and children? + +Within an hour after the messenger had arrived, two hundred of the +soldiers were sent across the land to New Amsterdam, under orders to +march at their swiftest possible pace until they were come to the city. +As soon after these men had set off as could be arranged for, the fleet +was in motion. + +Because of my having received no orders whatsoever, I remained on board +the _De Waag_, and my heart was so sore that I could not talk with those +around me concerning what we had heard, or what we had done. + +To me both were equally horrible. It was villainous work for us to drive +the poor Swedes away, and it seemed almost like a judgment of God, that +the Indians should have descended upon our city at a time when we were +showing ourselves to be no better than savages. + +Fortunately, or so it seemed, we had a favoring wind, and within four +and twenty hours from the time of making sail, were come to anchor off +the fort. That those who had been sent across by land had arrived, we +knew because of the numbers to be seen on duty in the bastions, and that +the Indians had not made further attack upon New Amsterdam, we also +understood because of the people who were gathered to give us welcome. + +I went directly from the ship to the storehouse, where I found Kryn +Gildersleeve and his fellow clerks working valiantly to pack our goods +into cases, which had been brought from Holland, with the hope that +these might be saved, even though the savages gained possession of the +town. + +[Illustration] + +Although I held my peace, the thought was in my heart that he who could +give his time to the saving of such useless trinkets as ours, when +mayhap before morning not a single white man would be alive, was much +the same as trifling with the Angel of Death. + +However, I was soon engaged in the same task, and while thus busy, +forgot everything save the fact that I was the clerk in charge of the +storehouse, whose duty it was to look after whatsoever we had for +barter, whether to my mind it was of value or not. + + + + +COAXING THE SAVAGES + + +And now I have to tell you that which bears witness to Master Petrus +Stuyvesant's ability as a ruler. Although I never felt friendly +disposed towards him, because of thinking myself neglected, there is +enough of honesty in my heart to give praise where it is due. + +When Master Kieft was governor of New Amsterdam, and through his folly +had caused the Indians to seek revenge, he did no more than meet them +with powder and ball, widening the breach between the brown and the +white men day by day; but our Director, stern and unyielding as he had +ever shown himself to be, had so much of wisdom that he knew when it was +useless to beat his head against a wall of stone. + +[Illustration] + +With so many of the savages risen against us, all the white men whom we +could muster would not have been sufficient to hold them in check; to +wage war with them would have meant the utter wiping out of the Dutch in +America. + +Therefore it was that Master Stuyvesant, instead of seeking to punish +those who had attacked our people, set about coaxing them into a +friendly mood, and during the three or four weeks which followed our +return from Trinity and Christina, there was a continual coming and +going of messengers from the Director to the savage chiefs, who were to +be brought, through Master Stuyvesant's plans, to a peaceable life by +the means of gaudy toys. + +And all this Master Stuyvesant succeeded in doing. Before the winter's +snows were come, the savages were seemingly friendly with us once more, +it being understood that past crimes, whether committed by white men or +brown, were to be forgotten, and, so to speak, all of us who were +dwelling in and around the land claimed by the West India Company, were +to live on terms of friendship. + + + + +INTERFERENCE WITH RELIGIOUS FREEDOM + + +It must be remembered, that when the West India Company asked people to +go out and live in the New World, every one was promised that he should +worship God as seemed to him best. + +This was a portion of the bargain made when the people left Holland, and +yet before another spring had come, Master Stuyvesant declared, by +written notices and by the mouth of Stoffel Mighielsen, that no person +would be allowed to praise God save he did it according to the belief +and the rules of the Dutch Reformed Church. + +[Illustration] + +It was on a certain Easter Monday, when all over the city the young men +and maidens were playing at egg cracking, that Master Stuyvesant's plan +for punishing those who did not choose to go to the same church as did +he, was begun. + +The Dutch had brought with them from Holland all the old games such as +are played to-day; but the favorite among them was the cracking of eggs +on Easter Monday, and I dare venture to say every young person in this +land of America knows the game well by this time. + +The shops were gay with boiled eggs of various colors, hung in the +windows by many-colored ribbons, and it is not much straining at the +truth to say that every person in New Amsterdam, save those who, like +the soldiers, could not leave their posts of duty, was in the street, +walking to and fro watching the young people as they strove to see how +many eggs they could capture by cracking them, when a Quaker, and an +Englishman at that, was taken into custody for preaching nearby New +Amsterdam without permission of Master Stuyvesant. + +Although this was directly opposite to what the West India Company had +said might be done in such portion of the new land as they claimed, it +would have passed almost unheeded had the arrest been made quietly; but, +so I have heard it said, and so I believe, Master Stuyvesant himself +gave positive commands as to how the prisoner should be treated, and +what should be done with him before he was lodged in jail. + + + + +PUNISHING THE QUAKER + + +A godly man was this Quaker, and yet he was tied face down to the back +end of a cart, in which were two women accused of giving him shelter, +and this sorry spectacle was paraded through the streets in the midst of +our merrymaking. + +Even though the man had been accused of some crime, it would have been +more to the credit of our Director had he been lodged in jail without +first marching him up and down that all the people might look upon the +disgrace. + +That he had done no more than preach the word of God in a manner such as +was not set down by the rules of the Dutch Reformed Church, caused the +arrest to seem much like wickedness, and there were many persons in New +Amsterdam who in private cried out against it, for to speak in those +days openly against whatsoever the Director commanded was cause for +imprisonment in the dungeons, as in the case of Master Keller's raising +his voice against the capture of the Swedish forts. + +Nor was this punishment, severe though you will say it was, all that the +Director imposed upon the God-fearing Quaker. He ordered that unless he +could pay the sum of six hundred florins at once, he should be chained +to a wheelbarrow by the side of a negro, who had been condemned to such +labor for the good of the city because of having brutally beaten a +Dutchman, and this for the term of two years. + +The Quaker refused to move when they chained him to the black man, and +it seemed to me well that he did so; but the refusal cost him dearly, +for he was hung up by the thumbs and beaten with thirty lashes each +morning for the space of four days, when a sister of Master Stuyvesant +mercifully begged for, and succeeded in obtaining, the prisoner's +release. + +[Illustration] + +Now you may be certain that our people of New Amsterdam, although +knowing what might be their punishment for speaking against such an act, +did not hold their tongues. + +Wherever two or three of the common people were gathered on the green, +or in the streets, there could one hear harsh words spoken against the +Director, and because of such tongue-wagging there were seventeen free +men of New Amsterdam at one time imprisoned in the jail by the orders of +Master Stuyvesant. + + + + +OTHER PERSECUTIONS + + +Instead of seeking to soothe the people, our Director became more harsh +and severe in such matters, and followed the arrest by sending back to +Holland a preacher who had come at the request of the Lutherans of our +city. Fathers and mothers to the number of six were put in jail because +of refusing to have their children baptized in the Dutch church, +desiring it should be done according to the Lutheran faith. + +That he fined the Baptist preacher one thousand pounds and banished him +from the West India Company's lands, was no secret, since it was all +done in open court with our Director acting both as judge and jury, and +this despite the charter sent from Holland. + +I might go on until you were wearied, telling of the religious +persecutions in New Amsterdam while Master Stuyvesant was Director; but +there is no good reason why one should repeat each case of suffering. + +It is enough that it was done, and verily did it seem to me in later +days, that in the doing of it Master Stuyvesant was digging a pit for +his own downfall. + +To you who hear these things after they have passed, and concerning +people whom you know not, they seem of but little importance; but to one +like myself, who had been told on the other side of the ocean that this +new land of America would be a refuge for all who were oppressed because +of their faith, it is a sore that will take long in the healing. + + + + +DULL TRADE + + +It seems to me, as I look back upon it, that at about the time Master +Stuyvesant was hunting down with such a heavy hand those people who did +not come regularly to the Dutch church, preferring to hear some other +preacher, that our trade in furs fell off in a manner to cause alarm. + +As a matter of course we did not reckon that time when the savages were +bent on killing us, and, therefore, remained away entirely; but as +compared with what we took in when matters with the Indians were most +friendly, we were losing ground rapidly. + +With the Swedes driven out of the land, it surely seemed as if the West +India Company should have been able to get, by trading, all the pelts +taken by the Indians, and yet, from all I could hear, I knew that not +more than one half were coming our way. In addition to this, the savages +were bent on driving keener bargains, as if there were people close +around who were offering bigger prices than we of New Amsterdam. + +All this caused me no little trouble of mind, for although it was not my +concern to go abroad urging the Indians to come in for trade, I knew +that more than a fair share of blame would attach to me when the profits +of the year were reckoned. + + + + +THE CHARGE MADE BY HANS BRAUN + + +Kryn Gildersleeve and I had many a talk regarding the matter, until on a +certain day he came with word which aroused me in no little degree, for +he claimed to know that Hans Braun had been to the Director with the +charge that I was neglecting my work, thus causing a falling off in our +take of furs. + +It had for some time been in my mind that at the first good chance I +would bid good-bye to the Dutchmen of New Amsterdam, and go to the +English, my countrymen, either in Boston or Salem, for I had laid by +sufficient of money, not having squandered my wages, to set me up in +fur-buying on my own account. I had been told, by those who knew, that +in the English colonies there was no Company with the sole right to deal +in pelts. + +In addition to all that, the Englishmen had begun to rule the land +themselves, save as their king might interfere, and such government +pleased me far better than to be under the iron hand of a single man +like our Director. + +Therefore it was that I went straightway to Master Stuyvesant, +determined to know if he believed what Hans might have said; and, if you +please, it was three long hours that I cooled my heels at the entrance +to his chamber of business before I, the keeper of the storehouse and a +regular officer of the Company, was allowed to enter, such kingly airs +had he taken upon himself. + +[Illustration] + +When at last I stood before him, it was not as a beggar, though of +course my hat was in my hand, but as one who knows that he may not +lawfully be displaced save by direct orders from Holland. + +Speaking to him as the head of the city should be spoken to, I repeated +what Kryn had told me, and asked if he had cause to complain of me. + + + + +DISMISSED BY MASTER STUYVESANT + + +Had I been a Lutheran preacher, or a Quaker, I could not have been +treated more shamefully. Instead of questioning as to why our trade was +growing small, in which case I should have told him that in my belief it +was owing to the English colony in the country of Connecticut, he cried +out upon me in a most violent rage, declaring that I had been spending +my time breeding discontent among the people, instead of having a +watchful eye over the interests of the Company. + +And this when I had never been outside the fort, save while Master +Tienhoven was in the storehouse giving the advice that I take my ease! + +Nor was this the end of the matter; it seemed as if, being in a bad +humor, he was bent on venting his spleen upon me, and without giving any +reasons, other than as I have told you, the Director declared that I was +no longer in the employ of the Company. + +When I spoke to him of the rule that a storekeeper may not be deprived +of his office save by the Council of the Company in Holland, he called +me a mutinous hound, and threatened that if I showed myself inside the +fort after the sun had set, I would be thrown into prison. + +[Illustration] + +I knew full well that I would be powerless if he did such a wicked +thing, for of course the word of the Director would be heeded by the +Company when set against one of the lower officers like myself, +therefore did I hold my temper in check, striving to look the +submission which I did not feel. + +[Illustration] + +It is no more than just that I should give Kryn Gildersleeve credit for +grieving over the injustice that had been done me; but he could not mend +matters, even if I would have had him, and two hours before sunset I had +made a bargain for lodgings on the plantation belonging to Martin Kip, +who was glad to have in his family one who knew the Indians so well that +he might be expected to get some hint if the savages were bent on more +mischief. + +I had known Martin for many a year, he having come over in the _Sea Mew_ +when I did, and trusted him for a true friend, if so be he was not +called upon for an outlay of money. + +To him I told my plans for joining one of the English colonies, and much +to my surprise he gave me his reasons for believing that I would soon be +in an English colony, if I remained in New Amsterdam taking good care +not to show myself in such a manner as would arouse Director +Stuyvesant's ire. + + + + +ENGLISH CLAIMS + + +It was a long story concerning England, and the rights she claimed in +the New World, which he told, the repeating of which would not be of +interest to you who know all he could have said, and, most likely, much +more. + +What I had not known was that the English believed they owned all the +land that had been settled by the West India Company, because, so they +said, of John Cabot's having been the first white man to set foot on it; +but the Dutch claimed that Henry Hudson first found the river which was +sometimes called the North, therefore the country between it and the +South river belonged to them. + +Because of no one's knowing at that time how large a country had been +found in this New World, and because of the English kings' having given +away lands to this person or that company, everything was in a snarl; +but I said to myself that if the Swedes could be driven out of their +settlements by Master Stuyvesant, it would be no more than turn about +for him to get the same treatment from the English. + +And, even though I had been working for the Dutch during so many years +that I had grown from boy to man, there was a great hope in my heart +that Master Kip had made no mistake when he believed we were like to +have a change of rulers before many years went by. + + + + +IDLE DAYS + + +While I waited, making myself as small as possible lest the Director +should see me and remember that he had threatened to throw me into +prison, the people were growing more and more discontented because of +Master Stuyvesant's not ceasing to punish Lutherans, Baptists, or +Quakers when they refused to attend the Dutch church. + +Many a one threatened, in private, to do what he might toward teaching +the Director a lesson, if a fitting chance came his way, and I have been +told that a dozen or more Dutchmen, who had friends in power in Holland, +sent to the West India Company many complaints concerning Master +Stuyvesant, praying that he might be deprived of his office. + +It was during these idle days that I learned, because of asking many +questions, much concerning the village of Hartford, which had been begun +by the preacher Hooker, and all who went to his church in New Town of +the Massachusetts Bay Colony. + +These people wanted a village of their own, therefore entered the forest +with but little of goods, suffering much in the battle with the +wilderness, but coming out victors owing to their industry. + +While we of New Amsterdam had built a city, we could count no more than +fifteen hundred people in it, and this settlement on the Connecticut +river, which was by this time made up of three villages, boasted of more +than eight hundred persons. + +It was to Hartford I would first go when a fitting opportunity came, so +I said to myself after hearing all that could be told concerning these +people, and to such an end I began to make plans. + +Wherever I might go, however, I could not find so much to please the eye +as in New Amsterdam, for the English people in this New World are much +more prim and sedate, both in manner and dress, than are the Dutch. + + + + +ON BROAD WAY + + +It was indeed a brave sight to see the people of quality walking on +Broad Way, or strolling to and fro upon the Bowling Green, of a summer +evening, and although I so disliked the man, I must confess that +Director Stuyvesant and his family went far toward adding to the fine +array. + +The ladies dressed exceeding gay in high-colored gowns of silk, satin, +or some other such stuff, open up and down in front of the skirt that +their petticoats, ornamented with fine needlework, might be seen. Their +hose were of bright colors, and the low shoes, with very high heels, had +bows of ribbon, or buckles of silver, even of gold, which added much to +the looks of the wearer. It was the silken hoods which I disliked, for +those ladies curled or frowzled their hair in a most bewitching fashion, +afterward covering it with powder, and the hood concealed far too much +of it. + +[Illustration] + +To see the rings set with precious stones on their fingers; the lockets, +or toys, of gold hanging over the stiff fronts of their waists, and, on +Sundays, the Bibles and psalm books richly decked with gold and hanging +by golden chains to their waists, one would hardly believe that we were +living in such a wild land, with savages on every hand, who might at any +moment be at our throats. + +Our gentlemen did not allow the ladies all the bravery of attire, as you +shall hear when I tell you how Director Stuyvesant was dressed when, +standing half-hidden behind the whipping-post one evening, I saw him +parading with his wife and sister, showing by the way he stumped along +with his head high, that he believed himself the greatest man this side +Holland. + +He wore a long coat of blue velvet on which were silver buttons, and the +huge flaps of the pockets were trimmed with silver lace. His waistcoat, +so long that the front came nearly to his knees, was of buff silk +embroidered with silver threads, and fastened by buttons of gold in +which were set jewels of different colors. His breeches of velvet were +of a deeper hue than the coat, while the low shoe had on it a silver +buckle so large that the wonder of it was how he could move his foot. + +He wore on his head a soft black hat, whose wide brim was caught up on +one side with a gay knot of blue ribbon that fell down athwart his big, +white wig. From the knot on his hat to below the black silk hose, he +was, when viewed on one side, a very gallant gentleman; but turn him +about so that his wooden stump with its heavy bands of silver might be +seen, and one could not but remember the battle at St. Martins, where he +left his leg during a desperate fight. + + + + +LOOKING AFTER THE FERRY + + +During a portion of my idle time, I worked at fair wages for Nicholas +Steinburg, who ran the ferry from near the water-gate to the Long Island +shore, and of a verity I earned all he paid me. + +[Illustration] + +The boat on which wagons were taken across, was the most clumsy scow it +was ever my ill fortune to handle, and his slaves the most stupid to be +found in all New Amsterdam. One was forced to send the unwieldy craft +along by heavy sweeps, which were fashioned so rudely that I dare +venture to say there was twice as much of timber in them as was +necessary, and that foolish negro who failed to lift one of them at the +proper time, found that the current swung it around with a force that +sent him sprawling in the bottom of the boat. + +More than once have I picked one of the thick-headed black men up from +beneath the feet of the horses, and spent no little time trying to +recover the oar. + +However, there was not much passing to and fro, for there were but few +farms on the big island, and a goodly portion of the time I spent in the +thatched shed which was put up for the pleasure of those who were forced +to await Nicholas Steinburg's slow motions. + +It is wearying work, looking after a ferry, even though one gets as wage +one-half the money paid over to him, and I would not thus have spent my +time, had I not been taught by Master Minuit that he who squanders his +days in idleness is the same as reproaching God for permitting him to +live. + +Then came the day when I rejoiced secretly, and many another man with +me, because of what Director Stuyvesant had done to wrong us. + + + + +THE COMING OF THE ENGLISH + + +It was reported that the English, with four ships, had arrived at Boston +from England, and were making ready to come against New Amsterdam, to +the end that it might be taken from the Dutch, even as they had taken +Trinity and Christina from the Swedes. + +We knew that there could be no doubt as to the truth of the news, for +even the names and strength of the ships were given, and there was +little question but that they had already sailed from Boston, therefore +did we have reason to believe the fleet would be in our harbor very +soon. + +[Illustration] + +The force which King Charles had sent on advice of his brother, the Duke +of York, was made up of the _Guinea_, carrying thirty-six guns, the +_Elias_ with thirty, the _Martin_ with sixteen, and the _William and +Nicholas_ with ten, making ninety-two guns against our twenty-two +bombards, culverins, and serpentines. + +It was reported also that many of the English from Hartford, who +believed they had cause of complaint against Master Stuyvesant, had +joined themselves to the soldiers sent from England, and that no less a +person than Governor Winthrop was with them. + +To show how complete was the information which came to us discontented +ones of New Amsterdam, it is only needed for me to say that we even knew +that the English commander was Colonel Richard Nicolls, who was to be +Deputy Governor of the West India Company's possessions when he had +captured them. + + + + +A WEAK DEFENSE + + +I knew, in addition to all this, because of having lived so many years +in the fort, that we were not in a condition to hold our own against +even one of these English ships, because of many of our soldiers' being +in the same frame of mind as was I, concerning the Director, and even +though each and every one had been heart and hand with Master +Stuyvesant, there was not in all the city enough of ammunition to serve +the guns during a battle. + +It stood on the accounts that we had thirteen hundred pounds of powder +in the magazine; but I knew, as did many another, that of the whole +amount a full seven hundred pounds would not burn even though it was +thrown into a blazing fire. + +We had one hundred and fifty soldiers under arms, and Martin Kip had the +names of ninety-six of these who had declared that if English, French, +or Swedes came against us while Petrus Stuyvesant was Director, they +would not raise a hand in defense of the city. + +There were also near to two hundred and fifty citizens who had been +armed and commanded to be ready for service in time of danger; but I +knew beyond a question that more than half the number would stand with +hands in their coat pockets, rather than raise them in obedience to an +order from Director Stuyvesant. + +Thus it can be seen that the English had chosen a most favorable time +for coming against us, and, as if to make their chances even better, +Master Stuyvesant, suspecting no evil, had gone on a tour of inspection +far up the North river. + + + + +MASTER STUYVESANT ABSENT + + +On the night this welcome news was brought to New Amsterdam, the farm +buildings belonging to Martin Kip were actually crowded with men, who +had come thus far out of the city that they might decide upon what +should be done when the Director gave orders for all the citizens to +stand to their weapons, and a most excited throng it was. + +Some one brought word that a messenger had been sent in hot haste up the +river to summon Master Stuyvesant, and others had learned from +fishermen who had been in the lower bay, that the English fleet was even +at that moment in sight. + +Although the people had been so disposed, nothing could be done in the +way of making ready to defend the city until Master Stuyvesant came +back, and from all I could hear, though as a matter of course I had no +speech with those who were friendly with the Director, no one was sorry +because of there promising soon to be an end to Dutch rule in America. + +We were well content to remain idle, knowing that each hour of the +Director's absence made more certain the end we desired, and it was +rather from curiosity than anxiety, that Martin Kip and I stood half +sheltered by one of the bastions of the fort when Master Stuyvesant +arrived. + +[Illustration] + +During the hurried journey he must have settled in his own mind exactly +what should be done, for within ten minutes after having come, orders +were given that every third man of all the citizens should, with axe, +spade, or wheelbarrow, present himself at the fort ready to aid in +strengthening the works. + + + + +DISOBEYING COMMANDS + + +Not above ninety obeyed this command, and the greater number of those +who did so were, in one way or another, under Master Stuyvesant's thumb. + +[Illustration] + +At the same time guards were placed at the city gates to prevent any +from leaving the city over the land, and every farmer was commanded to +send in all the grain he had on hand, together with what his slaves +could thresh during the next eight and forty hours. + +Martin Kip laughed at this last order, declaring that he would hold all +he had of food-stuff at the muzzle of his gun, and no man in the country +should force him to give up to the use of others, what might be needed +for his own family and for his slaves. + +Nor did he stand alone in such refusal; I heard of but two who obeyed, +and one of these was the schout who had been appointed to office at the +time when Master Stuyvesant refused to give us the rights called for by +the charter which had been sent from Holland. + +[Illustration] + +It must be told to the credit of the Director, that he set a good +example of obedience, for all his servants and slaves were hard at work +hauling grain into the city from his farm above the swamps, or engaged +in threshing that which yet remained on the stalk. + +It seemed as if Master Stuyvesant believed it would be possible for him +to hold out a long while against the English, and he was preparing for a +regular siege. + + + + +SURRENDER OF THE CITY DEMANDED + + +There had been no more than time to issue commands, when the fleet we +had been expecting sailed up the harbor, and anchored within full view +of the city. The ships were seemingly crowded with soldiers, and even +those who were eager to prevent the English from working their will, +must have begun to understand that there was no hope of making a +successful defense. + +The streets of the city were filled with men, women, and children, who +wandered about aimlessly, too much excited to be able to remain within +doors, and as messengers came and went from the fleet, enough of what +was being done leaked out to give us a good idea of the matter in hand. + +First we knew that the commander of the fleet had demanded the surrender +of the city, and this we would have understood even though no one told +us, because of the officers who came ashore under flag of truce. + +Then it was whispered about that Master Stuyvesant wanted to talk over +the situation with the English commander; but was told that the fleet +had been sent to take the city, not that its officers might argue. + + + + +A THREE DAYS' TRUCE + + +Upon this Master Stuyvesant asked for three days in which to consult +with his advisors, forgetting, perhaps, that the Swedes had asked for +only twelve hours, and he had refused. + +To this request Colonel Nicolls agreed, but at the same time made all +his preparations for opening fire upon the city, in case Master +Stuyvesant was so pig-headed as to refuse to surrender. + +Two of the ships were sent up the river and anchored where they could +throw shot into the fort at short range, while the others were moored +off Nutten Island, sending five companies of soldiers ashore near the +ferry landing on Long Island, where they went into camp. + +[Illustration] + +Next morning a company of horsemen and a band of soldiers came down from +Hartford, and were ferried across in the boats of the fleet, thus +showing that the Massachusetts Bay Company would do what they might to +carry out the wishes of King Charles. + +That night the commander of the English fleet sent ashore, secretly, +twenty or more written messages to the people, and both Martin Kip, on +whose farm the messengers landed, and I, knew beyond a peradventure that +there were found men in New Amsterdam willing to spend their time +carrying them where the most good might be done to the enemy. + +In these messages Colonel Nicolls promised all who would lay down their +arms, full liberty to remain on the land, without being molested in any +way, and agreed that his king would protect them in the holding of all +their property. + +Now even those who had been hesitating whether to side with the Dutch or +the English, were eager to see the surrender of the city, and when the +Director called upon citizens to work on the fort or the palisade, he +could find none save servants or slaves to answer his summons, and even +these it was necessary to drive with such of the soldiers as were yet +willing to obey orders. + + + + +VISITORS FROM THE ENGLISH + + +At noon of the second day of the truce, a boat put off from the fleet, +coming directly toward the city, and before she was near to the dock +some of the Englishmen among us cried out that he who stood in the bow +was Governor Winthrop, of the Massachusetts Bay Colony. + +Then it was that Master Stuyvesant ordered a salute to be given, as if +the gentleman were coming to us as a friend, and when the latter stepped +on shore, followed by five officers from the English army, the schout +conducted them to the city hall, where it was said the Director and the +burgomasters were waiting. + +It can well be fancied that every person in the city, save, perhaps, +Master Stuyvesant's family and servants, gathered around the city hall +to hear what might be going on, and there we speedily learned that the +Director had fallen into a rage, even going so far as to quarrel with +those other officials who had been his best friends. + +The visitors from the fleet did not stay overly long, and when they went +away it was whispered among the excited citizens that Governor Winthrop +had left a letter, which some of the burgomasters believed should be +read to the people. + + + + +MASTER STUYVESANT'S RAGE + + +It seemed, as we learned very shortly, that in his rage Master +Stuyvesant had torn the letter into little pieces claiming that it did +not concern the common people, and then it was that his own friends left +him in anger. + +Within half an hour the people insisted that the letter be demanded of +the Director, and five men were sent to Master Stuyvesant, claiming that +which Governor Winthrop had brought. + +[Illustration] + +It was Martin Kip who headed the messengers from the free men of New +Amsterdam, and he told me Master Stuyvesant was in a fine rage. He +stumped to and fro threatening, but finally showed in his hand the tiny +bits of paper, throwing them on the floor. + +Then some one of the house, I do not know who, picked up the pieces, +putting them together so that the words might be read, and Martin Kip, +speaking from the steps of the city hall, told us what had been written. + +I do not remember it all, but there was in the letter a promise that +the Dutch should not be driven out after the city was captured. They +would be allowed to remain, each man on his own land, free to come or go +as it pleased him best, and other Dutchmen were at liberty to live in +New Amsterdam with the same rights as belonged to any English man. + +[Illustration] + +It was all up with Master Stuyvesant after that. He did not cease to +storm and rage at those who refused to stand by the guns in the fort, +and threatened that he would hold the city till the last building in it +was destroyed; but what could he do alone? + + + + +THE END OF DUTCH RULE + + +When the three-days' truce was at an end, Colonel Nicolls landed three +more companies of the King's soldiers, and himself marched at their head +to join those who were encamped at the ferry-way. All the ships came +into position for opening fire upon the city, and it was time for Master +Stuyvesant to surrender, or have it done for him by those of us who were +not minded to make fools of ourselves. + +I have heard it said that he was near to being broken-hearted because of +having come to such a plight; but it was no worse for him than it had +been for the Swedish governor whom he bullied, and, by thus making +promises to the people, the English commander was showing himself more +of a man than had Director Stuyvesant, when he drove away every last +Swede out of their homes. + +[Illustration] + +Whoever gave the command to hoist the white flag over the fort in token +of surrender, I know not; but it was done before the English had time to +open fire, and New Amsterdam was no longer under Dutch rule. + +It was Monday, September 8th, in the year of our Lord, 1664, when Master +Stuyvesant, at the head of the hundred and fifty soldiers, marched from +the fort to take ship for Holland, and an hour later Colonel Nicolls +came in with seven companies of soldiers, who, instead of remaining to +eat us out of house and home, went at once on board the ships until they +could go into camp on the Long Island shore. + + + + +THE CITY OF NEW YORK + + +That same day Colonel Nicolls was chosen governor by the Dutch +themselves, and his first order was that the city be called New York in +honor of the Duke of York, who had really had charge of the matter. + +Next day came a message from the new governor, in which it was promised +that people from all lands might come into the City of New York, with +the same rights as any other; that there would be no change in the +affairs until an election by the people could be held, and that each man +might worship God in whatsoever way seemed to him best. + +We who had lived so long in the New World had seen the last of New +Amsterdam with its Dutch rulers, who knew no law but their own whims, +and now were we like men who have finally thrown off a heavy burden, +able to breathe freely once more. + +I would that I had enough of knowledge to set down in words all that I +have just told you; but I am ignorant of nearly everything, save furs +and bargaining with the Indians, therefore it is, that unless you shall +repeat what I have said, the people of this country may never hear the +story of Peter of New Amsterdam. + + + + +ELEMENTARY HISTORIES + + + BARNES'S NEW HISTORIES OF THE + UNITED STATES + +Elementary, $0.60; School $1.00 + +¶ In their new form these books are thoroughly up-to-date, both as to +contents and as to dress. The Elementary History has been entirely +rewritten in a series of biographies by that charming writer for +children, Dr. James Baldwin. The School History has been completely +revised, and gives greater prominence to the life of the people, and to +the wonderful development of our industries. + + EGGLESTON'S NEW CENTURY HISTORY + OF THE UNITED STATES $1.00 + +¶ The author's purpose was to tell the story of our country so briefly +that it might be mastered within the usual time allotted to the study, +and yet to preserve its interest unimpaired by condensation. He has been +especially successful in presenting those facts of the home life of the +people, and their progress in civilization, which are essential to +history. + + McMASTER'S HISTORIES OF THE + UNITED STATES + +Primary, $0.60; Brief $1.00 + +¶ These books are remarkable for their freshness and vigor, and their +historical and impartial treatment. The Primary History contains work +for one school year, and is simply and interestingly written. The Brief +History directs the attention of the pupil particularly to the colonial +period, yet it does not neglect the later events. + + WHITE'S OUTLINE STUDIES IN UNITED + STATES HISTORY $0.30 + +¶ A helpful note book containing blanks to be filled in by the pupil, +questions to be answered, outline maps for the location of places, +marking of boundaries, and tracing of routes, outlines for essays, etc., +with full directions for the pupil and suggestions to the teacher. + + +AMERICAN BOOK COMPANY + + + + +HISTORICAL READERS + +By H. A. GUERBER + +Story of the Thirteen Colonies $0.65 + +Story of the Great Republic .65 + +Story of the English .65 + +Story of Old France .65 + +Story of Modern France .65 + +Story of the Chosen People .60 + +Story of the Greeks .60 + +Story of the Romans .60 + +Although these popular books are intended primarily for supplementary +reading, they will be found quite as valuable in adding life and +interest to the formal study of history. Beginning with the fifth school +year, they can be used with profit in any of the upper grammar grades. + +¶ In these volumes the history of some of the world's peoples has taken +the form of stories in which the principal events are centered about the +lives of great men of all times. Throughout the attempt has been made to +give in simple, forceful language an authentic account of famous deeds, +and to present a stirring and lifelike picture of life and customs. +Strictly military and political history have never been emphasized. + +¶ No pains has been spared to interest boys and girls, to impart useful +information, and to provide valuable lessons of patriotism, +truthfulness, courage, patience, honesty, and industry, which will make +them good men and women. Many incidents and anecdotes, not included in +larger works, are interspersed among the stories, because they are so +frequently used in art and literature that familiarity with them is +indispensable. The illustrations are unusually good. + +¶ The author's Myths of Greece and Rome, Myths of Northern Lands, and +Legends of the Middle Ages, each, price $1.50, present a fascinating +account of those wonderful legends and tales of mythology which should +be known to everyone. Seventh and eighth year pupils will delight in +them. + + +AMERICAN BOOK COMPANY + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of Peter of New Amsterdam, by James Otis + +*** END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 42327 *** |