JOURNAL OR THE SECOND ESOTUS WAR.

35

What should they do 1 Should they fly toward their fort or not % They then concluded to remainthere, for the Chief said, Were the Dutch to come to the Fort and we also were in it, we should beall slaughtered; tis best for us to remain here on the opposite shore ; the Dutch would not learnmuch of us; States also further, that the Indian had said that 40 Manissing Indians had arrived attheir fort, and that 40 more were to come on the next day; further says, that each night theyconveyed the prisoners always to a particular place without the fort and remained themselvestherein ; says also that they were resolved to make a stand in their fort, and that they had, moreover,in their fort 9 horses with which they draw palisades, and had sold a horse to the Mannissing Indians ;that the Indians had also three houses in which they reside, these w r ere 4 hours farther off; says also,that one Sachem in the fort would advise them to negotiate peace, but the other Sachems wouldnot listen to it; says also, that the fort is defended by three rows of palisades, and the houses inthe fort encircled by thick cleft palisades with port holes in them, and covered with bark of trees ;says that the fort is quadrangular but that the Angles are constructed between the first and secondrows of palisades and that the third row of palisades stands full eight feet off from the otherstowards the interior, between the two first rows of palisades and the houses, and that the fort standson the brow of a hill and all around is table land.

Sent also for M r . Gysbert’s wife' and asked her if it were so 1 She answered, it was true, and saidthey had built a point near unto the water to secure it. Then again examined the Wappingerprisoner and asked, why he had aided the Esopus Indians 1 Said it was not true and that his matethe old Indian, had belied him. Asked him if he would guide us to the fort of the Esopus Indians 1Answered, Yes ; and says the Esopus Indians are about 80 warriors strong, but does not know howmany have come there belonging to other tribes. Says also that the fort is defended with triplerows of palisades, as the Squaw had stated. Whereupon the council of war decided, firstly to awaitnews either from above or below as to what the Mohawks had resolved respecting the prisoners—whether they could have them restored before our troops should proceed against the fort to achievethe self same thing. On the same day two detachments went out; one to scout, the other on anexpedition, but they returned in the evening, having seen scarcely any thing.

14 th ditto. 50 men were out again in the woods behind the new burnt village and a scoutingparty, but hardly any thing occurred, nor was any thing seen.

15‘h ditto. The Heer de Decker arrived here with Jan Da vets and 5 Mohawks ; had them con-ducted from the x-iver side by 50 men and 10 horsemen. Nothing else transpired.

16 tii ditto. The Heer de Decker assembled the Council of War and it was resolved that JanUavets accompany the 5 Mohawks to the fort of the Esopus Indians to see on what terms the ChristianPrisoners will be restored, but after divers discourses Jan Davets declined going with them, althoughfbe Heer de Decker had, the day before, drawn up and prepared an Instruction for him, but beforetfie time appointed he refused to go. Meanwhile it is resolved that the Mohawks should gothither, and they requested of us that they might take with them some of our prisoners to presentthem to the Esopus Indians as a suitable introduction to obtain some of their prisoners in return, orto induce them to surrender them. The Council concluded that a Captive Girl should be given tothe Mohawks and about 63 guilders in Sewan in order to ascertain what they could accomplish thereby;for it was reported at Fort Orange, as the Heer de Decker informed us, that the Esopus Indians hadsaid—If they could obtain payment for the land, named the Great Plot (het groote Stuck,) thenthey should give up all the prisoners. Now, it is impossible to determine whether this be so or

1 She had been taken prisoner as before stated by the Indians on the burning of the Village of Wildwyck but had effected

“er escape— Ed.