JOURNAL OF THE SECOND ESOPUS WAR.

51

value. The Indian prisoners whom we hold had first informed us, to day, that a small spot ofcorn had been planted there principally to supply food to stragglers who went to and fro to injurethe Christians . Should they come again they’ll not find any food.

23<i ditto. Sunday. Nothing particular. Towards evening sent a convoy to the river side tobring up bread for the garrison. About eleven o’clock that night sent out a party to the Sager’slittle kill in an easterly 1 direction from our village of Wildwyck about three miles from our fort,having been informed that there was some maize there, to see if they could not remove it thence,either by land or water.

24 th ditto. Monday. The party that was sent out in the night returned home about two o’clockin the afternoon ; they were at Sager’s Killetie, on the Indians’ maize plantation, but saw no Indiansnor any thing to indicate that they had been there for a long time, for the maize had not been hoed,( aangehoocht ) and could not come to its full growth, but had been much injured by the wild beasts ;neither will any of it reach perfection, except one plantation which was good, having been hoed bythe Indians. ’Twas, however, much injured by the wild beasts; each of our people brought aload of it home on his back, and left some more standing, which we will when convenient bringhither. They also say that it is beautiful maize land, suitable for a number of bouweries and forthe immediate reception of the plough. Had an escort in the field to bring in the oats and buck-wheat, and sent one to the Redoubt, as Domine Blom had arrived in the Spaniard’s yacht, and somesupplies had also been sent from the Manhatans by the Heeren Councillors for the troops in theEsopus. Otherwise, nothing particular occurred to-day.

25 th ditto. Had an escort in the field with the ploughmen, and sent one to the river side to fetchup supplies or provisions. A soldier named Jurien Jansen fell out of a canoe at the Redoubt and wasdrowned ; he was reaching for a squirrel and the canoe thus upset and he was drowned. Nothingelse occurred to : day except sending some horses and wagons to fort Orange which were requiredby the owners.

26 th ditto. Lieutenant Couwenhoven arrived at the Redoubt and Wildwyck with some MarsepingSavages. Sent a detachment to the water side to fetch up some supplies. Inasmuch as LieutenantCouwenhoven has arrived at Wildwyck , and the gunner’s wife has again brought a quantity ofstrong drink along, which she retails as well to Indians as to Christians , without making any exceptionas to habitual drunkards, and furnishes them with so much that they cannot distinguish even thedoor of the house, and then, coming out, fight with and strike the Indians. Therefore, desirous toprevent all mischiefs which might arise from strong drink, the rather as an expedition is again aboutto set out, according to letters from the Supreme Council, and in order to have sober and proper mento march at the first command of the officers, the Cap* Lieutenant and valiant Council of War have,for the present, sent an order to the Sheriff of this Village, which reads as follows — u The Cap*Lieutenant and valiant Council of War having orders from the Supreme government to get upanother expedition, and the entire military, and the Natives our friends, the Marseping Indians,being here also holding themselves in readiness to set out at the first command of the officers. TheLapt Lieutenant and valiant Council of War do therefore hereby authorize and order Sheriff Swart-^out of this village to notify and forbid the tappers or retailers of strong drink who follow theProfession of selling liquor in this village, that they do not under present circumstances sell strongdrink to any one, be he Christian or Indian, under the forfeiture of the intoxicating liquor thatfoay be found in his house. Done, Wildwyck, 26 th September, 1663.” Meanwhile, no tiling elseoccurred to-day.

1 Oostlyck. This must evidently be an error, as they could not go 3 Dutch or 9 English miles from Kingston, in aneasterly direction. It is presumed that “ northeasterly ” was intended, in which direction Saugerties lies. Ed.