GOVERNOR KIEFT’S ADMINISTRATION.

B. Passing over several minor abuses, in order to come to the tyrany which ruins the wholecountry, you must know that Governor Kieft had for a long time secretly intended to begin a warwith the savages of New 7 Netherland , because they had refused, on reasonable grounds, to give hima certain contribution, alleging they w 7 ere not obliged to give it to the director, or to the Dutch :

1. Not for the sake of the soldiers, since they did them no service, in case of war with othertribes ; for that they crept, together like cats upon a piece of cloth and might be killed a thousandtimes over, before new r s could be got to the fort, which was at a great distance from them ; still lessthat they could be delivered or seconded in time by its soldiers.

2. Further, that they had allowed us to remain peaceably in their country, that they had neverdemanded a recompense from us, and that, for that reason, w 7 e were under obligations to them, andnot they to us.

3. Item, that when our nation, having lost a ship there had built a new one, they had suppliedthem with victuals and all other necessaries, and had taken care of them for two winters, till theship w T as finished; consequently we were under obligation to them, not they to us.

4. For that reason they asked why they should supply us with maize for nothing, since theypaid as much as w r e asked, for every thing they came to purchase of us.

5. If we, said they, have ceded to you the country you are living in, w r e yet remain mastersof what w 7 e have retained for ourselves.

Have we not supplied you Swannekens (i. e. Germans or Dutchmen) on your first arrival hereand when you had no mochols (i. e. ships,) with provisions for two whole winters, and had w r e notyou w r ould have died of hunger 1

The delegates from all the savage tribes, such as the Raritans, whose chiefs called themselvesOringkes, from Orange, the Hacquinsacks, the Wappenas, Hogelanders, Wicquasgecks, Reckewacke,Mereckewacks, Tappanders, Massapeins, Zinkeemv, and others, had got as many objections to make,as there were points to discuss. They, however, separated peaceably, contenting themselves withgiving us no contributions nor asking any from us. Director Kieft, seeing himself deprived of thiscontribution which he was very greedy of by so many reasons, and also because it would disgracehim in the eyes of his countrymen, invented other means to satisfy his insatiable avaricious soul.

E. Well, skipper, how did all that end 1

B. When in the year 1643, about shrovetide, the savages were surprised by some other tribes(which were too powerful for them) and obliged to retreat they took refuge in our territory, notsuspecting they had any thing to fear from us. About the same time there was a feast at the house°f Jan Janssen Damen, at which the director, in a significant toast, communicated his intendedattack on the savages to three inconsiderate boors, viz : Maryn Adriaensz, Jan Jansz and AbrahamPlancy, who presented a (pretended) request, composed by secretary Tienhoven, to the governor,begging him to allow them to take revenge on the savages, who killed the servant of Mr. v.Nederhorst, which crime had not been punished ; this retribution being necessary to maintain thedeputation of our nation,

K. Was that true 1

Vol. IV.

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