USA > Delaware > Narratives of early Pennsylvania, West New Jersey and Delaware, 1630-1707 > Part 11
USA > New Jersey > Narratives of early Pennsylvania, West New Jersey and Delaware, 1630-1707 > Part 11
USA > Pennsylvania > Narratives of early Pennsylvania, West New Jersey and Delaware, 1630-1707 > Part 11
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22. Again, I humbly repeat the eighteenth paragraph of my last Report, purporting how I for a great while (namely
1 Kexholm, a small town of Finland, fifty miles northeast of Viborg, on the west shore of Lake Ladoga.
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twenty-eight years) have been in the service of my dear native country, constantly accompanying her armies to the field, and now have served in New Sweden one year and seven months beyond my prescribed term and brought everything into such order that Her Royal Majesty has obtained a strong footing here and that the work does not require anything but sufficient means, to be continued with greater success. Thus (with God's help) this country will forever be subject to Her Royal Majesty, who sent us here, maintained us among all the sur- rounding provinces, and brought the trade into good condi- tion, and satisfactory relation with that of our neighbors, in- somuch that, if means fail not, they will remain satisfied with what has happened. Wherefore, my humble request to Her Royal Majesty and their Right Honorable Excellencies now is, that I be relieved, if possible, and sent home by the next ship to my beloved native land. Yet, I in no wise withdraw myself from the service of Her Royal Majesty and my native country, but I am desirous of doing duty on other occasions, seeking approval in nothing but for faithful service of Her Royal Majesty and my country, in accordance with my duty, so long as I shall live. My successor here (with God's help) will see and comprehend the diligence I have applied in every- thing, agreeably to my obligation.
23. The officers and soldiers here have frequently solicited that a faithful and proper man be sent home to the Kingdom, not only for the purpose of giving an oral account of the whole enterprise here, but also to procure an answer to the individual communications they have sent over. Not thinking it proper to refuse them this, I have deputed for that business the noble and valiant Johan Papegaja, hoping that he will both humbly deliver a good report to Her Royal Majesty and the Right Honorable Lords, and faithfully and diligently do his best in everything intrusted to him for the good of this work. Given at New Gothenburg, February 20. 1647.
JOHAN PRINTZ.
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REPORT OF GOVERNOR JOHAN RISING, 1654
INTRODUCTION
THIS report, which is addressed to the newly established Swedish Commercial College in whose hands the direction of the affairs of New Sweden, through the chartered company, had recently been placed, was written by Johan Classon Rising, the last governor of the colony, barely two months after his coming to the Delaware. Governor Printz had departed in the fall of 1653. Rising on his arrival, the following May, found the settlements in a discouraged and sadly depleted condition. No word had come from Sweden for nearly six years and the population had dwindled by desertions to Maryland and Virginia, and by other causes, to less than a hundred persons. Rising brought with him an accession of over two hundred settlers, and soon infused new life into the languishing colony. Despite the adverse circumstances he writes in a hopeful constructive spirit, describing the situa- tion; and with an eye trained under the influences of the new Swedish commercial development, he points out the indus- trial possibilities of the Delaware.
Johan Classon Rising was born in 1617 in Risinge, Öster- gotlandslän, in south central Sweden. After courses at the gymnasium at Linköping in Sweden and at the universities of Upsala and Leyden, he travelled with the aid of the Swedish government and certain patrons among the nobility, through many of the countries of Europe for purposes of culture and for special information with respect to commerce and trade. In these subjects he became a foremost authority, and from 1651 to 1653 held the office of secretary of the Commercial
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College of Sweden. He wrote the first treatise on trade and economics ever compiled in Sweden, a large part of the ma- terials having been collected and partly arranged by the autumn of 1653. Receiving knighthood, being then in his thirty-seventh year, he set out from Sweden early in 1654, to take up his duties in New Sweden.
His first act was, before landing, to cause the seizure of the offensive Dutch Fort Casimir (now New Castle), which the en- ergetic Stuyvesant, as one of the first steps in his campaign of aggression against the Swedes, had erected in 1651, just below Fort Christina. Of the subjugation of the Dutch settlers at Casimir to Swedish rule, of the Indian relations, of the vainly- hoped-for succor from the Fatherland, and of the further events and progress of the colony, as well as finally of the Dutch conquest of New Sweden-all may be read in full de- tail as chronicled by Rising himself in this and the two suc- ceeding reports.
After the surrender, Rising and the other officials, the sol- diers, and such colonists as were unwilling to become Dutch subjects, were taken back to Europe. Rising after some wan- derings returned to Sweden, but led a precarious existence in devotion to the continuance of his great work on com- merce. He died in poverty at Stockholm in 1672. See John- son's Swedish Settlements for a more detailed life.
His reports, and a manuscript journal for the period 1654- 1655, extending over the greater part of his American experi- ence, are replete with succinct and accurate information, plainly and clearly expressed, constituting the most valuable sources for the history of New Sweden under his administra- tion.
A contemporary manuscript copy of this report in Swed- ish is in the Riksarkiv (Royal Archives), in Stockholm. It was printed in Swedish at Stockholm, in 1878, in the appendix of Professor Carl K. S. Sprinchorn's Kolonien Nya Sveriges
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Historia (History of the Colony of New Sweden), pp. 92-102, and is now published for the first time in English from a translation of Sprinchorn's text made by Dr. Amandus Johnson.
A. C. M.
REPORT OF GOVERNOR JOHAN RISING, 1654
Mosr honorable Count, honorable gentlemen, powerful benefactors, and friendly patrons.
Although it can well be seen from the diary, which I now send over, how our long journey hither proceeded, and also what our condition is here now, nevertheless I have thought it necessary to relate certain things more at length to the Royal College,1 in order that Your Excellency and Lordships, observ- ing from it our disadvantages, may be able through your good directions, to dispatch to us here all needed succor, so that this highly-profitable work may not, after so good a begin- ning, receive any set-back or henceforth lack necessary as- sistance, but that everything, as time goes on, may be aided in a becoming manner. And although, indeed, several diffi- culties have befallen us, ever since we came here, bringing with us a lot of sick and weak people, finding before us an empty country, disturbed partly by despondency, partly by mutiny and desertion; nevertheless, God be praised, we still prosper. The people are now recovering. Would to God that we had provisions for them, now and during the winter. We are awaiting some provisions from the Fatherland and some with our sloop, which is daily expected from N. England; some also from the savages and other neighbors, until, God willing, we are able to harvest the crops of one or two years. Then we hope to be able to get along, as far as food is con- cerned. The mutiny here is now fully suppressed; but still there is some smoke after the fire. I hope that good discipline and vigilance will prevent all such disturbances.
As to the government of the country, I am able to report that I have, according to Her Royal Majesty's most gracious orders and the desire of the College, taken as assistants the good men whom I found suitable thereto, since I found that
"The then recently established Royal Commercial College.
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the Governor had departed from here. These assistants are Captain Sven Scuthe1 and Lieutenant Johan Pappegoija,' with whose counsel and co-operation I have managed everything, which has so far been done here. I expect a complete gracious regulation by the next ship, according to which I will live and direct myself submissively in all obedience, and all respect for the faithful service of my Most Gracious Sovereign and the advantage of the Fatherland; which will be dearer to me than any of my own profit or reputation, whatever hereafter may be ordained by my Gracious Sovereign for the government of this work.
Meantime I would desire that full authority might as soon as possible be given here in judicial matters, in higher and lower trials (especially in order to put down the mutiny); and that for this purpose an executioner with sword be sent here. Through this, much disorder would be prevented, which other- wise might hereafter break out through secret plots.
The greater part of the colonists indeed complain of the severity with which they claim to have been treated by Governor Printzen." But many of them may have caused him much trouble, therefore I handle the case as moderately as I can. I could not refuse to hear the matter in the court, and then I requested them to draw up their complaints them- selves. This they did later and I herewith send them over. Since Governor Printzen is now there himself, he is able, in the proper place, to answer them and explain himself.
Meantime, I shall exert myself so to direct things here in that matter that neither our Swedes, nor the Hollanders dwell- ing here, nor others, can rightly complain of injustice in legal proceedings. If a law-reader could be sent here, it would be desirable. It might for this purpose be ordained that all the fines, which are here imposed, should be divided into three parts, one-third for the accuser (with which a fiscal under the name of substitute could be paid), the second third for the
1 Sven Skute.
2 Johan Papegoja arrived in New Sweden in 1643 where he was married about 1645 to Armegot, daughter of Governor Johan Printz. On his return to Sweden he became a captain in the navy, about 1661. About 1667 he was ad- vanced to major. He lived at Ramstorp, where he owned an estate. Amandus Johnson, Swedish Settlements, especially pp. 686-687.
' I.e., Printz, en being the Swedish definite article.
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court, and the third third for the government, for the pay- ment of the law-reader, the support of the poor, or other such things.
As to the culture and improvement of this country, I will pass this over briefly, since it is known to Your Countly Excel- lency1 already, what splendid advantages this river has and what conveniences this land possesses (which I have caused to be mapped, as well as it could be done in a hurry, all the way from the bay even up to the falls, by one A. Hudden),' where- fore it is well worth while, in order to get this land into some state of prosperity, to employ a liberal expenditure, which later would pay itself a thousand fold. For both goods and blood are often spent on land which cannot by far be com- pared with this. Wherefore should one not risk expense of money and goods, without bloodshed (as we have reason to hope), since we now, God be praised, have free opportunity to settle it, and so to fortify it against all attack, that it, by the help of God, will endure, and later, in case of need, will give good assistance to the Fatherland, and be a jewel in the royal crown, if only succor can now early be sent here? And at the same time this advantage is also to be expected, that our sailors thereby will become trained for the sea, our ships put into motion, the inhabitants here and there animated to trade, our trade so extended, that all the good designs which might be entertained for the improvement of commerce will be carried out, and ship-building and navigation be thereby increased.
I will leave it to a more suitable time to discuss, how our commerce to Africa and America, yes, into the West and
1Count Eric Oxenstierna was president of the college.
' Andries Hudde came to New Amsterdam with Governor Kieft in 1638. For some years he acted as surveyor there. In 1645 he was sent to the Delaware River, where he was actively concerned in upholding Dutch interests, and served as commissary, first at Fort Nassau, 1645-1651, then at Fort Casimir, 1651-1654. After the capture of Fort Casimir in the latter year he was employed by Rising, as stated, in making a map of the Delaware River, his compensation from the Governor, according to the notes of Dr. Amandus Johnson, being twenty florins for "some maps of the river and other drawings." Hudde promised to remain with the Swedes but soon slipped away to New Amsterdam. After the Dutch conquest in 1655 he was made surveyor and secretary and later commander at New Amstel. He died in 1663 at Appoquiminy in Maryland whither he had gone to settle.
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East-Sea1 can be combined, through good means, for the great increase of navigation, and the great utility of our dear Father- land, which then could seize the advantage derived from the goods which come into the East-Sea-and much of that in the West Sea-but this belongs to its proper time and place. But as far as time and convenience allow I will here use all dili- gence, that as much of this land as possible may first be cleared and planted by our colonists, since very little has been sown this year. For the continuation of this work, I have an ad- vantage in this, that a part of the old freemen have requested new lands, being encouraged thereto by the freedoms which Her Royal Majesty has now given, and have wished to transfer their cleared land to the new-comers; but no new-comers have means to redeem them, therefore I intend to buy them for the Company (payment for only the clearing being understood), and then set young freemen upon them, lend them oxen for working their lands, give them grain for seeding, and each year take one-half of the grain from the field, and give them cows for half of the increase, on condition that if the cow dies before the Company gets any increase from her then the tenant must pay for her. By this means they are immediately and imperceptibly brought under a reasonable tax. So, if this gets started, they will both clear the land and supply it with cattle, and also give the Company a good income, so that it seems to me (with all deference) in this case, that it could not be taken into better use, without any hazard, inconvenience or cost. It also seems to be more necessary at this time to settle the land along the river itself, than up in the creeks. Therefore I intend to put most of this people between Trinity' and Christina, near which place a large piece of land ought to be taken up for the property of the Company, and it were good to provide that this should not be alienated. Hereafter it would be well worth while to settle Christina Kill, in order that one might be the more secure against Virginia, and be-
1 North Sea and Baltic Sea.
' Fort Trinity or Sandhoeck, now New Castle, Delaware. The place experi- enced several changes of name just after the middle of the seventeenth century, as follows: Fort Casimir, so named on its founding by the Dutch, in 1651; Fort Trinity, upon its seizure by the Swedes in 1654; New Amstel, in 1656, upon the Dutch conquest of New Sweden, in 1655; New Castle, in 1664, upon the English conquest of New Netherland.
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[1654
sides to carry on trade with them, making a passage from their river' into the said kill, by which we could bring the Vir- ginian goods here and store them, and load our ships with them for a return cargo. If we could buy Sakakitqz and Amisackan* from the Minquas, then this could well be brought about, and we could also carry on the best trade with them [the Minquas] there. And the Englishman, referred to, Mr. Ringoldh, presented it to me and exhorted us thereto, yet probably more for the purpose of discovering our intention about it than because the English would gladly see it accom- plished; still the sooner it were done the better. In this said kill and near here there are some water-falls; and at the most important one, called the great fall,' many waterworks could be placed, for the great benefit of the Company. About this I will use all zeal, as far as is possible with this people and at this time, intending, as soon as everything is harvested and sown, to construct there a good dam, with all the ability of the country, and then a flour-mill, a saw-mill, and a chamois- dressing mill; wherefore it would be good that this fall were not given away nor alienated. But the others are of small value.
Apoquenema Kill,' below Trinity, which runs nearest the English river,' would also be well worth occupying at the first opportunity, also the Hornkill,' since the savages now at this time and before this have often requested this of us; other- wise their mind will cool, and probably the English" who are
1 Elk River.
" I. e., Chakahilque or Chakakatique Fall. See post, p. 159, note 3.
.I. e., Amisackan Fall. See post, ibid.
Thomas Ringgold (b. 1610), one of the county commissioners, resided on his plantation of 1,200 acres, called "Huntingfield," on a creek of that name flowing into Rockhall Creek, on the northeastern part of the Chesapeake in Kent County, Maryland.
' Apparently in Christina Creek, although the great fall in the Brandywine may be the one referred to.
· Appoquinimink Creek, in Kent County, Delaware.
" The present Bohemia River, in Maryland, a branch of Elk River, which is an affluent of the northeastern part of Chesapeake Bay. From its head waters to those of Appoquinimink Creek in Delaware, was the shortest and usual portage path between the Chesapeake and the Delaware.
. The Hoorn or Hoere Kill, now Lewes Creek, Delaware.
.Of Maryland and Virginia.
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now beginning some trade from their own river in this direc- tion, will slip in there, which it would indeed be well to fore- stall. What other districts there may be in the river, which now call for settlement into large estates, yea, even prince- doms, Mr. Pappegoija will probably be able to tell, who has good knowledge about it, and who now returns home for the service of the Company and to report concerning our condition.
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And since cattle are very necessary for agriculture, there- fore I will use all possible diligence in securing some here for the people. And it is sure that if a cargo were here of shoes, stockings, linen stuff, etc., then we could get as many cattle from Virginia as we wish, and could obtain them for a good price, and give them out or sell them to the freemen with ad- vantage. The fisheries we shall gradually (God granting grace and success) practise and carry on with diligence, for there are sturgeon and other fish in the river, but in the creeks there are eel, salmon, thickhead and striped bass in the bay, and outside the bay the codfish and other kinds,-provided only that a few good fishermen with all sorts of implements were sent here.
With brewery and distillery and alehouses and well-fitted inns there would be a good profit for the company to be made, provided only we in the beginning had a number of liquors on hand and provided an order were made that on all foreign drinks a duty about equal to their value should be paid, accord- ing as might be found necessary here for moderation, but that if the importers sold their drinks to the Company they should not pay more than two per cent.
N. B. It is better to grant a free import, but afterwards to collect double excise, of which the buyer and the seller should each pay half to the magistrates.
We will also in the future see what advantage can be had from woods and timber, with planks and clapboards, pipe- staves, etc., with which a profitable trade could be carried on in the Caribbee Islands and our own ships could be loaded from here, which now, on account of the sickness of the people and because it is not now the season for cutting logs, could not be accomplished.
What advantage various trades could bring here into the country is self-evident, especially if one could make all kinds
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of things from these good trees, which could be sold to advan- tage. Besides timber-cutters, we need some one who can burn tar and make shoemaker's wax, which is here an expensive article; also a soap-maker, since we have a potash-burner with us. Besides this there are other materials of the land, which could be taken up and manufactured, as saltpeter, for which we have a good man who can seek for it, and if we could here establish powder-mills it would bring us great profit. A powder-mill we could cause to be built on the abovementioned stream, but we should wish that skilled masters and people should be sent here. Of blacksmiths (aside from gunsmiths) we have enough for our needs, as well as cordwainers and leatherdressers, tailors, skinners, swordmakers, glass makers, masons, house-carpenters, etc. But we have need of pottery- makers, brick-makers, lime-burners, cabinet makers, wooden- basin makers and wooden-plate turners, shoemakers and tan- ners. An assayer would be needed here. He ought to take the proofs and send them home as soon as the works had been started, in order that the neighbors, who have always tried to get up a copper mine, might not gain possession of one, but that strict orders should be given about it. For here are surely to be found many of the best minerals in the country. A French hat-maker could do much good here; also a wine- grower and a bird-catcher who could capture geese and ducks in nets on the low places in spring and fall, since these birds come here by thousands in the fall and spring. Also, if some Dutch farmers could be brought here and settled on the company's own land it would be very useful, and more such things.
Upon these and other considerations, it does not seem un- wise to lay out a town here at Christina and to place there a good deal of the abovementioned or other laborers, as it is most convenient to establish staple and resident places. To this end I have already caused the field adjoining Christina to be divided into lots by Lindestrohm1 and he has made a plan
1 Peter Mårtensson Lindeström (d. 1691) was educated in the University of Upsala, where he specialized in mathematics and the art of fortification. In 1654 he went out to New Sweden as engineer, remaining until 1655. On his re- turn to Sweden he secured the position of engineer of fortifications. His final settlement was at Brosäter, Sweden. In his later years while bedridden he
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of it, which he in humility sends home, and we intend (God granting success) to build houses there in the autumn. And here are suitable places for establishing towns, trading-places and villages, as the time shall give opportunity, but there is now, besides Christina, also Sandhook or Trinity, where there are about 22 houses built by the Hollanders.
Concerning the trade, it can be said, that it would be the most important thing in the country, if we only had enough cargo to draw the beaver trade to us from the Minquas and from the Black Minquas, which buy up both our ordinary cargo and also silk and satin cloth, hats and other things; likewise the trade of the Maquast and other surrounding sav- ages could now be drawn to us, since the Dutch formerly used to buy up yearly at Fort Orange' from fifty to sixty thousand beavers, and the English are not loved by these savages nor are they accustomed to carry on trade with them. In addi- tion it is thought that the English are about to attack Mana- thes.' Wherefore if the work would be taken hold of with power this trade, which is of great importance, could be drawn here into the river, since no Christian nation is in better credit with the savages than we now are. But in case such a large trade could not yet be brought about, we should indeed get along with the common trade with the Minquas and with our own river savages." The other sources of income in the country, such as agriculture, logging and handicraft, would, besides this, next unto the help of God, well support us. Specifications of the necessary cargoes, I send enclosed here- with, for which we shall be able to buy up from our near Christian neighbors good return cargoes as well as cattle and victuals for the people and the preparation of the ships.
This cargo which we now have brought with us cannot be used for much else at this time than to enlist and hold the savages in good friendship and for the buying of provisions and necessaries, without which we could not subsist here; also to pay the old and newly enlisted people, and to pay the old
wrote his valuable Geographica, an unpublished manuscript in the Swedish ar- chives, which contains his maps of the Delaware, and of the American colonies for the period of his visit. Amandus Johnson, Swedish Settlements, pp. 682-683. 1 Mohawks. ? Now Albany, New York.
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