USA > New York > New York City > History of New Netherland; or, New York under the Dutch, Vol. II > Part 33
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41 | Part 42 | Part 43 | Part 44 | Part 45 | Part 46 | Part 47 | Part 48 | Part 49 | Part 50 | Part 51 | Part 52 | Part 53 | Part 54 | Part 55 | Part 56 | Part 57
But whilst Christians were thus harassing Christians at the east, various matters were occurring in the Indian country at the west, which must now claim our attention.
I Alb. Rec. xiv., 369 ; xviii., 133 ; Hol. Doc. ix., 102, 103.
356
HISTORY OF
CHAPTER IX.
Proclamation to form villages-First settlement at the Esopus-Indian name of that tract-Difficulties with the natives-Stuyvesant visits the place-Inter- view with the Indians-The settlers concentrate their dwellings-Indian free gift-The French repair to the western part of the province-Settle at the Salt Springs of Onondaga-Père Le Moyne visits New Amsterdam-Trade to the St. Lawrence opened to Dutch ships-The St. John sails for Quebec-The Onondagoes conspire against the French, who abandon the Salt Springs- Mohawk delegation to Canada-Apply for an interpreter at Fort Orange- Result-Stuyvesant visits the Esopus a second time-His speech to the Indians-Their reply-The result of the talk.
BOOK V. THOUGH the massacre of 1655 was an occurrence to be deplored, yet, as no evil is unmixed with good, it must be 1656. acknowledged that even such a misfortune was not with- out its advantages. It showed the imprudence of the agricultural portion of the population living, as was hitherto the custom, each settler on his respective farm, apart the one from the other ; and laid the foundation of a different system, on the part of the government, in the establishment of new settlements. In the beginning of the year succeed- an. 18. ing the massacre, a proclamation went forth, ordering all who resided in isolated places to collect together and form villages, " after the fashion of our New England neighbors." Though this proclamation guided the future policy of the authorities, its effects were not immediately perceptible. Not a village existed between the Manhattans and Fort Orange for several years after it was issued.
The first Dutch adventurers had erected, in 1614, on the western bank of the Hudson, some fifty miles below Fort Orange, a small redoubt, or block-house, called the
1 Alb. Rec. xii., 169, 170, ; New Amst. Rec. The practice of living at a dis- tance from each other, was not peculiar to the Dutch farmers. It obtained, with like unfortunate consequences, among the French in Canada, and is strong- ly reproved in the " Relation " of the Jesuit mission in that country, 1659, 1660.
357
NEW NETHERLAND.
"Ronduit,"1 but it was not until 1652 and 1653, that any CHAP. settlers took up land in that quarter. A few persons, originally residents of Rensselaerswyck, desirous to be 1657. freed from the feudal pretensions of Patroons, settled, in the course of these years, on the Indian tract called Atkar- karton, now known as the Esopus." The progress of these settlements was, however, seriously interrupted by the troubles of 1655. The country was, for the moment, abandoned. On the re-establishment of order, the farmers returned to their new homes, but each family remained on its own farm. The spirit of gain soon gave rise to many irregularities. Every boor became, as in other places, a trader, and, with a view to obtain a large amount of furs, imprudently distributed brandy and other intoxicating liquors among the savages. This proceeding naturally gave rise to serious disorders, and was followed, at last, by murder and arson; for some unruly savages, excited by drink, became quarrelsome, killed one settler, and fired May 1. the dwelling and out-houses of another. Next holding lighted firebrands to other buildings, they compelled the farmers to plough their maize patches, threatening, in case of refusal, to fire the dwellings of "the Dutch dogs"- " they could easily pay for killing them by a few fathoms of wampum." The white population consisted, at this period, of between sixty and seventy Christians, the pro- gress of whose tillage may be calculated from the fact, that they had nearly a thousand schepels of grain in the ground when this outbreak occurred.3 Naturally alarmed for their crops, their property and their lives, they durst not refuse compliance with the demands of their persecutors.
1 The Dutch word Ronduit means, literally, a small fort or redoubt. The original name, slightly varied, still designates the place. The Dutch "Ron- duit" is now RONDOUT. In pronunciation these words have a strong resem- blance, which perhaps accounts for the alteration in the spelling. Those, there- fore, err who say that the present name is a corruption of the word redoubt. It is, with the variation already stated, the name originally given to the place.
2 " About eighteen miles up the North River, half way between the Manhat- tans and Rensselaer or Beverwyck, lies a place called by the Dutch Esopus or Sypous ; by the Indians, Atkarkarton. It is an exceedingly beautiful country." Rev. Mr. Megapolensis to the Classis at Amsterdam.
3 Estimating two bushels to the acre, the number of acres of tilled land at this time in Ulster county, was about 400, or 25 to each family.
1658.
358
HISTORY OF
BOOK
V. They wrote to the Director-general, imploring him to send
forty or fifty soldiers "to save the Esopus, which, if well 1658. settled, might supply the whole of New Netherland with May 2. provisions. It will be vain to cover the well when the calf is drowned."" The Director-general, accompanied May 28. by Govert Loockermans, proceeded, on receipt of this letter, with some fifty soldiers, to the seat of the disturb- ance. He invited the sachems of the neighborhood to meet him at the residence of Jacob Jansen Stol. The fol- May 30. lowing day, being Ascension Thursday, the Dutch settlers assembled, as was their wont, at this house for religious service. The Director-general seized the opportunity to impress on the minds of those present the imprudence of continuing, as heretofore, segregated, the one family from the other. The prospect of an abundant harvest was most promising : it would be unwise to attempt hostile opera- tions against the Indians under such circumstances ; for in endeavoring to obtain redress for small injuries, they would only run the risk of incurring serious losses. Scattered as they were, it was impossible to protect them all ; he, therefore, recommended them to form at once a village which could be easily fortified, and thereby afford every one effectual protection from the surrounding barbarians.
The people were, at first, unwilling to act on these sug- gestions. They had already been obliged, three years ago, to abandon their farms. They were still poor, having expended their all in recovering from the losses they then incurred, in erecting buildings, and in bringing their land to its present condition. At that particular season, when their crops were in the ground, they could not very well remove their houses ; and it would be difficult to agree on the site of a village, for every one would prefer the place which he had selected for his own residence. Besides, the village should be palisaded, and this could not well be done until after harvest. Under all these circumstances, they requested that the matter be postponed until after the crops be gathered, and that the soldiers be allowed to re- main until that time.
I Alb. Rec. xiv., 265 ; xvi., 7-13.
359
NEW NETHERLAND.
This request was at once rejected. But the Director CHAP. promised, that if they would agree to palisade at once
1X. the ground to be selected for the village, he would remain 1658. with them until the work was completed. The people demanded until the morrow for consideration. In the mean time, some twelve or fifteen savages, accompanied by a couple of their chiefs, arrived at the house where the Director-general was sojourning, with word that the other sachems were deterred from coming through fear of Stuy- vesant's soldiers. On receiving assurances that no harm should befall them, some fifty additional Indians, with a few women and children, made their appearance, and seated themselves beneath an aged tree which stood with- out the fence, "about a stone's throw from the house." Unaccompanied, save by a couple of followers and an interpreter, General Stuyvesant went forth to greet them. As soon as he was seated, one of the chiefs arose "and made a long harangue." Going back to the period of the war waged in Kieft's time, he detailed at length its vari- ous events, and enumerated how many of their tribe the Dutch had then slain, adding, however, that they had ob- literated all these things from their hearts and forgotten them.
When the chief concluded, Stuyvesant replied: These events had occurred before his time ; therefore, he could not be held responsible for them. They and other savages had caused that war by killing Christians, yet he was un- willing to renew the recollection of such occurrences, as, by the peace, "it was all thrown away." "But," he asked, "has any injury been done you, in person or property, since the conclusion of that peace, or since I have come into the country ?" They all remained silent. The Di- rector-general then proceeded to enumerate, through the interpreter, the various murders, injuries, and affronts which, since his arrival, they had committed on the Dutch. " Your overbearing insolence at Esopus is known. I come to investigate this matter, and not to make war, provided the murderer be surrendered and all damage repaid. The Dutch had never solicited your sachems for leave to come
360
HISTORY OF
BOOK here. Your sachems have requested us, over and over V. again, to make a settlement among you. We have not 1658. had a foot of your land without paying you for it, nor do we desire to have any more without making you full com- pensation therefor. Why, then, have you committed this murder ? Why have you burned our houses, killed our cattle, and continue to threaten our people ?"
They answered not. "Bowing down, they let their heads fall, and looked on the ground !" At length, after a considerable pause, one of the chiefs arose and thus spoke : " You Swannekins have sold our children the boisson. It is you who have given them brandy and made them ' cacheus,' intoxicated and mad, and caused them to commit all this mischief. The sachems cannot then con- trol the young Indians, nor prevent them fighting. This murder has not been committed by any of our tribe, but by a Minnisinck, who now skulks among the Haverstraws. 'Twas he who fired the two houses and then fled. For ourselves, we can truly say, we did not commit the act. We know no malice, neither are we inclined to fight. But we cannot control our young men."
The Indian chief had scarcely ceased when Stuyvesant started up and hurled defiance at the young braves. " If any of your young savages desire to fight, let them now step forth. I will place man against man. Nay, I will place twenty against thirty or forty of your hot-heads. Now, then, is your time. But it is not manly to threaten farmers, and women and children, who are not warriors. If this be not stopped, I shall be compelled to retaliate on old and young, on women and children. This I can now do by killing you all, taking your wives and little ones captive, and destroying your maize lands. But I will not do it. You, I expect, will repair all damages, seize the murderer if he come among you, and do no further mis- chief." " The Dutch," he continued, " are now going to live together in one spot. It is desirable that you should sell us the whole of the Esopus land, as you have often proposed, and remove farther into the interior ; for it is not good for you to reside so near the Swannekins, whose
361
NEW NETHERLAND.
cattle might eat your maize, and thus cause fresh disturb- CHAP. ance." The Indians promised to take the matter into 1X. consideration, and then departed. The settlers now con- 1658. cluded that it would be best to adopt the counsel of their Director. They therefore unanimously agreed to form May 31. themselves into a village, the site of which they left to Stuyvesant. Having signed an instrument to this effect, the spot was immediately selected and staked. It was two hundred and ten yards in circumference, and could be surrounded by water, if necessary, on three sides.1
The savages finding it now to be their wisest course to obtain terms from the Dutch sachem, returned the next June 1. day with their chiefs and solicited peace. Then laying down a few fathoms of wampum, they expressed their sorrow for what had passed. They felt particular shame that Stuyvesant should have challenged their young war- riors to fight, and that they dared not to accept the chal- lenge. They hoped such a circumstance would not be spread abroad. As for themselves, they would now throw aside all malice, and not give again any cause of offence. Presents of cloth and frieze were distributed among them in return, but they were told a second time, that they must surrender the murderer, and make good the damages they had committed. To these demands they at first demurred. The murderer was a stranger, whom it was impossible to give up. The indemnity should not be exacted from the nation in general, but from him who had done the wrong, and who had absconded. Finally, however, they agreed to make compensation, and to sell the land required for the projected village.
All preliminaries having thus been arranged, a beginning was made with the fortifications. Whilst all hands were June 3. yet busily employed chopping wood, cutting and drawing palisades and digging trenches, forty or fifty savages were perceived approaching from a distance. Eighteen men June 4. were immediately ordered to stand by their arms, and all work was suspended. The Indians demanded a parley.
1 Alb. Rec. xvi., 15-26, 35 ; Kingston Rec.
362
HISTORY OF
BOOK V. They came, they said, to request the Grand Sachem to accept the land on which he had commenced his settle- 1658. ment, as a free present. They gave it " to grease his feet, as he had undertaken so long and painful a journey to visit them." They again renewed the assurance that they had thrown away all malice. Hereafter none among them would injure a Dutchman. The Dutch, on their side, reciprocated the like assurance. After three weeks' labor, the lines were completed; all the buildings re- moved ; a guard-house, sixteen feet by twenty-three, built in the north-east corner of the village; a bridge was thrown across the kill, and temporary quarters erected for the soldiers, after which the Director-gen- June 24. eral returned to the Manhattans, leaving behind him twenty-four soldiers for the protection of this infant set- tlement."1
1655. An embassy from the Onondagoes having already Sep. 12. invited the French to plant a colony in the heart of their country, the Rev. Joseph Chaumont and the Rev. Nov.11. Claude Dablon accompanied the ambassadors and selected a site for the proposed settlement, at the Salt Springs near 1656. Lake Gannentaha. A party, composed of six Jesuits and May 17. fifty French colonists, started under the command of Capt. Dupuis in the course of the next spring for their new homes, where they were joined by two other missionaries 1657. and a number of Hurons in the subsequent year. But the Onondagoes had now triumphed over those nations with whom they had been at war. Victory had the effect of making them insolent, of reviving the recollection of their ancient hatred against the Hurons, and of creating within their breasts a vain desire of triumphing over the Euro- peans. They resolved to avenge themselves of the one and to destroy the others, and thus their success over the Cats led to a conspiracy against the French. Their perfidy Aug.3. became manifest by the sudden and unexpected massacre of several of the Hurons who had accompanied the Europeans. This was followed by an incursion of
1 Alb. Rec. xvi., 27-34.
363
NEW NETHERLAND.
Oneidas, (the " daughters " of the Mohawks,) who destroyed CHAP. several Frenchmen at Montreal. Hereupon an order IX. was issued by Gov. D'Aillebout for the arrest of all the 1657. Iroquois found in Canada. A number of Mohawks and Nov 5. Onondagoes were accordingly seized and put in irons. This vigorous proceeding saved the French at Onondaga from an immediate massacre. The savages considered it best to conceal their hate, for a season, until they could obtain the liberation of their imprisoned brethren, through the intervention of Père Le Moyne, then among the Mohawks.1
This missionary had followed some Christian Hurons Aug. 26. into the Mohawk territory, and took occasion soon after to visit New Amsterdam, for the purpose of affording spirit- ual comfort to the Catholics residing in that city, as well as to some French sailors who had recently arrived with a prize at that port." The Dutch, always alive to the extension of their commerce, seized the occasion of this visit to demand permission to visit the St. Lawrence for the purpose of trade, and solicited Le Moyne to rep- resent their wishes to the Governor of Canada. The 1658.
Jesuit's representations were crowned with success. The Jan. 3.
1 Relation, 1655, 1656., 16-23, 34, et seq. ; Ibid. 1657, 1658., 2-8, 30-40. The force of the Five Nations at this period was estimated by the Jesuits (Rel. 1659, 1660,) at 2200 warriors, of which the Mohawks were reckoned at 500, " in two or three wretched villages ;" the Oneidas 100, Onondagoes and Cayugas 300 each, and the Senecas 1000. " Whoever should take the census of the pure (francs) Iroquois, would scarcely find more than 1200 in the whole of the Five Nations." The same authority, (Anno 1645-6,) speaking of the Oneidas, remarks : " Onei- da is a tribe, the greater number of whom were destroyed in war by the Upper Algonquins. To recruit itself, it was, thereupon, constrained to call in the Mohawks. Whence it comes that the Mohawks call the Oneidas ' their daugh- ters.'"
2 " This Simon Le Moyne has been with Indians from the Indian country several times at Fort Orange. At long last he came here to the Manhattans, without doubt, on account of the Papists residing here, and especially for the accommodation of the French sailors, who are Papists, and who have arrived here with a good prize." Rev. Dom. Megapolensis to the Classis of Amsterdam. On his return to Fort Orange, the Jesuit wrote three essays : I. On the Succession of the Popes ; 2. On the Council ; 3. On Heretics; which he sent to the Rev. Mr. Megapolensis with a letter commending them to his study, adding, "that Christ hanging on the wood of the cross was still ready to receive his repent- ance," (or conversion.) The Dutch Dominie sent an answer by a yacht then on the eve of sailing from New Amsterdam for Canada. But the vessel was lost, and so Père Le Moyne never received this reply to his " Catologos."
364
HISTORY OF
1658.
Feb. 18.
BOOK Canadian Governor consented that New Netherland V. vessels should henceforward resort to Quebec, on the same terms as French ships, with this reserve, however, that the Dutch should not participate in the Indian trade, nor be allowed the public exercise of their religion in that country.1 As this proviso was merely a counterpart of the rules which the Dutch themselves prescribed in their province, they did not object ; on the contrary, they hastened to take advantage of the " happy and fortunate," circumstances, and prepared to " plough with their craft" the waters of the St. Lawrence. The bark St. Jean, July 2. Capt. John Perel, cleared in the course of the summer for Quebec, from the port of New Amsterdam, with a cargo
1 The following is a copy of the correspondence announcing this fact :-
" Fort Orange, 7 Avril, 1658. " Domine Illustrissime :-
" Mitto ad te, lubens, quas accepi Kebeco literas ; gallico illas quidem idio- mate, hoc est aperto et amico. Nolluit, opinor, latine scribere, qui nomen suum epistolæ subscripsit vir nobilissimus iuxta ac eruditissimus, Dom: Daille- boust ; fortassis quia plures apud vos gallicè sciunt quam latinè ; imo quia Gal- lorum una res agebatur et eorum qui Gallos vnos amant.
"Porro is scripsit qui hodie vices gerit Pro-regis nostri absentis, quique et ipse fuit quondam Pro-rex noster.
"Quod ergo felix, faustum, fortunatumque sit. Agite sulcis Manatenses ami- cissimi, Kebecum nostrum ; aliquando inuisite vti post modum Canadenses nos- tri ad vos, Deo duce, appellant felicissime. Etsi enim non est integrum mihi, vobiscum hoc anno, quod speraveram, navigare, quia silvestres meos habebo nautas mecum ; tamen in posterum et comitem vobis spondeo et famulum.
" Ignosce, si places, Dom: Illust: et accipe hoc totum, quod paulo liberius fluit è calamo, tanquam certissimum sensûs in Hollandos tuos et amoris in Te testi- monium, quippe qui sum ex animo, Tibi, Dom: Illustrissime,
Sernus addictissim: idem et obsequius, SIMON LE MOYNE, è Soc. Jesu."
Gov. D'Aillebout's letter to the Rev. Father Le Moyne.
" A Quebec, ce 18 Fevrier, 1658.
" MON REVEREND PERE :- J'ay communiqué à toutes les principalles personnes de ce pais le dessein dont vous me parliez de la part de Messrs. les Hollandois ; personne n'a doubté que, veu que dans tous les ports de France, il y a de si tant d'années, ils sont reçeus comme amis et aliez de la couronne, nous ne pouvions leur reffuser par aucune raison qu'ils viennent faire commerce avec nous, ainsy je ne puis m'y opposer. Je consens qu'ils viennent quant il leur plaira, à la charge d'observer les mesmes coustumes que les vaisseaux François et qui defendent la traicte avec les sauvages et l'exercise publicque et à terre de la Reli- gion qui est contre la Romayne. Vous savez ce que le roy nous deffend la dessus. Je me recommande à vos prières, et suis,
" Mon R. Père, vostre très humble et plus affectionné Serviteur, [MSS. letters in Stuyvesant's time, I.] " DAILLE BOUSTE."
365
NEW NETHERLAND.
of sugar and tobacco ; and as it was " the first voyage from CHAP. the Manhattes" to Canada, the government ordered a~ IX. remission of all the duties.1 The result, however, did 1658. not equal the expectations of the projectors. The St. Jean was wrecked at the entrance of the gulf, and left her bones on the Island of Anticosti.2
The situation of the French at Onondaga had been, throughout the winter, one of extreme peril. They knew not the hour or the minute when their enemies would set on, and destroy them. It was considered therefore the best policy to abandon a country where they were not a moment secure of their lives. To lull the suspicion of the savages, the French, whilst executing this design, invited all the Indians to a grand feast, in the preparation of which they exhausted every possible art, and were most prodigal of the music of drums and other instruments. On this occasion every one vied in producing the greatest amount of noise, and the savage who yelled and danced most wildly was sure of being best rewarded. By these means an uproar equal to that of Pandemonium was incessantly kept up, which effectually drowned all report of prepara- tions making without for the departure of the whites. The savages at length, overcome by excitement and drink, fell into a profound sleep, during which the French depart- Mar. 20. ed, leaving behind them their domestic cattle and fowls, the lowing and cackling of which, next day, whilst still pent up, at an advanced hour, in their houses, was the first notice the Indians had of the trick played on them by their late hosts.3
The Mohawks, now anxious to obtain the release of such of their tribe as had been imprisoned by D'Aillebout, sent an embassy to the French to assure the latter that May. they had not violated the peace. They succeeded in pro- curing the liberation of some half dozen of their war- riors, but others were still detained until their sachems should come in person and conclude a general treaty
1 Alb. Rec. xiv., 275.
$ Fort Orange Rec. in office of the County Clerk, Albany.
3 Relation, 1657, 1658., 12, 24, 130, 131.
366
HISTORY OF
Aug. 13.
BOOK with " Onontio" and his Indian allies.1 Fifteen of the V. oldest " Zaackemaakers," or chiefs, presented themselves, 1658. shortly afterwards, at Fort Orange." Six of their tribe were prisoners among the French, and they wished now to give four Frenchmen in exchange for them, and to conclude a treaty of peace with the Indians of that country. With this view, they were about to visit Canada, but as they were unacquainted with the French language, they requested the Dutch magistrates to provide them with an interpreter. The court however did not know any person who could act in such a capacity. The answer displeased the sachems. "When ye were at war with the Indians, we went to the Manhattans and used our best endeavors to procure you peace. Ye are bound, therefore, now to befriend us on this occasion." Such an appeal could not well be resisted. The public crier was sent around offering one hundred guilders to any person who might be willing to volunteer on such a service. Henry Martin, one of the Company's soldiers, accepted the invitation, and having been furnished with a letter to the Governor of Three Rivers,3 set out with the Mohawks, who promised to restore him in safety at the end of forty days. Arriving near their destination, the savages were discovered by a Frenchman, who, suspect-
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.