USA > Pennsylvania > The Fatherland: (1450-1700) : showing the part it bore in the discovery, exploration and development of the western continent with special reference to the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania ; pt. I. of a narrative and critical history > Part 8
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The Fatherlad 1450-1700.
phlets and counter-pamphlets were among the results of these missionary tours.
The following were the most important of these German missives :
Ein Klang des Allarms in den Gränzen des Geist- lichen Egipten geblasen (welcher in Babilon gehöret werden) and die Inwohner der befleckten und besudel- ten Wohnungen in der Erde Erschrecken solt, etc. By Stephen Crisp. Amsterdam Gedruckt Anno 1674.
Die sache Christi und Seines Volks. With a large preface by B(enjamin) Flurly) 4to 1662. By William Ames.
Ein Alarm Geblasen an alle Nationen. 4to 1657.
An Euch Alle, etc. 4to 1661. (Relating to the Hat controversy.)
Eine Beschirmung der unschuldigen, etc. 4to 1664. (Postscript by Benjamin Furly.)
Gewisser Schall der Warheit. 4to. 1665.
Ein Wort zur rechter zeit Wider des gewohnlichen Sprichwort, "Ein Geist Bezeuget." 4to. 1675.
Die Alte Warheit Erhöhet. (Against the Lutheran Ministerium at Hamburg.) 4to. 1664.
These last six titles are all by William Caton.
Later on, other English Friends also became prominent in the Low Countries and Germany, some of whom became residents of the continent and per- manently identified themselves with the lands of their adoption. Prominent among such was Benja-
149 Penna. Magazine of History and Biography, vol. ii, p. 243.
150 Stephen Crisp married Gertrude Derricks, a lady of Amsterdam,
who was remarkably zealous in the cause of the Quakers.
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Penn's Visits to Germany.
min Furly,151 who settled at Rotterdam. Others, again, were merely transient visitors, such as George Fox and William Penn. The latter appears to have made at least three different tours through Holland and Germany, viz :- in 1671 when, with Claus, the Amsterdam bookseller, as a companion and interpre- ter, he visited Labadie.152 Secondly, some time in 1674, and thirdly, in the fall of 1677. Several tracts were the result of Penn's second visit to Germany. Two of the most important ones are entitled :
Send Brieff an die Bürgermeister und Rath der Stadt | Danzig, von Wilhelm Penn, etc. Amsterdam Gedruckt ben Christoff Couraden, Anno 1675. (Ap- pendix plate I.)
Epistle to the Princess Elisabeth of the Rhine and Countess of Hornes. 152a London, 1676.
Penn's last visit to the continent was his most im- portant one, when he came to Holland and Germany in company with George Fox and a number of public Friends. Fortunately William Penn's journal 153 of this journey is still in existence. 1533 Nothing is
151 For biographical sketch of Benjamin Furley see the Penna. Mag- azine of History and Biography, vol. xix, pp. 227, et seq. Also, The Ger- man Pietists of Provincial Pennsylvania. Philadelphia, 1895 PP. 433, et seq.
152 Croese, Gerhard Croesen's Quaker Historie, Berlin, 1696, pp. 662, et seq.
152a Penn's original draft of this letter is in the collection of Charles Roberts of Philadelphia.
153 William Penn's Travels in Holland and Germany, by Oswald Seid- ensticker. Penna. Mag. vol. ii, pp. 237.
153& Penn's MSS Journal of this Journey is now in possession of Charles Roberts of Philadelphia.
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known of the itinerary of the previous visits. The general object of this extended tour was to spread the principles and organization of the Society of Friends upon the continent not only among the Mennonites, but now to launch out boldly among the various persons disaffected with the orthodox forms of religion, no matter who they were or where they might be.
account of my
into Holland and Germany.
1677.
TITLE PAGE OF PENN'S MANUSCRIPT JOURNAL. ORIGINAL IN THE COLLECTION OF CHARLES ROBERTS, ESQ., OF PHILADELPHIA.
119
For Annamaria Deltorneo, shizof. Counters offshorngo. Sariono.
that thoumagst forour Iwill im ofweek fender songs of that dining low life, which bath visited the soul, affe. sted contrroms they have ofellme, hash is not son ofing rained the Spirit a Rowof works, fills thor with forvent, raffinate Degirip, saray poly resolutions to follow Depus the Blogs
Saviours : Whohave given himoffretrong fort hoe , that thoughoubist hne not for hiseen bustohnutha thatlfo Dearlypunhalif the / athosehire, humble, remoren france, that's Laubach se thosi, whon this blogged Life Rath brawn Showings it golf ; p adorno egoaforis thiswith itsownhoduonly vir,
HEADING OF PENN'S LETTER TO THE COUNTESS OF HORNES, FROM PENN'S MSS. JOURNAL IN POSSESSION OF CHARLES ROBERTS, ESQ., OF PHILADELPHIA.
Penn's Letter to the Countess of Hornes.
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One of the chief incentives to the movement in Germany were the Collegia Pietatis of Spener and his followers,15 together with the Quietists move- ment inaugurated by Molinos, and similar organiza- tions.
It is not within the scope of this paper to follow Fox and Penn in their travels through the Father- land. Suffice it to say that, although William Penn made two visits to Frankfort to interview Jacob Spener, the great father of Pietism, the latter studiously avoided any meeting or even a semblance of intercourse with the visiting Quakers, carefully guarding himself from any utterances which might be construed into an endorsement of their doctrines ; and this in spite of the fact that both Fox and Penn, when in Frankfort 156 were the guests of Johanna von Merlau, and had preached at her house.
This visit of William Penn to Germany, coached
154 See letter of Penn to the Countess of Horbes. An Account of W. Penn's Travails, etc. Second Impression, London, 1695.
155 Spener, in his Freyheit der Glaubigen (Franckfurt am Mayn, 1691),
p 117, chapter vii, 17, emphatically denies the aspersion made by Dr. Meyer of Hamburg, that nothing was known in Leipzig of the Quakers, until after the formation of the Collegium Pietatis. Spener further challenges Dr. Meyer to give the name of a single individual who be- came convinced of Quakerism through his connection with the Col- legium Pietatis, or to quote any case where a Quaker had even gained an entrance to the Collegium, while he, Spener, was present in Leipzig. He further brands as a base calumny the charge accusing him ot frater- nizing or having any intercourse with the Quaker leaders. In conclu- sion, Spener states that if any Quakers were to be found in Leipzig they came there independently and of their own accord, and may have been there prior to the formation of his Collegium Pietatis.
156 Penna. Magazine, vol ii, p. 261.
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Penn's Hortatory Tracts.
as he was by Benjamin Furly, brought forth a num- ber of interesting tracts :150a four of these being of an hortatory character were written by Penn, and left with Furly for revision and translation, and were afterwards published by him at his own expense.
The titles are :
Foderung der Christenheit für Gericht. (A call to Christendom, etc.) (Appendix plate II.)
"Eine Freundliche heimsuchung in der Liebe Gottes." (A Tender Visitation in the Love of God.) (Appendix plate III.)
"An alle diejenigen so unter den Bekennern der Christenheit," etc. (To all Professors of Christianity, etc.)
"An alle diejenigen welche emfinden," etc. (Tender Counsel.)
The above were also published collectively in Dutch under the general title :
" Het Christenrijk Ten Oordeel Gedagvaart," etc. Rotterdam 1678, 4to. (Appendix plate IV.)
Two of the above tracts-"A Call to Christendom," and "Tender Counsel," were printed separately at the time in English.
The above tour of William Penn through Germany was purely a religious one ; as he himself expresses it, "in the service of the Gospel." It had, however, the effect of bringing him into personal contact with many of the German Mystics and other religious leaders of the period.
1563 Biographical sketch of Benjamin Furly. Ibid vol. xix, pp. 277.
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The Fatherland 1450-1700.
PHILIP JACOB SPENER. b. January 13, 1635 ; d. February 5, 1705.
ALLEGED PORTRAIT OF BENJAMIN FURLY, FROM HEMSKIRCK'S DE QUAAKERS' VERGADERING."
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Frankfort Company.
Four years later, when the grant from Charles II to Penn was finally consummated, the attention of both Penn and Furly was at once directed to Ger- many as a field from which to obtain a desirable class ' of emigrants. Communications were opened forth- with with some of the chief leaders in the Pietistical movement at Bergam fény AUTOGRAPH OF BENJAMIN FURLY. Frankfort, and the religious Separatists at Krisheim and the vicinity,-men and women with whom Penn had become acquainted during his visits to Germany. These efforts upon the part of Benja- min Furly resulted in the formation of two compan- ies. The one at Frankfort was a regularly organized corporation, known as the "Frankfort Company," which according to Pastorius consisted of the follow- ing persons :157 Jacob Van de Walle, Doctor Johann Jacob Schutz, and Daniel Behagel, Handelsmann,157a of Frankfort ; Doctor Gerhard von Mastrich, of Duisburg; Doctor Thomas von Wylich and Herr Johann Lebrunn, of Wesel; Benjamin Furly, of Rotterdam ; and Mr. Philip Fort, of London. Ac- cording to other accounts the original company consisted of Jacob Van de Walle, Caspar Merian, Doctor Johann Jacob Schutz, Johann Wilhelm Uber- feldt, George Strauss, Daniel Behagel, Johann
157 Umstandige Geographische Beschreibung Der zu allerletzt erfun- denen Provintz Pennsylvanae, etc. F. D. Pastorius, Franckfurt und Leipzig, 1700, p. 35.
157ª Merchant.
134
T
WILLIAM PENN. b.1644 ; d. 1718.
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Crefeld Colony.
Laurentz and Abraham Hasevoet. This company secured 15,000 acres of land in the new colony, and sent out Francis Daniel Pastorius as their agent and attorney.
The other company known as the Crefeld colony, was organized upon a differ- ent basis, the members pur- chasing their land in an individual, and not in a corporate capacity.158
The members composing this company were mostly from Krisheim and Crefeld, and had secured the land for the purpose of settling in the new Province.
SEAL OF WILLIAM PENN. It was this latter contin- gent that crossed the ocean in the Concord a few months later, and landed at Philadelphia on the sixth of October, 1683. An event which William Penn made the subject of a special letter to England, dated November 10, 1683, wherein he rejoices at the con- tinued good fortune of the Province, and the arrival of so many people from Crefeld and the neighboring places in the land of " Meurs."159
To properly place the advantages of Pennsylvania before the various races of German people, and thus induce a large emigration, a number of tracts or
158 For the amount of land held by these first purchasers, see Penny- packer, Settlement of Germantown, Phila., 1883, p. 31.
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pamphlets, descriptive and otherwise, were issued by Penn, Furly and others, in both high and low Ger- man, for the purpose of · giving the requisite infor- mation to prospective set- tlers. Some of these brochures were translations of the prospectus issued by Penn in England; others again were written with special reference to the requirements of the Arms of Penn. Germans.
As these tracts are all excessively scarce, and as they contain the most reliable information we have regarding the planting of the colony, a list of the series so far as known is here enumerated, with notes as to where the originals are to be found, and is further supplemented by an Appendix at the close of
159 Meurs, (Mörs) a former German Principality, bounded by the Bishopric of Cologne, and the principalities of Cleve, Berg and Geldern, and the Rhine. It contained about 28000 inhabitants, who were mainly of the Protestant faith, chiefly Reformed. During the Napoleonic wars it was ceded by treaty to France in 1801, but was recovered by Prussia at the treaty of Paris in 1814. It is now a part of the Department of Düsseldorf. The former capital, Meurs, is a town of Rhenish Prussia, 17 miles N.N.E. of Düsseldorf, on the Eider. It has Lutheran and Roman Catholic churches, a normal school, and a town-hall in front ot which are the sculptured lions found on the site of the Asciburgum of Tacitus. Under the French, Meurs was the capital of the department of Roer.
4
127
" Some Account of the Province."
this paper showing fac-similes of the various title pages.
First upon the list is the Royal Proclamation, or the King's declaration of his grant to William Penn. It was issued under date of April 2, 1681, and is ad- dressed :
" To the Inhabitants and Planters of the Province of Pennsylvania : "
Next we have Penn's :
"Certain Conditions or Concessions Agreed upon by William Penn, Proprietary and Governor of the Province of Pennsylvania, and those who are the Adventurers and Purchasers in the Same Province, the Eleventh of July, One Thousand Six Hundred and Eighty-one."
No pamphlet copy of this tract is known.
Almost immediately after the grant of the Pro- vince was confirmed to William Penn, he published an account of it from the best information he then had. It is printed in a folio pamphlet of ten pages, and is entitled :
Some | account | of the | Province | of | Pennsil- vania | in | America ; | Lately Granted under the Great Seal | of | England | to | William Penn, &c. | 160 London : Printed, and Sold by Benjamin Clark | Bookseller in George-Yard Lombard-street, 1681 | (Appendix plate V.)
160 Copies of this tract, (folio 114 x 714 inches, ) are to be found at the Historical Society of Pennsylvania, The Carter Brown Library and Harvard College Library. The chief portions of the tract are reprinted
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The Fatherland 1450-1700.
This tract was translated into both high and low German.
Eine \ Nachricht | wegen der Landschaft | Penn- silvania | in | America : | Welche | Jüngstens unter dem Grossen Siegel | Engelland | an | William Penn, &c | 161 In Amsterdam gedruckt bey Christoff Cun- raden. | Im Jahr 1681. | (Appendix plate VI.)
This is the earliest German account of Pennsyl- vania. Two years later (1683) it was reprinted at Leipzig. It also formed a part of the Diarium Europaeum.
Een kort Bericht | Van de Provintie ofte Land- schap | Penn-sylvania | genaemt, leggende in | America ; | Nu onlangs onder het groote Zegel van Engeland \ gegeven aan | William Penn, G.c. | 162 Tot Rotterdam. \ Gedrukt by Pieter van Wynbrugge, Bock-Drukker in de | Leeuwestraat, in de Wereld Vol-Druk. Anno 1681. | (Appendix plate VII.)
By referring to the fac-similes of the two latter titles in the Appendix, it will be found that Furly, to further strengthen Penn's claims to German recog- nition and to stimulate emigration, had added a
in Hazard's Annals of Pennsylvania. Also in Hazard's Register, vol. i, P. 305. For notice of, see Penna. Mag. of History, vol. iv, p. 187.
161 Copies are at the Historical Society of Pennsylvania, Carter Brown Library and in Loganian Library, Philadelphia. See also Penna. Mag. of History, vol. xix, p. 287, and The German Pietists of Provincial Pennsylvania, Phila. 1895, p. 446.
162 A copy of the Dutch Translation is in the Carter Brown Library. Also in the Archiv der Gemeentee, Rotterdam. See Penna. Mag. of History, vol. xix, p. 288. Also, German Pietists of Pennsylvania, p. 447.
Penn's " Liberty of Conscience." 129
translation of Penn's "Liberty of Conscience " (Ap- pendix plate VIII ) to the original "Some Account " which gave a mere description of his newly acquired Province.
The two following titles were published during the same year (1681,) and although not at the instance of either Penn or Furly, yet they did much to bring the Province to the notice of the Huguenot refugees, and to the Germans of the middle and educated classes, especially such as lived in the valley of the Rhine.
Petri du Val,-Geographiae Universalis. Das ist Der allgemeinen Erd Beschreibung. Darinnen die Drey Theil der welt nemlich America, Africa und Asia, etc. . . Nürnberg. In verleg. Johann Hoff- man's Buch und Kunsthandlers. Gedruckt daselbst bey Christian Siegmund Froberg. M.DC .LXXXI163 (Appendix plate IX.)
" Recit des l' estat present des celebres colonies de la Virgine, de Marie-Land, de la Caroline, du noveau Duche' d' York, de Pennsylvania, et de la Nouvelle Angleterre, situees dans l' Amerique Septentrionale, etc. A Rotterdam, Chez Reinier Leers. M.DC.LX- XXI. 410. 43pp. with three folding plates.164 (Ap- pendix plate X.)
Resuming the publications of Penn and Furly, we next have the important pamphlet entitled :
163 Original in Carter Brown Library. Catalogue vol. ii, Number 1217. 164 Ibid.
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The | Articles | Settlement and Offices | Of the free | Society | of | Traders | in | Pennsilvania : | Agreed upon by divers | Merchants | And others for the better | Improvement and Government | of | Trade | in that | Province165 | London, | Printed for Benjamin Clark in George-Yard in Lombard-street | Printer to the Society of Pennsilvania, MDCLX- XXII | (Appendix plate XI.)
These articles were agreed to March 25, 1682, and as stated by Hazard 165a were published in folio upon the day following.
The Charter granted by Penn to the "Free Society of Traders in Pennsylvania" was recorded at Doyles- town among the records of Bucks County. It was first printed in Hazard's Annals of Pennsylvania. 165a Philadelphia, 1850, pp. 541-550.
The above tract was quickly followed by the pub- lication of Penn's Frame of Government:
The Frame of the | Government | of the | Province of Pennsilvania | in | America | Together with cer- tain | Laws | Agreed upon in England | By the | Governour | and | Divers free-men of the aforesaid Province | To be further Explained and Confirmed there by the first | Provincial Council and General Assembly. that shall | be held, if they see meet | Printed in the year MDCLXXXII | (Appendix plate XII )166
165 Original in the Historical Society of Pennsylvania. It is a small folio of sixteen pages. The outside measurement of the ruling which surrounds the title page is 1034 x 6 in. Tract was republished in full in the Penna. Mag. of History and Biography, vol. v., pp. 37-50.
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Information for Emigrants.
Penn's own copy with his book-plate is in the col- lection of the Historical Society of Pennsylvania. It is from this copy that the fac-simile (plate XII) is made.
Shortly after the publication of the two latter pam- phlets, there was issued a small folio of three and a half pages, two columns to a page, the object of which was to furnish information for prospective settlers, and set forth the advantages of Penn's Province. The heading of the first page reads :
" Information and Direction | to | Such Persons as are inclined | to | America, | More | Especially Those related to the Province | of Pennsylvania.167 | (Appendix plate XIII.)
It then goes ou to state:
"That the Value and Improvement of Estates in our Parts of America, may yet appear with further clearness and Assurance to Enquirers, I propose to speak my own Knowledge, and the Observation of others, as particularly as I can; which I shall com- prise under these Heads :"
I. The Advance that is upon Money and Goods.
II. The advance that is upon Labour, be it of Handicrafts or others.
III. The Advance that is upon Land.
IV. The Charge of Transporting a Family, and Fitting a Plantation.
165₴ Annals of Pennsylvania, Phila., 1850.
166 Copies of this pamphlet are also to be found in the Carter Brown Library, of Providence, R. I., and the Harvard College Library.
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V. The way the Poorer sort may be Transported, and Seated, with Advantage to the Rich that help them.
VI. The easier and better provision that is to be made there for Posterity, especially by those that are not of great Substance.
VII. What Utensils and Goods are fitting to carry for Use or Profit."
The authorship of this tract has been attributed to Penn ; and while there is nothing to prove the asser- tion, it was undoubtedly prepared under his direction.
Both German and Dutch translations of this pam- phlet were made, the conditions being somewhat modified so as to adapt themselves to the require- ments of the Germans and Dutch. No German copy of this rare pamphlet is known. A Dutch copy, lacking the last pages and imprint, was found among the Penn papers in the Historical Society's collection ; it is endorsed "Dutch information over Pennsylv." Like the English original it merely starts with a heading :
Nader Informatie of Onderrechtinge voor de gene die |genegen zijn om na America te gaan, en |wel voornamentlijk voor die geene die in de Provin tie van Pensylvania geintresseert zijn. (Appendix plate XIV.)
A later Dutch edition, with a somewhat different heading was issued in 1686.168
167 Copy in Collection of Historical Societs of Penna It was reprinted in the Penna. Mag. of History and Biography, vol. iv., p. 330. A Second Edition was printed in Amsterdam, 1686.
-
" Plantation Work." I33
Before the end of the year, Penn published an- other tract, for the purpose of inducing emigration to Pennsylvania ; the title was :
A brief Account of the | Province of Pennsylvania, | Lately Granted by the | King | Under the Great | Seal of England, | to | William Penn | and his | Heirs and Assigns,169 | London. (Appendix plate XV.)
This was quickly translated and published by Furly in several continental languages, Dutch, French170 and German. The heading of the latter reads :
Kurtz Nachricht Von der Americanischen Land- schafft Pennsylvania.17 (Appendix plate XVI.)
There was still another work issued in 16S2, hav- ing for its express object the furthering of emigra- tion to America :
Plantation Work | the | Work | of this | Genera- tion. | Written in True-Love. | To all such as are weightily inclined | to Transplant themselves and Fami | lies to any of the English Plantati | ons in | America | The | most material Doubts and Ob- jections against it | being removed, they may more cheerfully pro | ceed to the Glory and Renown of the God of | the whole Earth, who in all Undertak- ings is to | be looked unto, Praised and Feared for Ever.172 | London, 1682. (Appendix plate XVII.)
168 Copy in Carter Brown Library.
169 Copies of this tract are in the Collection of the Historical Society of Penna., and the library of Harvard College.
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The Fatherland 1450-1700.
This work contains several abstracts of letters from Pennsylvania dated December 1681 ; it does not ap- pear to have been translated.
The flood of pamphlets, so freely scattered over northern Germany by Furly in the interests of Penn, attracted the attention of no less a personage than Frederick William, elector of Brandenburg, usually styled " the Great Elector," and the founder of the present Prussian monarchy. The battle of Fehrbellin had been fought and won, completely routing the Swedes. By the subsequent treaty with both Sweden and France, he received large sums of money and came into possession of a small fleet. The elector now devoted himself to establish institu- tions of learning and to extend the influence of his dominions.
The first duty assigned to his small navy was to enter upon an expedition in the interest of a German colonization scheme, which he had proposed as an offset to the threatened exodus of German yeomanry to the British possessions in America.
For this purpose two of the staunchest vessels of the new navy, the frigates "Chur-printz " and " Morian," under the command of Otto Friedrich von der Gröben, were sent upon a voyage of discovery, to
170 The writer has seen a copy of the French edition, but has never met with a copy of the Dutch tract.
171 The only known copy is in the collection of the Historical Society of Pennsylvania.
172 Copies of Plantation work are at the Penna. Historical Society, the Carter Brown Library, and Friends Library, Philadelphia.
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Brandenburg Expedition.
FLAG-SHIP OF THE GERMAN SQUADRON IN THE HARBOR OF GLOCKSTAT, MAY, 1682. FAC-SIMILE OF A SKETCH IN V. GROBEN'S REPORT.
settle upon the best site for a German colony under the standard of the Great Elector and thereby ex- tend his domain beyond the sea.
The instructions of von der Gröben were to visit the west coast of Africa, as well as the east coast of North America, returning by way of Ireland, and to
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report upon such location as would be best suited for a German colony.
The little fleet weighed anchor at Hamburg on May 16, 1682, stopping at Glückstadt and Kocks- haven for supplies and additional soldiery. The expedition, after many vicissitudes incident to the elements, eventually reached the coast of Africa ; landings were made at different points, and barter with the natives instituted, a landing was made on the Gold Coast, a fortification was built, and upon January 1, 1683, official possession was taken with considerable ceremony. The great stand- ard of Brandenburg was unfurled amidst the firing of cannon and the music of kettle-drums and shawms (Pauken und Schallmeyen.) In honor of the Great Elector the post or station was named Der Grosse Frierdichs-Berg. This occupation led to an em- broglio with the Hollanders, who claimed the terri- tory. The Germans, however, maintained possession.
While von der Gröben was engaged in the estab- lishment and fortification of his colony, the settlers were stricken with the fevers incident to that coast and von der Gröben himself was seriously ill on the frigate Morian. While the expedition was in this sad plight, the commander of the Chur-Printz sud- denly left with his vessel, sailed along the coast and engaged in slave-trade.173
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