^^ LIBRARY OF CONGRESS 014 107 140 3 ^ Conservation Resources Lig-Free® Type I Ph 8.5, Buffered F 122 .M76 Copy 1 VI. DESCRIPTION OP NEW NETHERLAND. 1671. Translated from De Nieuwe en Onbekende "Weereld: of Beschryving van America en 't Zuidland: door Arnoldus JIontanus. Amsterdam, 1671. Vol. IV. f r o - NEW NETHEKLAND. O ^ New Netherland bounded on tlie south west by Virginia^ Description and stretclics Oil tlie noi'tli cjist to A''ew Eng-land, on the discovery o/ New " Netheriand. nortli it Is washed by tlie river Canada, and on the coast by tlie- Ocean : nortli vvesterl}-, inland, it remains wliolly milaiown. The first wlio discovered tliis country was Henry Hudson. Engnged by tlie East India Company to find out a passage to China north of JLacrica, lie set sail with the Yacht Half Moon, in the year sixteen liundred and nine. In front of Jfewjuundlitnd he took a course directly southwest ; entered a large river ; there [met] two men clothed in Elk skins, and sub- sequently arrived safe at Amsterdam. JYew JVttherland being thus discovered, divers traders set about establishing a stable trade here. Wherefore tliey sought for and obtained a charter in the year sixteen hundred and fourteen, from the States Gen- eral at tlie Hague, to trade to J^ew A''dherland to the exclusion of all others. J^rnestly, now, was tlie trade prosecuted. Jidriaea Blok and Godyn soon discovered here divers coasts, islands, liarbours and rivers. Among the rivers is the Manhat- tans or Great river, by far the most important, which disem- bogues into the Ocean by two wide mouths, washing the mighty island Matouwacs. Tlie south entrance was called Port May or Godyn^s Bay : Midway lies Statcn Island, and a River Maiiiiattans ,.,,,, i »r » -ii i little lurther up, the Manhattans, so called from the people wliicli inhabit the mainland on the east side of the river. These are cruel and wicked men, enemies of the Dutch, as well as of the Sanhikans who dwell on tlie west side. Higher up lie tlie Makivaes and Mahikans, who are constantly at war with each otlier : in like manner all the inhabitants on the west bank of tlie Manhattan riv^er frequently make war on those resi- ding on the east side. And the latter in like manner entertain constant animosity against the Dutch, with whom the other nations to t!ie west maintaifi good friendship. On a little island 116 DESCRIPTION OF NEW NETHERLAND. adjoining the Makiuaes shore, formerly stood a fort furnished witli two guns and. eleven stone pieces, but it was finally aban- doned. On the Manhattans island stands .Kew Ainsterdam., five miles from the Ocean : Ships run up to the harbour tliere fj-oin the sea with one tide. The city hath an earthen fort. Within the fort, and on the outermost bastion towards the river, slaiid a windmill, and a very high stafi', on which a flag is ho!st(d whenever any vessels are seen in Godyn's bay. The cliurch rises with a double roof between which a square tower looms aloft. On one side is the prison, on tlie other side of the cliurch the governor's house. Without the walls are tlie houses mostly built by Amsterdamers. On the river side stand the gallows and whipi)ing post. A handsome public tavern adorns tlie farthest point. Between the fort and tliis tavern is a row of suitable dwelling houses : among which stand out tlie ware houses of the West India Company. JVtw JVet/ierland b.atli, moreover, divers remarkable water falls tumblhig down from lofty rocks, broad creeks and kills, fresh lakes and rivulets and pleasant springs and fountains, which smoke in Wholesome waters. Winter, are right cold in summer, and, never tlieless, are much drank. Meanwhile tlie inhabitants are at no time much incommoded by floods, nor by th^ sea, inasmucli as at spring tide the water scarcely ever rises a foot higher ; nor by freshets (op water) which cover only some low lands for a short while and enricli tliem by their alluvium. The sea coast rises hilly out of sand and clay, wlierefore it produces abund- antly all sorts of herbs and trees. The oak usually grows sixty to seventy feet high, for the most part free of knots, for whicli reason it is well adapted Trees ; what sort. ■,-,,. r,^, t r- t r- ■ ^ to ship building. Ihe Hickory trees lurmsli a hot and lasting fire, and a curious appearance whenever the bush is cut away either for the purpose of more open hunting or for clear- ing tlie ground fur a bouwery. Some plants seat liitlier from Hol- land thrive better tlian even in Holland ; namely, tlie apple, pear, quince, cherry, plum, currant, apricot, buckthorn, medlar, peach and onion. Vines grow wild everywhere and bear in Vines. i i i i i i tit abundance blue and wlute muscatels and pork grapes (^spek-druiven). Some time since, tlie .wine press was successfully DESCRIPTION OF NEW NETHERLAND. 117 introduced. The wine was equal to any Rhenisli or French Wine. Every vegetable known to the Dutcli is cultivated in the o;ardens. Water melons as savorv as they are U ater melons " ' i i wholesome, are, when ripe, as large as a cai-)hage. The Englisli extract a liquor from them which would be no wise inferior to Spanish wine did it not turn sour too soon. Gourds when cleaned out serve as water vessels. Tobacco produces leaves live quarters long. Pumpkins grow luxuriant and agreeable. ^^^^ Corn sowed in hills six feet apart, sprouts up readily and prosperously if properly weeded. Turkish beans, planted beside the corn, wind themselves around the stalk. Grey peas prosper here so well tliat two crops are ^^"^ gathered in the year from one field. INIedicinal plants and indigo grow wild in abundance. The barley can be tied above tlie head. Furthermore, all sorts of flowers have a pleasant odor and appearance. The hills consist of fullers earth, or clay, fit for making dishes, pots ""and tobacco pipes. There is, besides, abundance of rock crystal and Muscovy glass. Other hills furnish marble, || serpentine, blue and hearth stone, A.nd although the Dutch have not taken much trouble to dig for minerals, either on account of not being numerous enough, or in order not to make otlier folks' mouths water, it is nevertlieless incon- 1 G< ies, trees and animals, but very indifferently executed. Instead of plumes they bedeck themselves with hair tied with Their ornaments. small bands. The hair is of a scarlet colour and surprizing brilliancy wdiich is permanent and ineffaceable by rain. The horses in A''ew JVetherland are brought from England or from the diocese of Utreclit". Those from the bishopric far excel the English. Both are subject to a curious desease whereof manj die within a few hours. The same disease attacks horned cattle that are pastured on new ground. Eut hay grown in salt meadows is found to be a remedy against this. Hogs fatten exceedingly in the woods ; those fed on Indian corn give the sweetest pork. Slieep, though very tliriving, are not numerous, '*'''■ because the settlements cannot spare any persons to keep watch against the wolves. Besides, venison is so abund- ant that the sheep can on this account be the more easily dispensed with. Fowls, turkeys, geese, ducks, pigeons and other feathered game are, also, easily obtained. Lions, wliose skins the Indians bring to market, are caught on a liigli mountain, situated fifteen days journey to the southwest.- Here, also, are many pitcli black 1 In former times, this diocese included the provinces of Overijsscl atid Utreclit. Sec. Martinet's Bescliryving der Nederlandcn, ii., 205; 206 2 This animal is doubtless the Panther. — Ed. DESCRIPTION OF NEW KETHERLAND. 119 ^^S'la'^k? ''*"^"*bears, shy of men, but which, when attacked, spring on the liunters ; they first stop the wound with a pledget of leaves, and if the hunter, meanwhile, takes refuge in a tree, climb after and above him, then stick the head between the legs and fall downward. They sleep during winter, lying six weeks on one side and an equal time on tlie other, sucking their paw. A cripple bush or hollow mountain serves tliem for a sleeping place. On the borders of Canada Verv strange . •■ . . , uiiimiji. animals are now and agaui seen, somewliat resem- bling a horse ; they have cloven hoofs, shaggy manes, a horn riglit out of tlie forehead, a tail like that of the wild hog, black eyes, a stag's neck & love the gloomiest wilder- nesses ; are shy of each other so that the male never feeds with the female except wlien they associate for purposes of increase. Then they lay aside their ferocity ; as soon as the rutting season is past, they again not only become wild but even attack their , ,. „ own. South of JYew JYet/cerland are found numer- Remarlcable elks. ous elks, animals which according to Erasmus Stella constitute a middle class between horses and deer. They appear to derive their Dutch appellation {^edanden) from elende (misery), because they die of the smallest wound, however strong they may otlierwise be ; also, because they are frequently afflicted with epilepsy. They have broad, branching horns, a sliort tail, a shaggy neck, variable hair, according to the diflfei^ence of the season, wide and long ears, prominent lips, small teeth, a thick hide, which cannot be easily pierced. Tlie females separate from the males, when they have shed their horns. Both can be easily tamed. When hunted they spew hot water out on the the dogs. They possess great strength of hoof, so as to strike a wolf dead at a blow. Their flesh, either fresli or salted, is very nutritious ; tlie hoofs cure the falling sickness. But no game is more abundant here tlian deer, which browze every where in large herds. When flying before wolves or liunters tliey oft times head towards streams, betake themselves to tlie water, where they are taken in great numbers, for whilst swimming across they get frightened by the echo from the mountains raised by the hunters on the opposite bank ; tliey dare not, consequently, approach land : meanwhile the hunters 120 DESCRIPTION OF NEW NETHERLAND. tie branches together, by which the deer, after being chased, are sometimes dragged down, JVew Ketkerland also produces many muskcats, especially in marshy ground. The animals are parti- cularly beautiful ; the skin by its black spots has a handsome appearance ; the mouth is full of sliarp teeth, the tails trail far behind. Many learned men dispute respecting the proceed!'"'"" " clvct, uamcly, whether it be the seed of the civet cat. Cardanns so maintains, but he is thoroughly refuted on this point by Julius Scaiiger Maitkiolus, whose opin- ions many embrace ; he affirms the civet to be tlie sweat of the cat, inasmuch as it was gatliered most plentifully whenever these animals, wearied by excitement, pant for breath. But wliilst the sweat dropt from the whole body, yet as it did not impregnate the whole witli musk, it cannot be musk. Otliers consider the civet to be an secretion of the cat. These divide all secretions into unprofitable, such as sweat, pus, excrement ; or into useful, as milk, and semen for production. Civet must be classed among the latter, for it is, probably, nothing more than a secre- tion from the glands in the vicinity of privy parts, generated in the same way as tlie liver secretes the blood ; udders and women's breasts, milk ; the ears, wax ; and adders produce poison between tlieir fangs. In the meantime cats are embar- rassed with tlieir civet, whereof they rid themselves by rubbing against trees, and evince friendship for those who, in the sheep- fold, rub it off with a spoon. But in addition to otlier wild animals JYew Jfetherland furnislies, according to the occular evidence of Adriaen van der Do}}k, full eighty thousand beavers a year. Pliny relates how these animals castrate Plmy, hb. 32 cap. 3. •' ^ themselves, and leave these parts to the hunters, inasmuch as they are much sought after, being an eflectual remedy for mania, retention of the afterbirtli, amenorrhcea, diz- ziness, gout, lameness, belly and tooth aches, dullness of vision, poisoning and rheumatism. But Pliny commits a veVy^'^markabie^ gravc crror ; for the Beavers have very small testi- Beavlr?^ ^'^ cl^s fastcncd in such a manner to the back bone that they cannot remove them except with life. Moreover, they live in the water and on land together in troops, in hous^ built of timber over a running stream . The houses excite DESCRIPTION OF NEW NETHERLAND. 121 no C( .mmon admiration ; tliey are thus constructed— the Beavers first collect together all tlie drift wood whicli they find along the river, and whenever this fulls short, they gnaw away, in the next adjoining wood, the sweetest bark all around with the front teeth, of which they have two in the upper, and two in the lower gum, they then cut right around the trunk imtil the tree falls ; when they also shorten the pieces in like manner, to adapt them to the proposed building. The females carry the pieces on the back, the males support it beliind so that it may not fall off. Tlie houses rise ingeniously to tlie height of five stories ; they are smeared above with clay to protect them from t1ie rain ; in tlie middle is a convenient aperture tJirough which to dive into the water as soon as they perceive any person. Wherefore, one of the troop keeps watch by turns, and in the winter a second keeps the water open by constant beating of the tail. The tail is flat- tish witliout hair, and most dainty food which in some places is served up as a rare delicacy. The beavers go with young sixteen weeks ; they bear once a year four young, which cry and suck like young children ; for the mother rises on her hind paws and gives each two a breast as slie has only two breasts between the fore legs ; these legs resemble somewhat those of tlie dog ; the hindmost, like tliose of geese, lap in some measure over each other. On botli sides of the privy parts lie two swellings enclosed in separate membranes. From the privy parts oozes ah oleaginous humor, with which they smear all the accessible parts of the body in order to keep dry. Inwardly they resemble a cut up hog ; they live on leaves and bark ; are excessively at- tached to their young ; the wind-hairs which rise glittering above the back, fall oft" in the summer, and grow again by the fall ; they are short necked, have strong sinews and muscles ; move rapidly in the water and on land ; attacked by men or dogs, they bite Castor, what. fi^'^ely. The pure Castor, so highly prized by physicians, consists of oblong follicles, resembling a wrinkled pear which are firmly attached to the os pubis of the female beaver ; the Indians cut up tlie little balls of the males with their tobacco as they afford no castor. The air of New Netherland abounds with all sorts of birds. 122 DESCRIPTION OF NEW NETHERLAND. Besides falcon, sparrow-hawks, fish-hawks, and Kd!" ^' ^^"'' other birds of prey, there are here numbers of - Eagles differing from each other ; for some are greyish, others browner, except the head, neck, tail and striking feathers, which are of a snow white color. All have a strong body, bones without marrow, claws as long as a man's finger, the bill strong and crooked, the brains dry, the eyes small and hollow, the feathers hard, the riglit foot bigger than the left, both ill-looking, the blood gross, the excrements highly offen- sive. Tliey build their nests in old groves where the ground is clear of underwood ; also l^eside water ; as they Eagks; their ^^^^ ^^^ g^j^ ^^^^ dcvour all sorts of fowls, and even rabbits, liares, tortoises and other four footed game that sleep in the open air ; yea, when ahungered, tliey attack each other. Some eagles strike their prey at mid-day, others at the rising of tlie sun. They fall like lightning on the game tliey pursue, as tlie blood of animals serves them for drink. They are excessively lascivious, so that they go together more than thirty times a day, not only with their own kind, but even with the female liawks and slie wolves [wolvinnen). They hatch out the large eggs in thirty, and tlie small in twenty days, Tliey usually breed two to three young, whose eyes they turn towards the sun's rays. If tliese regard the light of heaven without blinking they bring them up, otherwise, those that cannot stand such a test are drove from the nest. The young, as soon as tliey begin to fly, are taken up into the air and, left there to them- selves, are sustained by the old birds, who drive them away wlienever they are fit to strike at game. Their sharp sightedness is most remarkable, for lifted up in the clouds far beyond the eye of man, they perceive the smallest fish in the river, and a skulking hare in the stubble. Their breath stinks badly, where- fore the carcasses on which tiiey feed rot rapidly, and though lascivious they are long lived : they die mostly of hunger, as the bill becomes by age so crooked that they cannot open any tiling. Whereupon tliey finally fly to tlie highest regions towards" tlie sun, tumble down into the coldest stream ; they pluck out their feathers, clammy with sweat, and thus breathe their last. But, besides tlie enumerated birds of prey, there is DESCRIPTION OF NEW NETHERLAND. 123 here an innumerable amount of herons, bitterns, ravens, crows, owls, swallows, finches, king fishers, hedge si'firrows, woodcocks, plieasants and wrens. Tlie wood peckers excel Ser'."^"*'' the most in beautiful plumage and crests. These , peck large lioles in tlie trees, and thus make a noise as of wood cutters laboring in tlie furest. The pigeons t\y in such flocks that the Indians designedly rem(»ve to Pigeons. 1.11. 1 1 1.1 tlieir breeding places, where tlie young birds, pushed by hundreds from their nests, serve for food during a long month for the whole family. JS''ew JYdherland hath, more- over, a wonderful little bird, scarcely an incli long, pre y 1 e ir . ^^^^j.^ brilliant of plumage, and sucking flowers like the bee ; it is so delicate that a dash of water instantly kills it, and wiieu dried it is preserved as a curiosity. But this country particularly abounds in turkeys, whose number ""^ *^^' excites no less admiration than tlieir rich flav(»ur and their large size ; for they go togetlier in flocks of thirty and forty : they weigh some thirty and more pounds ; they are shot or are caught with a bait concealing the hook. The waters here swarm, in the spring and fall, with swans, geese, wild ducks, teals, widgeons, divers, spoonbills and pelicans, besides another strange species, unknown in Europe. The streams and lakes, rich wuth fishes, furnisli sturgeon, salmon, carp, bass, pike, roach, bleak, [N. Y. sliiners ?] all sorts of eel, smelt, sun fish, which resembles the bull head in taste, and little codfish, which are cauglit near water falls. The sea provides crabs, both hard and soft shelled, gurnets, sea horses, seals, codfish, shell fish, whiting, herring, makerel, thornbacks, plaice, flounders, bream, turtles and oysters, some a foot long containing pearls, but few of a brown color. Among the poison- ous reptiles which invest Jfcw Xetherlayidh tlie dreadful rattle- snake. This is variegated, hath a thick head, four long, sharp fangs, and a horny tail with joints doubled over each otlier, more or less'according to age, for the tail increases one joint each year. Tlie shaking of the tail causes a hideous drumming preliminary to its biting. The rattle-snake then opens wide its jaws ; the upper one is arched and hatli a blue membrance doubled over, from which it shoots 124 DESCRIPTION OF NEW NETHERLAND. along the fangs a deadly poison. A person wounded by this reptile would be cured with difficulty, did the field not produce a wholesome antidote, which the Indians carry constantly with them. Tliis people is divided into divers nations New Naheriandws.all Well sliapcd and strong, having pitcli-black and lank hair, as coarse as a horse's tail ; broad shoulders ; small waist ; brown eyes and snow white teeth ; they are of a sallow color ; abstemious in food and drink. Water _, . , , satisfies their tldrst : hidi and low make use of Their food. ' ° Indian corn and beans, flesh meat and fish prepared all alike. The crushed corn is daily boiled to a pap called by them sappaen. They observe no set time for meals. Whenever hunger demands, the time for eating arrives. Beavers' tails are considered the most savory delicacy. Wliilst hunting they live some days on roasted corn carried about the person in a little bag. A little corn in water swells to a large mass. Henry u^'^voyagT^^'^^'^' ' Hiidso7i relatcs, that he entered the river Montaines in the latitude of forty degrees and there went asliore ; tlie Indians made strange gambols with dancing and singing ; carried arrows, the points of which consisted of sharp stones, fastened to the wood with pitch ; they sleep under the blue sky on little mats of platted leaves of trees ; suck strong tobacco ; are friendly but very thievish. Hwlsoii sailed up thirty miles higiier ; went into a canoe with an old 7/ic?i««,achief over f)rty men and seventeen women, who conducted him ashore. Tliey all abode in one house well built of the bark of oak trees. Around lay drying more than tliree ship loads of Indian corn and beans ; besides the crop that stood luxuriantly in tlie field. Hudson scarcely had Ids head under the roof, but he was seated on two mats spread out on the floor. Two men immediately had orders to shoot game. In the twinkle of an eye these brought in pigeons they had killed. A fat dog which had been very expertly skinned with shells, was laid also on tlie fire. Other preparations were, likewise made for Hu,dson''s good enter- tainment, but as he did not intend to pass the night there, he did not profit by tliem ; notwithstanding the Indians broke their arrows and cast them into the fire so that Hudson may rid himself DESCRIPTION OF NEW ^TETHERLAND. 125 of all fear. The clotliiiig of tlie A''ew JYefherlayiders KerfauLi*' ^"^ ^^ ^^^^t suiiiptuous. The \Yomeu ornament them- selves more than the men. And although the winters are very severe, the}- go naked until their thirteentli year J tiie lower parts of tlie girls' bodies only are covered. All wear around the waist a girdle made of the fin of the whale or of seawant. The men wear between the legs a lap of dulfels clotii, or leatlier, lialf an ell broad and nine quarters long j so that a square piece hangs behind over the buttocks and in front over the belly. The women wear a petticoat down midway the leg, very richly ornamented with seawant so that tlie garment sometimes costs three hundred guilders. They also wrap the naked body in a deer's skin, th^e tips of which swing with thin points. A long robe fastened on the right shoulder with a l^not, at the waist by a girdle, ser\es the men and women for an upper ornament, and by night for a bed cover. Both go, for the most part, bare headed. The women bind their hair behind in a plait, over which they draw a square cap thickly interwoven with seawant. They decorate the ornaments for the forehead with the same stuff. Around the neck and arms they wear bracelets of seawant, and some around the waist. Shoes and stockings were made of Elk hides before the Hollanders settled here. Others made shoes even of straw. But since some time they prefer Dutch shoes and stockings. The men paint their laces of many colors. The women lay on a black spot only here and tliere. Both are uncommonly faithful. Their houses are lor the most part built after one plan : — they differ only in the greater or smaller length : the Their houses. i i i • i , bread til is invariably twenty leet. The following is the mode of construction. They set various hickory poles in the ground according to the plan of the size of the building. The tops are bent togetlier above in the form of a gallery, and throughout the length c?f these bent poles, laths are fastened. The walls and roof are tlien, covered with the bark of elm, asli, and chestnut trees; the bark is lap])ed over each other as-a protection against a change of weather, and the smooth side is turned iuward. The houses lodge fifteen families together, more or less, according to the dimensions. Each knows its jiropor- jsaoft^etmes iae *TiT 7%f ^sa^ ^ AoK ^ssr-^ 2 fr-^ wife cvioT ;««:. Ik craes -^ ^» loe caBef- ISi^ CHsaier a&dHBT. &^sGkiZ- z it %e Set ^itns^. WTiniiniRtE. b» foo^ a&gedft to fiey ^^3C iR^ mA^^ ajiiMiJMi:»d! WIescvb- s -«i|rnfe. A g amey ly ^g laaag gfc atyy ^ fie fig m, fie pitfs^' W~Tgi rr!^iEC;; fie hpuujb tae&es ,B£. oasis' &afi tSes ta^xw ttBWwst ht 3l ±js pfa^^ vMc& axe eoc^sed vitk esBE& ani sferaes. in h ^W I rT sec fiseeaedM ija^aiajSEasaEF^Btf fiae-fem& iesemifcfe gaBefefet^e:. * great ^<:Jm^&^ to vit^ae- sa^ i^bees. Tie- irr*^ ziais- :e* Msfe fl««r fee iea£y 1^£ ^e w^aaiHa caEs^r^i mMMinm*— - -■ - sCxSse i^er Iweas^ ?^ fv?^ Sges. '5^ t&e i .i-iii» -- ceased dsT asd 1 . TfeessfcT^aer? 7m..'£T :: 7 ■ - - • SlilS T - . " ~ ■ ^ - - - _— 3S&L. SI C'&srtn^lT. — -T aEErSafle to * Jkat it lie 3a>. . ' . ■mann. TS?*? ITiT irtt?*" T "stTT It T^»? Trr. 128 DESCRIPTION OF NEW NETHERLAND. the enchantment ceases. The language of this New Nlihe^riMders.people is vd'y various, but they can be classed into four principal tongues, namely, Makatans, Wappa- nooj Sicvanoo, and Minquaes ; they are very diJQficult fur strangers to learn, as they are spoken without any principles. Their monej^ consists of zeawont. fwampuml wliich is Zeawant. . i , nothn:ig more than the inside little pillars of the conckshells, which the sea casts up twice a year. These pillars they polish smooth ; drill a hole through the centre ; reduce it to a certain size, and string the pieces on threads. The strings fill tlie place of gold, silver and copper coin. Great faults, as well as virtues, are remarked in the inhabitants ; Neihelmders^''"' for bcsidcs bciug slovculy and slothful, they are also found to be tliievish, head-strong, greedy and vindictive. In other respects they are grave, chary of speech, which, after mature consideration, is slowly uttered and long remembered. The understanding being somewhat sharpened by the Hollandeis., they evince sufficient ability to distinguish carefully good from evil. They will not suffer any imposition. No wise disposed to gluttony, they are able patiently to endure cold, heat, hunger and tliirst. They are remarkably addicted .to the use of sweating baths, made of earth and Singular hot bath, t -, . , , . n i lined witli clay. A small door serves as an entrance, Tlie patient creeps in, seats himself down, and places heated stones around the sides. Whenever he hath sweated a certain time, he immerses himself suddenly in cold water ; from which he derives great security against all sorts of sickness. Though this people do not make such a distinction between man and man as other nations, yet they have high and low families ; infe- rior and superior chiefs, whose authority remains hereditarily in tlie houses. The military offices are disposed of only accord- ing to the valorous prowess of each person. The commander does not divide his soldiers into regiments, compa- Mode of war. • n o 7 i iiies or files, but leads them on merely to overreach the enemy from an ambuscade. They undertake the most of their expeditions in tlie night. They do not maintain their position long against a sudden onslaught, unless surrounded, then they fight to the last man. Whene\er they anticipate any DESCRIPTION OF NEW NETHERLAND. 129 danger, the women and children are placed in a secure hiding place. Their weapons used formerly to be the arrow, bow and war club. Tliey now use ihe snap-haunce at whicli Weapons. , . i i they are very expert. A square shield covers the body up to the shoulders. A snake skin is tied around the head from the centre of which sticks up a fox's or bear's tail. The face is not recognizable on account of its variety of colors. Prisoners' hves are rarely spared, unless that of mlm"f prisoner!" womcu and Children, who are treated by the con- querors in the same manner as tlieir own, in order thus to recruit their numbers. If, however, a prisoner be not put to death immediately after the battle, but handed over to some person whose relative had been formerly killed by the conquered party, he is roasted three days long before he gives up the ghost. It excites uncommon admiration if the sufferer constantly sing in the midst of his torture. Not- withstanding misdemeanors are not punished, wicked acts are of rare occurrence. Stolen property, whenever discovered, is ordered by the Chief to be restored. The next of kin of the murdered man mav kill the murderer, Death punishment. " if he overtake him within four and twenty hours. But if he avenge himself later, he is subject to be slain by the relative of the second victim, within the limit of the stated time. All obligations acquire their force from the accept- ulaSfpeaTe^. aucc of prcscuts. Tlicy proceed tlius : They take as many little sticks as there are conditions in their proposals. If tliey agree on all, each party, at tlie conclusion, lays his presents at tlie feet of the other. They sometimes hang up the presents, whilst they deliberate earnestly on the proposal during three days. If the present be accepted, the negotiation is firmly concluded ; but if not, they proceed no fui'ther in the matter, unless the applicant change the conditions and the pres- ent. On occasions of importance, a general assem- Public councils. i^jy .g j^^j .J .^^ ^^^^ j^^^^g^ ^^. ^j^^ ^^ ^j^g ^j^.^^g. .j^ ^^.^g^. that the sachems there assembled, may explain what has been concluded. Then the most eloquent rises and endeavours to render the determination popular with tlie masses. It some- VoL. IV. 9- 130 DESCRIPTION OF NEW NETHEKLAND. times happens that a ringleader will admit of no reasoning, whereupon some of the chiefs strikes the mutineer on the head with an axe. No one is so bold as to dare to mutter a word in such a case. No trace of divine worship Worship can hardly be discovered here. Only they ascribe great influence to tlie moon over the crops. The Sun, as all seeing, is taken to witness as often as tliey take an oath. They pay great reverence to the Devil, be- Devii worship. causc they fear great trouble from him when hunting and fishing : wherefore the first fruits of the chase is burnt in his lionor, so tliat they may not receive injury. If they experience pain in any part, they say — A Devil lurks in there. They fully acknowledge that a Jfcu^bu^l"^' ^"^ God dwells beyond the stars, who, however, gives himself no concern about the doings of Devils on earth : because he is constantly occupied with a beautiful God- dess, whose origin is unknown. Slie once came down from heaven into tlie water (for before the creation all was water,) and would have sunk, unless land had suddenly bubbled up under her feet. The land waxed bigger, so that weaibn?^ ""^ crclong a Avhole globe was perceptible, wliich quickly produced all sorts of vegetables and trees. Meanwhile, the goddess brouglit forth a deer, bear and wolf, and again cohabited with these animals : She thu^ became pregnant, and lay in of divers sorts of creatures at one birth. From this arises the variety not only of animals, but also of men, which in color are either black, white or sallow ; in disposition either timid as the deer, revengeful as bears or rapacious as wolves. After she had thus acted tlie Universal mother re- turned up to Heaven, where she enjoys perfect bliss with the Sovereign Lord, whom they know not nor ever saw ; wherefore they will be held less responsible than the Christians ; pretend- ing to acknowledge him a punisher of all wicked deeds which they commit notwithstanding, and it is with more difficulty tliat they can be brought from these adopted vices to Christianity. Regarding the souls of the Dead, they believe : SesouK^'"''"'^ that those who have done good enjoy every sort of pleasure in a temperate country to the South, DESCRIPTION OF NEW NETHERLAND. 131 where the bad wander about in misery. They believe tlie loud howhngs which wild animals make at night, to be the wailings of tlie gliosts of wicked bodies. ' The fertility and situation of JVew JVetherland induced tlie Burgomasters of Amsterdam to send a colony ^Neu'eaaud. tliithcr. Wherefore they agreed 'with the West India Company with the approbation of the States General at the Hague. In the year sixteen hundred and fifty six, tliey shipped accordingly over to JYeio JYefherla?id seventy families, to which they added three hundred Waldenses who had been driven out of Piedmont. These embarked on the fifteenth of December by beat of drum. ^ Colonization prospered. Meanwhile, wlien the war between the English crown and the Uni- ted Netherlands broke out, the Dutch found themselves, after ten years possession, so powerless against the English tliat they sur- rendered to this nation. JVew Amsterdam obtained consequently the name of JYew York. The conquered inhabitants experienced great inconvenience inasmuch as Trade was suddenly brought to a stand. FIRST EMIGRANTS TO NEW NETHERLAND. [ From Baudartius. ] Inasmuch as the multitude of people, not only natives but foreigners, who are seeking a livelihood in the United Provinces is very great, so that where one stiver is to be earned there are ten hands ready to seize it, especially in Holland which is tlie reservoir of divers kingdoms and countries. Many are obliged, on this account, to go in search of other lands and residences where they can obtain a living more easily and at less expense. Accordingly, in the year 1624, as in previous years, divers families went from Holland to Virginia in the West Indies, a great portion of them being English, called Brownists, whom King James will not permit norsuffertolive in his land, because they hold and maintain divers points of religion improbated by tlie present church of England. 1 The preceding part of this article seems to have been borrowed from Van der Donck's Beschrijving van Nieuw Nederlandt, published in Holland in 1656. Ed. 2 They settled in what is now the State of Delaware. Ed. 132 DESCRIPTION OF NEW NETHERLAND. A ship arrived in August from that part of Virginia called New Netherland, wliicli had conveyed some families from Holland thither. This vessel brings many and various letters from private individuals, each written to friends and acquaintances, wliereuf tliis is mostly the tenor — " We were much gratified on arriving in this country ; Here we found beautiful rivers, bubbling fountains flowing down into the valleys ; basins of running waters in the flatlands, agreeable fruits in the woods, such as strawberries, pigeon berries, walnuts, and also voor labrusten or wild grapes. The w^oods abound with acorns for feeding hogs, and with venison. There is considerable fish in the rivers ; good tillage land ; here is, especially, free coming and going, without fear of the naked natives of the country. Had we cows, hogs, and other cattle fit for food (which we daily expect in the first ships) we would not wish to return to Holland, for whatever we desire in the paradise of Holland, is here to be found. If you will come hither with your family, you will not regret it." This and similar letters have roused and stimulated many to resolve to emigrate thither with their families, in the hope of being able to earn a handsome livelihood, strongly fancying that they will live there in luxury and ease, whilst here on the con- trary, they must earn their bread by the sweat of their brow. Baudartius' Gedenkwaardige Geschiedenissen zo kerkelyke ah ■wereldlyke. 2 vols. fol. Arnhem. 1624. We translate the above from the Sheboygan JYieuwsbode of 1 5 Sept. 1851. Gulielmus Baudartius (or Baudart) the author of the work from which it is borrowed, was Minister at Zutphen for a period of thirty six years. He was originally a native of Deinse in Flanders, and was selected at the Synod of Dort as one of the translators of the Old Testament — so great was his reputation as a Hebrew Scholar. He died at Zutphen in 1640, at the age of 66 years. A list of his works will be found in the . Biog. Universelle ; Biog. Diet. Watts &c. The Gcdenkwaardige Geschiedenissen, or Remarkable ecclesiastical and political Events, from 1603 to 1624, is represented as a sort of Supplement to Van Meteren's History. Ed. LIBRARY OF CONGRESS LIBRARY OF CONGRESS 014 107 140 3 <| Conservation Resources Lig-Free® Type I Ph 8.5, Buffered