appointed in his place. Director Kieft arrived in New Amsterdam in March, 1638, and found the fort greatly dilapidated; the company's property wretchedly managed, and every thing betokening the prevalence of disorder. Director Van Twiller, however, had not suffered his own interests to be neglected; his farms were well stocked, and his houses in good repair.

The new director began, with a strong hand, to reform abuses, and to improve his colony; but he was a man of headstrong temper, who would not brook control or advice, and possessed, at the same time, a weak and ill balanced mind. Like his predecessor, he was addicted to intemperate habits.

In 1638, Peter Minuit, the first Director of the New Netherlands, who had, after his dismission from that station, gone to Sweden, arrived on the coast with a Swedish colony, and settled upon the banks of the Delaware, within the limits of the territory claimed by the Dutch.

Having erected a fort there, which he named Fort Christina, after the Swedish queen, Kieft protested against his course, as an invasion of his territory: but from the weakness of his own colony, he was obliged to content himself with protesting.

In the latter part of the year 1638, the restrictions which hitherto had been placed, by the company, upon the trade to the New Netherlands, were taken off, and free traffic encouraged. This measure gave a new impulse to trade and emigration; new farms were taken up; and a number of gentlemen of wealth and distinction removed to the colony.

Persecution, too, drove many, from New England and Virginia, to settle among the more tolerant Dutch, who, though firm in their adherence to their own creed, did not deem it necessary to persecute those who differed from them in religious tenets.

In the mean time the aggressive disposition of the English settlers still continued. They founded a colony at New Haven, notwithstanding Director Kieft's protests; they occupied the fertile valley of the Tunxis (Farmington) river; and even went so far as to plough and sow the company's lands around the Fort of Good Hope at Hartford, assaulting and severely wounding some of the men in charge of that post, whom they found at work in the fields.

The commander of the fort, Gysbert Op Dyck, promptly remonstrated against this unwarrantable procedure, but the English justified themselves on the ground, that as the lands were uncultivated, and the Dutch did nothing to improve them, "it was a sin to let such fine lands lie waste."

Not satisfied with these aggressions, the Plymouth company proceeded to grant the whole of Long Island, to the Earl of Stirling; and a settlement was soon afterwards effected, by Lyon Gardiner, at Gardiner's Island.

The Dutch, meantime, were active in establishing settlements, at the western extremity of the island. Lands were granted to settlers in Brooklyn, then called Breuckelen; at Gowanus, and at Gravenzande, now called Gravesend.

In May, 1640, a company of emigrants from Lynn, Mass., claiming authority under the Earl of Stirling's patent, commenced a settlement near Cow Neck. The Director having learned this fact, despatched the Schout, or Sheriff, with a band of soldiers, to investigate the matter; and, if they had actually commenced a settlement, to take them prisoners. This was accomplished; and after examination, they were dismissed, on condition, that they should leave the territory of their High Mightinesses, the States General.

In the autumn of the same year they returned, and founded the town of Southampton, L. I. Other settlers, from the same quarter, soon after founded Southold. These settlements were not disturbed by the Dutch.

This year, a most sanguinary contest commenced, with the Indians, which continued to disturb the colony for five years; and had well nigh depopulated it. The causes of this war were many. The Indians saw, with daily increasing envy and dislike, the heritage of their fathers occupied by strangers. The settlers, often arrogant and selfish, deprived them of their real or imagined rights.

In addition to this, Director Kieft, acting, as he alleged, under instructions received from Holland, proceeded to lay a tax on the Indian tribes for the support of the colony. This aroused

their indignation; and unfortunately, about this time, a robbery, committed by some of the servants of the colonists, was attributed to the Indians. Kieft's imprudent disposition led him to send a body of soldiers, to execute summary vengeance upon the supposed offenders. A number of them were inhumanly butchered, and their crops destroyed.

This produced deep hostility of feeling, on the part of the Indians; and the following season, with the cunning characteristic of their race, they took measures for revenge. Unexpectedly, they attacked Staten Island, and killed several planters. Kieft sought satisfaction, by exciting a war between the Indian tribes.

Early in 1642, he determined to avenge a murder, which had been committed by one of the Indians. He accordingly called a council of twelve men, from among the citizens of New Amsterdam, to aid him, in deciding upon the proper course to be pursued.

This council advised patience and forbearance; and then proceeded to take up the abuses of his government, and to ask for reforms. Kieft soon dismissed them, forbade their meeting

again, and disregarding their advice, sent a company of soldiers to attack the Indians. They were unsuccessful in finding them, and a hollow peace was concluded between the two parties. This however did not long continue.

In 1643, one of the Hackensack tribe, having been robbed by some of the Dutch, killed two of them in revenge. Kieft demanded the murderer, but the Indians refused to deliver him up. At this juncture the Mohawks, the most formidable tribe, in the territory bordering on the Hudson and the Lakes, descended the river for the purpose of levying tribute from the weaker tribes, in the neighborhood of New Amsterdam. These, terror stricken, fled to the Dutch for protection, and might have been won to sincere friendship, by kindness; but having been received kindly for a few days, they left the colony, and scattered themselves among the adjacent tribes.

It was at this period that Kieft, forgetful of the dictates of humanity, suffered himself to authorize a transaction which stains, most foully, his whole administration. At a drunken revel on the 22d of February, 1643, a petition was presented to him by some of the most blood thirsty of the inhabitants, requesting him to order the extermination of these Indians, thus deprived of a shelter and a home. Kieft readily complied, and when the season of debauchery was past, refused to recall his order.

Two parties of soldiers were sent out at night to surprise and destroy the unsuspecting red men. One hundred and ten were killed, and thirty taken prisoners. Nor were these all warriors, who were thus butchered in their sleep. Women and children were cut to pieces, by the swords of these ruthless exterminators; and neither age, nor sex were spared.

The consequences, as might have been expected, were, that the farms and buildings of the Dutch were burned by the exasperated Indians; numbers of the settlers were killed; and in a few weeks Kieft was compelled to receive the inhabitants into the fort, as the only place which afforded protection, against the assaults of the savages. His course aroused the prejudices of the people against him; and endeavoring to throw the blame of it upon others, he was threatened with assassination.

In the autumn of 1643, the savages united together to drive the Dutch from New Amsterdam; and almost daily, murders were committed by them. Kieft was again compelled to submit to the association of the representatives of the people, with himself in the government.

Having received a reinforcement, from the English settlers at Westchester, in 1644, under the command of Capt. Underhill, several expeditions were undertaken against their common enemy, in which some eight hundred were slain. These re

sults led the Indian tribes of Long Island, and the shore adjacent, (east of New Amsterdam,) to sue for peace; but it was not of long continuance. In 1645, however, a treaty was concluded, through the powerful intervention of the Mohawks, with most of the Indian tribes.

During this whole period, from 1640 to 1645, the English colonists were constantly pursuing a course of aggression, upon the territories claimed by the Dutch. Determined to harass the commander of the fort at Hartford, till he should be compelled to leave his post, they neglected no means of carrying into effect their resolution. They also proceeded to establish settlements, west of the Connecticut, wherever they could obtain a foothold.

On their southern frontier, too, the Swedes were depriving them of their trade with the Indians, and securing the fairest lands, watered by the Delaware and its tributaries, for their farms, notwithstanding these had been previously purchased of the native proprietors, by the Dutch.

The "Colonie" of Rensselaerwyck, meanwhile, removed from ́these troubles, and cultivating a friendly relation with the Indian tribes, was peaceful and prosperous. The Patroon complained, indeed, that his rents were not punctually paid; but the number of his bouweries, or farms under cultivation, and the amount of exports, showed conclusively, that its interests were, on the whole, well managed.

Mindful of the religious improvement of his colonists, the Patroon sent over in 1642, the Rev. Johannes Megapolensis, as minister of the "Colonie," who labored among them efficiently and successfully for many years.

Mr. Van Rensselaer never resided in his colony; but confided its management to a Commissary General, or Superintendent; which office was filled by Arendt Van Curler or Corlaer, a most worthy and excellent man; and after him by Anthony de Hooges.

The office of Schout Fiscal or Sheriff and Attorney General, was also one of great importance, and was filled by Jacob Albertsen Planck, and afterwards by Adriaen Van der Donck.

In 1643, a church was erected on what is now Church street, near Market street, or Broadway, Albany.

In 1646, the venerable Patroon, Kiliaen Van Rensselaer, died at Amsterdam. His son Johannes succeeded him as Patroon. In 1647, two whales ascended the Hudson, one of which grounded on an island at the mouth of the Mohawk, causing great consternation among the honest burghers.

The Assembly of the XIX. finding their colony at New Amsterdam decreasing in numbers and wealth, and verging towards

destruction, under the mismanagement of Director Kieft, resolved to recall him; and in 1645 appointed in his place General Peter Stuyvesant, formerly Director of the Island of Curacoa.

GOVERNOR STUYVESANT'S ADMINISTRATION.

Peter Stuyvesant, the successor of Kieft, in the government of New Netherlands, had been Director of the Dutch settlement at Curacoa and the adjacent islands; and had acquired a high reputation for military prowess. Having been wounded in the siege of St. Martins, in 1644, he returned to Holland for surgical aid. In 1645, his health having been partially restored, the West India Company appointed him Director of their colony of New Netherlands.

Changes, however, made at his suggestion, in the organization of the colony, and the difference of opinion which existed between the different chambers of the company, relative to the propriety of these changes, prevented him from proceeding immediately to take charge of his post; and it was not till the 27th of May, 1647, that he entered upon the duties of his office. Meanwhile, the colony continued under the misrule of Director Kieft.

Though possessed of stern integrity and honesty of purpose, yet the strict military education which he had received, had impressed Governor Stuyvesant, with ideas of the necessity of rigid discipline, which soon involved him in contentions with the citizens. These, having tasted in their own country, some of the blessings of freedom, and witnessing, daily, the liberty enjoyed by their English neighbors, were desirous of making trial of a liberal form of government.

His first controversy was with the guardians of Johannes Van Rensselaer, son of the first Patroon, Kiliaen Van Rensselaer, who had deceased in 1646, leaving his son Johannes, then a minor, to the guardianship of Wouter Van Twiller, (the second Director,) and one Van Sleightenhorst. This controversy was kept up for a long period, and finally terminated, by a reference to the States General.

While it was pending, in 1649 and 1650, the Gemeente, or Commonalty of New Netherlands, instigated by Adriaen Van der Donck,* already mentioned as the first Attorney General of Rensselaerwyck, sent repeated remonstrances to the States General, concerning the administration of Stuyvesant, and earnestly solicited his recall.

The States General, unwilling to act hastily, in a matter of so much importance, repeatedly appointed committees to investigate the charges made against him; and on the 27th of April,

Van der Donck seems to have been a man of considerable ability and learning, but possessed of a restless and ambitious spirit. He had, previously to this period, created some disturbance at Rensselaerwyck. He evidently possessed the art of enlisting the populace in his schemes.