The Dutch on the Delaware. 319 



them portions of what I took to be a charred beam. 

 Hand-wrought iron spikes were found, all twisted 

 out of shape, the effect of heating when the house 

 was burned. One little fragment of glazed earthen- 

 ware, being slightly curved, I fancied a bit of a 

 beer-mug; but there was no question about the 

 pipes. Either this old Dutchman was the most 

 inveterate of smokers or he had on hand a stock 

 for trading. Who knows but he had a shop here, 

 just as there was a tavern across the narrow creek, 

 and this pioneer settler bartered not only with the 

 Indians but as well with his fellow-countrymen ; 

 for the island was in the then line of travel be- 

 tween the west shore settlements on Delaware Bay 

 and Manhattan Island. There is authority for 

 this, inasmuch as somewhere about 1621 an effort 

 was made by the Dutch " to truck and trade with 

 the natives" living on the shores of the river, and 

 in 1623 an attempt was made to settle on the part 

 of Europeans. This island house is a matter of 

 more than forty years later. 



I have said the occupants were murdered. 

 These crimes " were owing to Tashiowycan, who, 

 having a sister dying, expressed great grief for it, 



