^ HISTORY OF DELAWARE COUNTY. [1616. 



under the circumstance, savors more of a YcmJcee proceeding 

 than any event in the history of New Netherland. 



The Fortune, commanded by Skipper Mey, alone proceeded 

 southerly. The coast, with its numerous inlets and islands, was 

 examined and mapped as he went along, until he reached the 

 mouth of the Delaware bay, to the two proper capes of which 

 he appropriated two of his names ; calling the one Cornells, the 

 other Mey. To a cape still further south he gave the name of 

 Hindlopen, after a town of Friesland.^ All the vessels except 

 the Restless, now returned to Holland, to make a report of their 

 discoveries, and to claim the exclusive privileges of trade, to 

 which, under the general charter granted by the States General, 

 their owners would be entitled. By an edict dated on the 

 14th of October, 1614, this monopoly of trade was granted to 

 the united company of merchants of the cities of Amsterdam and 

 Hoorn, by whose means the expedition had been fitted out. It 

 was limited, however, to " newly discovered lands, situate in 

 America, between New France and Virginia, whereof the sea 

 coasts lie between the fortieth and forty-fifth degrees of latitude, 

 now named New Netherland," and was to extend to four voyages, 

 to be made within three years from the 1st of January. It will 

 be seen that the Delaware bay is not included in this grant, a 

 circumstance that Avould suggest that the discoveries in that 

 quarter by Skipper Mey, had not been appreciated. 



Captain Cornells Hendrickson, who had been left in command 

 of the American built vessel Restless, now proceeded to make 

 further explorations, and especially on the Delaware bay. It 

 has even been said that this expedition explored the river as high 

 up as the mouth of the Schuylkill, the discovery of which is 

 credited to Captain Hendrickson.^ If this be correct, the crew 

 of the Restless were the first civilized men who visited the terri- 

 tory now embraced within the limits of Delaware County. The 

 extent of the discoveries made by the worthy captain, can, in a 

 measure, be judged of by his report made to the States General, 

 on behalf of his employers. 



" Report of Captain Cornells Hendrixz" of Munnickendam to 

 the high and mighty Lords States General of the Free United 

 Netherland Provinces, made on the XVIIF'' August, Ao. 1616, 

 of the country, bay and three rivers, situate in the latitude 

 from 38 to 40 degrees, by him discovered and found for and to 

 the behoof of his owners and Directors of New Netherland, by 

 name Gerrit Jacob Witsen, Burgomaster at Amsterdam, Jonas 

 Witsen, Lambreht Van Tweenhuyzen, Palas Pelgrom and others 

 of their company." 



1 Hist. New Netherland, i. 73. 



2 Haz. Ann. 7 : Broadhead's Hist. N. Y. 79. 



