1633.] HISTORY OF DELAWARE COUNTY. 15 



retaliation could not have been anticipated by any one. Besides 

 tiiere is undisputahle evidence that Ilossett possessed the confi- 

 dence of several Directors of the West India Company, having 

 been selected to make purchases of land for them from the 

 Indians, on both the South and North Fivers. 



De Vries did not for a moment, allow his presence of mind to 

 forsake him. Being unable to punish the savages, he sought and 

 obtained an interview with their chiefs, and at the cost of some 

 duffels, bullets, hatchets and Nuremburg trinkets, ratified a treaty 

 of peace with them. Some preparations were also made for the 

 prosecution of the contemplated whale fishing. 



Lord Baltimore obtained his patent for Maryland this year, 

 and but for the occupancy by the Dutch, that has been narrated, 

 Delaware as a separate state would have had no existence. 



In furtherance of the object of his voyage, De Yries sailed up 

 the Delaware on the 1st of January, 163o, to obtain beans from the 

 Indians. He encountered a whale on the first day, at the mouth 

 of the river, and " two large whales near the yacht," on the follow- 

 ing day, which made him wish for the sloop and the harpooners 

 which were lying at Swanendael. On the 5th of the month, the 

 yacht arrived before "the little fort named Nassau." The fort 

 was unoccupied except by Indians, who were assembled there to 

 barter furs, but, De Vries " w^as in want of Turkish beans, and 

 had no goods to exchange for peltries." He was advised by the 

 Indians to enter Timmer kilV but he was at the same time 

 cautioned by an Indian woman not to enter the kill entirely. 

 This woman, after having been bribed by the present of a cloth 

 garment, discovered the fact that the crew of an English sloop 

 had been murdered, who had gone into Count Ernest's river.^ 

 The story of this woman was confirmed by the appearance of some 

 of the Indians dressed in English jackets. Thus placed on his 

 guard, and by making the Indians believe that he had been 

 made acquainted with their wicked designs through the agency 

 of their own evil spirit, Manitoe, he was enabled on the 8th 

 of the month to make a lasting peace with them, which was con- 

 cluded with the usual Indian solemnities. Soon after this, some 

 corn was obtained, and also some beavers. 



On the 10th at noon, they came to anchor at " Jaques Island," 

 and on the day following in the evening " about half-a-mile above 

 Minquas Kilf'^ Here they saw a whale six or seven times, 

 which surprised them, as it was " seven or eight miles (Dutch) 

 into fresh water." On the 13th at noon, they had arrived 



' Said to be Cooper's creek. 



* I'his sloop had beeu ^cni from Virginia to explore the river, the September pre- 

 vious. De Vries' Voyages, N. Y. Hist. Col. N. S. iiL 35. 

 ' Christina creek. 



