22 HISTORY OF DELAWARE COUNTY. [1638. 



on the Delaware, Director-general Kieft dispatched Jan Jansen,^ 

 clerk of Fort Amsterdam, to keep a watch over their doings, with 

 instructions, in case Minuit intended to do anything to the dis- 

 advantage of the Dutch, "to protest against him in due form." 

 This duty was faithfully performed, but failing to have the desired 

 eifect, Director Kieft caused the Commander of the Swedes to 

 be served with a protest under his own hand, of which the follow- 

 ing is a copy. 



" Thursday, 6th of May, 1638. 



I, Wilhelm Kieft, Director-general of the New Netherlands, 

 residing on the island of Manhattan, in the Fort Amsterdam, 

 under the government which appertains to the high and mighty 

 States General of the United Netherlands, and to the West India 

 Company, privileged ' by the Senate Chamber in Amsterdam, 

 make known to thee, Peter Menuet who stylest thyself com- 

 mander in the service of her Majesty the Queen of Sweden, that 

 the whole South river of New Netherland, both the upper and 

 lower, has been our property for many years, occupied with forts, 

 and sealed by our blood, which also was done when thou wast in 

 the service of the New Netherlands, and is therefore well known 

 to thee. But as thou art come between our forts to erect a fort 

 to our damage and injury, which we never will permit, as we also 

 believe that her Swedish Majesty has not empowered thee to 

 erect fortifications on our coasts and rivers, or to settle people on 

 the lands adjoining or to trade in peltry, or to undertake any 

 other thing to our prejudice ; now therefore we protest against 

 all such encroachments, and all the evil consequences from the 

 same, as bloodshed, sedition, and whatever injury our trading 

 company may suffer ; and declare that we shall protect our rights 

 in a manner that shall appear most advisable."" 



Acrelius gives this protest the above date, but it is without 

 date, as recorded in the Albany Dutch documents, where it stands 

 between papers dated respectively, on the t)th and 17th of May.^ 



Minuit being perfectly aware of the weakness of the Dutch at 

 Manhattan, and of the disinclination that government would have 

 at that time, to have a misunderstanding Avith her SwT^dish 

 Majesty, had but little regard for these paper missiles, but pro- 

 ceeded on with the erection of his fort, which was. soon com- 

 pleted, when he heartily engaged in the trade of the country ; a 

 business he had learned in the service of the Dutch. Before the 

 end of July, both vessels had- departed for Sweden well freighted 

 with furs. This rapid progress of the Swedish Colony, Avhich 



1 N. Y. Col. Doc. i. 592. 



2 Acrelius, 409; Haz. Reg. iv. 82 : Ilaz. Ann. 44. 



■'' Minuit made no reply to the Protest of the Governor, but retilied in writing to 

 that of Junsen. N. Y. Col. Doc. i. 592. 



