1G38.] HISTORY OF DELAWARE COUNTY. 23 



was doubtless owing to the intelligence and experience of the 

 Connnander, became so alarming to the Dutch Governor at Man- 

 hattan, that he at once adviseil the West India Company in re- 

 spect to it, by a letter dated on the 31st of July, 1638, of which 

 tlie following is an extract. 



" Minuyt erected a fort on the South river, five leagues from 

 ouis ; attracted all the peltries to himself by means of liberal 

 gifts; departed thence with two attendant ships, leaving 24 men 

 in the fort, provided with all sorts of goods and dtctd.J.<i><t=L 

 provisions, had posts set up with these letters, c ». s. 

 &c."' 



From this letter it might be inferred that Commander Minuit 

 returned to Sweden with the ships. Acrelius, however, gives us 

 to understand that he did not, but remained and "did great ser- 

 vice to the Swedish Colony;" and during three years protected 

 this small fort which the Dutch never attempted;" and that 

 " after some years he died at this place."" 



While it is conceded that the Dutch had for a long time traded 

 on the river ; that they had there erected forts or trading posts, 

 one of which had been occupied from time to time since 1624 ; 

 that they had purchased lands from the Indians on both sides of 

 the bay near its mouth, and had made an unsuccessful attempt 

 to plant a Colony at Swancndael, yet it cannot be denied that 

 the Colony of Minuit, constituted the first permaiient settlement 

 on the Dalaware. While the Swedish Government may claim the 

 distinction of planting this Colony, it is really entitled to very 

 little credit on account of any immediate care and attention be- 

 stowed on it. The whole number of emigrants it is supposed, 

 did not exceed fifty souls,^ and a portion of these were criminals.* 

 Tiiough well supplied in the beginning, they were left a long 

 time without aid or succor from Sweden, and but for the experience 

 and energy of the Commander, a Dutchman, the permanency of 

 the Colony could not have been maintained. As it was, but a 

 single day intervened between the time appointed, for its disso- 

 lution, and the arrival of supplies that saved it from that catas- 

 trophe.'' 



A most important act performed by Minuit, was the purchase'' 

 from the Indians of the whole western shore of the Delaware to 



1 N. Y. Col. Doc. i. 592. ■ N. Y. Hist. Col. N. S. i. 410. 



3 Iliu. Ann. 46. 



* N. Y. Col. Doc. i. 588. Van Der Donk. in his Description of New Netlierland, 

 desis^nates the Colony as a "small band oi Hvlland Siceths," N. Y. Hist. Col. N. S. 

 i. 141. 



^ N. Y. Col. Doc. i. 593. 



* Acrelius says, " Immediately, land was bought from the Indians, a deed was given 

 written in Low Dutch, (as no Swede could yet interpret the Indian.) By this agree 

 mcnt the Swedes obtained all the western land on the river, from Cape Henlopen to 

 the Falls at Trenton, then called by the Indians Suntkan, and as much inward from 

 it in breadth, as they might want," 409. 



