38 HISTORY OF DELAWARE COUNTY. [1645. 



tobacco.' This shipment of tobacco would indicate that this 

 noxious plant was cultivated to a considerable extent on the 

 river at that early period. 



The Sivcdes mill, known to have been the first mill erected in 

 Pennsylvania, was probably built this year, though it possibly 

 might have been erected during the year 1643. It was located 

 on Cobb"s creek immediately above the bridge near the Blue 

 Bell tavern. From the holes in the rocks at the point mentioned, 

 the mill must have occupied a position partly over the stream, 

 and was doubtless driven by a tub-wheel which required but lit- 

 tle gearing. Karakung, as given by Campanius, was the Indian 

 name of Cobb's creek. This mill, which the governor " caused 

 to be erected," he says, " was a fine mill, which ground both fine 

 and coarse flour, and was going early and late : it was the first 

 that was seen in the country. There was no fort near it, but 

 only a strong house, built of hickory and inhabited by freemen."^ 



The jealousy of the Dutch on account of the progress made by 

 the Swedes, induced their Governor (Kieft) to send an agent to 

 the Delaware to keep a watch on the procedures of Governor 

 Printz, and to resist his supposed innovations. The person 

 selected was Andreas Hudde, whose report, though incomplete, 

 was made at diff"erent dates. That part of it from which the two 

 following paragraphs have been taken, was made the 1st of 

 November, 1645. As it will be seen the Swedes mill was then 

 erected, and was erected by Governor Printz, who arrived in the 

 country 1642, the date of its erection can hardly vary from the 

 time above mentioned. 



" In regard to this Schuylkill, these are lands purchased and 

 possessed by the Company. He (Governor Printz,) employed 

 the Company's carpenter, and constructed there a fort^ on a very 

 convenient spot on an island near the borders of the kill, which 

 is from the west side secured by another creek, and from the 

 south, south-east, and east side with valley lands. It lays about 

 the distance of a gun-shot in the kill. On the south side of this 

 kill, on the same island, beautiful corn is raised. This fort can- 

 not, in any manner whatever, obtain any control on the river, 

 but it has the command over the whole creek ; while this kill or 

 creek is the only remaining avenue for trade with the Minquas, 

 and without this trade the river is of little value." 



" At a little distance from this fort was a creek to the farthest 



' Hist. New Netherland, i. 370. — De Vries says, the tobacco raised in New Nether- 

 land and also on the South river was not different from that raised in Virginia. N. Y. 

 Hist. Col. N. S. iii. 125. 



2 Campanius, 81. 



3 It was subsequently reported, that this fort was erected on the site of a Dutch 

 trading-house, wliich was (icmo!i.«hed by the Swedes, but this is very improbable. The 

 Company's carpenter would hardly engage in such a business. See Hist. New Nether- 

 land, ii.'79. 



