62 HISTORY OF DELAWARE COUNTY. [1648. 



ander Boyer, who had charge of the interests of the Dutch 

 during Hudde's absence, very properly regarded the buikling of 

 this house by Governor Printz, as intended more to insult his 

 "lords and masters than to reap, for himself any real advan- 

 tage from it," because, he said, "the ground in the same range 

 with our fort is large enough to admit twenty similar build- 

 ings."^ 



Boyer also reports two Swedes, as having been murdered by 

 the Maquas^ — the first instance on record of Swedish blood 

 having been shed by the Indians. 



Hudde returned on the 5th of October, with a few freemen, to 

 whom had been delivered letters patent to settle and build on 

 the Schuylkill. He says he " was directly informed that the 

 Swede placed his best hope on the country of the Minquas 

 against the bargain concluded by us," and "to prevent similar 

 frivolous pretentions, and to shew that the contract^ was by no 

 means broken by the honorable committee," he addressed a note 

 to Hendrick Huygens, intended to be shown to the Governor, of 

 which the following is an extract :— 



" Honorable and obliging good friend, accept my cordial 

 salutation. It was with deep regret that I was informed on my 

 return, that our fugitives can find no residence in the Minquas 

 country, against the good intentions indeed of our Director- 

 general, who Avill not permit That anything shall be undertaken 

 by his subjects against our contract., but expects that similar 

 conduct shall be holden from both sides. "^ 



It is evident from the foregoing extracts from Hudde, as has 

 been before suggested, that a contract existed between the 

 Swedes and the Dutch, that contained some specifications in re- 

 spect to the trade and occupancy of the Schuylkill ; and it is but 

 reasonable to conclude that the harsh conduct of Governor Printz 

 towards the Dutch on that river, resulted from a belief that their 

 acts were in violation of that contract. It may also be inferred 

 that the Minquas maintained a kind of ownership over the coun- 

 try about the mouth of the Schuylkill, as in my apprehension 

 the allusion to their country in the quoted language of Hudde, 

 had no reference to the usual place of residence of that poAver- 

 ful tribe of savages, which will be shown hereafter was on the 

 Susquehanna. This ownership might have been for the purposes 

 of trade or fishing, and to serve their convenience during their 

 periodical visits. Whatever it was, Hudde was evidently appre- 

 hensive, that the late act of the committee of the Dutch Council 

 might be regarded with disfavor by these savages. In a subse- 

 quent negotiation with the Dutch, in which some of the same 



1 Huilile's Report, 441 ; Albany Records, Haz. Ann. 103. 



•■« Uaz. Ami. 101. ' Uuddc's Reports, 441. 



