1G5H.] UlSTORY OF DELAWARE COUNTY. 73 



differences;" and as he understood "somewhat of surveying" he 

 was also employed in that capacity.' 



Evert Pieterson, who held the office of schoolmaster, comforter 

 of the sick and setter of the psalms, in the City Colony, writes 

 to the commissioners that upon his arrival in April, he found but 

 twenty families in New Amstel, all Swedes except five or six 

 families. He appears to have been a man of observation, and 

 suggests our black walnut timber for making gun-stocks ; requests 

 that inquiries be made of the gunsmiths in respect to its value, 

 and in what shape it should be cut. In August he had a school 

 of twenty-five children.- This is the first school established on 

 the river of which we have any account. 



Director Alrichs not only communicated with the Commission- 

 ers of Amsterdam City, but also with Stuyvesant. He advises 

 that seventy-five men be sent to Altona, thereby showing that 

 he was under some apprehensions on account of the Swedes.'^ 



The winter of 1657 was remarkable for its severity. "The 

 Delaware was frozen over in one night, so that a deer could run 

 over it, which, as the Indians relate, had not happened within 

 the memory of man."* 



In the spring of 1658, a vessel which had taken in hickory 

 wood at Altona that was cut by Stuyvesant's orders, completed 

 her cargo with rye straw at Tinicum.^ 



The aff"airs of the South river, in the opinion of Governor 

 Stuyvesant and his council, ''required to be examined into," and 

 "some regulations" also becoming necessary among the Swedes, 

 his excellency in person, accompanied by Mr. Tonneman repaired 

 to the river, and on the 8th of May in this year, visited Tinicum. 

 Here they were met by the scout or sheriff Van Dyck ; Oloff 

 Stille, Mathj^s Hanson, Pieter Rambo and Pieter Cock, magis- 

 trates ; Swen Schute Captain, Andries D'Albo Lieutenant, and 

 Jacob Swenson Ensign. After renewing their oath of allegiance 

 to '"the high and mighty lords, the States General of the United 

 Netherlands and lords directors of the general privileged West 

 India Company with the director general and council already 

 appointed, or in time being," these Swedish officials presented 

 their petition, asking, that a court messenger might be appointed 

 for executions ; for free access to the soldiers of Altona, in case 

 they wish their aid for the execution of resolves ; that no person 

 shall leave their limits without the knowledge of the magistrates, 

 much less male and female servants, kc. Some subsidies were 

 also asked for. The Director-general thought the jailor could 

 perform the duties of court messenger, as he is now employed 



' N. Y. Col. Doc. ii. 18. ^ lb. 17. 



3 Haz. Ann. 240, as extracted from Albany Rec. xii. 4l'7. 



* Campanius, 55. » Haz. Ann. 241. 



