98 HISTORY OF DELAWARE COUNTY. [1672. 



of Friends, in returning from a religious visit to New England 

 this year, had occasion to pass through the whole extent of the 

 territory now included in our County, but it appeared he had 

 no mission to the Swedish settlers here. According to his own 

 account, after remaining all night in a house near the present 

 site of Burlington, " which the Indians had forced the people to 

 leave," and which he speaks of as the "head of Delaware Bay," 

 he says: "The next day Ave sAvam our horses over a river about a 

 mile, at twice, first to an Island called Upper Dinidock (Tene- 

 conk), and then to the main land, having hired Indians to help 

 us over in their canoos. This day we could reach but about 

 thirty/ miles, and came at night to a Swede's house, where we got 

 a little straw and lay there that night. Next day, having hired 

 another guide, we travelled about forty miles through the woods, 

 and made us a fire at night, by which we lay, and dried our- 

 selves; for we were often wet in our travels in the day time. 

 The next day we passed over a desperate river, which had in it 

 many rocks and broad stones, very Hazardous to us and our 

 horses. From thence we came to the Christian-river, where we 

 swam our horses, and Avent over ourselves in canoos. From 

 thence we came to a town called JVeio Castle, heretofore called 

 New Amsterdam : And being very weary, and inquiring in the 

 town where we might buy some corn for our horses, the Gover- 

 nor came into the street and invited me to his house: and after- 

 wards desired me to lodge there ; telling me he had a bed for 

 me, and I should be welcome."^ 



The Brandywine is sufficiently identified by its "rocks and 

 broad stones;" but in reaching that "desperate river" from the 

 point at which he crossed the Delaware, our worthy preacher has 

 greatly over-estimated the distance. Benj. Ferris^ supposes the 

 Swede's house, at which he lodged, was at the Blue Bell tavern, 

 near the site of the Swede's mill. To have reached this point, 

 he would have passed over fully one-half of the distance from 

 Upper Dinidock to the Brandywine. But the Swede's house 

 was thirty miles from the former and forty from the latter; and 

 as the mill, then a rarity in the country, is not mentioned, and 

 the Swedish settlements of Upland and Marcus Hook are not 

 noticed, it is probable our travellers crossed the country higher 

 up. 



A war broke out between the English and Dutch in 1672, but 

 scarcely any notice appears to have been taken of the matter 



1 George Fox, his Journal, ii. 194. 



* Original Settlements on the Delaware, 131. Our author has also fallen into the 

 error of supposing thnt the Governor mentioned by George Fo.x as lodging him 

 at New Castle, was Lord Lovelace. Lord Lovelace was not on the Delnware at that 

 time. It is Ciipt. John Carr, si/metimcs c-alled Governor, who is entitled to the credit 

 of extending to the eminent Qualier, such marked civility. 



