676 INDIAN LAND CESSIONS IX THE UNITED STATES [eth.ann. 18 



divers Colonists under the direction of Cornells Jacobsz. Mey, and 

 Adriaen Jorissz. Tienpoint, wbich Directors, in the year 1G24, built Fort 

 Orange on the North liiver, and Fort Nassau on the South River, and 

 after that, in 1026, Fort Amsterdam on the Manhattes.'" However, it 

 appears to have been subsequent to 1023 and previous to June, 1620. 

 On November 5, 1620, Pieter J. Schagen, deputy of the West India Com- 

 pany, reported to the States general of Holland as follows: "Yester- 

 -day, arrived here the Ship the Arms of Amsterdam, which sailed from 

 New Netherland, out of the liiver Mauritius, on the 23"' September. 

 They report that our peo|>le are in good heart and live in peace there; 

 the Women also have borne some children there. They have purchased 

 the Island Manhattes from the Indians for the value of 00 guilders; 

 'tis ll,0(tO morgens in size. They had all their grain sowed by the 

 middle of May, and reaped by the middle of August,"' etc.- The West 

 India Company had instructed Peter Minuet to treat with the Indians 

 for their hunting grounds before he took any steps toward the erection 

 of buildings. According to Martlia J. Lamb^ the purchase was made 

 the 6th of May, 1026. The price paid, it is true, was very small (but 

 little more than one dollar for a thousand acres), yet we are told the 

 simple natives accepted the terms with unfeigned delight. 



Tlie patent issued to Kiliaen Van Rensselaer, August 13, 1630, was 

 based on a purchase from the Indians, acknowledged before the director 

 and council by them at the time it was issued : 



Vi'e, the Director and Council of New Netherlands, residing on the Island Man- 

 hatas and in Fort Amsterdam, under the authority of their High Miglitinesses the 

 Lords States General of the United Netlierlands and the Incorporated West India 

 Company, Chamber at Amsterdam, do hereby acknowledge and declare, that on this 

 day, the date under written, before us apjieared and presented themselves in their 

 proper persons: Kottom'ack, Nawanemit, Alhantzeene, Sagiskwa and Kauaomack, 

 owners and proprietors of their respective ]iarcels of land, extending up the River, 

 South and North, from said Fort unto a little south of Moeueminnes Castle, to the 

 aforesaid proprietors, belonging jointly ami in common, and the aforesaid Nawaue- 

 mit's particular land called Semesseerse, lying on the East Bank opposite Castle 

 Island off unto the abovenientioned Fort; Item, from Petanock, the Millstream, 

 away North to Negagonse, in extent about three miles,-' and declared freely and 

 advisedly for and on account of certain parcels of Cargoes, which they acknowledge 

 to have received in their hands and power before the execution hereof, and, by vir- 

 tue and bill of sale, to uereliy transport, convey and make over to the Mr. Kiliaen 

 van Eensselaer, absent, and for w^hom We, ex officio and with due stipulation, 

 accept the same; namely: the resjiective parcels of land hereinbefore specified, 

 with the timber, appendencies and dependencies thereof, together with all the action, 

 right and jurisdiction to them the grantors conjointly or severally belonging, consti- 

 tuting and surrogating the said Mr. Rensselaer in their stead, state and right, real 

 and actual possession thereof, and at the same time giving him full, absolute and 

 irrevocable power, authority and special command to hold, in ([uiet possession, cul- 

 tivation, occupancy and use, tanquam actor et procurator in rem suam jic propriam, 

 the laud aforesaid, acquired by said Mr. Van Rensselaer, or those who may hereafter 

 acquire his interest ; also, to dispose of, do with and alienate it, as he or others should 



' New York Colonial DocameDts, vol. i, p. 149. 'History of the City of New York, p. 53. 

 2 Ibid., p. 37. * Three Dutch miles equal 12 English miles. 



