TuTTLE: First ATTEMPT TO SETTLE STATEN ISLAND 17 
Indians for hostilities by them upon Staten Island in killing De- 
Vries’ swine and those of the company, in robbing the watch house, 
and for other acts of insolence. The troops became unruly, and 
in disobedience of orders killed several of the Indians and brought 
back the brother of the chief a prisoner. (N.N.N. 208.) Where- 
upon the Indians murdered four tobacco planters and set fire to 
the dwelling and tobacco house “on the plantation of Messrs. 
DeVries and David Pietersen partners? situate on Staten Island.” 
(OQ Call, Ads IN INo IN. Aes.) 
DeVries evidently did not have a very secure claim to Staten 
Island, for on July 3, 1640, the directors of the West India Com- 
pany gave Cornelis Melyn permission to establish a colony on 
Staten Island and acknowledged him as its patroon. (C. D. 13: 
200.) DeVries notes on August 20, 1641, the arrival of Melyn 
who claimed that Staten Island belonged to him, which DeVries 
says he could not believe as he thought better things of the man- 
aers, (UN. IN, ING aii.) 
Again, DeVries writes, “ The 1st of September [1641] my men 
on Staten Island were killed by the Indians; and the Raritans told 
an Indian, who worked for my people, that we might now come to 
fight them on account of our men; that we had before come and 
treated them badly on account of the swine; that there had been 
laid to their charge what they were not guilty of, and what had 
been done by the company’s men when they were on their way to 
the South River, who came ashore to cut wood and haul water, and 
then at the same time stole the hogs, and charged the act upon the 
innocent Indians, who, although they are bad enough, will do you 
no harm if you do them none. ‘Thus I lost the beginning of my 
colony on Staten Island by the orders of Commander Kieft [D1- 
rector General 1638-1647] who wished to charge upon the Indians 
what his own people had done.” (N. N.N. 211.) 
DeVries did not give up his rights on Staten Island at this time, 
however, for he says that on November 2, 1641, “ Commander 
5 Frederick DeVries and David Pietersen (DeVries). 
