1623.

which, the Dutch, having purchased of him, as they fay, his chart of difcoveries, on the coaft, obtained a patent from the states, in the year 1614, for an exclufive trade, on the said river; and made a fettlement, in the province, now called New York; to which they gave the name of New Netherland; claiming within the fame the country on Delaware:*On the island, called Manhattans, at the mouth of the faid river they erected a fort; where they afterwards, in the year 1656, laid out and began their town of New-Amfterdam, now NewYork.

In the year 1623, they erected feveral forts in different parts of the new territory, to which they had thus made claim; among which they built one on Delaware, (by them called South river) near Gloucefter, in New-Jersey. But the commodious fituation of New-York, for the sea and trade, induced most of them, who were settled on the Delaware, foon afterwards to quit it, and fix their fettlements on both fides of North river, before any of the Swedes came into America.

In

**The extent of New-Netherland, (says Smith, in his hiftory of NewTork,) was to Delaware, then called South river, and beyond it; For I find in the Dutch records, a copy of a letter from William Kieft, their Governor, at New-Amfterdam, May fixth, 1638, directed to Peter Minuit, who seems, by the tenor of it, to be the Swedish Governor of New-Sweden, "Afferting that the whole fouth river of New-Netherlands had been in the Dutch poffeffion many years, above and below, befet with forts, and fealed with their blood." Which (Kieft adds) has happened, even, during your administration, in New-Netherland, and so well known to you."

"In the year 1642, Kieft fitted out two Sloops to drive the English out of Schuylkill, of which the Marylanders had lately poffeffed themfelves. The inftructions, dated, May twenty fecond, to Jan Janfon Alpendam, who commanded in that enterprize, are upon record, and ftrongly affert the right of the Dutch both to the foil and trade there." Smith's hiftory of New-York.

The Dutch are reported, about the year 1623, to have furnished the Indians with Fire-arms, and to have taught them the ufe thereof, that by their affiftance, they might expel the English, when they began to fettle around them.

Smith's biflory of New-Jersey, and others..

1627.

The Swedes fettlement

laware, &c.

In the year 1626, under the reign of Gustavus Adolphus, king of Sweden, a scheme was fet on foot in that kingdom, for fettling a colony in Ame- and claim rica; This was chiefly promoted by the great com on the Des mendation which William Ufeling, an eminent merchant, gave of this country; and the undertaking was, in the following year, 1627, principally through his means and perfuafion, put in execution.

The firft landing of the Swedes and Fins, this year, was at cape Inlopen, the interior cape of Delaware;* which, from its pleasant appearance to

them,

This cape is frequently confounded with cape Hinlopen, the exterior, or the Falfe-cape, in Fenrbick's ifland, being written in the fame manner, and fometimes, Henlopen;-faid to be a Swedish word, fignifying, Entering in:-It was also formerly, sometimes called cape Corne lius, and afterwards by William Penn, cape James.It is fituated in Borth latitude 38 degrees, 56 minutes.

In the notes to Smith's history of New-Jersey, is inferted an extract from a pamphlet, said there to have been published in 1648, entitled, "A defcription of the province of Neru-Albion,-in North America," &c. [which country, extending from the weft bank of North-river to the bounds of Virginia, is faid to have been granted by king James the first to fir Edward Ploeyden, made earl Palatine of the fame,] giving, among other things, an account of the country, on the bay and river of Dela ware: and though part of it, at this time, appears not very intelligible, yet, as it is fomewhat curious, and exhibits what notion, or knowledge, of this country, was then propagated, the following extract therefrom, may probably be entertaining to fome.

The author, giving an account of the difcoveries of Cabot, further fays,

"The faid Cabot took poffeffion in latitude 37 degrees, of that part called Virginia and Chesapeak bay,—and of the next great bay, in, or Dear 39 degrees, called now by the Dutch, cape Henlopen, the South-river, and by us cape James, and Delaware bay, of the baron of Delaware's name, being then governor of Virginia; who, by fir Thomas Dale, and fir Samuel Argoll, forty years fince, took poffeffion and atturnment of the Indian kings; and fixty years fince, fir Walter Raleigh seated and left thirty men, and four pieces of ordnance; and the creek, near cape James, by the Dutch called Horekill, by us Roymount, and by the Indians, Cui Acbomoca;"(speaking of the Dutch, in New-Netherland, he says,)— "and in general they endanger all his majesties adjoining countries, most wickedly, feloniously, and traiterously, contrary to the marine and admiral laws of all chriftians, fell, by wholesale, guns, powder, hot and ammunition to the Indians, inftructing them in the ufe of our fights and arms;-likewife, the Swedes hiring out three of their foldiers to the Sufquahannocks, have taught them the use of our arms and fights.”— "Whereas, that part of America, or North- Virginia, lying about 39 degrees, on Delaware bay, called The province of New-Albion, is fitu ated in the best, and fame temper as Italy; between too cold Germany,

them, they named Paradife-point. They are faid to have purchased of fome Indians, the land from cape Inlopen, to the falls of Delaware, on both. fides of the river; which they called New-Swedeland ftream; and made prefents to the Indian chiefs, to obtain peaceable poffeffion of the land fo purchafed:

and too hot Barbary: so this lying just midway between New-England, two hundred miles north; and Virginia, one hundred and fifty miles fouth; where now are fettled eight thousand Englife, and one hundred and forty fhips in trade, is freed from the extreme cold and barrenness of the one, and heat and aguish marshes of the other; and is like Lombardy; and a rich, fat foil, plain, and having thirty-four rivers, on the main land; feventeen great ifles; and partaketh of the healthiest air, and most excellent commodities of Europe, and replenished with the goodlieft woods of oak, and all timber for ships and mafts, mulberries, sweet cyprus, cedars, pines and firs; four forts of grapes, for wine and raifins and with the greatest variety of choice fruits, fish and fowl; stored with all forts of corn, yielding five, feven and ten quarters an acre: filk grafs, falt, good mines, and dyers ware; five sorts of deer, buffs, and huge elks, to plow and work, ail bringing three young at once. The uplands covered many months with berries, roots, chefnuts, walnuts, beech and oak-maft, to feed them; hogs and turkies, five hundred in a flock; and having, near the colony of Mantefes, four hundred thousand acres of plain mead land, and mere level, to be flowed and flooded by that river, for corn, rice, grapes, flax and hemp. After seventeen years trading, and discovering there, and trial made, is begun to be planted and stored by the governor and company of New-Albion, confifting of forty-four lords, baronets, knights and merchants; who, for the true informing of themselves, their friends, adventurers and partners, by refidents and traders there four feveral years, out of their journal books, namely captain Browne, a fhip mafter, and mafter Stafford, his mate, and by captain Claybourn, fourteen years there trading, and Conflantine his Indian, there born and bred, and by master Robert Evelin, four years there, yet by eight of their hands fubfcribed and enrolled, do testify this to be the true ftate of the country of the land and Delaware bay, or Charles's river; which is further witnessed by captain Smith, and other books of Virginia, and by New-En land profpect, Nerv-Canaan, captain Powell's map, and other defcriptions of New-England and Virginia.”

"Good Madam,

"Mafter Evelin's letter.

"Sir Edmund, cur noble governor and lord, ear! Palatine, perfisting still in his noble purpose, to go on with his plantation, on Delaware or Charles's river, juft midway between New-England and Virá ginia, where, with my unkle Young, I feveral years refided, hath often informed himself, both of me and master Stratton, as I perceive by the hands fubfcribed, of Edward Monmouth, Tenis Palee, and as master Buckbam, mafter White, and other fhip matters and failors, whofe hands I know, and it to be true, that there lived and traded with me, and is fufficiently inftructed of the ftate of the country and people there. And 1 fhould very gladly, according to his defire, have waited upon you into Hampshire, to have informed your honor, in perfon, had I not, next week, been paffing to Virginia. But nevertheless, to fatisfy you of the

truth,

chafed with whom they appear to have lived in much amity; but they were frequently disturbed by the Dutch; who, in the year 1630, built a fort within the capes of Delaware, at the place now called Lewis-town, but then, and fometime fince, Hoerkill;

truth, I thought good to write unto you my knowledge, and first, to defcribe to you, from the north fide of Delaware, unto Hudson's river; in fir Edmund's patent, called New-Albion; which lyeth just between New-England and Maryland, and that ocean-fea; I take it to be about. one hundred and fixty miles; I find some broken land, isles and inlets, and many small ifles at Egg-bay. But, going to Delaware-bay, by cape May; which is twenty-four miles, at most, and is, as I understand, very well fet out, and printed in captain Powell's map of New-England, done, as is told me, by a draught I gave to M. Daniel, the plot maker; which, fir Edmund faith, you have at home;-on that north fide, about five miles within, a port, or road, for any fhips, called the Nook; and within lyeth the king of Kechemeches, having, as I fuppofe, about fifty men; and twelve leagues higher, a little above the bay and bar, is the river of Manteses, which hath twenty miles on Charles's river, and thirty miles running up a fair navigable, deep river, all a flat level of rich and fat black marsh mould; which I think to be three hundred thousand acres. In this fir Edmund intends, as he faith, to fettle; and there the king of Mantefes hath about one hundred bowmen. Next above, about fix leagues higher, is a fair deep river, twelve miles navigable; where is Free-ftone, and there, over against it, is the king of Sikoneffes; and next is Afomoches river and king, with an hundred men; and next is Eriwoneck, a king of forty men; where we fat down; and five miles above is the king of Ramcock, with one hundred men; and four miles higher the king of Axion, with twohundred men; and next to him, ten leagues over land, an inland king Calcefar, with one hundred and fifty men; and then there is, in the middle of Charles's river, two fair woody iflands, very pleasant and fit for parks, one of one thousand acres, the other of one thousand four hundred, or thereabouts; and fix leagues higher, near a creek, called Mofilian, the king having two hundred men; and then we come to the Falls, made by arock of limeftone; as I fuppofe, it is about fixty-five leagues from the fea:-near to which is an ifle, fit for a city; all materials there to build; and above, the river fair and navigable, as the Indians inform me; for I went but ten miles higher. I do account all the Indians to be about eight hundred; and are in feveral factions and war against the Sufquabannocks; and are all extreme fearful of a gun, naked and unarmed against our shot, fwords and pikes. I had fome bickering with fome of them; and they are of fo little esteem, as I durft, with fifteen men, fit down, or trade in defpight of them; and fince my return eighteen Swedes are fettled there; and fo fometimes fixteen Dutchmen do, in a boat, trade without fear of them."

"I faw there an infinite quantity of buftards, fwans, geefe and fowl, covering the fhores; as within, the like multitude of pidgeons, and ftore of turkies; of which I tried one to weigh forty-fix pounds. There is much variety and plenty of delicate fresh fea fifh, and fhell fish, and whales or grampus; elks, deer that bring three young at a time, and the woods beftrewed many months with chefnuts, walnuts and maft of fe veral forts, to feed them and hogs, that would increase exceedingly. There the barren grounds have four kinds of grapes, and many mulber

ries,

1630.

unite a

The Swedes Hoerkill;-But both they and the Dutch appear to and Dutch have agreed fo far together, as to unite in expelgainst the ling fuch English, as about this time, began to fetEnglish,&c. tle near, or on the east fide of Delaware, and to prevent them from coming among

them.

In

ries, with ash, elms, and the tallest and greatest pines and pitch trees, that I have feen. There are cedars, cyprefs and faffafras, with wild fruits, pears, wild-cherries, pine-apples, and the dainty Parfemenas; and there is no queftion but Almonds, and other fruits of Spain, will profper, as in Virginia. And (which is a good comfort) in four and twenty hours, you may fend, or go by fea, to New-England, or Virginia, with a fair wind; you may have cattle, and from the Indians two thoufand bufhels of corn, at twelve pence a bufhel, in truck; fo as victuals are there cheaper and better than to be tranfported; neither do I conceive any great need of a fort, or charge, where there is no enemy."

"If my lord Palatine will bring with him three hundred men, or more, there is no doubt, but he may do very well, and grow rich; for it is a moft pure healthful air, and fuch pure wholefome fprings, rivers and waters, as are delightful of a defert, as can be feen; with fo many varieties of feveral flowers, trees and forefts, for fwine; fo many fair rifings and profpects, all green and verdant: and Maryland, a good friend and neighbour, in four and twenty hours, ready to comfort and fupply."

:

"And truly, I believe, my lord of Baltimore will be glad of my lord Palatine's plantation and affiftance, against any enemy, or bad neighbour and if my lord Palatine employ fome men to fow flax, hemp and rapes in these rich marfhes, cr build fhips, and make pipe ftaves, and load fome fhips with these wares, or fish, from the northward, he may have any money, ware, or company, brought him, by his own fhips, or the fhips of Virginia, or New-England, all the year."

"And because your honour is of the noble houfe of the Parlets, and, as I am informed, defire to lead many of your friends and kindred thither, whom, as I honour, I defire to ferve, I fhall entreat you to believe me, as a gentleman and christian, I write to you nothing but the truth, and hope there to take opportunity, in due feafon to vifit you, and do all the good offices, in Virginia, my place and friends can ferve you in: And thus tendering my fervice, I reft, madam, your honours most humble, faithful fervant,

"Robert Evelin."

"Now fince mafter Elmes's letter, and feven years difcoveries of the lord governor in perfon, and by honeft traders with the Indians, we find, befide the Indian kings, by him known and printed, in this province, there are, in all twenty-three Indian kings, or chief commanders, and befides the number of eight hundred by him named, there are, at leaft, one thousand two hundred, under the Raritan kings, on the north fide, next to Hudfon's river; and those come down to the ocean, about Littleegg-bay, and Sandy Barnegate, and about the south cape, two small kings of forty men a piece, called Tirans, or Tiafcons; and a third reduced to fourteen men, at Roymount: The Sufquabannocks are not now, of the naturals, left above one hundred and ten, though with their forced auxilia ries, the Ibon-a-Does, and Wycomefes, they can make two hundred and fifty-Thefe together are counted valiant and terrible to other cowardly dull Indians; which they beat with the fight of guns only.”

"The