receding pine and chestnut; year after year the "herbes" and the simples attended the broader crops; and flowers that bloomed for the delight of the eye and the comfort of the soul lifted their faces within the walls of the home acre. Industry and thrift were the genii that achieved these things in time, but industry and thrift were not enough to keep the new plantations from being some- times reabsorbed by the surrounding wilderness. There were periods of unrest among the forest dwellers, and the pitiful stories of massacre and ruin were mul- tiplied. One Siebout Claessen, house carpenter, burgher, and Digitized by Microsoft® Introductory 15 inhabitant of New Netherland, in a protest or petition, most respectfully represents that he, having married Susanna Janss, at the time widow of Aert Teunissen, her previous husband, whoNhad entered into a con- tract with Director Kieft to lease a certain bouwerie named Hobo- quin, situate in Pavonia on the west side of the North River, . . . fenced the lands, cleared the fields, and erected a suitable brew house which is yet standing there, and brought thither eight and twenty head of large cattle, etc. . . . together with many of his own fruit trees. And thus considerable value was added to the bouwerie . . . until the year 1643, when the cruel, un- natural, and very destructive war broke out, and (Ei^twenty- eight large cattle and horses were killed . . . dwelling house, barns, and stacks of seed burnt, the brew house alone remaining. Another sufferer points out that the piles of ashes from the burnt houses, barns, barracks, and other build- ings more than sufficiently demon- strated the ordinary care that was bestowed upon the country — God help it! — particularly during the war. "We respectfully request your honours to institute a rigid inquiry into this matter ; how many first-class bouweries and planta- tions were abandoned in the war by our Dutch and English, whose houses were burnt as has been stated." It may well be believed that, except within the stock- ades at Manhattan or under the protection of the fort at Rensselaerwyk, few ornamental gardens were per- EARLIEST MAP OF THE CITY Digitized by Microsoft® 1 6 The Hudson River manently established until after the animosity of the Indians became a thing of the past. In one old paper has been preserved a striking picture of colonial hardships: The season came for driving out the cattle, which obliged many to desire peace. On the other hand, the Indians seeing also that it was time to plant maize, were not less solicitous for a cessation of hostilities; so, after some negotiation, peace was concluded in May, A 1643, rather in consequence of the impor- tunity of some, than of the opinion entertained by others, that it would be durable. The Indians kept still after this peace, associating daily with our people; yea, even the greatest chiefs came to visit the Di- rector. Meanwhile Pacham, a crafty man, ran through all the villages urging the Indians to a general massacre. Thereupon it happened that certain Indians called Wappingers, dwelling six- teen leagues up the river, with whom we never had the least trouble, seized a boat coming from Fort Orange, wherein were only two men, and full four hundred beavers. This great booty stimulated others to follow the example ; so that they seized two boats more, intending to overhaul the fourth also; from which they were driven, with loss of six Indians. Nine Christians, in- cluding two women, were murdered in these two barks; one woman and two children, remaining prisoners. The rest of the Indians, as soon as their maize was ripe, followed this example; and through semblance "of selling beavers, killed an old man and woman, leaving another man with five wounds, who, however, fled to the fort, in a boat, with a little child in his arms, which, in the first outbreak, had lost father and mother, and now grand- father and grandmother; being thus twice rescued, through God's merciful blessing, from the hands of the Indians; first, when two years old. Nothing was now heard but murders; most of which were committed under pretence of coming to put Christians on their guard. Finally, the Indians took the field and attacked the bou- weries at Pavonia. Two ships of war and a privateer were here Digitized by Microsoft® Introductory 17 at the time, and saved considerable cattle and grain. Probably it was not possible to prevent the destruction of four bouweries on Pavonia which were burnt; not by open violence, but by stealthy creeping through the bush with fire in hand, and in this way igniting the roofs which are all either of reed or straw; one covered with plank