was almost ceaseless trouble arising from the rival claims to the river and the jealousy of those who figured prospective honours and patroonships as the result of Indian trade. An amusing record of a Dutch attempt to put a stop to English trading is given in the following words : 7 November 1633. Jacob Jacobson Elkins, of Amsterdam merchant, aged about 42 yeares, sworn before William Merricke, doctor of lawes, surrogate to the righte worth Sir Henry Marten, Knight judge of his Majesties highe court off the Admiralltye. To the first interreye, hee sayeth, that within the time in- terrogate William Colbery, David Moregead, and John de la Barr, of London Merchants, att their owne proper costs and Digitized by Microsoft® io8 The Hudson River chardges did freighte, victuall and sett forth the interrogate shippe, the William of London (whereof William Trevorre was master) and did lade diverse goodes abord her, with intent, that she sould goe to Hutsons river in New England, within the dominions of the Kingh of England, to trade and trucke away such goods, as she carryed to the natives of those countries, for beaver skinnes and other skinnes and furrs; the premisses hee knoweth to bee true, for that he was factor for the said mer- chants in that voyage. To the second hee say eth, that the said shippe, the William arrived att the forte, called Manhatton, also Amsterdam, in the said Hutsons river, uppon the twelvth daye of Aprill, last past; and say eth, that the entrance of the said river is in the latitude of fourtie degrees and a halfe or thereaboutes, and in longitude aboud one and fortie degrees and a halfe. And after theire ar- rivall neere that forte, this deponente sente the Chirurgeon of the said shippe on shoare to the said forte, to intreate the Gover- nor to come abord the said shippe the William. Where uppon the said Governor bad the chirurgeon to comannde the master of the said shippe ; and this axiadate beinge the factor to come on shoare to the fort, where the said Governor and others were sittinge in counsell together. And the said Governor demanded his deponente, wherefore hee was come thither, and what his business was. And this deponente reply ed: to trade with the natives there, as hee had formerly done, for beaver and otter skinnes, and other skinnes and furrs. And then the said Gover- nor asked him for his commission, whereunto this deponente answered, that he was not bound to shewe it, for that he was then within the King of Englands dominions, and for that he was a servante to the subjectes of the said kinge; and desired of them to see what Commission they had, to plante there, within the King of Englands dominions. And he tould the said Governor, if he would not give him his good will soe to doe, hee would goe upp the said river without it, although it cost him his life. Whereuppon the Governor commannded all the companye of the said shippe to come on shoare. And in the presence of them all, the said Governor commannded, that the Prince of Orange his flagge should bee putt upp in the forte, and three peeces of Digitized by Microsoft® i6SfiHIPW-l!MW.'x' JWWWi'A'; ' SPREADING THE WHITE WINGS iFro»t a dra'wing by the author) log Digitized by Microsoft® Digitized by Microsoft® The Passing of the White Wings 1 1 1 ordnance to bee shott off for the honor of the said Prince. And then this deponente commanded the gunner of the said shippe the William, to goe abord and putt upp the englishe flagge, and to shoote of three peeces of ordnance for the honor of the King of England. And then the said Governor badd this deponente, take heede, that it did not cost him his necke, or his ( : the said Governors). And after the premisses this deponente and the companye of the William wente upp the said river to trade, and comminge neere the forte, called Orange, the Governor of that forte would not suffer theire shallopp to come to the shoare, to trade' there. Whereuppon this deponente wente a mile belowe that forte, and there sett upp a tent, and carried all theire goodes on shoare, and was in trade with the Salvages. And the Dutch sett up a tent by the said englishe tent, to hinder theire trade as much as they could. And then there came souldiers from both the said dutch forts .with musketts, halfe pikes, swords and other weapons, and beat some Indians, which came to trade with this deponente, and commannded this exaidate and companye to departe from thence, sayinge that that land was theirs, they havinge boughte it of the Salvages. And