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Documents Relative to the Colonial History of New York, Vol. I — Passage 356 (part 6)

E.B. O'Callaghan (ed.) (1856) 247 words View original →

[E.B. O'Callaghan (ed.) (1856)] First, the said General caused the Interpreter to ask namely Matthehoorn, Pemenattha and Sinquessen, whether they were Chiefs and Proprietors of the lands situate on the west side of this river at present partly incorporated and settled by the Swede? Whereunto, Matthehoorn in the name of all, answers, that they were great Chiefs and Proprietors of tlie lands, both by ownership and by descent and appointment of Minquaas and River Indians; wherefore they had power to sell and to make over the lands; and what they did, that should be done and remain. Secondly, it being proposed and asked by the General, through the Interpreter, what and how much land the Swedes had bought from the Sachems or Chiefs on this river? Mattahoorn, the Sachem, answered by asking another question. „ Why was not the Sachem of thi Swedes present that they might ask himself, and hear him? The General's reply was, that being invited, he was apparently unwilling to come. The Chief Mattehoorn answered, secondly — that all Nations coming to the river were welcome to them, and that they sold their land indiscriminately to the first who asked it. ThiriTly, the Chief Mattehoorn declared that the Dutch nation have been the earliest comers and discoverers of the river, who also, first of all, settled thereon among them, and that th^ have always maintained good friendship and commerce with the Dutch; adding thereunto an account of presents which were exchanged between them and the Dutch Nation.