[Edward Manning Ruttenber (1872)] cattle, without sparing even the horses." In 1626, a Weck-quaesgeek Indian, accompanied by his nephew, who was a " small boy," and another savage, while on their way to the fort to trade, were met and robbed by men in the employ of Minuit, the Dutch director, and in the melee the Weckquaes-geek was killed. The act was unknown to the Dutch at the time, but the boy treasured a revenge which he forgot not to exact in manhood. As the Dutch settlers took up lands on Long Island and the New Jersey shore, they made frequent complaints that their cattle were stolen by the Indians. Regarding the latter as the aggressors in all cases, Director Kieft, who had in the mean time succeeded Minuit, determined, in 1639, to demand from them tribute, not only as compensation, but to aid in establishing his government over them, and for that purpose sent an armed sloop to the Tappans to exact contributions of corn and wam pum. The Indians expressed their astonishment at this pro ceeding, and denounced " the sakema of the fort " for daring to attempt such exactions. Sneers and reproaches followed. " The sakema," they said, " must be a mean fellow; he had not invited them to come and live here, that he should now take away their corn." A formal conference was held with the Indians, but the latter refused to yield the contributions asked. An open rupture soon followed.