[Edward Manning Ruttenber (1872)] thought the director should " lead the van," while the commu nity should " follow his steps and obey his commands." They advised, however, as an offset to this quiet bit of sarcasm, that before anything else was done the director should send up a shallop to the Weckquaesgeeks to demand of them " once, twic e, yea for OF HUDSON'S RIVER. 103 a third time," the surrender of the murderer in a " friendly manner." Offended and bent on war, Kieft " would not listen." Re maining inactive until November, he consulted each of the " twelve" separately on the question of immediate hostilities; but the latter remained firmly opposed. In the winter he repeated this consultation, and urged that the Indians were absent from their village on hunting expeditions, and that arrangements should be made at once to destroy them. The "twelve" con sented, unwillingly, and on assurances that an attack should only be made after repeated solicitations had failed to secure the surrender of the murderer. Kieft did not long delay an attempt to execute his atrocious design. In March (1642), he dispatched a company of eighty men, under command of Ensign Hendrick Van Dyck, with instructions to fall upon the Weckaquaesgeeks, " who lay in their village suspecting nothing," and punish them with fire and sword.