[Edward Manning Ruttenber (1872)] Scouting parties were then sent out by the Dutch, who succeeded in bringing in a few prisoners, from whom it was ascertained that the Indians had fallen back to their castle; that this castle was " defended by three rows of palisades, and the houses in the fort encircled by thick cleft palisades with port holes in them and covered with the bark of trees; " that in form it was quadrangular, but that the angles were " constructed between the first and second rows of palisades," the third row of palisades standing " full eight feet off from the others towards the interior; " and that the whole stood " on the brow of a hill " surrounded by table land.2 An expedition for the reduction of this castle was at once organized, consisting of " ninety-one men of Kregier's company; thirty men of Lieutenant Stillwell's company; Lieutenant Cou-wenhoven with forty-one Long island Indians," acting under 1 Ante, p. 60; Brodhcad, i, 711. * Documentary History, iv, 49. Appendix. 150 THE INDIAN TRIBES their treaty of 1656; six Manhattan Indians; thirty-five vo lunteers from the settlers, "and seven of the Honorable Com pany's negroes," with " two pieces of artillery and two wagons." The expedition started on the night of the 26th of July, under the guidance of Rachel la Montagne, who had been taken pri soner on the yth and escaped; but she soon lost the trail, and the force was compelled to bivouac " until day-break," when the right road was found, and the march resumed.