Over on Staten Island about this time, an Indian stole several hogs
from a colonist. Kieft's soldiers found the tribe to which the Indian
belonged, and in revenge killed ten Indian warriors. After this the
war-cloud grew darker.

Kieft was anxious that there should be war. But there were many of the
colonists who did all in their power to prevent it. The men who wanted
peace were headed by that able sailor, Captain David Pietersen De Vries,
who had founded a colony on Staten Island. A council of twelve men was
formed to decide whether there should be peace or war. This council
declared that there should be no war. They then began to look into
public affairs, for they thought it all wrong that Kieft should have
the only voice in the management. The Governor regretted having called
together the twelve men. But he soon got rid of them, and to show that
he was still absolute ruler, he decided to make war upon the Indians.
Then the war-cloud broke.

Those Indians who lived nearest New Amsterdam were fighting with another
tribe called the Mohawks. The nearby Indians thought that since Kieft
had been paid to protect them, he should do so now. So they gathered,
some on the Island of Manhattan, and some on the nearby shore of New
Jersey. But instead of protecting them, Kieft sent his soldiers against
these friendly Indians, and in the night killed them as they slept. The
soldiers came so suddenly upon the Indians, sleeping peacefully on the
Jersey shore, and slew them so quickly in the darkness, that the Indians
believed they had been attacked by the unfriendly tribe. One Indian,
with his squaw, made his way to the fort. He was met at the gate by De
Vries. "Save us," he cried, "the Mohawks have fallen upon us, and have
killed all our people." But De Vries answered, sadly, "No Indian has
done this. It is the Dutch who have killed your people." And he pointed