and convenience of this river, and discovered the difference
between the land there and that more easterly, they would
not go back; nor will they put themselves under the protection
of Their High Mightinesses, unless they be sharply summoned
thereto, as it is desirable they should be at the first
opportunity.

<1> A misprint for 1633. The narrative below relates to the
English settlers at Hartford, founded in 1635. See De Vries,
pp. 203, 204, supra.

Of the Right of the Netherlanders to the Fresh River.

To speak from the beginning, our people had carefully
explored and discovered the most northerly parts of New
Netherland and some distance on the other side of Cape Cod,
as we find it described, before the English were known here,
and had set up our arms upon Cape Cod as an act of possession.
In the year 1614 our traders<1> had not only traded at the
Fresh River, but had also ascended it before any English
had ever dreamed of going there, which they did first in the
year 1636, after our fort, the Good Hope, had been a long
time in esse and almost all the lands on both sides the river
had been purchased by our people from the Indians, which
purchase took place principally in the year 1632. Kievets-
hoeck<2> was also purchased at the same time by one Hans den
Sluys,<3> an officer of the company. On this cape the States'
arms had been affixed to a tree in token of possession; but
the English who now possess the Fresh River have torn them
down and carved a ridiculous face in their place. Whether