"Souwenaro, sachem of Weeckquaesqueeck, came of his own accord, with his brother, and asserted th:)t he was warned by a Wappinger Indian that the Esopus Indians intended to come down, within five or six days, with forty or fifty men to kill them, with the Dutch of New HarUiem and other places, and those of the New Village: he told them he, with his people, took therefore their flight near Harlaem. He notified them of it, and why they came, so that those of New Harlaem should not be intimidated.

" He said, further, that he warned those at New Harlaem, and requested we would do the same to the pe-^.ple in that neighborhood, and warn those on the general's farm (Bowery). Souweiiaro also stated that his people were only eighty strong which could bear arms, and that they had, consequently, left their fort at Weeckquaesqueeck, and had retired into the woods to defend themselves.''^

This war with the Esopus Indians lasted till November, 1663, when a peace was concluded. In the fi\ll of the same year, Sept. 15; 1663, appeared in the fort, Schoumenarack, chief of Wecc-

» Bancroft's IlLst. U. S. iL p. 299. « Alb. Rec. xxi. 247.

b Alb. Rec. xxi. p. 247.

COUNTY OF WESTCHESTER. 175

qnaesqiieeck, soliciting for himself and his men to go fishing unmolested near the village of Harlaem, which was granted on condition that they shall not come with arms near the Dntch dwellings, and that it may be known, with full certainty, that they were his savages, and not some of Esopns ; so was delivered to him a senl (signet) of tlie Dutch Company, printed on wax, in small billets, which might be shown in meeting Dntchmen, on the day as above.