The first colonists of this region spoke no English, and knew no English law, and they were brought here by the nation which first discovered and occupied the land,' a nation likewise ignorant of English law and of the English tongue. The Roman law, with a few Batavian customs engrafted upon it, was the first legal system established in the entire region, and it not only governed the foundation of European rule and civilization in New Netherland, but maintained their continuous existence there, for half a century ; and even then only yielded to another tongue and another legal system by the force of arms.

May administered the aflfiiirs of the new colony about a year, and was succeeded by William Verhulst as second Director-General, whose administration likewise continued only a year, when he resigned and returned to Holland. It was marked however by the arrival and introduction of the first wheeled vehicles and first domestic animals into this State. Peter Evertsen Hulst, a merchant, and a director of the Amsterdam Chamber, despatched to "The Manhadoes " three ships of 280 tons each, at his own expense and risk, in April 1625, with supplies, tools.

in those days was also the seal of "New Amsterdam," Burmounted by a mantle having in its centre the letters G. W. C, the initials of " Geoctroyeedo AVest Indische Comp\gnie," the Dutch appellation of the West India Company. --III. Doc. Hist, 396.

6 Wassenaer, III. Doc. Hist., 4.3.

6 I. Brod., 156.

" Cabot, whose voyage along the coast of North America was the basis of the English claim to New Netherland, never landed upon nor took possession of any part of it for the King of England.