Regarding the latter as the Director Kieft, who had in the mean cases,

time succeeded Minuit, determined, in 1639, to demand from them tribute, not only as compensation, but to aid in establishing over them, and for that purpose sent an armed sloop to the Tappans to exact contributions of corn and wam pum. The Indians expressed their astonishment at this pro

his government

"

" the sakema of the fort for daring ceeding, and denounced Sneers and reproaches followed. to attempt such exactions.

" The

sakema," they said,

not invited them to

" must be a mean fellow

come and live

;

he had

here, that he should

now

take away their corn." formal conference was held with the Indians, but the latter refused to yield the contributions asked.

An open rupture soon followed. Some pigs were stolen from De Vries's plantation on Staten island, as it subsequently appeared

"

by the servants of the company, then (1640) going to the South river to trade, and who landed on the island to take in wood and water ; " but, as Kieft professed to believe, by the Indians. He accused the Raritans of the offense, and, on the sixteenth of July, commissioned Secretary Van Tienhoven to proceed, with one hundred men, to their territory and demand satisfaction.

The Raritans denied the commission of the offense,

and satisfied the secretary ; but the troops under him were bent

on mischief, and scarcely had he left them when they made an attack, killed several of the Indians, took one of their chiefs