before anything else was done the director should send up a shallop to the Weckquaesgeeks to demand of them

"

once, twic e, yea for

OF HUDSON'S RIVER.

a third time," the surrender of the murderer in a " friendly

manner." Offended and bent on war, Kieft " would not listen."

Re

maining inactive until November, he consulted each of the " twelve" separately on the question of immediate hostilities ; but the latter remained firmly opposed.

In the winter he repeated

this consultation, and

Indians were absent from

urged that the

on hunting expeditions, and

that arrangements The "twelve" con should be made at once to destroy them. sented, unwillingly, and on assurances that an attack should their village

only be made after repeated solicitations had failed to secure the surrender of the murderer. Kieft did not long delay an

In March (1642), attempt to execute his atrocious design. he dispatched a company of eighty men, under command of

Ensign Hendrick Van Dyck, with instructions to fall upon the Weckaquaesgeeks,

" who

and punish them with

lay in their village suspecting nothing,"

and sword. Fortunately the guide missed his way, and the expedition was compelled to' return to Fort Amsterdam " in all the mortification of failure." The re fire

however, was that the Indians, on discovering the trail of Kieft's men, and detecting his intention, became alarmed

sult,

and asked that peace might be maintained. Kieft consented on condition that the murderer of Smit was delivered up, and