the fitting wrongs which they suffered hands of the Dutch, but their acts of retaliation were detailed with horror, and were exceeded, when opportunity offered, in the cold-blooded vengeance which was inflicted upon them.

record

at

were not long delayed. A squaw, detected in from the garden of Hendrick Van Dyck, at New Amsterdam, had been killed by him, and her family deter mined to avenge her death. Availing themselves of the or Hostilities

stealing peaches

ganization of a war party of Wappingers, then about to make descent upon some neighboring tribe, they prevailed upon them

New Amsterdam, and aid them in enforcing the "blood atonement," which their laws demanded. On the " sixty-four canoes morning of the fifteenth of September, 1655, " before full of Indians," were beached on the shore, and, " five hundred scarcely any one had yet risen," their occupants,

to storf at

men, all armed," 3 scattered themselves throughout the town, and, "under the pretense of looking for northern Indians," force and " searched the entered with dwellings by zeal of

more than the

premises"

modern

officers in quest of fugitives.

They offered no personal violence, however, and their sachems readily attended a conference, called by the authorities, But promised to take their departure in the evening. failed to do so.

complished.

In the evening they were joined " by two hun-

Dutch Petition of October, 1655, Manuscripts^ vol. iv, office of secretary of state, Albany, as translated by Dr. O'Callaghan in Indian War of 1655.