Why have you burned our houses, without paying you for

without making

it,

full

killed our cattle, and continue to threaten our people ?"

To this harangue the sachems made no reply, but " looked on At length one of them arose and responded " You Swannekins have sold our children the botsson" It is you who have given them brandy and made them cachens^ intoxicated and mad, and caused them to commit all this mis the ground."

chief.

:

The sachems cannot then control the young Indians nor

This murder has not been committed prevent them fighting. of our but tribe, by any by a Minnisink, who now skulks among It was he who fired the two houses and then For ourselves we can truly say, we did not commit the We know no malice, neither are we inclined to fight, but

the Haverstraws. fled.

act.

we cannot control our young men." Stuyvesant

young braves.

immediately arose, and hurled defiance at the " If any of your young people desire to fight, let

man against man. Nay, I or place twenty against thirty forty of your hot heads. But it is not time. is Now, then, your manly to threaten far

them now step forth.

I will place

will

If this mers, and women and children who are not warriors. be not stopped, I shall be compelled to retaliate on old and

This I can now do by killing young, on women and children. and little ones captive and destroying wives you all, taking your I expect you will repair not do it. maize but lands will ; your all