The Indians regarded the terms as hard, and stated that they had already been deprived of many of their maize fields without Such a demand was unexpected, and as many compensation. of their sachems were absent, they asked time for consultation. Stuyvesant generously agreed to allow them one night to con sider what course they would pursue.

The next day (Oct. 16), the council again assembled, and the sachems expressed a willingness to make reasonable com pensation for injuries. They would relinquish part of their claims against the settlers, and give some lands to those who had

THE INDIAN TRIBES

Then but they were poor and had no wampum. the principal sachem reminded a beaver down skin, throwing been injured

;

the director that he could well afford to be generous from the Senecas. Offering prospect of largely increased trade with the a wampum belt, he concluded

" A horse

belonging to Jacob and into our corn-fields broke destroyed two of Jansen One of our boys shot it, for which we gave our plantations. :

Stol

Stol seventy guilders in

wampum. But this belt we now pre may let us go in peace, and not beat

sent, so that the soldiers

us when we visit this place."

untouched

Stuyvesant's proposition in relation to land was left " What do you intend by the sachem, and the director asked :

to propose about the land ?

"

The sachem

replied,

that

" it

belonged to the chiefs who were not here to-day, and we can He 'promised, not, therefore, come to any conclusion on it."