On the yth of July, Stuyvesant arrived at Esopus, accom by Captain Martin Kregier and Burgomaster Van Cortland, and sent messengers to acquaint the sachems of his Three days elapsed and no response came from the arrival. panied

Indians.

Summoning the chiefs of the Mohawks, Makicans,

JVapplngers, Minsls ana Hackinsacks, who had been invited to he addressed them as follows

assist in the negotiations,

u Brothers

:

Ye all know well that we have not caused this

:

After the Esopus savages burned three of our houses war. and murdered one of our men, a year ago, we forgave them

and renewed the chain of friendship with them, promising the one to the other, that we should not thenceforth again wage

war though a man was killed, but that the murderer should be surrendered and punished.

Notwithstanding all this, the Esopus took some of our people prisoners, now ten moons savages burnt several houses ; since, besieged and stormed Esopus,

though they pretended, during the siege, to be inclined to peace. They then consented to receive a ransom for the prisoners, but when the ransom was brought out to the gate, they carried away by force, retained our prisoners, and murdered eight or

it

nine of them afterwards in an infamous manner. it

Brothers

was that compelled us to take the hatchet. " Brothers On the earnest entreaties of Indian :

:

friends,

this

who

on behalf of the Esopus savages, and on the in tercession of the Maquas, the Makicans, those of the Highlands, the Minsis, the Katskills, and other tribes, we concluded a truce solicited peace