maltreat any of the Indians, and that if the latter caught them " to beat them on the head until doing so, they were at liberty

could no longer be seen where their eyes stood."

it

The price

of cloth, however, he could not regulate, as it was brought from

"

beyond the great lake." With these assurances the chiefs departed to renew their conflict with their savage foes.

Three years of tranquillity succeeded the peace of 1660, during which the settlement at Esopus continued to increase in A new village was organized on the north-eastern population.

" portion of the great plot," and the ronduit, at the mouth of the Walkill completed. The Indians, however, were far from

The new village being satisfied with their Dutch neighbors. was on land which they had not given to the Dutch ; the new fort boded them no good, and the sting inflicted, by sending their brethren to exile and slavery, rankled in their breasts, and

threats of vengeance were again heard.

To quiet them Stuy

vesant instructed the magistrates to announce that he would soon visit Esopus, give them presents and renew the peace ;

but this promise he failed to fulfill with that promptness that was

On the 5th necessary to satisfy the Indians of his sincerity. of June, the promise was renewed, but the Indians still doubted,

and replied that " if peace was to be renewed with them, the

The location of this fort is supposed

to have been at the place still bearing the