They dwell together mostly from friendship, in tribes over which commands a chief who is General and is generally called Sackema possessing not much authority and little advantage, Unless in their dances and other ceremonies. They have hardly any knowledge of God, no Divine Worship, no Law, no Justice, the Strongest does what he pleases and the Youths are master. Their weapons are the Bow and Arrow, in the use of which they are Wonderful adepts. They live by Hunting and Fishing in addition to maize which the Women Plant.

By Whom and How New Netherland was peopled.

The subjects of the Lords States General had frequented this Country a long time ago solely for the purpose of the fur trade. Since the year 1623 the Incorporated West India Company caused four Forts to be erected in that Country--Two on the River Mauritius and one on each of the other [rivers]; the biggest stands on the Point formed by the Mauritius river and the other mentioned heretofore ; their Honors named it New Amsterdam ; and six and thirty miles upwards another called Orange that on the South river is Nassaw and that on Fresh River, the Good Hope, the Company hath since continually maintained garrisons there; In the beginning their Honors had sent a certain number of Settlers thither, and at great expense had three Sawmills erected, which never realised any Profit of consequence, on account of their great charge, and a great deal of money was expended for the advancement of the country, but it never began to be settled until every one had liberty to trade with the Indians, inasmuch as up to this time no one calculated to remain there longer than the expiration of his bounden time, and therefore did not apply themselves to Agriculture.