heavy rain fell. In the afternoon very heavy rain fell again so that we could not stir out. Nothing occurred during the entire day.

34 ditto. About one o'clock in the afternoon we started from fort Wildwyck, having of my company two and twenty men; of "Lieutenant Stilwil's company, four and twenty men, and seven

freemen, with two of the Honble Company's Negroes. We took as guide the young Wappinger Indian, and Christoffel Davids as

SECOND ESOPUS WAR. 11

Indian interpreter, and promised the Indian his freedom with a cloth coat, on condition that he brought us truly to the Esopus Indians. We got eight horses with very great difficulty from the farmers, as they were so very unwilling and could not be brought to give us any horses, except Thomas Chambers, who, without any solicitation, presented me with two for the expedition. Several of the others, who would not give any, used much offensive language to the Sheriff and to the company's officers, saying--" They will have horses ; they may see if they can get them." Marched that afternoon about three miles from our fort to the creek which runs past the Redoubt ; lay there that night, during which we had great rain. 4th ditto. Found such high water and swift current in the Kill that it was impossible to ford it ; sent six men immediately on horseback to our fort Wildwyck to fetch rope and axes to make a raft or some other convenience to cross the creek ; they returned to us about ten o'clock ; brought three axes and rope. Passed the rope over the stream in order to hold fast to it so that the people may not be swept far down the creek. Crossed over with all the men about two o'clock in the afternoon and marched about four miles further on, where we bivouacked during the night.