The Princess was to carry the director and those two faithful patriots away from New Netherland, but coming into the wrong channel it struck upon a rock and was wrecked. And now this wicked Kieft, seeing death before his eyes, sighed deeply and turning to these two, said: Friends, I have been unjust towards you, can you forgive me? Towards morning the ship was broken to pieces. Melyn lost his son, the minister Bogardus ; while Kieft, captain John de Vries and a great number of other persons were drowned. Much treasure was also lost, as Kieft was on his return with a fortune of four hundred thousand guilders. Joachim Pietersz Kuyter remained alone on a part of the ship on which stood a cannon, which he took for a man, but speaking to it and getting no answer he supposed him dead. He was at last thrown on land, together with the cannon, to the great astonishment of the English, who crowded the strand by thousands, and who set up the pine or ordinance as a lasting memorial. Melyn, floating on his back, fell in with others who had remained on a part of the wreck till they were driven on a sandbank which became dry with the ebb. They then took some planks and pieces of wood, fastened them together and

112 EXTRACTS FROM A WORK CALLED BREEDEN RAEDT.

having made sails of their shirts, etc., they got at last to the Mainland of England. As these persons were more concerned for their papers than for any thing else, they caused them to be dragged for, and on the third day Joachim Pietersz got a small part of them, which are in being to this day.