Two ships of war and a privateer, were here at the time, and saved considerable cattle and grain. Probably it was not possible to prevent the destruction of four bouweries on Pavonia, which were burnt; not by open violence, but by stealthily creeping through the bush with fire in hand, and in this way igniting the roofs, which are all either of reed or straw ; one covered with plank, was preserved at the time. The Commonalty were called together, who were sore distressed. They chose Eight,t tNnteN. in the stead of the previous Twelve, persons to aid in advising what was best; 1643. but occupied as each one was, in taking care of his own, nothing beneficial was adopted at that time; nevertheless, it was resolved that as many Englishmen as were in the

country, should be enlisted, who were, indeed, now proposing to depart; the third part of these were to be paid by the Commonalty, who so promised, but the pay did not follow.

On thieihocwber. Terror increasing all over the land, the Eight men assembled, drew upf a *"^" proposal in writing wherein they demanded : that delegates should be sent to our English neighbors, at the North, to request an auxiliary force of one hundred and fifty men, for whose pay a bill of Exchange should be given for twenty-five thousand guilders; that N. Netherland should be mortgaged to the English as security for the payment thereof, (one of Dated gih" Mkrch, the uiost iofl ucutial amoug the Eight men had, by letter, <^ enforced by precedents, ^^^' previously endeavored to persuade the Director to this course; as they had In thir'^R^so^ve of Tcsolved to do a few days before ||) that the provisions destined for Curiigao :643. ^^P"^""""^' should be discharged from the vessels and the major part of the men belonging Vol.