Meanwhile, we were advised that Pennewitz, one of the oldest and most experienced Indians in the country, and who, in the first conspiracy, had given the most dangerous counsel, to wit: that they should wait and not attack the Dutch until all suspicion had been lulled, and then divide themselves equally through the houses of the Christians and slaughter all of them in one night; was secretly waging war against us with his tribe who killed some of our people and set fire to the houses. It was, therefore, resolved to send thither a troop of one hundred

and twenty men, the Burghers in their Company, the English under Sergeant Major van der Hyl' (who, a few days previously, had offered his services and was accepted), the old soldiers

' Capt Jno. Underbill ; for en account of whom, see Thompson't Hiitory of Long Island, 2d ed., IL -- Ed.

HOLLAND DOCUMENTS : III. 187

under Peter Cock, all commanded by Mr. La Montagne, to proceed hence in three Yachts, land in Scout's Bay on Long Island, march towards Heemstede, where there is an English Colonic dependent on us. Some who had been sent forward in advance, dexterously killed an Indian who was out as a spy. Our force formed themselves Into two divisions, Van der Hil with fourteen English towards the smallest, and Eighty men towards the largest village, named Matsepe both were very successful, killing about one hundred and twenty men; one man of ;

ours remained on the field and three were wounded. Our forces being returned from this expedition, Captain van der Hil was dispatched to Stantfort to get some information there of the Indians. He reported that the guide who had formerly served us and had gone astray in the night, was now in great danger of his life from the Indians, of whom there were about five hundred together, and offered to lead us there to prove that the former mischance was not his fault One hundred and thirty men were accordingly dispatched under the aforesaid Gen' van der Hil and Ensign Hendrick van Dyck.