Honorable Gentlemen Rightly hath one of the ancients said, that there is no misery on earth however great that does not manifest itself in time of war.We, poor inhabitants of New Netherland, now complain that having enjoyed for a long time an indifferent peace with the heathen, Almighty God finally, through his righteous judgment, hath in this current year kindled around us the fire of an Indian war in which not only numbers of innocent people, men, women and children, have been murdered in their houses and at their work, and swept into captivity (whereby this place with all its inhabitants is come to the greatest ruin); but all the Bouweries and Plantations at

Pavonia, with 25 lasts of grain and other produce are burnt and the cattle in part destroyed by '

the Indians. Coming next to Long Island It also is stripped of people and cattle, except a few insignificant :

places, over against the main, which are about to be abandoned. The English who have settled among us have not escaped. They too. except at one place, are all murdered and burnt. Slaten Island, where Cornells Melyn settled, is unattacked as yet, but stands hourly expecting an assault. On the Island of the Manachatas, from the north even unto the Fresh Water, there are no more than five or six spots inhabited at this date. These are threatened by the Indians every night with fire, and by day with the slaughter of both people and cattle. Achter Col where the Honb'' Mr. Van der Horst founded a Colonic, is altogether ruined, so that we have no other place of shelter remaining for ourselves, our wives and children, than around and adjoining Fort Amsterdam at the Manahactas. The enemy experiences no resistance, through want of men, arms, and ammunition with which this place is very poorly supplied.