against the other; but to establish harmony again, is in the power of God alone." A semblance of peace was attempted to be patched up last spring with one or two tribes of Savages towards the North by a foreigner ' whom we, for cause, shall not now name, without one of the Company's servants having been present, whilst our principal enemies are left unmolested. This place hath borne little fruit for the Commonwealth and our Lords' reputation, and we now daily experience what we observed in the 5"" article of our previous letter to the Hon*"" XiX. For these savages had no sooner their maize in pits but they began to murder

' Capt John Underbill -- Ed.

HOLLAND DOCUMENTS : IIL 211

our people in various directions. They continually rove around in parties, night and day, on the Island of Manhattans, killing our people not a thousand paces from the Fort ; and things have now arrived at such a pass, that no one dare move a foot to fetch a stick of fire wood without an escort. The two bouweries in the Bay, and the three on this Island, one of which belongs to the Hon*"'' Company, are in great danger of being burnt this winter, for never have these tSavages shown themselves so bold and insolent. The cause of this is, that they have not experienced any opposition from us this summer, nor lost any of their crops. And, thus, have they circumvented us by a strategem under pretense of peace. Had diligence which is most necessary in time of war, been used, as we requested, with the force of the Blue Cock, during this season, the Indians would, beyond a peradventure, have made advances themselves, and some hope would exist of enjoying, against the arrival of a new Governor, a general peace.