Lord General.[1]
I dispatched an Indian from here on the 9th of this month.
On the 12th Abraham van Nas and Sander Boeyer were to go with an Indian from above, but after being out eight days the aforesaid van Nas and Boeyer returned here without accomplishing their mission. They could neither bring over the accompanying letters nor post them with an Indian above. If the first Indian has made it over, as we hope, then we depend upon your assistance, next to God's. We are being severely threatened by the English. They said that they would return in 12 days after their departure and wait here for the reply from the lord general. It is said that 500 men are already under orders; what the truth is only time will tell. They left on the 11th of this month. The letter to Josias Fendall dated the 8th of April should be the 8th of July. I am now sending seven men with an Indian in order to get through and deliver the letters; if the first one has not arrived, another would hardly succeed. Concluding I remain after regards and commendations to God.
[ Addressed: ] The Lord General Petrus Stuyvesant
Residing in Fort Amsterdam in New Netherland
By a friend, may God guide.
Noble, Honorable, Esteemed, Wise and very Prudent Lord:
I wrote on the 9th of this month[2] by an Indian whom I hope has arrived there. However, I was anxious and had no assurance and dared not rely on it; so I wrote again on the 12th of this month by Abraham van Nas and Sander Boeyer, but they returned here after having been out eight days without delivering the letters, claiming that it was impossible to do it. In order to proceed with assurance I then assembled five citizens, two soldiers from here, two soldiers from Altena, and an Indian, altogether ten men, to go overland and deliver the letters which had been returned. However, the abundance of news that the way was unsafe, caused fear among both Indians and Christians to undertake the trip and travel the road. Therefore, they were unable to proceed further and were thereby completely obstructed. Consequently I have found it absolutely necessary to hire Captain Jacobs' yacht and sent it to your place so that we know that you have detailed knowledge of our troubles here, and can act in the matter as you deem necessary and expedient. From time to time I have had to hire it for 200 guilders and four or five days' demurrage there. If the galliot is departing from there, please employ it as much as required. We trust, next to God, that ample assistance shall come. The English have gone so far here that we are no longer secure; and they are not to be trusted in the least. We anxiously desire your disposition and dispatch in this matter. I pray to God that you, the Noble, Honorable, Esteemed, Wise and very. Prudent be [ ] prosperity and health.
In New Amstel,
21 September 1659.
[ ]
[ ]
[ ]
[ Addressed: ] Noble, Honorable, Esteemed, Wise and very Prudent Lord, the Honorable Petrus Stuyvesant, General over New Netherland, Curacao, Aruba, etc. Residing in Fort Amsterdam in New Netherland
By express with the yacht Avontuyr, may God protect.
J. Alrichs
