Noble, Honorable, highly Esteemed, Wise and very Prudent Lord:
My Lord, the most welcome letter from the honorable council of New Netherland was duly delivered to me by Skipper Jacop Janssen Huys on the 12th of this month, together with 20 skipples of peas two barrels of meat and one barrel of bacon.
The buoys have been delivered to Mr. d'Hinojosse.
After the galliot was unloaded, it sailed further on above to take on the clapboards. They were not in the state of readiness which Mr. van Gezel had pretended they were. They had to be fetched by raft at least a quarter of a mile or more in the Oplant's Kill. Harvest time and much rainy weather also delayed matters. If the skippers here had had some foreknowledge, they could have made preparations. The galliot will be able to receive the next load in two or two and a half days since we are now making preparations for it, and it will all be watered wood; this shipment is unwatered wood. I was up there myself prodding the sailors. They claim to have earned a barrel of beer because the wood lay some distance from the river's edge. I promised to inform you of it in order to have Mr. van Gazel do the honors.
Our men would very much like to be discharged. They have given me this petition to be forwarded to you. I see that our baker has also signed it, but we cannot very well spare him at the moment. We also need a drummer very much. I borrowed a drum from Mr. d'Hinojosse about eight weeks ago but it lacks a drumhead and cannot be used.
Sergeant Jacop van der Veer also wants to be discharged, but would gladly remain until the spring, if you would then be pleased to permit him to depart for the fatherland.
The soldiers here have unanimously requested pardon for the two men who ran away to the Minquas country. About 15 days ago a letter of pardon was sent to them but we have heard nothing from them yet.
Concerning further necessities for the garrison, I refer myself to my previous letter.[1] The men would like to draw their monthly wages in sewant at least once.
Since my wife is going to Manhattan to obtain some needed provisions and other urgent necessities for the family, I respectfully ask you to be pleased to accommodate her with f150 in beavers and f200 in sewant.
The sail or ferryboat at the Hoerekil has run aground and is badly damaged. The garrison there has made it known to me several times and have complained that they have extremely meager provisions. They request that you be informed of it.
As I was closing this, the chief of the Minquas returned here. He says that you have concluded a firm peace with the Indians. He promised to send our men back if they were still in his country, but a Minquas Indian informed me today that they have gone to Maryland and do not want to return here.
About 14 days ago, I received through Mr. Elmerhuysen (who was in Maryland with Foppe Jansz, Frans Kregier, Pieter Alrichs, Hans Constapel and others) a written answer from Colonel Utie. He says that as soon as our men arrive in their district he will immediately have them taken into custody and return them to us or give us notice of it.
Willem Beeckman
