Document: Letter from William Beeckman to director Stuyvesant

Noble, Honorable, highly Esteemed Lords:

My Lords, since my last letter from you dated the 25th of last month I have heard nothing. I received the enclosure on the llth of this month and consider it necessary to make you aware of it.[1] Mr. d'Hinojosse returned to New Amstel on the 12th of this month and I cannot find out what was achieved, except for learning the other day that he was told by Governor Calvert that Manhattan would soon be called upon to surrender by those of New England. About three weeks ago Mr. Kip was at Colonel Utie's place and he asked whether you were still angry with him because he had previously asked New Amstel to surrender, saying in addition that Lord Baltemoor had obtained from the present king new patents under which the colony fell, and the aforesaid lord intends to enforce this patent to the fullest extent.

My Lords, an hour before evening on the 17th of this month the Indians murdered a young man about 400 paces from the fort here. He was Jan Staelcop's servant whose parents lived in the colony and died there. His master had just left him. I have not been able to find out what nation was responsible but I believe they belonged to the River Indians, because they are around here hunting. They exonerate themselves, saying that Minckes or Sinnecus were responsible. We have summoned the chief from Passajongh under whose command those who are hunting here fall. We shall do our best to find out as much as possible.

Furthermore, I wish to remind you of our need of provisions for the magazine and elsewhere, because presently everything is gone. For details I refer to my last letter. Apparently we shall have to receive all our bread-grain from Manhattan this coming summer, because presently all the grain is being bought up by merchants and sent there. The farmers say that the grain is yielding only half as much as last year.

In conclusion, I commend you to God's protection with wishes for a happy New Year and a long life, remaining, after cordial greetings.