The Story of Manhattan | Page 8

fairs in
this open space, where fine cows and fat pigs could be exhibited. These
fairs attracted so many visitors from distant parts of the colony, that the
Governor had a large stone house built, with a roof running up steep to
a peak, in regular, step-like form. This was called a tavern, and could
accommodate all the visitors. In after years it became the first City
Hall.
If you wish to stand where this building was, you must go to the head
of Coenties Slip, in Pearl Street. On the building which is there now
you will see a bronze tablet which tells all about the old Stadt Huys.
The church that Walter Van Twiller had built was little better than a

barn. The minister wanted a new one. So did his congregation.
Governor Kieft decided that there should be one of stone, and that it
should be built inside the fort. There was a question as how to secure
the money to build it. Kieft gave a small amount, as did other colonists,
but there was not enough. Fortunately, just at this time, a daughter of
Bogardus, the minister, was married. At the wedding, when the guests
were in good humor, a subscription-list was handed out. The guests
tried to outdo one another in subscribing money for the new church.
Next day some of the subscribers were sorry they had agreed to give so
much, but the Governor accepted no excuses and insisted on the money.
It was collected, and the church was built. Close upon this time Kieft
decided that he needed money for other work, and he told the Indians
of the province that he expected something from them. Of course the
Indians had no such money as we have in these days. They used instead
beads, very handsome and made from clam-shells. These beads were
arranged on strings. There were black ones and white ones, and the
black were worth twice as much as the white. The Indians did not see
why they should give money to the Governor. Kieft explained that it
was to pay for the protection given to them by the Dutch. Then the
Indians understood less than ever, for the Dutch had never done
anything for them except to give them as little as they could for their
valuable furs. The Indians hated Kieft, and this act of his made their
hatred more bitter. A war-cloud was gathering. The Indians were well
prepared for war, for they had been supplied with guns, with bullets,
and with powder by those greedy Dutchmen, the smugglers, who
thought more of their personal gains than of the safety of the colonists.
[Illustration: Selling Arms to the Indians.]
Over on Staten Island about this time, an Indian stole several hogs from
a colonist. Kieft's soldiers found the tribe to which the Indian belonged,
and in revenge killed ten Indian warriors. After this the war-cloud grew
darker.
Kieft was anxious that there should be war. But there were many of the
colonists who did all in their power to prevent it. The men who wanted
peace were headed by that able sailor, Captain David Pietersen De

Vries, who had founded a colony on Staten Island. A council of twelve
men was formed to decide whether there should be peace or war. This
council declared that there should be no war. They then began to look
into public affairs, for they thought it all wrong that Kieft should have
the only voice in the management. The Governor regretted having
called together the twelve men. But he soon got rid of them, and to
show that he was still absolute ruler, he decided to make war upon the
Indians. Then the war-cloud broke.
Those Indians who lived nearest New Amsterdam were fighting with
another tribe called the Mohawks. The nearby Indians thought that
since Kieft had been paid to protect them, he should do so now. So they
gathered, some on the Island of Manhattan, and some on the nearby
shore of New Jersey. But instead of protecting them, Kieft sent his
soldiers against these friendly Indians, and in the night killed them as
they slept. The soldiers came so suddenly upon the Indians, sleeping
peacefully on the Jersey shore, and slew them so quickly in the
darkness, that the Indians believed they had been attacked by the
unfriendly tribe. One Indian, with his squaw, made his way to the fort.
He was met at the gate by De Vries. "Save us," he cried, "the Mohawks
have fallen upon us, and have killed all our people." But De Vries
answered, sadly, "No Indian has done this. It is the Dutch who have
killed your people." And he pointed toward the deep woods close by.
"Go there for safety, but do not