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By Frank R. Stockton
Originally published in 1896
AFTER the outside boundaries of New Jersey had
been pretty thoroughly discovered, it was quite
natural that some nations who laid claim to the State
should desire to find out something in regard to its
interior, and make settlements upon its soil.
This was not done by the English, who had made
the first claim to the land, but by the Dutch. In the
early part of the seventeenth century, the West India
Company of Holland sent out a ship containing the
foundation for a little colony, – men, provisions, and all
things necessary. They sailed into Delaware Bay; and
the commander, Cornelius Jacobsen Mey, gave his name
to Cape May. The expedition went up the Delaware
River till they reached Timber Creek, probably not
much more than ten miles from the spot where Philadelphia
now stands. There they settled, and built a
fort, which they called Fort Nassau. But this was not
looked upon with favor by the Indians, and it was not
long before the whole colony was destroyed.
This unfortunate beginning of the white settlement
of New Jersey did not deter the Dutch, who are a persevering
and dogged people. About twelve years later,
another Dutch commander, De Vries, sailed up the
Delaware River, or, as the Dutch called it, the South
his main object being to catch whales, very
different from the Delaware fisheries of the present
He set up a little colony on shore ; but it appears
the Indians were very much opposed to this
of thing, and this settlement was destroyed
before long.
But De Vries still kept up the whaling business: and in the course of time, getting out
provisions, he left his vessel, and sailed up
river in a small craft which was called the
Squirrel." He went up as far as the deserted
Fort Nassau, and there anchored to trade with
the Indians.
It is quite plain that the Indians of New Jersey
ire now greatly concerned about the visits of
white people to their shore ; for they perceived
that these newcomers were inclined to settle and
occupy such places as pleased their fancy, without
asking permission, or proposing to buy or
to pay rent. All this was very disagreeable to
the red men, who had never shown any disposition
to open up their country to foreign immigration.
When De Vries anchored, he was very well
received; and about forty Indians came on board his
yacht, and made a call upon him. They were dressed
in their best, and, in order to make the visit more
agreeable, they brought some of their musical instruments
with them, and gave the Dutchmen a taste of Indian music.
The dress of some of these visitors was a surprise to
De Vries and his men, of whom there were only seven
on the yacht. It was winter time, and most of the
Indians were arrayed in furs, but several of them wore
jackets made in the English fashion. The visitors were
very friendly, and urged De Vries to sail his vessel up
a stream, now known as Big Timber Creek, which,
they declared, was a much better place for trading.
Now, according to some of the old histories, a woman
appeared in the double character of
peacemaker and guardian angel.
Among the Lenni-Lenape, as well
as the other tribes of North America,
women often had a peculiar part to
play in national and social affairs. If
ever the services of a peacemaker were
desired, that position was always given
to a woman. It was considered derogatory
to the dignity of a male Indian that he should at
any time, of his own accord, desire peace. He and his
enemy might both be thoroughly tired of fighting; but
neither of them would lower himself in his own estimation, and in the estimation of his countrymen, by
allowing any man to know the state of his mind.
But he did not in the least object to tell his wife that
he wanted to stop fighting; and she, very gladly in
most cases, would confer with the wife of the other
brave; and when they had concluded peace, the two
men would immediately sit down together, smoke the
calumet, and be good friends; and all this without the
slightest loss of dignity.
This Web version, edited by GET NJ, COPYRIGHT 2003
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