content the people, even externally,
but on the contrary what came from the commonalty has even been mixed
up with the effects of the Company, and even the Company's property
and means have been everywhere neglected, in order to make friends, to
secure witnesses and to avoid accusers about the management of the war.
The negroes, also, who came from Tamandare(5) were sold for pork
and peas, from the proceeds of which something wonderful was to be
performed, but they just dripped through the fingers. There are also
various other negroes in this country, some of whom have been made free
for their long service, but their children have remained slaves, though
it is contrary to the laws of every people that any one born of a
free Christian mother should be a slave and be compelled to remain in
servitude. It is impossible to relate everything that has happened.
Whoever did not give his assent and approval was watched and, when
occasion served, was punished for it. We submit to all intelligent
persons to consider what fruit this has borne, and what a way this was
to obtain good testimony. Men are by nature covetous, especially those
who are needy, and of this we will hereafter adduce some few proofs,
when we come to speak of Director Kieft's government particularly. But
we shall now proceed to the administration of Director Stuyvesant, and
to see how affairs have been conducted up to the time of our departure.

(1) Stuyvesant arrived from Holland by way of the West
Indies in May, 1647.

(2) Equivalent to $6,400.

(3) $12,000. (4) From $24,000 to $28,000.

(5) A bay on the coast of Brazil, where the Dutch admiral
Lichthart defeated the Portugese in a naval engagement, in
September, 1645.

Mr. Stuyvesant has almost all the time from his first arrival up to our
leaving been busy building, laying masonry, making, breaking, repairing
and the like, but generally in matters of the Company and with little
profit to it; for upon some things more was spent than they were worth;
and though at the first he put in order the church which came into his
hands very much out of repair, and shortly afterwards made a wooden
wharf, both acts very serviceable and opportune, yet after this time we
do not know that anything has been done or made that is entitled to the
name of a public work, though there has been income enough, as is to be
seen in the statement of the yearly revenue. They have all the time been