e were landed in the
first instance on the island now called Governor's Island, where they
were left on pasturage until convenient arrangements could be made on
the mainland to prevent their straying in the woods. The want of water,
however, compelled their speedy transfer to Manhattan Island, where,
being put on the fresh grass, they generally throve well, although about
twenty died, in the course of the season, from eating some poisonous
vegetable.

The settlers commenced their town by staking out a fort on the south
point of the island, under the direction of one Kryn Frederick, an
engineer sent along with them for that purpose; and a horse-mill having
been erected, the second story of that building was so constructed as to
afford accommodations for the congregation for religious purposes. The
habitations of the settlers were of the simplest construction, little
better, indeed, than those of their predecessors. A director-general had
been sent to superintend the interests of the company in this country,
in the person of Peter Minuit, who, in the year 1626, purchased
Manhattan Island from the Indian proprietors for the sum of sixty
guilders, or twenty-four dollars, by which the title to the whole
island, containing about twenty-two thousand acres, became vested in the
West India Company.

The success of the company proved itself, for a short period, by the
rise in the value of its stock, which soon stood at a high premium in
Holland. Various interests, however, were at work in the company to turn
its advantages to individual account, and in 1628 an act was passed
under the title of "Freedoms and Exemptions granted to all such as shall
plant Colonies in New Netherlands." This edict gave, to such persons as
should send over a colony of fifty souls above fifteen years old, the
title of "patroons," and the privileges of selecting any land, except on
the island of Manhattan, for a distance of eight miles on each side of
any river, and so far inland as should be thought convenient; the
company stipulating, however, that all the products of the plantations
thus established should be first brought to the Manhattans, before being
sent elsewhere, for trade. They also reserved to themselves the sole
trade with the Indians for peltries in all places where they had an
agency established.

With respect to such private persons as should emigrate at their own
expense, they were allowed as much land as they could properly improve,