e absolute control over all, and was to rule all the people.
To do these things they had authority from the States-General of
Holland, which was the name given to the men who made the laws for that
country. The Company was to make regular reports to the States-General,
and tell of the growth of the colony and the progress of the people in
it. But as the years went on the Company was not as particular as it
should have been about what it told the States-General.

[Illustration: Hall of the States-General of Holland.]

It was not until the West India Company took charge of New Netherland
that it was decided to make the settlement on the Island of Manhattan a
city. Up to this time it had been merely a trading station. In order to
build up a city, the Company knew that it would be necessary to send
people in sufficient numbers so that no matter how many were killed by
the Indians the settlement would not be wiped out. Many inducements were
offered, and men with their families soon began to flock to New
Netherland. With the ship that brought the first families was Cornelius
Jacobsen May, who was to live on the Island of Manhattan and look after
affairs for the Company. Rude houses were set up about the fort, and the
first street came into existence. This is now called Pearl Street.

Cornelius Jacobsen May cared for the colony for less than a year, when
his place was taken by William Verhulst. Before the year was out,
Verhulst decided that the new country never would suit him, and he
sailed away to Holland. Then came in his place, in the year 1626, Peter
Minuit, under appointment as the first Dutch Governor of New Netherland.

[Illustration: Seal of New Netherland.]

CHAPTER III

PETER MINUIT, FIRST of the DUTCH GOVERNORS

Peter Minuit was a large man, of middle age, whose hair was turning
gray, whose eyes were black and dull, and whose manners were quite
coarse.

The West India Company gave to this Governor absolute power over all the
Dutch lands in America. His power was equal to that of a king; much more
than some kings have had. To be sure, in matters of extreme importance
he was supposed to refer to the Company in Holland. But Holland was far
away, farther away than it is in these days of fast steamers and the
telegraph, and the Company had too many other matters to look after to
give much thought to New Netherland.

One of the first acts of Governor Minuit was to buy the Island of
Manhattan from the In