," said the Indian, "I will
give you seven." This made us all laugh, because he valued himself
less and bound himself to pay more than the others. We, therefore,
took him with us. The river here is full four miles wide, and when it
blows, especially from the north or northwest, there is sometimes a
rolling sea, making it dangerous to cross over, particularly in small
boats. While we were in the village of Bergen, a person came to us who
was willing to take us up through the Northwest Kil, where we were
inclined to go, because Jaques[175] of Long Island and his associates
had bought for a trifle, a piece of land there of twelve thousand
_morgen_,[176] and he had related wonders to us about it; and that
above his land, and above the falls which are more than an hour's
distance from it, there was another tract still better, which was
corroborated by almost every one, especially in Bergen, whose
inhabitants were very well acquainted there, and some of whom had
bought a large piece of land close by.[177] The before mentioned tract
was considered by them the best in all New Netherland. We, therefore,
did not reject the offer of this person, but only postponed it until a
later opportunity, perhaps after our return from the South River. They
said this piece of land was very large, and could be increased to
twenty-five or thirty thousand _morgen_, which the Indians were
disposed to sell, and we could buy for a small price. When we reached
home we showed our old people the apples which we had brought with us,
and they confessed that as long as they had lived in the country, they
had never seen any finer or larger.

[Footnote 175: Jacques Cortelyou and his associates had a large grant
of land at Aquackanonck (Passaic). Northwest Kill is the Passaic
River.]

[Footnote 176: A _morgen_ was about two acres.]

[Footnote 177: Deed of March 28, 1679, from the Indian sachem Captahem
to a group of Bergen men.]

_29th, Sunday._ We had been last Sunday to hear the Quakers, but the
greater portion of them were on Long Island, so that nothing was
done.[178] My comrade had a mind to go again to-day, but I remained at
home. After waiting two hours, he went to hear the Episcopalians and
then returned to the Quakers, who had remained all this time sitting
silent and gazing. He then took a walk out for a considerable time,
and went back again and found them still in the same position. Being
tired out, he would wait no longer, and came home. We