n the house, we inquired of him what he
wanted for his trouble for the journey. He demanded a cloth _innocent_
or coat, and that not of the poorest. His wife, who was the worst
woman, I think, I have ever beheld in my life, did the best also to
cheat us. We asked him what he thought such a coat would cost. "Well,"
said he, "call it a hundred guilders." We told him we did not intend
to give so much. He replied, "I cannot take less for so long a time."
"And how long do you expect to be gone," we asked. "You must not," he
said, "think of being back before Monday." We then asked him how much
he demanded a day, and he said eight guilders. We made an agreement
with him for seven guilders a day, that is, twenty-eight stivers,
Holland money. We then started to get some provisions, which the old
woman, where we slept, had cheerfully given us; but we took nothing,
except two half loaves of rye bread, and some apples in our travelling
bag, but this Dirck provided himself better for making the journey.
When we were ready, we went over the salt meadow or marsh to the kill,
which was full half an hour's distance; but when we came to the canoe,
the ebb tide was still running strong, and we required the flood. The
canoe lay in a bend of a small creek, and it was impossible to get it
out of this bight and over the mire, except at high water, which would
not take place until evening. We were, therefore, brought to a stand,
whether to proceed in the evening, to which we were not much inclined,
or await until the next morning, which was too much of a delay in view
of our journey to the south. We had, besides, felt some misgivings in
our hearts on account of the godlessness of the person who was to
conduct us. We saw that the Lord plainly shewed what we had to do, and
we, therefore, abandoned the trip, and told him we had not so much
time to lose, and should embrace another opportunity. He cursed and
swore at those who had told him the tide would serve at noon. In truth
he had not been careful and had nobody to blame but himself. We were
glad we were rid of him. We gave our apples and bread back to the old
woman, who, as well as all the villagers, who heard we were not going
up, were rejoiced, and declared we should not have been satisfied.
Afterwards, several others offered their services to accompany us by
land, either on foot or horseback, or otherwise, and go with us
themselves, which we did not reject, but only postponed until we
should