s
Jaques had supposed. But although we found the stream suitable for
mills, we did not discover proper wood sufficient for the purpose. The
soil seemed to promise good, and the place is as well situated as it
can be, to make a village or city. The land on both sides of the
Northwest Kill is all taken up, and the prospect is that the whole
region will soon be inhabited. It is already taken up on the south
side as high up as the falls. Eating our breakfast about eight
o'clock, we went on board of the boat, it being now the

_6th, Wednesday._ We set off with a westerly wind, though light and
gusty. If the wind in this river do not come straight from behind, you
cannot derive much benefit from it, in consequence of the land on both
sides of it being so high, and the bay so winding. The river is the
pleasantest we have yet seen. It is gratifying to look upon the
continually changing views which present themselves in going either up
or down, with its evergreens of pine and cedar, and other species, the
names of which I do not know, and its clean bottom and clear fresh
water. We rowed and sailed as well as we could, until the flood tide
stopped us, when we went ashore to eat our dinner, and make a good
fire to warm ourselves. When the ebb began to make, we proceeded on
our way. Our poor Indian, who did nothing in the boat, sat all the
time benumbed with cold in his poor little blanket. But as the day
advanced it was better. The tide serving us, and the wind being
stronger as we came below the high land, we reached Achter Kol before
evening, and set the Indian ashore at his hut, who told us he would
come and see us on Monday. It was calm, with the wind more and more
favorable, and we crossed over the bay, and arrived Gouanes Bay about
eight o'clock.

I had asked Hans, our Indian, what Christians they, the Indians, had
first seen in these parts. He answered the first were Spaniards or
Portuguese, from whom they obtained the maize or Spanish or Turkish
wheat, but they did not remain here long. Afterwards the Dutch came
into the South River and here, on Noten Island,[307] a small island
lying directly opposite the fort at New York, and to Fort Orange or
Albany, and after them the English came for the first, who
nevertheless always disputed the first possession. But since the
country has been taken several times by the one and the other, the
dispute is ended in regard to the right of ownership, as it is now a
matter of conquest.