e purpose of making
their journeys. It was fifteen or sixteen feet or more in length. It
was so light that two men could easily carry it, as the Indians do in
going from one stream or lake to another. They come in such canoes
from Canada, and from places so distant we know not where. Four or
five of them stepped into this one and rowed lustily through the water
with great speed, and when they came back with the current they seemed
to fly. They did this to amuse us at the request of Mr. Sanders.
Leaving there for home, we came again to the house of one Fredrick
Pieters,[335] where we had stopped in riding out. He is one of the
principal men of Albany, and this was his farm; he possesses good
information and judgment. My comrade had some conversation with him.
He expected us, and now entertained us well. My comrade was in pain
from eating the ground-nuts. On arriving home in the evening, the
house was full of people, attracted there out of curiosity, as is
usually the case in small towns, where every one in particular knows
what happens in the whole place.

[Footnote 334: Peanuts.]

[Footnote 335: No Frederick Pieters seems to be known. It was perhaps
Philip Pieterse Schuyler, progenitor of a distinguished family, who
lived on a large farm at the flats below West Troy.]

_24th, Wednesday._ My comrade's pain continued through the night,
although he had taken his usual medicine, and he thought he would
become better by riding on horseback. The horses were got ready, and
we left about eight o'clock for Schoonechtendeel,[336] a place lying
about twenty-four miles west or northwest of Albany towards the
country of the Mohawks. We rode over a fine, sandy cart road through
woods of nothing but beautiful evergreens or fir trees, but a light
and barren soil. My companion grew worse instead of better. It was
noon when we reached there, and arrived at the house of a good friend
of Robert Sanders. As soon as we entered my comrade had to go and lie
down. He had a high fever, and was covered up warm. I went with
Sanders to one Adam,[337] and to examine the flats which are
exceedingly rich land. I spoke to several persons of the Christian
life, each one according to his state and as it was fit.

[Footnote 336: Schenectady, of which Danckaerts tried to make Dutch
words, _quasi_ "beautiful section."]

[Footnote 337: Probably Adam Vrooman, who at the time of the general
massacre by the Indians, 1690, defended his house with great cou