349: _Wild_, savage, is the word commonly used by the Dutch
of that time to denote the Indians.]

We were also invited to the fort by the Heer commandant, who wished to
see us, but left it to our convenience. We went there with Robert
Sanders, who interpreted for us. This gentleman received us politely.
He said he was pleased to receive us, and to learn how we liked the
lands up above, and made a few such common observations. He seemed to
be not unreasonable, and a reliable person. If he was not a Scotchman,
he seemed nevertheless to be a good Englishman, and, as we thought, a
Presbyterian. We soon took a friendly leave, and returned home.

We spoke seriously to Robert Sanders about his pride, arrogance,
temper, and passion, although according to the world's reputation he
is not of bad character. His wife is more simple and a better person;
we spoke to her also, as well as to their children, especially to the
oldest, named Elizabeth, who was tender-hearted and affectionate. He
and all of them promised to improve and reform themselves somewhat,
and we saw with consolation that they in some things commenced to do
so.

_30th, Tuesday._ We were ready to leave early, but it ran well on
towards noon, when with a head wind, but a strong current down, we
tacked over to Kinderhoeck, lying on the east shore sixteen miles
below Albany.

Before we quit Albany, we must say a word about the place. It was
formerly named the Fuyck by the Hollanders, who first settled there,
on account of two rows of houses standing there, opposite to each
other, which being wide enough apart in the beginning, finally ran
quite together like a _fuyck_,[350] and, therefore, they gave it this
name, which, although the place is built up, it still bears with many,
especially the Dutch and Indians living about there. It is nearly
square, and lies against the hill, with several good streets, on
which there may be about eighty or ninety houses. Fort Orange,
constructed by the Dutch, lies below on the bank of the river, and is
set off with palisades, filled in with earth on the inside. It is now
abandoned by the English, who have built a similar one behind the
town, high up on the declivity of the hill, from whence it can command
the place. From the other side of this fort the inhabitants have
brought a spring or fountain of water, under the fort, and under
ground into the town, where they now have in several places always
fountains of clear, fresh, cool