THE FIRST PERIOD OF THE SWEDISH SETTLEMENTS
UNDER DUTCH RULE AND THE COMING OF
THE _Mercurius_, 1655–1656.
When the articles of surrender had been accepted, and Rising with his
men was about to leave the country in October, 1655, Stuyvesant made
provisions for a temporary form of government. The seat of power was
transferred from Christina to Fort Casimir, and Captain Dirck Smith
was appointed commander, until other arrangements could be made, an
instruction doubtless being given him.
In the meantime the Swedes who remained in the country made the best of
their situations, repaired the damage caused by the invasion as far as
they could, and settled down to their former peaceful occupations.
Of Smith’s rule we know very little. He ordered lands to be sown
and cultivated, and he made other provisions for the welfare of the
settlement; but he was summoned to appear before the council at New
Amsterdam for “grave reasons”, which indicates that complaints were
made against him, and he seems to have done nothing for the improvement
of the forts.
In November Jeal Paul Jacquet was made vice-director, with “supreme
command and authority”, and he should govern the colony with a council
under the guidance of Peter Stuyvesant. In his instruction (issued
at New Amsterdam) he was charged to enforce the observance of the
Sabbath, the regulations concerning the sale of liquor to the Indians,
and to keep peace and order among the people. He should require the
soldiers and officers to remain in the fort over night, debarring
all freemen from the same, especially the Swedes; he was to allow
no vessels to pass above the stronghold, which he was to keep “in a
becoming state of defense”; he should take care in distributing lands
that “at least 16 or 20 persons or families” were placed together, so
as to form villages, and, in order to prevent an immoderate desire
for land, he “should impose a tax of 12 stivers annually for each
_morgen_ (acre)”; he was to lay out a town on the south side of
Fort Casimir, where lots were to be assigned; and he was to provide for
the expenses of the government by imposing excises on goods sold by the
tavern-keepers as follows:
For a hogshead of French or Rhenish wine, fl. 20
For an anker of the same wine, fl. 4
For an anker of brandy, Spanish wine or distilled water, fl. 7
For a barrel of imported beer, fl. 6
For a barrel of New Netherland beer, fl. 4
Finally he should “look well after the Swedes,” and he was to try to
remove such as were “not friendly disposed to the Honorable Company” by
sending them to New Amsterdam, if possible.
On December 8 (18), Jacquet took the oath of office before Peter
Stuyvesant, and ten days later he assumed the Vice-Directorship in Fort
Casimir. Certain articles in Jacquet’s instruction, if forced, would
have interfered with the rights of the old settlers; but caution was
exercised, and “the letter of the law” was never followed.
Allerton, and probably other traders, visited the river in the autumn,
winter and spring; and several Jews, “who had put goods on board a
ship for the South River”, requested permission to trade there; a
right which was _conditionally_ granted them. The Swedish barks
and yachts surrendered by Rising were used on trading expeditions, but
the _Eindracht_[42] stranded at Sandy Hook in January, 1656. The
council at New Amsterdam authorized Jan Teunissen, the carpenter, to
save the vessel, promising him 200 florins if successful.
A law court was established by Jacquet shortly after his arrival, at
which several settlers presented their grievances, while others were
summoned to appear in suits. In January, 1656, some Swedish freemen
living near Fort Casimir appeared before Jacquet and his council, and
requested permission to remain on their lands until the expiration of
one year and a half, agreeable to the capitulation, as they had not
then any inclination to change their place of abode nor to build in the
new town. Their petition was granted, and they remained undisturbed on
their homesteads.
About March 13 the ship _Mercurius_ arrived, as we have seen.
Henrick Huygen and Johan Papegoja went ashore, presented themselves
to the commander at Fort Casimir, and reported their instructions and
intentions, requesting permission to land the people somewhere in the
river, until further orders were received from Sweden. This was denied
them, and Huygen was arrested as an enemy of the state. Johan Papegoja
appealed o Stuyvesant in a letter, dated March 14 (24), informing
the latter of the arrival of the ship and requesting permission to
revictual and return unmolested to Europe, also remonstrating against
the treatment accorded Huygen. Vice-Director Jacquet likewise made a
report to his superior at New Amsterdam.
The letters, which were “brought to Manhattan by Allerton’s ketch,”
arrived there in the night of March 18–19 (28–29), it seems, and a
meeting of the council was immediately called. The council concluded
to deny the Swedes the privilege of landing, but they should be free
to return unmolested, and they were allowed to provide themselves with
necessary provisions for their homeward journey. A pass was issued
for the ship, granting her an unhampered passage to New Amsterdam,
where necessary supplies could be obtained. It was decided to send
several soldiers to the South River to prevent an uprising of the
Swedes, and such who had not hitherto taken an oath of allegiance,
should now be compelled to do so. Those “who refused or contravened
against it” should be sent away “by every opportunity.” Jacob Svensson
and Sven Skute were especially designated as “undesirable citizens”,
and regarded with suspicion since it was said that they held “secret
conferences” with the Indians, “who often came to the homes of the
Swedes and were, as usual, well received.”
When these instructions arrived in Fort Casimir, Huygen determined
to present his case at New Amsterdam in person. He went overland,
arriving at the Dutch fort about April 1 (11), and delivered a written
remonstrance to the Dutch council. The council replied that his
requests could not be granted, repeating their former promises of an
unmolested return voyage, and stated that, if the Swedes persisted in
their designs and would not leave the river, force would be used to
expel them. To show that they were in earnest the warship _Waag_
was ordered to proceed to the Delaware with the first favorable
wind. Finding that he could accomplish nothing, Huygen accepted the
proposals, making it unnecessary for _De Waag_ to sail. The
outcome was reported to Papegoja, and the _Mercurius_ was soon
expected to arrive at New Amsterdam. But over two weeks passed and no
ship was heard of. Rumors were circulated that difficulties had arisen
on the South River, and on April 18 (28) it was decided at a hurried
meeting of the council to send Ensign Smith overland with twelve to
sixteen soldiers to ascertain the state of affairs there. When Smith
arrived there, however, the immigrants had disembarked and the ship had
been unloaded.
Papegoja gives the following description of these events in his letter
of July 30 (August 9), 1656. In accordance with Stuyvesant’s orders
“we decided to set sail for Manhattan. But as soon as the savages or
Indians observed this, they speedily collected in great numbers, came
down to us and reminded us of the former friendship and love which they
had had for us Swedes, above all other nations, and said that they
would destroy and exterminate both Swedes and Hollanders, unless we
remained with them and traded as in the past. Then all our Swedes, who
feared the savages, came to us also and protested strongly against us
in writing, saying that we would be the cause of their destruction if
we departed....” Papegoja was therefore in a quandary, but, seeing the
danger of refusing the request of the angry savages, he commanded the
skipper to head up stream. (It has also been said that a large number
of Indians and some old Swedish colonists went on board the vessel.)
Papegoja then gave the Swedish salute (which was answered by one
discharge from the fort), and sailed up to New Gothenborg,[43] where
the people were put ashore.
Letters were thereupon written to Huygen, informing him of the
occurrences. Jacquet wrote to the Dutch governor also, at the same time
sending Hudde to make an oral report. Hudde arrived at Manhattan on
April 21 (May 1). The same day the council read and re-read the letters
and declarations, and resolved to dispatch the _Waag_ with troops
for the place of disturbance in order to bring the _Mercurius_
from there and settle the difficulty with the natives. Huygen as well
as Papegoja were exonerated, and the former was permitted to return
on the _Waag_ to his ship, after he had given bond of good
behavior and promised to settle the differences between the savages
and the Christians. The councillors De Sille and Van Tienhoven were
commissioned to investigate the matter.
The _Waag_ set sail as soon as the wind permitted, but in the
South River she ran on a sand-bank. When the commander observed, says
Papegoja, that the Swedes showed no hostile intentions, he requested
them to aid in floating the _Waag_ as well as in pacifying the
savages. The _Mercurius_ was therefore ordered down the river to
the assistance of the _Waag_; but when she arrived in the bay the
Dutch vessel was afloat. Some merchandise was then brought on board of
the latter ship and presented to the savages in the name of the Dutch,
and thus peace was restored.
In the late spring the _Mercurius_ was brought to New Amsterdam,
where the cargo was sold in July, after a certain import duty had been
paid. Papegoja desired to return with the ship, but differences arose
between him and Huygen, and the former departed from Europe on a Dutch
vessel on June 13 (23), arriving in Amsterdam about the beginning of
August. Having been loaded with a return cargo the _Mercurius_
set sail for Europe some time during the summer; but Huygen remained
in the colony, and we find him variously employed for a number of
years in the service of the Dutch. It seems that the great majority of
the new-comers also settled in the colony. They were given land, and
gradually built homes and cleared new fields.