The Reverend, Learned and Pious Mr. Adrianus Smoutius,
Faithful Minister of the Holy Gospel of Christ in his
Church, dwelling upon the Heerengracht, not far from the
West India House at Amsterdam. By a friend, whom God
Preserve.
The Peace of Christ to You.
Reverend Sir, Well Beloved Brother in Christ, Kind Friend!
THE favorable opportunity which now presents itself of
writing to your Reverence I cannot let pass, without
embracing it, according to my promise. And, first to
unburden myself in this communication of a sorrowful
circumstance, it pleased the Lord, seven weeks after we
arrived in this country, to take from me my good partner,
who had been to me, for more than sixteen years, a virtuous,
faithful, and altogether amiable yoke-fellow; and I now find
myself alone with three children,<1> very much discommoded,
without her society and assistance. But what have I to say?
The Lord himself has done this, against whom no one can
oppose himself. And why should I even wish to, knowing that
all things must work together for good to them that love
God? I hope therefore to bear my cross patiently, and by
the grace and help of the Lord, not to let the courage fail
me which in my duties here I so especially need.
<1> Two daughters and a son, Jan, whom he had placed in the
house and custody of skipper Jan Jansen Brouwer.
The voyage was long, namely, from the 24th of January till
the 7th of April, when we first set foot upon land here. Of
storm and tempest which fell hard upon the good wife and
children, though they bore it better as regards sea-sickness
and fear than I had expected, we had no lack, particularly
in the vicinity of the Bermudas and the rough coasts of this
country. Our fare in the ship was very poor and scanty, so
that my blessed wife and children, not eating with us in the
cabin, on account of the little room in it, had a worse lot
than the sailors themselves; and that by reason of a wicked
cook who annoyed them in every way; but especially by reason
of the captain himself,<1> who, although I frequently
complained of it in the most courteous manner, did not concern
himself in the least about correcting the rascal; nor did he,
even when they were all sick ,given them anything which could
do them any good, although there was enough in the ship: as
he himself knew very well where to find it in order, out of
meal times, to fill his own stomach. All the relief which
he gave us, consisted merely in liberal promises, with a
drunken head; upon which nothing followed when he was sober
but a sour face; and he raged at the officers and kept himself
constantly to the wine, both at sea and especially here while
lying in the river; so that he daily walked the deck drunk
and with an empty head, seldom coming ashore to the Council
and never to Divine service. We bore all with silence on
board the ship; but it grieves me, when I think of it, on
account of my wife; the more, because she was so situated
as she was--believing that she was with child--and the time
so short which she had yet to live. On my first voyage I
roamed about with him a great deal, even lodged in the same
hut, but never knew that he was such a brute and drunkard.
But he was then under the direction of Mr. Lam,<2> and now
he had the chief command himself. I have also written to
Mr. Godyn<3> about it, considering it necessary that it
should be known.
<1> "Evert Croeger, with whom, prior to this, I had made
long voyages, but never before did I know him well."--Letter
of August 8 to Jan Foreest.
<2> Admiral Jan Dirckszoon Lam, who in 1625 and 1626 was in
command of a Dutch squadron on the west coast of Africa.
<3> Probably Samuel Godyn, a prominent director of the company.
Our coming here was agreeable to all, and I hope, by the grace
of the Lord, that my service will not be unfruitful. The
people, for the most part, are rather rough and unrestrained,
but I find in almost all of them both love and respect towards
me; two things with which hitherto the Lord has everywhere
graciously blessed my labors, and which in our calling, as
your Reverence well knows and finds, are especially desirable,
in order to make our ministry fruitful.
>From the beginning we established the form of a church; and
as Brother Bastiaen Crol<1> very seldom comes down from Fort
Orange, because the directorship of that fort and the trade
there is committed to him, it has been thought best to choose
two elders for my assistance and for the proper consideration
of all such ecclesiastical matters as might occur, intending
the coming year, if the Lord permit, to let one of them
retire, and to choose another in his place from a double
number first lawfully proposed to the congregation. One of
those whom we have now chosen is the Honorable Director<2>
himself, and the other is the storekeeper of the Company, Jan
Huygen,<3> his brother-in-law, persons of very good character,
as far as I have been able to learn, having both been formerly
in office in the Church, the one as deacon, and the other as
elder in the Dutch and French churches, respectively, at
Wesel.<4>
<1> Sebastian Janszoon Krol came out to New Netherland in 1626
as a "comforter of the sick" at Manhattan, but before long
went up to Fort Orange, where he was chief agent for the
company most of the time to March, 1632. Then, on Minuit's
recall, he was director-general till Wouter van Twiller's
arrival in April, 1633.
<2> Peter Minuit, born of Huguenot parentage in 1550 in Wesel,
west Germany, was made director general of New Netherland in
December, 1625, arrived in May, 1626, bought Manhattan Island
of the Indians that summer, and remained in office till
recalled early in 1632. In 1636-1637 he made arrangements
with Blommaert and the Swedish government, in consequence of
which he conducted the first Swedish colony to Delaware Bay,
landing there in the spring of 1638, and establishing New
Sweden on territory claimed by the Dutch. During the ensuing
summer he perished in a hurricane at St. Christopher, in the
West Indies.
<3> Probably the ame as Jan Huych, comforter of the sick.
<4> Jan Huyghens was deacon of the Dutch Reformed church at
Wesel in 1612; and probably Minuit was elder in the French
church there.
At the first administration of the Lord's Supper which was
observed, not without great joy and comfort to many, we had
fully fifty communicants--Walloons and Dutch; of whom, a
portion made their first confession of faith before us, and
others exhibited their church certificates. Others had
forgotten to bring their certificates with them, not thinking
that a church would be formed and established here; and some
who brought them, had lost them unfortunately in a general
conflagration, but they were admitted upon the satisfactory
testimony of others to whom they were known, and also upon
their daily good deportment, since one cannot observe strictly
all the usual formalities in making a beginning under such
circumstance.
We administer the Holy Supper of the Lord once in four months,
provisionally, until a larger number of people shall otherwise
require. The Walloons and French have no service on Sundays,
otherwise than in the Dutch language, for those who understand
no Dutch are very few. A portion of the Walloons are going
back to the Fatherland, either because their years here are
expired, or else because some are not very serviceable to the
Company. Some of them live far away and could not well come
in time of heavy rain and storm, so that they themselves
cannot think it advisable to appoint any special service in
French for so small a number, and that upon an uncertainty.
Nevertheless, the Lord's Supper is administered to them in
the French language, and according to the French mode, with a
sermon preceding, which I have before me in writing, so long
as I can not trust myself extemporaneously.<1> If in this and
in other matters your Reverence and the Reverend Brethren of
the Consistory, who have special superintendence over us here,
deem it necessary to administer to us any correction, instruction
or good advice, it will be agreeable to us and we shall thank
your Reverence therefor; since we must all have no other object
than the glory of God in the building up of his kingdom and the
salvation of many souls. I keep myself as far as practicable
within the pale of my calling, wherein I find myself sufficiently
occupied. And although our small consistory embraces at the
most--when Brother Crol is down here--not more than four persons,
all of whom, myself alone excepted, have also public business to
attend to, I still hope to separate carefully the ecclesiastical
from the civil matters which occur, so that each one will be
occupied with his own subject.
<1> That is, to preach extempore in French.
And though many things are mixti generis, and political and
ecclesiastical persons can greatly assist each other, nevertheless
the matters and officers proceeding together must not be mixed
but kept separate, in order to prevent all confusion and
disorder. As the Council of this place consists of good people,
who are, however, for the most part simple and have little
experience in public affairs, I should have little objection
to serve them in any difficult or dubious affair with good
advice, provided I considered myself capable and my advice
should be asked; in which case I suppose that I should not do
amiss nor be suspected by any one of being a polupragmov or
allotrioepiskopos.<1>
<1> I Peter iv. 15; a meddler or "busy-body in other men's
matters."
In my opinion it would be well that the Honorable Directors
should furnish this place with plainer and more precise
instructions to the rulers, that they may distinctly know
how to conduct themselves in all possible public difficulties
and events; and also that I should some time have here all
such _Acta Synolalia_, as have been adopted in the synods of
Holland; both the special ones of our quarter,<1> and those
which are provincial and national, in relation to ecclesiastical
difficulties; or at least such of them as in the judgment of
the Honorable Brethren at Amsterdam would be most likely to
be of service to us here. In the meantime, I hope matters
will go well here, if only on our part we do our best in all
sincerity and honest zeal; whereunto I have from the first
entirely devoted myself, and wherein I have also hitherto, by
the grace of God, had no just cause to complain of any one.
And if any dubious matters of importance come before me, and
especially if they will admit of any delay, I shall refer
myself to the good and prudent advice of the Honorable Brethren,
to whom I have already wholly commended myself.
<1> I.e., acts of the synod of North Holland. North Holland
was not at this time a province, but merely a part of the
province of Holland, the chief of the seven United Provinces.
The national _Acta_ would probably be those of the six
fundamental synodical conventions of 1568-1586 and the Synod
of Dort.
As to the natives of this country, I find them entirely savage
and wild, strangers to all decency, yea, uncivil and stupid as
garden poles, proficient in all wickedness and godlessness;
devilish men, who serve nobody but the Devil, that is, the
spirit which in their language they call Menetto; under which
title they comprehend everything that is subtle and crafty and
beyond human skill and power. They have so much witchcraft,
divination, sorcery and wicked arts, that they can hardly be
held in by any bands or locks. They are as thievish and
treacherous as they are tall; and in cruelty they are
altogether inhuman, more than barbarous, far exceeding the
Africans.<1>
<1> He had served on the west coast of Africa; see the
introduction.
I have written concerning this matter to several persons
elsewhere, not doubting that Brother Crol will have written
sufficient to your Reverence, or to the Honorable Directors;
as also of the base treachery and the murders which the
Mohicans, at the upper part of this river, had planned against
Fort Orange, but which failed through the gracious interposition
of our Lord, for our good--who, when it pleases Him, knows how
to pour, unexpectedly, natural impulses into these unnatural
men, in order to prevent them. How these people can best be
led to the true knowledge of God and of the Mediator Christ,
is hard to say. I cannot myself wonder enough who it is that
has imposed so much upon your Reverence and many others in the
Fatherland, concerning the docility of these people and their
good nature, the proper principia religionis and vestigia legis
naturae which are said to be among them; in whom I have as yet
been able to discover hardly a single good point, except that
they do not speak so jeeringly and so scoffingly of the godlike
and glorious majesty of their Creator as the Africans dare to
do. But it may be because they have no certain knowledge of
Him, or scarcely any. If we speak to them of God, it appears
to them like a dream; and we are compelled to speak of him,
not under the name of Menetto, whom they know and serve--for
that would be blasphemy--but of one great, yea, most high,
Sackiema, by which name they--living without a king--call him
who has the command over several hundred among them, and who
by our people are called Sackemakers; and as the people listen,
some will begin to mutter and shake their heads as if it were
a silly fable; and others, in order to express regard and
friendship for such a proposition, will say Orith (That is good).
Now, by what means are we to lead this people to salvation, or
to make a salutary breach among them? I take the liberty on
this point of enlarging somewhat to your Reverence.
Their language, which is the first thing to be employed with
them, methinks is entirely peculiar. Many of our common
people call it an easy language, which is soon learned, but
I am of a contrary opinion. For those who can understand
their words to some extent and repeat them, fail greatly
in the pronunciation, and speak a broken language, like the
language of Ashdod.<1> For these people have difficult
aspirates and many guttural letters, which are formed more
in the throat than by the mouth, teeth and lips, to which
our people not being accustomed, make a bold stroke at the
thing and imagine that they have accomplished something
wonderful. It is true one can easily learn as much as is
sufficient for the purposes of trading, but this is done
almost as much by signs with the thumb and fingers as by
speaking; and this cannot be done in religious matters.
It also seems to us that they rather design to conceal
their language from us than to properly communicate it,
except in things which happen in daily trade; saying that
it is sufficient for us to understand them in that; and
then they speak only half sentences, shortened words, and
frequently call out a dozen things and even more; and all
things which have only a rude resemblance to each other,
they frequently call by the same name. In truth it is a
made-up, childish language; so that even those who can best
of all speak with the savages, and get along well in trade,
are nevertheless wholly in the dark and bewildered when
they hear the savages talking among themselves.
<1> An allusion to Nehemiah xiii. 24.
It would be well then to leave the parents as they are, and
begin with the children who are still young. So be it. But
they ought in youth to be separated from their parents; yea,
from their whole nation. For, without this, they would
forthwith be as much accustomed as their parents to the
heathenish tricks and deviltries, which are kneaded naturally
in their hearts by themselves through a just judgment of God;
so that having once, by habit, obtained deep root, they would
with great difficulty be emancipated therefrom. But this
separation is hard to effect. For the parents have a strong
affection for their children, and are very loth to part with
them; and when they are separated from them, as we have
already had proof, the parents are never contented, but take
them away stealthily, or induce them to run away. Nevertheless,
although it would be attended with some expense, we ought, by
means of presents and promises, to obtain the children, with
the gratitude and consent of the parents, in order to place
them under the instruction of some experienced and godly
schoolmaster, where they may be instructed not only to speak,
read, and write in our language, but also especially in the
fundamentals of our Christian religion; and where, besides,
they will see nothing but good examples of virtuous living;
but they must sometimes speak their native tongue among
themselves in order not to forget it, as being evidently a
principal means of spreading the knowledge of religion through
the whole nation. In the meantime we should not forget to
beseech the Lord, with ardent and continual prayers, for His
blessing; who can make things which are unseen suddenly and
opportunely to appear; who gives life to the dead; calls that
which is not as though it were; and being rich in mercy has
pity on whom He will; as He has compassionated us to be His
people; and has washed us clean, sanctified us and justified
us, when we were covered with all manner of corruption, calling
us to the blessed knowledge of His Son, and out of the power
of darkness to His marvellous light. And this I regard so
much the more necessary, as the wrath and curse of God, resting
upon this miserable people, is found to be the heavier.
Perchance God may at last have mercy upon them, that the
fulness of the heathen may be gradually brought in and the
salvation of our God may be here also seen among these wild
savage men. I hope to keep a watchful eye over these people,
and to learn as much as possible of their language, and to
seek better opportunities for their instruction than hitherto
it has been possible to find.
As to what concerns myself and my household affairs: I find
myself by the loss of my good and helpful partner very much
hindered and distressed--for my two little daughters are yet
small; maid servants are not here to be had, at least none
whom they can advise me to take; and the Angola slave women<1>
are thievish, lazy, and useless trash. The young man whom I
took with me, I discharged after Whitsuntide, for the reason
that I could not employ him out-of-doors at any working of
the land, and in-doors he was a burden to me instead of an
assistance. He is now elsewhere at service among the farmers.
<1> Slavery was introduced into New Netherland two or three
years before this, a number of negroes, some of them from
Angola, having been imported in 1625 or 1626.
The promise which the Honorable Directors of the Company had
made me of some morgens or acres of land for me to sustain
myself, instead of a free table which otherwise belonged to
me, is void and useless. For their Honors well knew that
there are no horses, cows, or laborers to be obtained here
for money. Every one is short in these particulars and
wants more. I should not mind the expense if the opportunity
only offered, for the sake of our own comfort, although there
were no profit in it (the Honorable Directors nevertheless
remaining indebted to me for as much as the value of a free
table), for refreshment of butter, milk, etc., cannot be
here obtained; though some is indeed sold at a very high
price, for those who bring it in or bespeak it are jealous
of each other. So I shall be compelled to pass through the
winter without butter and other necessities, which the ships
do not bring with them to be sold here. The rations, which
are given out here, and charged for high enough, are all hard
stale food, such as men are used to on board ship, and
frequently not very good, and even so one cannot obtain as
much as he desires. I began to get considerable strength,
by the grace of the Lord, but in consequence of this hard
fare of beans and gray peas, which are hard enough, barley,
stockfish, etc., without much change, I cannot fully recuperate
as I otherwise would. The summer yields something, but what
is that for any one who does not feel well? The savages also
bring some things, but one who has no wares, such as knives,
beads, and the like, or seewan, cannot come to any terms with
them. Though the people trade such things for proper wares,
I know not whether it is permitted by the laws of the Company.
I have now ordered from Holland almost all necessaries; and I
hope to pass through the winter, with hard and scanty food.
The country yields many good things for the support of life,
but they are all too unfit and wild to be gathered. Better
regulations should be established, and people brought here
who have the knowledge and implements for seeking out all
kinds of things in their season and for securing and gathering
them. No doubt this will gradually be done. In the meanwhile,
I wish the Honorable Directors to be courteously enquired of,
how I can best have the opportunity to possess a portion of
land, and (even at my own expense) to support myself upon it.
For as long as there is no more accommodation to be obtained
here from the country people, and I shall be compelled to
order everything from the Fatherland at great expense and
with much risk and trouble, or else live here upon these poor
and hard rations alone, it will badly suit me and my children.
We want ten or twelve more farmers with horses, cows and
laborers in proportion, to furnish us with bread, milk products,
and suitable fruits. For there are convenient places which
can be easily protected and are very suitable, which can be
bought from the savages for trifling toys, or could be occupied
without risk, because we have more than enough shares which
have never been abandoned but have been always reserved for
that purpose.
The business of furs is dull on account of the new war of the
Maechibaeys<1> against the Mohicans at the upper end of this
river. There have occurred cruel murders on both sides. The
Mohicans have fled and their lands are unoccupied and are very
fertile and pleasant. It grieves us that there are no people,
and that there is no order from the Honorable Directors to
occupy the same. Much timber is cut here to carry to the
Fatherland, but the vessels are too few to take much of it.
They are making a windmill to saw lumber and we also have a
gristmill. They bake brick here, but it is very poor. There
is good material for burning lime, namely, oyster shells, in
large quantities. The burning of potash has not succeeded;
the master and his laborers are all greatly disappointed.
<1> Mohawks.
We are busy now in building a fort of good quarry stone, which
is to be found not far from here in abundance. May the Lord
only build and watch over our walls. There is good opportunity
for making salt, for there are convenient places, the water
is salt enough, and there is no want of heat in summer. Besides,
what the waters yield, both of the sea and rivers, in all kinds
of fish; and what the land possesses in all kinds of birds,
game, and woods, with vegetables, fruits, roots, herbs and
plants, both for eating and medicinal purposes, and with which
wonderful cures can be effected, it would take too long to tell,
nor could I yet tell accurately. Your Reverence has already
obtained some knowledge thereof and will be able to obtain from
others further information. The country is good and pleasant,
the climate is healthy, notwithstanding the sudden changes of
cold and heat. The sun is very warm, the winter is fierce and
severe and continues fully as long as in our country. The
best remedy is not to spare the wood, of which there is enough,
and to cover one's self with rough skins, which can also easily
be obtained.
The harvest, God be praised, is in the barns, and is larger
than ever before. There ha been more work put on it than
before. The ground is fertile enough to reward labor, but they
must clear it well, and till it, just as our lands require.
Until now there has been distress because many people were not
very industrious, and also did not obtain proper sustenance
for want of bread and other necessaries. But affairs are
beginning to go better and to put on a different appearance,
if only the Directors will send out good laborers and exercise
all care that they be maintained as well as possible with what
this country produces.
I had intended and promised [to write] to the Honorable
Brethren, Rudolphus Petri, Joannes Sylvius and Domine
Cloppenburg, who, with your Reverence, were charged with the
superintendence of these regions;<1> but as this would take
long and the time is short, and my occupations at the present
time many, your Reverence will please to give my friendly and
kind regards to their Reverences, and to excuse me, on condition
that I remain their debtor to fulfill my promise--God willing--
the next time. Be pleased also to give my sincere respects to
the Reverend Domine Triglandius, and to all the Brethren of
the Consistory<2> besides, to all of whom I have not thought
it necessary to write particularly at this time, as they are
made by me participants in these tidings, and are content to
be fed from the hand of your Reverence. If it shall be
convenient for your Reverence or any of the Reverence Brethren
to write to me a letter concerning matters which might be
important in any degree to me, it would be very interesting
to me, living here in a wild country without any society of
our order, and would be a spur to write more assiduously to
the Reverend Brethren concerning what may happen here. And
especially do not forget my hearty salutations to the beloved
wife and brother-in-law of your Reverence, who have shown me
nothing but friendship and kindness above my deserts. If
there were anything in which I could in return serve or gratify
your Reverence, I should be glad to do so, and should not be
delinquent in anything.
<1> This duty had been committed to them by the synod of North
Holland. The preachers named in the text were all at this
time active in Amsterdam; Sylvius and Triglandius since 1610,
and Johannes Cloppenburg since 1621.
<2> Of Amsterdam.
Concluding then herewith, and commending myself to your
Reverence's favor and to your holy prayers to the Lord,
Reverence and Learned Sir, Beloved Brother in Christ, and
Kind Friend:
Heartily commending your Reverence and all of you to Almighty
God, to continued health and prosperity, and to eternal
Salvation, by His Grace.
>From the island of Manhatas in New Netherland, this 11th of
August, Anno 1628, by me, your Reverence's very obedient
servant in Christ,