his side--the director watched
their approach. At this moment the two domines Megapolensis, imploring
him not to begin hostilities, led Stuyvesant from the rampart, who
then, with a hundred of the garrison, went into the city to resist the
landing of the English. Hoping on against hope, the director now sent
Counsellor de Decker, Secretary Van Ruypen, Burgomaster Steenwyck, and
"Schepen" Cousseau with a letter to Nicolls stating that, as he felt
bound "to stand the storm," he desired if possible to arrange on
accommodation. But the English commander merely declared, "To-morrow I
will speak with you at Manhattan."

"Friends," was the answer, "will be welcome if they come in a friendly
manner."

"I shall come with ships and soldiers," replied Nicolls; "raise the
white flag of peace at the fort, and then something may be
considered." When this imperious message became known, men, women, and
children flocked to the director, beseeching him to submit. His only
answer was, "I would rather be carried out dead." The next day the
city authorities, the clergymen, and the officers of the burgher
guard, assembling at the Stadt-Huys, at the suggestion of Domine
Megapolensis, adopted a remonstrance to the director, exhibiting the
hopeless situation of New Amsterdam, on all sides encompassed and
hemmed in by enemies, and protesting against any further opposition to
the will of God. Besides the _schout_, burgomasters, and schepens, the
remonstrance was signed by Wilmerdonck and eighty-five of the
principal inhabitants, among whom was Stuyvesant's own son, Balthazar.

At last the director was obliged to yield. Although there were now
fifteen hundred souls in New Amsterdam, there were not more than two
hundred and fifty men able to bear arms, besides the one hundred fifty
regular soldiers. The people had at length refused to be called out,
and the regular troops were already heard talking of "where booty is
to be found, and where the young women live who wear gold chains." The
city, entirely open along both rivers, was shut on the northern side
by a breastwork and palisades[3], which, though sufficient to keep out
the savages, afforded no defense against a military siege. There were
scarcely six hundred pounds of serviceable powder in store.

A council of war had reported Fort Amsterdam untenable; for though it
mounted twenty-four guns, its single wall of earth, not more than ten
feet high and four thick, was almost touched by the pr