orously in reducing the Dutch to subjection." The
Duke of York, soon after the departure of the squadron, conveyed to
Lord Berkeley and Sir George Carteret all the territory between the
Hudson and Delaware rivers, from Cape May north to forty-one degrees
and forty minutes of latitude, "hereafter to be called Nova Caesarea or
New Jersey."

A friend of Governor Stuyvesant, in Boston, sent word to New Amsterdam
of the arrival of the fleet and its destination. An express was
instantly dispatched to Albany to recall the Governor. He hurried back
to the capitol, much chagrined by the thought that he had lost three
weeks. Every able-bodied man was immediately summoned to work at the
city defences, "with spade, shovel and wheelbarrow." This working
party was divided into three classes, one of which was to labor every
day. A permanent guard was organized. The brewers were forbidden to
malt any more grain, that it all might be reserved for food. Six
pieces of cannon were added to the fourteen already mounted. The
garrison at Esopus was summoned to the defence.

About the 20th of August, the English squadron anchored in Nyack Bay,
just below the Narrows, between New Utrecht and Coney Island. A strict
blockade of the river was established. All communication between Long
Island and Manhattan was cut off. Several vessels were captured. Upon
Staten Island, about three miles from where the frigates rode at
anchor, there was a small fort, a block-house, about twenty feet
square. It had been constructed for defence against the savages. For
its armament it had two small guns, carrying one pound balls, and a
garrison of six old invalid soldiers. A party was sent on shore, in
the boats, which captured the fort and also a lot of cattle.

The next morning, which was Saturday, Colonel Nicholls sent a
delegation of four men up to fort Amsterdam, with a summons for the
surrender of "the town situated on the island commonly known by the
name of Manhattoes, with all the forts thereunto belonging." At the
same time proclamations were scattered abroad, forbidding the farmers
from furnishing any supplies to the Dutch garrison, under penalty of
having their houses fired. All the inhabitants of the surrounding
villages, who would quietly submit to his Britannic Majesty, were
promised the safe possession of their property. Those who should
otherwise demean themselves were threatened with all the miseries of
war.

Governor Stuyvesant had but one hun