are him
with no one better than with one D. van Ecke, lately the minister at
Armuyden, in Zeeland, more in life, conversation and gestures than in
person. As it is not strange in these countries to have men as
ministers who drink, we could imagine nothing else than that he had
been drinking a little this morning. His text was, "Come unto me all
ye," etc., but he was so rough that even the roughest and most godless
of our sailors were astonished.

The church being in the fort, we had an opportunity to look through
the latter, as we had come too early for preaching. It is not large;
it has four points or batteries; it has no moat outside, but is
enclosed with a double row of palisades. It is built from the
foundation with quarry stone. The parapet is of earth. It is well
provided with cannon, for the most part of iron, though there were
some small brass pieces, all bearing the mark or arms of the
Netherlanders. The garrison is small. There is a well of fine water
dug in the fort by the English, contrary to the opinion of the Dutch,
who supposed the fort was built upon rock, and had therefore never
attempted any such thing. There is, indeed, some indication of stone
there, for along the edge of the water below the fort there is a very
large rock extending apparently under the fort, which is built upon
the point formed by the two rivers, namely, the East River, which is
the water running between the Mahatans and Long Island, and the North
River, which runs straight up to Fort Orange. In front of the fort, on
the Long Island side, there is a small island called Noten Island (Nut
Island),[100] around the point of which vessels must go in sailing out
or in, whereby they are compelled to pass close by the point of the
fort, where they can be flanked by several of the batteries. It has
only one gate, and that is on the land side, opening upon a broad
plain or street, called the Broadway or Beaverway. Over this gate are
the arms of the Duke of York. During the time of the Dutch there were
two gates, namely, another on the water side; but the English have
closed it, and made a battery there, with a false gate. In front of
the church is inscribed the name of Governor Kyft, who caused the same
to be built in the year 1642.[101] It has a shingled roof, and upon
the gable towards the water there is a small wooden tower, with a bell
in it, but no clock. There is a sun-dial on three sides. The front of
the fort stretches east and west,