an the child, and as if they
themselves had broken their arms or legs. In another corner of this
house there sat around a fire, forming another household, a party
whose faces were entirely blackened, who observed a gloomy silence and
looked very singular. They were in mourning for a deceased friend. The
Indian, having made himself ready, took both our sacks together and
tied them on his back for the purpose of carrying them, which did not
suit us badly, as we were very tired. He did that without our asking
him, and conducted us in a direction more southeasterly to their king
or _sackemaker_, who lived two or three miles from there. On arriving
there, they immediately offered us some boiled beans in a calabash,
cooked without salt or grease, though they brought us our own kind of
spoons to take them out with. It was the queen who did this, who was
dressed more than the others. She gave us also a piece of their bread,
that is, pounded maize kneaded into a cake and baked under the ashes.
We ate some of it, more for the purpose of satisfying her people, than
our appetite. Meanwhile we agreed with the _sackemaker_ to set us
across the river for three guilders in _zeewan_. We presented
fish-hooks to several of them, but especially to the queen who had
entertained us. The _sackemaker_ being ready, took one of our sacks to
carry, and went on ahead of us; and there went this king, carrying our
pack, almost without any clothing on his body. He conducted us to the
creek which was two or three miles distant to the north and northeast
over a very difficult and rocky hill. On arriving at the creek we saw
there certainly would have been no way of going over, for the water
was very high, and ran like a sluice. We were then put across, I
myself helping the _sackemaker_ and our _sack-carrier_ in doing it, as
it was difficult to go over even in a canoe. He took us a piece of the
way, until we came to the right path, and gave us proper directions
how to proceed further. He was to come for our guide the next day and
carry him back.

We went on through water for the most part east-northeast, until about
three o'clock in the afternoon, when the rain began to hold up, and we
turned into a road on the right, which runs easterly to the Raritans
Kill.[276] We did this because it was nearer, as they said, and also
in order to go to a young Dutchman's and secure good lodgings, of
which we were truly in want. The other road led to Piskatteway to Mr.