the Swedes, leaving New Amsterdam unprotected,
that the river Indians, watchful of their opportunity, invaded and laid
waste the surrounding country. In 1663 the savages attacked the village
on the Esopus, now Kingston, and almost destroyed it. It was not until
the energetic governor made a vigorous campaign against the Esopus
tribe, whom he completely subdued, that peace was established on a firm
footing.

[Illustration: New Amsterdam in the middle of the Seventeenth Century.]

[Illustration: The Duke of York, afterwards James II.]

[1664]

But the Dutch sway in their little part of the New World was about to
end. The English had never given over their claim to the country by
virtue of their first discovery of the North American continent. The New
Netherlanders, tired of arbitrary rule, sighed for the larger freedom of
their New England neighbors. Therefore, when in 1664 Charles II. granted
to his brother, the Duke of York, the territory which the Dutch were
occupying, and sent a fleet to demand its submission, the English
invader was welcomed.

[Illustration: The Tomb of Stuyvesant. "In this Vault lies buried PETRUS
STUYVESANT late Captain Genral & Governor in Chief of Amsterdam, In New
Netherland now called New York and the Dutch West India Islands. Died
A.D. 1672 Aged 80 years."]

Almost the only resistance came from the stout-hearted governor, who
could hardly be dissuaded from fighting the English single-handed, and
who signed the agreement to surrender only when his magistrates had, in
spite of him, agreed to the proposed terms. But the founders of the
Empire State have left an indelible impress upon the Union, which their
descendants have helped to strengthen and perpetuate. They were honest,
thrifty, devout, tolerant of the opinions of others. As Holland
sheltered the English Puritans from ecclesiastical intolerance, so New
Netherland welcomed within her borders the victims of New England
bigotry and narrowness.

CHAPTER VIII.

THE FIRST INDIAN WARS

[1637]

Troubles between the Indians and the whites arose so early as 1636. John
Oldham was murdered on Block Island by a party of Pequot Indians. Vane
of Massachusetts sent Endicott to inflict punishment. The Pequots in
turn attacked the fort at Saybrook, and in 1637 threatened Wethersfield.
They were planning a union with the Narragansets for the destruction of
the English, when Roger Williams informed the Massachusetts colony of
their designs