y, and in a little
while they would breed a famine, and starve all the inhabitants.

No sooner, therefore, had the general received intimation of the visit of
Governor Risingh, than he ordered a great dinner to be prepared, and
privately sent out a detachment of his most experienced veterans to rob
all the hen-roosts in the neighborhood, and lay the pigstyes under
contribution: a service which they discharged with such zeal and
promptitude, that the garrison table groaned under the weight of their
spoils.

I wish, with all my heart, my readers could see the valiant Van
Poffenburgh, as he presided at the head of the banquet: it was a sight
worth beholding: there he sat in his greatest glory, surrounded by his
soldiers, like that famous wine-bibber, Alexander, whose thirsty virtues
he did most ably imitate, telling astounding stories of his hair-breadth
adventures and heroic exploits; at which, though all his auditors knew
them to be incontinent lies and outrageous gasconades, yet did they cast
up their eyes in admiration, and utter many interjections of astonishment.
Nor could the general pronounce anything that bore the remotest
resemblance to a joke, but the stout Risingh would strike his brawny fist
upon the table till every glass rattled again, throw himself back in the
chair, utter gigantic peals of laughter, and swear most horribly it was
the best joke he ever heard in his life. Thus all was rout and revelry and
hideous carousal within Fort Casimir, and so lustily did Van Poffenburgh
ply the bottle, that in less than four short hours he made himself and his
whole garrison, who all sedulously emulated the deeds of their chieftain,
dead drunk, with singing songs, quaffing bumpers, and drinking patriotic
toasts, none of which but was as long as a Welsh pedigree or a plea in
Chancery.

No sooner did things come to this pass, than Risingh and his Swedes, who
had cunningly kept themselves sober, rose on their entertainers, tied them
neck and heels, and took formal possession of the fort and all its
dependencies, in the name of Queen Christina of Sweden, administering at
the same time an oath of allegiance to all the Dutch soldiers who could be
made sober enough to swallow it. Risingh then put the fortifications in
order, appointed his discreet and vigilant friend Suen Schute, otherwise
called Skytte, a tall, wind-dried, water-drinking Swede, to the command,
and departed, bearing with him this truly amiable garrison and