no ravages to be perpetrated on the property of the vanquished; and even gave one of his bravest officers a severe admonition with his walking-staff, for having been detected in the act of sacking a hen-roost.

He moreover issued a proclamation, inviting the inha→ bitants to submit to the authority of their high mightinesses; but declaring, with unexampled clemency, that whoever refused should be lodged at the public expense, in a goodly castle provided for the purpose, and have an armed retinue to wait on them in the bargain. In conse quence of these beneficent terms, about thirty Swedes stepped manfully forward and took the oath of allegiance; in reward for which they were graciously permitted to remain on the banks of the Delaware, where their descendants reside at this very day. But I am told by divers observant travellers, that they have never been able to get over the chap-fallen looks of their ancestors, and do still unaccountably transmit from father to son, manifest marks of the sound drubbing given them by the sturdy Amsterdammers.ca

The whole country of New Sweden having thus yielded to the arms of the triumphant Peter, was reduced to a colony called South River, and placed under the superintendence of a lieutenant governor; subject to the control of the supreme government at New-Amsterdam. This great dignitary was called Mynheer William Beekman, or rather Beck-man, who derived his surname, as did Ovidius Naso of yore, from the lordly dimensions of his nose, which projected from the centre of his countenance, like the beak of a parrot. He was the great progenitor of the tribe of the Beekmans, one of the most ancient and honourable families of the province, the members of which do gratefully commemorate the origin of their dignity, not as your noble families in England would do, by having a glowing proboscis emblazoned in their escutcheon, but by one

and all, wearing a right goodly nose, stuck, in the very middle of their faces.

Thus was this perilous enterprize gloriously terminated, with the loss of only two men: Wolfert Van Horne, a tall spare man, who was knocked overboard by the boom of a sloop, in a flaw of wind; and fat Brom Van Bummel, who was suddenly carried off by an indigestion:: both, however, were immortalized, as having bravely fallen in the service of their country. True it is, Peter Stuyvesant had one of his limbs terribly fractured, being shattered to pieces in the act of storming the fortress; but as it was fortunately his wooden leg, the wound was promptly and effectually healed.

And now nothing remains to this branch of my history, but to mention, that this immaculate hero, and his victorious army, returned joyously to the Manhattoes, marching under the shade of their laurels, as did the followers of young Malcolm, under the moving forest of Dunsinane, Thus did they make a solemn and triumphant entry into New-Amsterdam, bearing with them the conquered Ri singh, and the remnant of his battered crew, who had refused allegiance. For it appears that the gigantic Swede had only fallen into a swound, at the end of the battle, from whence he was speedily restored by a wholesome tweak of the nose.

These captive heroes were lodged, according to the promise of the governor, at the public expense, in a fair and spacious castle; being the prison of state, of which Stoffel Brinkerhoff, the immortal conqueror of Oyster Bay, was appointed governor; and which has ever since remained in the possession of his descendants,*

• This castle, though very much altered and modernized, is still in being, and stands at the corner of Pearl-street, facing Coentie's slip,

It was a pleasant and goodly sight to witness the joy of the people of New-Amsterdam, at beholding their warriors once more returned from this war in the wilderness. The old women thronged round Anthony Van Corlear, who gave the whole history of the campaign with matchless accuracy; saving that he took the credit of fighting the whole battle himself, and especially of vanquishing the stout Risingh, which he considered himself as clearly entitled to, seeing that it was effected by his own stone pottle.

The schoolmasters throughout the town gave holiday to their little urchins, who followed in droves after the drums, with paper caps on their heads, and sticks in their breeches, thus taking the first lesson in the art of war. As to the sturdy rabble, they thronged at the heels of Peter Stuyvesant wherever he went, waving their greasy hats in the air, and shouting " Hard-koppig Piet for ever!"

It was, indeed, a day of roaring rout and jubilee. A huge dinner was prepared at the Stadthouse in honour of the conquerors, where were assembled in one glorious constellation, the great and the little luminaries of New-Amsterdam. There were the lordly schout and his obsequious deputy-the burgomasters with their officious schepens at their elbows-the subaltern officers at the elbows of the schepens; and so on, to the lowest grade of illustrious hangers-on of police; every tag having his rag at his side, to finish his pipe, drink off his heel-taps, and laugh at his flights of immortal dulness. In short, for a city feast is a city feast all the world over, and has been a city feast ever since the creation; the dinner went off much the same as do our great corporation junkettings, and fourth of July banquets. Loads of fish, flesh, and fowl, were devoured, oceans of liquor drank, thousands of pipes smoked, and many a dull joke honoured with much obstreperous fatsided laughter.

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HISTORY OF NEW-YORK.

I must not omit to mention, that to this far-famed victory Peter Stuyvesant was indebted for another of his many titles; for so hugely delighted were the honest burghers with his achievements, that they unanimously honoured him with the name of Pieter de Groodt, that is to say, Peter the Great, or as it was translated by the people of New-Amsterdam, Piet de Pig-an appellation which he maintained even unto the day of his death.

END OF BOOK SIXTH.

Book Seventh.

CONTAINING THE THIRD PART OF THE REIGN OF PETER THE HEADSTRONG HIS TROUBLES WITH THE BRITISH NATION; AND THE DECLINE AND FALL OF THE DUTCH DYNASTY.

CHAPTER I.

How Peter Stuyvesant relieved the sovereign people from the burthen of taking care of the nation-with sundry particulars of his conduct in time of peace.

THE history of the reign of Peter Stuyvesant furnishes a melancholy picture of the incessant cares and vexations inseparable from government; and may serve as a solemn warning, to all who are ambitious of attaining the seat of power. Though crowned with victory, enriched by conquest, and returning in triumph to his metropolis, his exultation was checked by beholding the sad abuses that had taken place during the short interval of his absence.

The populace, unfortunately for their own comfort, had taken a deep draught of the intoxicating cup of power, during the reign of William the Testy; and though, upon the accession of Peter Stuyvesant, they felt, with a certain instinctive perception, which mobs as well as cattle possess, that the reigns of government had passed into stronger hands; yet could they not help fretting, and chafing, and champing upon the bit, in restive silence.

It seems by some strange and inscrutable fatality, to be the destiny of most countries, (and more especially of your