Morning journal and courier., 1881-01-15
Long Island Sound.

9CS
 
 Long Island Sound.
 The Ancient Records as Referring to the
 First Discovery of This Body of Water.
 Historians have told us that Capt. Ditmar was the first Englishman who sailed through Long Island Sound, and that his passage was made in the early part of the year 1919, but from an ancient map now on file in the royal archives at the Hague, Holland, the Dutch must have formed acquaintance with Long Island Sound previous to 1916. Prefacing the History of New Netherlands, or New York Under the Dutch, '' is a map of the New Netherlands, and it gives a very correct idea of the Connecticut and Long Island coasts. New Haven harbor is also defined, and East and West Rocks are located, which are called the Red Mounts" Descriptive of the map it is said that ssthe original carte igurative, of which the map is an accurate fac-simile, was found on the 26th of June, 1s41, in the PLoket Kas of the States General in the royal archivesat the Hague. It was annexed to the memorial presented to the States General on the 18th of August, 1916, by the directors of New Netherlands, praying for a special Octray, according to the Placaat of 27th March, 1914, as is referred to in the memo rial as showing the extent of the discoveries made by Schipper Cornelius Hendricksen of Munichendam, in small yacht of eight lasts GIG tons) burthen, named the 'Onrust' (The Restless), which the memorialists had caused to be built in New Netherlands" '"
 On the map the Connecticut and Housa- tonic rivers are located, and the Norwalk and other islands in the Sound. The history tells us relative to the first passage through the Sound by the Dutch Ca number of years after the brave Hudson had discovered the river bearing his name) that in 1914 an expedition was fitted out from Amsterdam, under the command of Adrian Block and Hendrick Corstiaensen of Amsterdam, on an exploring expedition to the mouth of the great river of the Manhattans. The work says: ''In the meantime the ordinance of the 27thMarch exci- ted considerable animation and activity among adventurers. A number of merchants be- longing to Amsterdam and Horn fitted out and despatched four ships, viz, the Little Fox, the Nightingale, the Tiger and the For tune, the two last under the command of Adrian Block and Hendrick Corstiaensen of Amsterdam. A fifth vessel also called the Fortune belonged to Horn, and was com manded by Capt. Cornelius Jacobson Mey. These well known navigators proceeded on the exploring expedition 'tto the mouth of the great river of the Manhattans. Soon af- ter arrival Blocks ship was burned. He at once set to work and constructed yacht, 3S feet keel and III feet beam, and called her the Restless
 This was the first specimen of European architecture seen in our waters. Block ex- plored the east coast of Manhattan Island, sailed up East river, gave Hell Gate it's name (Hellegat). after a branch of the river Scheldt, in Flanders. He called Long Island Mettoack, or Sewan-hackey Qand of shells). The Housatonic river he called the 'sRiver of the Red Mountains, J which no doubt took it's name from East and West Rocks, as they ap- pear from vessel in the middle of Long Island Sound to be the vicinity of the mouth of the Housatonic river. He then sailed eastward and ascended stream which he named the Fresh Water-now the Connecti- cut river. He then passed out of the Sound eastward, and mentions islands at the east end of the Sound, since called Fisher and Plum Islands, and sights the islands since called Martha's Vineyard, sights Narragansett Bay which he called Bay of Nassau, and in his course discovers Block Island, which bears his name. He then examined the southern shores of Long Island, and fol- lowed the continent down to the Delaware river, where we leave him. This is probably | JaG aeA r Tz1z n Connecticut coasts in 8 map. Long Island Block named Nahican.
 To many the following in relation to Cap tain Ditmar, before mentioned will be of interest, it being from very ancient volume "Captain Ditmar sailed in 8 pinnace, May 26, 1619, from Nam oack, with five or six seamen and two French men, for Virginia. Mamoack was point on the southern part of Cape Cod He was taken prisoner by the Indians just before | starting, but got clear and sailed for Virginia l He steered along the coast between Long Island and the main being the first who passed through, and finds it to be an island 1 50 leagues in length, before accounted part | of the main. Thence sails along the coast l arrives at Cape Charles Sept. 7th, and the next day at the mouth of the James river" As further showing that the site of New Haven and surrounding country were called l the Red Mounts by the Dutch, we copy the l following from the correspondence of the I Rt. Worshipful William Kieft, Governor of the Dutch in New Netherlands and Theoph | illus Eaton, Esq; Governor of New Haven l colony. Said correspondence was carried on ! during the month of August, 1646.
 The commissioners of Connecticut com plained of several insolences and injuries l with an high hand lately committed and l maintained by the Dutch agent and some of l his family to the disturbance of the peace | fI,aro 1a4a1 I--k 1 Governor against New Haven, with the an- swer returned, were read The protest was written in Latin, the contents in English be- | ing as follows: s
 We, William Kieft, General Director. and | the Senate of New Netherlands for the High and Mighty Lords the States of the United | Belgique Provinces, for His Excellency the Prince of Orange, and for the most noble Lords, the administrators of the West India 1 company. To thee Theophilus Eaton Cover l nor of this place, by us called the Red Hills, in New Netherlands, but by the English called New Haven, we give notice that for l some years past, yours (without any occasion given by us and without any necessity im- posed upon them, but with an unsuitable de- | sire of possessing that which is ours, against our protestations, against the law of nations | and the ancient league the Kings Majesty of Great Britain, and our Superiors) have indi- rectly entered the limit of New Netherlands
 
 very injurious unto us, neither have they given satisfaction, though oft required; and because you and yours have of late deter l mined to fasten your foot near Mauritius river (now the Housatonic) in this Province and there not only to disturb our trade (of noe man hitherto questioned) and to draw it to yourselves, but utterly to destroy it, were compelled again to protest and by these presents doe protest against you as breakers of the peace, and disturbers of the publick quiet-now if you do not restore the places you have usurped and repair the loss we have suffered, we shall by such means as God af- lords, manfully recover them. Neither do we think this crosses your public peace. but shall cast the cause of the ensuing evil upon you. Given in Amsterdam forte, Aug. 3, 1616, new style. WILLIAM KIEFT.
 The Court Record.
 Supreme Court of Errors.