The Warner sun. (Warner, Brown Co., Dakota [S.D.]) 1885-1???, 1886-07-09
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DUTCH INDIANS.
Their Attack Upon Henncry TWO
Centuries Ago-A Demor-
allied Band.

n The Brooklyn Eagle, an account of
udicrous incident is to be found, which,
neager as it is, exhibits our forefatherS
IN the Dutch side of the house in a
humorous vein that we are hardly ac-
,ustomed to accredit them with. Dur
ne the troublous days of 1866, while
Did, one-legged Peter Stuyvesant was
absent in Delaware, in the forlorn hope
If driving the Swedes away from their
settlements, the enthusiastic red men
ndulged in little diversion, and some
nineteen hundred strong swooped
iown upon New Amsterdam. They
nad lots of fun, and many Mohawks,
md not few Dutchmen, went to their
asst account. The Indians had much
Orovocation and were particularly
hostile to the Dutch. Toward the
English they professed warm friend
ship, but they sent out word to the
Dutch farmers on Long island and IN
New Jersey that they proposed to boy
;Ott them in a manner so thorough that
40 descendant of theirs should remain
10 dispute possession with their English
aeighbors. The isolated farmers on
the sound side of the island were greatly
terrified at these threats, and when
three canoes full of hostile savages
came bobbing through He'll gate one
autumn afternoon and the Indians gath
cred in Pieter Andriessen de Schoor-
3teenveger, who was moving on his
plantation, adjoining Annette JAMS
farm at Dominies Hook, their demoral-
lzation was complete. What became of
Pieter Andriessen de Schoorsteenveger
beyond the fact that he never more was
seen. is not known, but perhaps his
leighbors concluded that a man with
such a name did not deserve to have
lis fate investigated. The farmers bar
red their log cabins at night, and
dreaded lest the dark forest which sur
rounded their clearing hid the forms of
heir dusky foes. The old matchbox
olunderbusses were kept loaded so that
they were as dangerous at one end as
The other. and the women and children
we're huddled together in places of safe
~ where they were less exposed to the
attacks of the savages. The honest
Dutch farmer moved with his gun
standing in the corner of the fence, or
hanging from the limb of tree within
| easy reach. Harrassing rumors of In
lian depredations kept the settlers in
state of nervous terror, and they were
ready to credit every sound after night
iall to the merciless foe.
1t was during this narrowing period
hat honest Joris de Caper, the honored
ancestor of the Van Alsts, met with
:he following experience, which. while
| It provokes a smile at this date, 230
| 7ears later, was anything but laugh
ng matter to the principals. Joris was
thrifty, and he had harvested goodly
:rop, Notwithstanding the unfavorable
| lines, and it behooved him to thrash his
grain and garner it. He therefore re-
sorted to the neat little device of a
| ,hrashing bee, invited his neighbors,
! opened bottle or two of schnapps and
killed pig. The fails flew about lus-
| ily, and at the end of the first day half
he grain had been thrashed Among
! The farmers who assisted De Caper
we're his father-in-law, Harmen Hend-
/ ficksen, young man named Teunis
Jansen Van Commel, and another
Fegng fellow whom, history treats ano-
nymously. These three agreed to keep
De Caper company all night, and to
hat end the little party took possession
Of the barn, sleeping in the hayloft.
The young farmer whom history treats
10 unkindly was as much in love as a
phlegmatic Dutchman could get to be,
and the fair object of his affections
was Wilhelmina, the youngest daughter
i ot Herr Hendricksen On the night in
i question the lovesick swain repaired to
ihe stronghold where the fair Will
aelmina was stopping with her mother
and sisters. and it was pretty well on
/ ;oward the small hours when the Young
oatroon retraced his steps toward De
Caper's plantation, where his prospec-
i've fathcr-in-law and his companions
we're sleeping. He was trihe nervous
and dared not revive his spirits by
| whistling for fear of attracting the In
lians if any should be lurking about.
The young settlers pace would probably
aave filled modern six-day promen-
lder with envy. He reached the barn
1 gard without mishap, and was con-
graduating himself upon his good for
June when he heard commotion
famong the hens. Thinking skunk or
weasel was at work among the poultry
lhe young PATRON started toward the
lennery. He had taken hardly half a
dozen steps when his blood froze with
horror. Dark forms were fitting about
the poultry yard. There was no mis-
taking the character Of the marauders,
Tor their heads werc ornamented with
feathers. The farmers knees smote to-
! gether and he dared not stir.
just then De Caper opened the barn
loor, and, followed closely by his
friends, stepped out. The robbers see-
1 ing that they could remain no longer