The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1902-04-05

should make any important discoveries
in the New World. Under this cdict iivr
vessels, fitted ont by merchants of Ans
tcrd0m. sailed to tn" mouth of the Man
haitian River. rs tn" liudSom was thru
called. One of the vessels the Fortune.
commanded by Captain Cornelius Jacob
son M"y. subsequently sailed south and
entered tn" Dclawar" Bay. 1t is from
him that the eastern cap" of the Della
ware Bay derives the name of Cape May.
One of these vessels was burned and
to supply its place IL smaller one was
built. in which. after the return of tn"
others. Captain IIcmdrickson who was
left in charge of the new vessel proceed
ed to explore the Delaware Bay and
River. He assembled the latter as far rs
the mouth of the Schuylkill. and is be
licyed to have been the first white man
that ever trod upon the soil of the State
of Delaware. While here h" purchased
three native inhabitants from the Min
quaS. who held them in slavery. for
whom he gave in exchange kettles beads
and merchandise. This happened III
1916. The Delaware River has been
known by many names. Vincent. i'll his
history of the State, Informs his readers
that the Indians called il by no less than
five. The Dutch called it Xuydt. or
South River; by which name it is fire.
Qucntly mentioned in tn" early records of
this county; they also called ii Nassau
River. and Prince Hendricks or Charles
River: the SwrdrS. New Swedcland
stream; the English, Delaware from Lord
Della war. the title of Sir Thomas West.
who occupied II prominent position in the
early history of Virginia.
The privileges of the first Company
having expired. another one called the
West India Company was chartered for
the purpose Of cffccting settlements and
trading with the natives along III" shores
of the South River. Under the auspices
Of this Company. II settlement was made
and Il fort called Fort Nassau construct
cd II short distance below Philadelphia
on the ether side Of the river. near where
the town of Gloucester, New Jersey, now
stands THIS was done in 1923. The his
tory of this fort is Shroudrd in ohSculity.
Some of tn" early Swedish writer's affirm
that it was abandoned by the Dutch after
they had conquered the Swcd"S. and was
found in po.SrSSion of the Indians in
| 1893. Other writers, assert that tn"
Dutch at New Amsterdam maintained II
| trading post thor" for many years, and
till after the Swch"S had established
themselves on the other sid" of tn" Della
ware River.
The next rlr"l to effect Il settlement
on the Delaware was pr" ably made in
| 1851. for the time is not very certain.
This settlement. which the Dutch called
| Swnncndalc. was at Lrw"S. and was
| Il. Tl,t, IA
|rXpcrtcd to realize much gain from catch
| ing whales i'll the Dclawar" Bay. The
colony was brought over by David Prit-
crzcn DE NrcS, Il IIollandcr. who, after
leaving il comfortably locatSl under COM
mand of one ellis IIossctt, returned to
his native country. The next year DE
NricS revisited Swancndalc and found
that some time during the interval the
whole colony had been maSsacrch by the
Indians. De Vrics learned from the In
dams that the celonists had erected Il
pillar on which they had fastened q piece
Of tin, upon which was traced the coat
of-arms of the united provinces. One of
| the chiefs wanted the tin to make into
tobacco pipes and took it away, which
gave offence to the officer in command,
who complained to the Indians so bitterly
that to appeasc his wrath they slew the
offender. The Dutch regretted the death
of the chief, and told the Indians they
had done wrong to kill him. Subsequent
ly, some Of the friends of the murdered
Indian resolved TO avcngc his death, and
taking advantage of Il favorable Oppor-
ltunity when all the Dutch, except Il sick
man, were at work in tn" field. attacked
and slew them all.