APPENDICES. 417

of our common peace and welfare, so that at once the previous and much wished for peace of this place may be and remain permanent. This day in the name of us all.

POSTEL.

We cannot, at present, resolve to attack the Indians at Mareckkawick, as they have not given us hitherto any provocation, and as it would draw down an unrighteous war upon our heads, especially as we are well assured that they would be on their guard and hard to beat, and apparently excite more enemies, and be productive of much injury to us, whilst we trust that it will, through GodÕs mercy, now result in a good issue.

But in case they evince a hostile disposition, every man must do his beat to defend himself.

Meanwhile each must be on his guard and arm himself, as is done here, according as time and circumstances shall best determine.

In presence of the Honble Director, the Fiscal, Everardus Bogardus, preacher, Hendrick van Dyck, Gbysbert Op Dyck, and Oloff Stevenson. Done the 27th of February, Ao 1643 in Fort Amsterdam. New Netherlands.

It may, perhaps, seem strange to our readers that we have not, in the earlier part of this history, given some extended notice of the Indians who inhabited the territory now occupied by the City of Brooklyn. We omitted to do so, because the Subject was obscure at the best; because the Indians of Brooklyn resembled Indians elsewhere in every respect; and because the very little that is known of their political divisions, their habits, etc., etc., has already been sufficiently Stated in our State and Island Histories—of which we refer our reader to O’Callaghan’s Hist. of New Neth., i., p. 49; BrodheadÕs Hist. N. Y., i., p. 73; ThompsonÕs Hist. L.I., i., pp. 93-95; Furman’s Notes on Brooklyn, pp. 5, 6; and Prime’s Hist. L.I., pp. 90-120: It will suffice to say here, in addition to what has already been stated in our text, that the Marechawiecks, who inhabited Brooklyn, were of the