22 HISTORY OF BROOKLYN.

new clergyman of Manhattan. Scarcely had he assumed the duties of office, before the new director became involved in broils with English sea-captains and with the patroons, in which lie displayed but little wisdom, self-respect, or courage. Yet he had, in some respects, a keen perception of what was needed for the prosperity of the company, and was ambitious to promote its interests. On the 8th of June, 1633, he purchased from the Indians a large tract of land, on the Fresh or Connecticut River, originally discovered by Block, in 1614, since which time it bad been periodically and almost exclusively visited by the Dutch traders, whose purchases formed no slight portion of the annual harvest of furs and other commodities. On this spot, the site of the present beautiful city of Hartford, a trading-post was erected, fortified with two cannon, and named “The House of Good Hope.” This soon brought them in conflict with the English colonists of New Plymouth, who established a fort at Windsor, a little above, and resisted a force of Dutch soldiery sent to disperse them. Meanwhile, at New Amsterdam, the fort was properly repaired, a guardhouse, barracks, church, parsonage, director’s house, and other improvements were in course of construction, and houses were also commenced at Fort Orange, at Pavonia, and Fort Nassau. The Indians were very troublesome this year, especially the Pequods on the Connecticut, and the Raritans of New Jersey, with the latter of whom a peace was fortunately concluded in 1634.

All this while, in “the Fatherland,” there was great wrangling between the company and the patroons, and finally the questions in dispute being brought before the States-General were by them referred to a committee, before whom, in June, 1634, the patroons presented certain claims, together with a statement of their grounds of complaint against the company. After a patient hearing of the case, the States-General postponed their decision, and finally, in February, 1635, the Board of Nineteen effected a compromise of the matter by purchasing from the patroons their colonies on the South River. In that region the English, during the following summer, made an aggressive attempt to oust the Dutch, but were foiled; in the broad and beautiful valley of the Connecticut, however, during this and the succeeding year (1636), they encroached,