PETER OF NEW AMSTERDAM A STORY OF OLD NEW YORK BY JAMES OTIS [Illustration] NEW YORK -:- CINCINNATI -:- CHICAGO AMERICAN BOOK COMPANY COPYRIGHT, 1910, BY JAMES OTIS KALER ENTERED AT STATIONERS' HALL, LONDON W. P. 4 FOREWORD The purpose of this series of stories is to show the children, and even those who have already taken up the study of history, the _home life_ of the colonists with whom they meet in their books. To this end every effort has been made to avoid anything savoring of romance, and to deal only with facts, so far as that is possible, while describing the daily life of those people who conquered the wilderness whether for conscience sake or for gain. That the stories may appeal more directly to the children, they are told from the viewpoint of a child, and purport to have been related by a child. Should any criticism be made regarding the seeming neglect to mention important historical facts, the answer would be that these books are not sent out as histories,--although it is believed that they will awaken a desire to learn more of the building of the nation,--and only such incidents as would be particularly noted by a child are used. Surely it is entertaining as well as instructive for young people to read of the toil and privations in the homes of those who came into a new world to build up a country for themselves, and such homely facts are not to be found in the real histories of our land. JAMES OTIS. CONTENTS CHAPTER PAGE WHERE I WAS BORN 9 ALONE IN HOLLAND 11 AN IMPORTANT INTRODUCTION 13 I GO MY WAY 15 THE BARGAIN 16 SAILING FOR THE NEW WORLD 18 A VIEW OF NEW NETHERLAND 20 THE "BROWN MEN" OR SAVAGES 22 SUMMONED TO THE CABIN 24 TOYS FOR THE SAVAGES 27 CLAIM OF THE WEST INDIA COMPANY 29 MAKING READY FOR TRADE 30 HANS BRAUN AND KRYN GILDERSLEEVE 32 THE GATHERING OF THE SAVAGES 34 GOING ASHORE 36 BUYING THE ISLAND OF MANHATTAN 38 BOATS USED BY THE SAVAGES 41 WANDERING OVER THE ISLAND 42 THE HOMES OF THE SAVAGES 44 MASTER MINUIT'S HOME 46 BEGINNING THE WORK 48 A STRANGE KIND OF CRAFT 49 BUILDING A FORT 52 IN CHARGE OF THE GOODS 53 THE VALUE OF WAMPUM 56