The boat on which wagons were taken across, was the most clumsy scow it was ever my ill fortune to handle, and his slaves the most stupid to be found in all New Amsterdam. One was forced to send the unwieldy craft along by heavy sweeps, which were fashioned so rudely that I dare venture to say there was twice as much of timber in them as was necessary, and that foolish negro who failed to lift one of them at the proper time, found that the current swung it around with a force that sent him sprawling in the bottom of the boat. More than once have I picked one of the thick-headed black men up from beneath the feet of the horses, and spent no little time trying to recover the oar. However, there was not much passing to and fro, for there were but few farms on the big island, and a goodly portion of the time I spent in the thatched shed which was put up for the pleasure of those who were forced to await Nicholas Steinburg's slow motions. It is wearying work, looking after a ferry, even though one gets as wage one-half the money paid over to him, and I would not thus have spent my time, had I not been taught by Master Minuit that he who squanders his days in idleness is the same as reproaching God for permitting him to live. Then came the day when I rejoiced secretly, and many another man with me, because of what Director Stuyvesant had done to wrong us. THE COMING OF THE ENGLISH It was reported that the English, with four ships, had arrived at Boston from England, and were making ready to come against New Amsterdam, to the end that it might be taken from the Dutch, even as they had taken Trinity and Christina from the Swedes. We knew that there could be no doubt as to the truth of the news, for even the names and strength of the ships were given, and there was little question but that they had already sailed from Boston, therefore did we have reason to believe the fleet would be in our harbor very soon. [Illustration] The force which King Charles had sent on advice of his brother, the Duke of York, was made up of the _Guinea_, carrying thirty-six guns, the _Elias_ with thirty, the _Martin_ with sixteen, and the _William and Nicholas_ with ten, making ninety-two guns against our twenty-two bombards, culverins, and serpentines. It was reported also that many of the English from Hartford, who believed they had cause of complaint against Master Stuyvesant, had joined themselves to the soldiers sent from England, and that no less a person than Governor Winthrop was with them. To show how complete was the information which came to us discontented ones of New Amsterdam, it is only needed for me to say that we even knew that the English commander was Colonel Richard Nicolls, who was to be Deputy Governor of the West India Company's possessions when he had captured them. A WEAK DEFENSE