The condition of the besieged was daily growing worse. Some were mutinous and many were ill. The fort had been reduced to its last extremity, the guns of the Dutch were pointed at the walls, and everything was ready for an attack. The officers saw the futility of further resistance. It was decided to capitulate on the best terms that could be had. At sunset Stuyvesant was informed that Rising was willing to meet him on the fourteenth. Time and place of meeting having been agreed upon, the “director of New Sweden” and the general director of New Netherland met “on the place of parole between Fort Christina and the headquarters of General Peter Stuyvesant in a large and beautiful tent erected for that purpose.” Rising was accompanied by Von Elswick and Jacob Svensson and Stuyvesant was followed by Vice-Governor de Sille and Major Friedrich de Coeninck. The conference lasted for about an hour. Rising warned his opponent not to press his demands too far, as the consequences might have far-reaching results in Europe, but Stuyvesant would listen to no other terms than “complete and unconditional” surrender. Finally Rising agreed to give up the fort. The articles of surrender, which had been drafted by Elswick at Rising’s request, undoubtedly according to the propositions and suggestions of the different members of the council of war, were presented to Stuyvesant for his approval. Very few changes were made, it seems, so that the treaty became a most favorable one to the Swedes. The capitulation (in eleven articles), which was to be signed by the two governors the next day (September 15), contained the following main points: The garrison should march out of the fort to Timber Island with all the honors of war; all chattels, “belonging to the High Crown of Sweden and the South Company ... in and about Fort Christina,” should remain the property of said parties and should be turned over to the owners, whenever demanded; likewise “all writings, letters, documents and deeds of the High Crown of Sweden and the South Company or of private persons, found in Fort Christina,” were to “remain untouched without hindrance and visitation in the hands of the governor and his people, to take them away, whenever they please”; “the officials, officers, soldiers and freemen ... [were to be allowed to] keep their own movable goods unhindered and undamaged,” and they were permitted to dispose of them in any manner they saw fit; the Swedes were to have liberty to leave the country without restriction, and all who returned home should be transported to Gothenburg free of expense; Rising should have the right to admonish his own people to return to their native land in case some were inclined to remain, the length of 1½ years to be granted to such as could not go at once, in which “to dispose of their movable and immovable property”; all who wished to remain in the country under Dutch jurisdiction could do so, and they