Document: Letter from William Beeckman to director Stuyvesant

My Lord General:

As soon as I learned from Derek Keyser here that Frans Kriegier was sending an Indian to Manhattan, I could not omit dispatching these few lines in haste.

My last letter to you was on the 10th of this month by Jan de Kaper. Since then little of note has occurred, except that about four weeks ago I learned from the Hoerekil that, according to the Indians, a bark was stranded between Cape Hinlopen and Virginia Bay, and that three Dutchmen from the same bark were with them in the country. I also learned from these Indians about twelve days ago that a small three masted ship was lost near Barnegat[1] from which only one man has survived. He came to them in their country almost naked.

My Lord, since my last letter I have sold the rest of the horses, trading them for fattened cattle, pigs, and a quantity of bread grain; therefore, our magazine is provided for about a year with bacon and beef. Some additional fattened pigs and grain are due this fall for the seven Swedish horses, according to agreement.

Mr. d'Hinojosse has not yet received any letters from the fatherland by way of Maryland (for which he is most anxious).

Willem Beeckman
Petrus Stuyvesant