the quaker colonies-第28节
按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
ters； and powder were collected。 A ship of war was sent from Holland； accompanied by two other vessels whose names alone； Great Christopher and King Solomon； should have been sufficient to scare all the Swedes。 At New Amsterdam； Stuyvesant labored night and day to fit out the expedition。 A French privateer which happened to be in the harbor was hired。 Several other vessels； in all seven ships； and six or seven hundred men； with a chaplain called Megapolensis； composed this mighty armament gathered together to drive out the handful of poor hardworking Swedes。 A day of fasting and prayer was held and the Almighty was implored to bless this mighty expedition which； He was assured； was undertaken for 〃the glory of His name。〃 It was the absurdity of such contrasts as this running all through the annals of the Dutch in America that inspired Washington Irving to write his infinitely humorous 〃History of New York from the Beginning of the World to the End of the Dutch Dynasty；〃 by 〃Diedrich Knickerbocker。〃 It is difficult for an Anglo…Saxon to take the Dutch in America seriously。 What can you do with a people whose imagination allowed them to give such names to their ships as Weigh Scales； Spotted Cow； and The Pear Tree？ So Irving described the taking of Fort Casimir in mock heroic manner。 He describes the marshaling of the Dutch hosts of New York by families； the Van Grolls of Anthony's Nose； the Brinkerhoffs； the Van Kortlandts； the Van Bunschotens of Nyack and Kakiat； the fighting men of Wallabout； the Van Pelts； the Say Dams； the Van Dams； and all the warriors of Hellgate 〃clad in their thunder…and…lightning gaberdines；〃 and lastly the standard bearers and bodyguards of Peter Stuyvesant； bearing the great beaver of the Manhattan。
〃And now commenced the horrid din； the desperate struggle； the maddening ferocity； the frantic desperation； the confusion and self…abandonment of war。 Dutchman and Swede commingled； tugged； panted； and blowed。 The heavens were darkened with a tempest of missives。 Bang！ went the guns； whack！ went the broadswords； thump！ went the cudgels； crash！ went the musket…stocks； blows； kicks； cuffs； scratches； black eyes and bloody noses swelling the horrors of the scene！ Thick； thwack； cut and hack； helter…skelter； higgledy…piggledy； hurly…burly； heads…over…heels； rough…and…tumble！ Dunder and blixum！ swore the Dutchmen； splitter and splutter！ cried the Swedes。 Storm the works！ shouted Hardkoppig Peter。 Fire the mine！ roared stout RisingTantarar…ra…ra！ twanged the trumpet of Antony Van Corlear；until all voice and sound became unintelligible；grunts of pain； yells of fury； and shouts of triumph mingling in one hideous clamor。 The earth shook as if struck with a paralytic stroke； trees shrunk aghast； and withered at the sight； rocks burrowed in the ground like rabbits； and even Christina creek turned from its course； and ran up a hill in breathless terror！〃
As a matter of fact； the fort surrendered without a fight on September 1； 1655。 It was thereupon christened New Amstel； afterwards New Castle； and was for a long time the most important town on the Delaware。 This achievement put the Dutch in complete authority over the Swedes on both sides of the river。 The Swedes； however； were content； abandoned politics； secluded themselves on their farms； and left politics to the Dutch。 Trade； too； they left to the Dutch； who； in their effort to monopolize it； almost killed it。 This conquest by their High Mightinesses also ended the attempts of the New Englanders； particularly the people of New Haven； to get a foothold in the neighborhood of Salem； New Jersey； for which they had been struggling for years。 They had dreams of a great lake far to northward full of beaver to which the Delaware would lead them。 Their efforts to establish themselves survived in one or two names of places near Salem； as； for example； New England Creek； and New England Channel； which down almost into our own time was found on charts marking one of the minor channels of the bay along the Jersey shore。 They continued coming to the river in ships to trade in spite of restrictions by the Dutch； and some of them in later years； as has been pointed out； secured a foothold on the Cohansey and in the Cape May region； where their descendants are still to be found。
Chapter XIII。 The English Conquest
It is a curious fact that the ancestor of the numerous Beekman family in New York； after whom Beekman Street is named； was for a time one of the Dutch governors on the Delaware who afterwards became the sheriff of Esopus； New York。 His successor on the Delaware had some thoughts of removing the capital down to Odessa on the Appoquinimink； when an event long dreaded happened。 In 1664； war broke out between England and Holland； long rivals in trade and commerce； and all the Dutch possessions in the New World fell an easy prey to English conquerors。 A British fleet took possession of New Amsterdam； which surrendered without a struggle。 But when two British men of war under Sir Robert Carr appeared before New Amstel on the Delaware； Governor D'Hinoyossa unwisely resisted； and his untenable fort was quickly subdued by a few broadsides and a storming party。 This opposition gave the conquering party； according to the custom of the times； the right to plunder； and it must be confessed that the English soldiers made full use of their opportunity。 They plundered the town and confiscated the land of prominent citizens for the benefit of the officers of the expedition。
After the English conquest on the Delaware； not a few of the Dutch migrated to Maryland； where their descendants； it is said； are still to be found。 Some in later years returned to the Delaware； where on the whole； notwithstanding the early confiscations； English rule seemed to promise well。 The very first documents； the terms of surrender both on the Delaware and on the Hudson； breathed an air of Anglo…Saxon freedom。 Everybody was at liberty to come and go at will。 Hollanders could migrate to the Delaware or to New York as much as before。 The Dutch soldiers in the country； if they wished to remain； were to have fifty acres of land apiece。 This generous settlement seemed in striking contrast to the pinching； narrow interference with trade and individual rights； the seizures and confiscations for private gain； all under pretense of punishment； bad enough on the Delaware but worse at New Amsterdam； which had characterized the rule of the Dutch。
The Duke of York； to whom Delaware was given； introduced trial by jury； settled private titles； and left undisturbed the religion and local customs of the people。 But the political rule of the Duke was absolute as became a Stuart。 He arbitrarily taxed exports and imports。 Executive； judicial； and legislative powers were all vested in his deputy governor at New York or in creatures appointed and controlled by him。 It was the sort of government the Duke hoped to impose upon all Great Britain when he should come to the throne； and he was trying his 'prentice hand in the colonies。 A political rebellion against this despotism was started on the Delaware by a man named Konigsmarke； or the Long Finn； aided by an Englishman； Henry Coleman。 They were captured and tried for treason； their property was confiscated； and the Long Finn branded with the letter R； and sold as a slave in the Barbados。 They might be called the first martyrs to foreshadow the English Revolution of 1688 which ended forever the despotic reign of the Stuarts。
The Swedes continued to form the main body of people on the Delaware under the regime of the Duke of York； and at the time when William Penn took possession of the country in 1682 their settlements extended from New Castle up through Christina； Marcus Hook； Upland （now Chester）； Tinicum； Kingsessing in the modern West Philadelphia； Passyunk； Wicaco； both in modern Philadelphia； and as far up the river as Frankford and Pennypack。 They had their churches at Christina； Tinicum； Kingsessing； and Wicaco。 The last； when absorbed by Philadelphia； was a pretty little hamlet on the river shore； its farms belonging to a Swedish family called Swanson whose name is now borne by one of the city's streets。 Across the river in New Jersey； opposite Chester； the Swedes had settlements on Raccoon Creek and round Swedesboro。 These river settlements constituted an interesting and from all accounts a very attractive Scandinavian community。 Their strongest bond of union seems to have been their interest in their Lutheran churches on the river。 They spread very little into the interior； made few roads； and lived almost exclusively on the river or on its navigable tributaries。 One reason they gave for this preference was that it was easier to reach the different churches by boat。
There were only about a thousand Swedes along the Delaware and possibly five hundred of Dutch and mixed blood； together with a few English； all living a life of abundance on a fine river amid pleasing scenery； with good supplies of fish and game； a fertile soil； and a wilderness of opportunity to the west of them。 All were well pleased to be relieved from the stagnant despotism of the Duke of York and to take part in the free popular government of William Penn in Pennsylvania。 They became magi
