The following is an extract from a Journal of a Dutch Traveller up the Connecticut River, in 1638, to Hartford, and for a short time was at the fort, then located at what is now called Dutch Point, at the mouth of Little River, at the South East corner of the City of Hartford when the fort was manned and armed about two centuries since, which has been translated from the original Dutch Journal, in the Philadelphia Library.

Third Voyage to New Netherlands (now New York) in Order to erect a Colonie on Staten Island,—for me and Frederick Vries, Secretary of the City of Amsterdam, and Director of the West Indian Co.

* Ad. 1638, Sept. 25. On board of the ship of the West Indian Co. sailed from Holland-Dec. 26, got sight of sand pint (sandy point) the Capt'n imagining to see the land covered with snow, wanted to go to the West Indies to past the winter and return there against Spring. I told him that he certainly could enter into South River, but he hav ing onely a very imperfect chart, did not know that such River existed. Hee then at the request of the passengers who all had their home in the new Netherlands, solicited me to pilot his ship, in which I did, and anchored yet the same evening before Staten Island, which was my property -and put my people on shore.

In the morning of the 27th, we anchored opposite the fort, where we were received with much joy, as they did not expect to see a vessel in that time of the year. I found now there a Governor named William Krift. He bid me welcome, and invited me in his house-1639, Jan'y 5.

Send my people to Staten island to commence the Colonie and buildings. June 4th, went northward with a yacht up the Versche river (I suppose the Connecticut River) where the West Indian Co. possesses a small fort called hreys de Hoop, (the house the hope) and anchored about evening in the easter haven, being a large and commodious haven on the north of long island; this Haven is in the

island. where it is upwards of two miles wide. We found fine oysters there also. The dutch call it the Oyster Bay, or haven. We arrived the next evening on Rhodabergh, a fine haven, and found that the English were building a fine town, having already erected upwards of 300 houses, and fine church. In the morning of the 7th, we came opposite de Versche River, we went up the river and arrived at the 9th with my yacht at the fort het hues de hoop, where we found one Gyslert Van Dyek, as commander, with 14 or 15 soldiers. This fort is situated near the river and a small Kreek, forming there a fall, the English had also began to build here a town, against our will, and had already a fine church, and more than 100 houses erected. The commander gave me Orders to protest against their proceedings-he added that some of his soldiers had prohibited them to put a plough in the ground, being it our land that we had bought of the Indians and payed for it-but they opposed them, and had gave a drubbing to the soldiers. When I came at the settlement the English Governor invited me to dinner. I told him during dinner that he acted very improper to take the lands of the Co. which were bought and payed for by them. He answered me that these lands were laying uncultivated, that we had been here already several years, and nothing was done to improve the ground, that it was a sin to leave such valuable lands uncultivated, that such fine crops could be raised of them, that they had now already built three towns on this river in which abundance of Salmon was (etz.)

The English here live sober. They drink only three times every meal, and those that become drunk are whipt on a pole as the thieves in Holland.

Our traveller speaks here a great deal of the vigerous conduct of the British in that settlement, it was with difficulty that he, the servant of the minister who had been tipsey, got free from being whipt-during he was there, a young man who had been married 2 months, was accused

before the elders of the Church by his brother, that he had slept with his wife before marriage, they were imprisoned and both whipped, and during the time of 6 weeks seperated from one another, perhaps if the fellow had been able to make akers of good ground with its girl, instead of children, they would have been only punished in forfeiting their increase.

BLUE LAWS. (PETERS, &C.)

1. The Governor and Magistrates convened in general Assembly, are the supreme power under God of this inde pendent Dominion.

2. From the determination of the Assembly no appeal shall be made.

3. The Governor is amenable to the voice of the people. 4. The Gov'r shall have only a single vote in determining any question; except a casting vote, when the Assembly may be equally divided.

5. The Assembly of the people shall not be dismissed by the Governor, but shall dismiss itself.

6. Conspiracy against this dominion shall be punished with death. (Re-enacted in 1655.)

7. Whoever says there is power and jurisdiction above and over this Dominion, shall suffer death and loss of prop erty. (Re-enacted 1656.)

8. Whoever attempts to change or overturn this Dominion, shall suffer death. (Also 1655.)

9. If any person turns Quaker, he shall be banished and not suffered to return upon the pain of death.

10. No Priest shall abide in this Dominion: he shall be banished, and suffer death on his return. Priests may be seized by any one without a warrant. 1656.

In force before

* Priest, as here used, refers to those of the Catholic order, as no other clergymen at that time bore the title of Priest.

11. Men stealers shall suffer death. (Re-enacted in 1665.) 12. Whoever sets a fire in the woods and it burnes a house, shall suffer death; and persons suspected of this crime shall be imprisoned without benefit of bail.

13. Adultery shall be punished with death. (Re-enacted in 1665.)

14. The Judge shall determine controversies without a Jury.

15. * No one shall be a freeman or give a vote unless he be converted, and a member in full communion of one of the churches allowed in this Dominion.

16. No man shall hold any office, who is not sound in the faith, and faithful to his Dominion; and whoever gives a vote to such a person, shall pay a fine of £1; for a second offence, he shall be disfranchised.

17. Each Freeman shall swear by the blessed God, to béar true allegiance to this Dominion, and that Jesus Christ is the only King. (Before 1656.)

18. No Quaker or dissenter from the established worship of this Dominion, shall be allowed to give a vote for the election of Magistrates or any officer.

19. No food or lodging shall be afforded to a Quaker, Adamite, or other Heretic.

20. No one to cross a river, but with an authorized ferryman. (Barber.)

21. No one shall run on the sabbath day, or walk in his garden, or elsewhere, except reverently to and from meeting. (Barber.)

22. No one shall travel, cook victuals, make beds, sweep house, cut hair or shave, on the sabbath day. (Barber.) 23. No woman shall kiss her child on the sabbath or fasting day. (Barber.)

24. The sabbath shall begin at sun set on saturday.

This law was never enacted or in force in the Conn. Colony.

25. To pick an ear of corn growing in a neighbours garden, shall be deemed theft.

26. A person accused of trespass in the night shall be judged guilty, unless he clear himself by his oath.

27. When it appears that an accused has confederates, and he refuses to discover them, he may be racked.

28. No one shall buy or sell lands without permission of the selectmen.

29. A drunkard shall have a master appointed by the selectmen, who are to debar him from the liberty of buying and selling.

30. Whoever publishes a lie to the prejudice of his neighbor, shall sit in the stocks, or be whipped fifteen stripes. (Various acts upon this subject.)

31. No minister shall keep a school. (Barber.)

32. Every rateable person, who refuses to pay his proportion to the support of the minister of the town or Parish, shall be fined by the Court £2, and £4 every quarter, until he or she pay the rate to the minister. (Other acts to enforce collection of parochial taxes.)

33. Whoever wears clothes trimmed with gold, silver, or bone lace, above two shillings by the yard, shall be presented by the grand jurors, and the selectmen shall tax the offender at £300 estate. (Several acts governing the attire of the subjects.)

34. A debtor in prison, swearing he has no estate, shall be let out and sold to make satisfaction. (Altered in 1656.) 35. Whoever brings cards or dice into this dominion, shall pay a fine of £5. (Barber.)

36. No one shall read common prayer, keep Chrismas, or Saints days, make minced pies, dance, play cards, or play on any instrument of music, except the drum, trumpet and jews harp. (Barber.)

37. No Gospel minister shall join people in marriage.