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Page 37
A purchase of land was immediately made from the Indians; and it was
determined that all the land on the western side of the river, from
the point called Cape Inlopen or Hinlopen,[5] up to the fall called
Santickan, and all the country inland, as much as was ceded, should
belong to the Swedish crown forever. Posts were driven into the ground
as landmarks, which were still seen in their places sixty years
afterward. A deed was drawn up for the land thus purchased. This was
written in Dutch, because no Swede was yet able to interpret the
language of the heathen. The Indians subscribed their hands and marks.
The writing was sent home to Sweden to be preserved in the royal
archives. Mans Kling was the surveyor. He laid out the land and made a
map of the whole river, with its tributaries, islands, and points,
which is still to be found in the royal archives in Sweden. Their
clergyman was Reorus Torkillus of East Gothland.
The first abode of the newly arrived emigrants was at a place called
by the Indians Hopokahacking. There, in the year 1638, Peter Menuet
built a fortress which he named Fort Christina, after the reigning
queen of Sweden.[6] The place, situated upon the west side of the
river, was probably chosen so as to be out of the way of the
Hollanders, who claimed the eastern side,--a measure of prudence,
until the arrival of a greater force from Sweden. The fort was built
upon an eligible site, not far from the mouth of the creek, so as to
secure them in the navigable water of the Maniquas, which was
afterward called Christina Kihl, or creek.
Peter Menuet made a good beginning for the settlement of the Swedish
colony in America. He guarded his little fort for over three years,
and the Hollanders neither attempted nor were able to overthrow it.
After some years of faithful service he died at Christina. In his
place followed Peter Hollendare, a native Swede, who did not remain at
the head of its affairs more than a year and a half. He returned home
to Sweden, and was a major at Skkepsholm, in Stockholm, in the year
1655.
The second emigration took place under Lieutenant Colonel John Printz,
who went out with the appointment of Governor of New Sweden. He had a
grant of four hundred six dollars for his traveling expenses, and one
thousand two hundred dollars silver as his annual salary. The Company
was invested with the exclusive privilege of importing tobacco into
Sweden, altho that article was even then regarded as unnecessary and
injurious, altho indispensable since the establishment of the bad
habit of its use. Upon the same occasion was also sent out Magister
John Campanius Holm, who was called by their excellencies the Royal
Council and Admiral Claes Flemming, to become the government chaplain,
and watch over the Swedish congregation.
The ship on which they sailed was called the _Fama_. It went from
Stockholm to G�theborg, and there took in its freight. Along with this
went two other ships of the line, the _Swan_ and the _Charitas_, laden
with people, and other necessaries. Under Governor Printz, ships came
to the colony in three distinct voyages. The first ship was the _Black
Cat_, with ammunition, and merchandise for the Indians. Next, the ship
_Swan_, on a second voyage, with emigrants, in the year 1647.
Afterward, two other ships, called the _Key_ and the _Lamp_. During
these times the clergymen, Mr. Lawrence Charles Lockenius and Mr.
Israel Holgh, were sent out to the colony....
The voyage to New Sweden was at that time quite long. The watery way
to the West was not yet well discovered, and, therefore, for fear of
the sand-banks off Newfoundland, they kept their course to the east
and south as far as to what were then called the Brazates. The ships
which went under the command of Governor Printz sailed along the coast
of Portugal, and down the coast of Africa, until they found the
eastern passage, then directly over to America, leaving the Canaries
high up to the north. They landed at Antigua, then continued their
voyage northward, past Virginia and Maryland, to Cape Hinlopen. Yet,
in view of the astonishingly long route which they took, the voyage
was quick enough in six months' time,--from Stockholm on August 16,
1642, to the new fort of Christina, in New Sweden, on February 15,
1643.
The Swedes who emigrated to America belonged partly to a trading
company, provided with a charter, who for their services, according to
their condition of agreement, were to receive pay and monthly wages; a
part of them also went on their own impulse to try their fortune. For
these it was free to settle and live in the country as long as they
pleased or to leave it, and they were therefore, by way of distinction
from the others, called freemen. At first, also, malefactors and
vicious people were sent over, who were used as slaves to labor upon
the fortifications. They were kept in chains and not allowed to have
intercourse with the other settlers; moreover, a separate place of
abode was assigned to them. The neighboring people and country were
dissatisfied that such wretches should come into the colony. It was
also, in fact, very objectionable in regard to the heathen, who might
be greatly offended by it. Whence it happened that, when such persons
came over in Governor Printz's time, it was not permitted that one of
them should set foot upon the shore, but they had all to be carried
back again, whereupon a great part of them died during the voyage or
perished in some other way. Afterward it was forbidden at home in
Sweden, under a penalty, to take for the American voyage any persons
of bad fame; nor was there ever any lack of good people for the
colony.
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