Joe
City-dweller
Posts: 170
|
Post by Joe on Jan 21, 2022 19:42:16 GMT -7
Rcvd. 7 November 1626 High and Mighty Lords, Yesterday the ship the Arms of Amsterdam arrived here. It sailed from New Netherland out of the River Mauritius on the 23d of September. They report that our people are in good spirit and live in peace. The women also have borne some children there. They have purchased the Island Manhattes from the Indians for the value of 60 guilders. It is 11,000 morgens in size [about 22,000 acres]. They had all their grain sowed by the middle of May, and reaped by the middle of August They sent samples of these summer grains: wheat, rye, barley, oats, buckwheat, canary seed, beans and flax. The cargo of the aforesaid ship is: 7246 Beaver skins 178½ Otter skins 675 Otter skins 48 Mink skins 36 Lynx skins 33 Minks 34 Muskrat skins Many oak timbers and nut wood. Herewith, High and Mighty Lords, be commended to the mercy of the Almighty, In Amsterdam, the 5th of November anno 1626. Your High and Mightinesses’ obedient, P. Schaghen Did anyone notice an oddity in this quote ? |
|
|
|
Post by brokennock on Jan 21, 2022 20:53:28 GMT -7
A lot seems odd with many of these quotes honestly.
Maybe you refer to bothering to count 1/2 of an otter skin?
Or listing both mink skins and minks separately?
|
|
|
|
Post by brokennock on Jan 21, 2022 20:56:07 GMT -7
Upon rereading that. It would appear that there were many 1/2 otter skins. I 1st read it as 178 and a half. Then I noticed the separate listing of presumably whole ones.
|
|
Joe
City-dweller
Posts: 170
|
Post by Joe on Jan 21, 2022 21:53:17 GMT -7
A lot seems odd with many of these quotes honestly. Maybe you refer to bothering to count 1/2 of an otter skin? Or listing both mink skins and minks separately? The minks caught my eye. I wonder did they ship live minks back ? |
|
Joe
City-dweller
Posts: 170
|
Post by Joe on Jan 21, 2022 21:54:27 GMT -7
The Canary seed also caught my eye.
|
|
|
|
Post by hawkeyes on Jan 22, 2022 6:36:42 GMT -7
Nut wood caught my eye, which I'm going to presume largely consisted of chestnut, which was abundant here in the East. Being related to oak and somewhat hard to distinguish the two, safe bet they used both oak and chestnut lumber interchangeably for various projects. Both wood species have excellent natural durability and weather resistance. I have some original chestnut shakes that show little decay besides weathering, amazing tree. With its high tannin content it's possible vast amounts were used for tanning, may have to conduct some experimental research.
Worth noting, chestnuts are delicious as well! Also they make good flour.
|
|
Joe
City-dweller
Posts: 170
|
Post by Joe on Jan 22, 2022 7:11:24 GMT -7
Upon rereading that. It would appear that there were many 1/2 otter skins. I 1st read it as 178 and a half. Then I noticed the separate listing of presumably whole ones. Gosh, I glazed right over the otters. I wonder if maybe they were skinned differently (like a beaver). |
|
Joe
City-dweller
Posts: 170
|
Post by Joe on Jan 22, 2022 8:30:20 GMT -7
Here is another account of that manifest I found. It reads somewhat differently.
Return voyage, 1626
Arms of Amsterdam
Sailed from New Netherland September 23, 1626
Arrived in Amsterdam November 4, 1626.
Captain Adrian Joris
Cryn Fredericksz returned to Holland.
William Verhulst returning with his wife to Amsterdam.
The ship which has returned home this month with Adrian Joris, brings samples of all the different sorts of produce there. The cargo consists of:
7,246 beavers,
675 otter skins,
48 minx,
36 wildcat and various other sorts;
several pieces of oak timber, and hickory.
* * * * * * *
From the "Historiaeh Verhael" by Nicolaes Van Wassenaer 1621-1632, in Documentary History of the State of New York, E. B. O'Callaghan, 1849, Vol. III pg 34-48. Also in Narratives of New Netherland, edited by J. F. Jameson, 1909, pg 61-90.
Documents Relating to New Netherland 1624-1626, in the Henry E. Huntington Library, Translated and Edited by A. J. F. van Laer, (c)1924, p 172-175, 258, 269.
Documents Relative to the Colonial History of New York, E. B. O'Callaghan, 1858, Holland Documents, I pg 37.
|
|
Joe
City-dweller
Posts: 170
|
Post by Joe on Jan 22, 2022 9:28:10 GMT -7
|
|
