134 DUTCH AND ENGLISH ON THE HUDSON

Eelkens, by this time, was out of sight sailing up
the river. The people drank, but only laughed at
their governor, and De Vries told him that he had
been very foolish. "If it were my affair," he said,
"I would have helped him away froih the fort with
beans from the eight-pounders."

The William, meanwhile, journeyed up the
river and Eelkens, who knew the country well,
landed with his crew about a mile below Fort
Orange and set up a tent where he displayed the
wares which he hoped to exchange with the natives
for beaver-skins. Very soon reports of this exploit
reached the ears of the commissary at Fort Orange,
who at once embarked with a trumpeter on a
shallop decorated with green boughs. The Dutch
landed close beside the English and set up a rival
tent; but the Indians preferred to deal with Eel-
kens, whom they had known years before and who
spoke their language.

In the high tide of success, however, Eelkens
was rudely ordered to depart by a Dutch officer
who had come up the river in charge of three
vessels, a pinnace, a caravel, and a hoy. To en-
force the commands came soldiery from both
Dutch forts, armed with muskets, half-pikes,
swords, and other weapons, and ordered Eelkens