With the ship that brought the first families was Cornelius
Jacobsen May, who was to live on the Island of Manhattan and look after
affairs for the Company. Rude houses were set up about the fort, and the
first street came into existence. This is now called Pearl Street.
Cornelius Jacobsen May cared for the colony for less than a year, when
his place was taken by William Verhulst. Before the year was out,
Verhulst decided that the new country never would suit him, and he
sailed away to Holland. Then came in his place, in the year 1626, Peter
Minuit, under appointment as the first Dutch Governor of New Netherland.
[Illustration: Seal of New Netherland.]
CHAPTER III
PETER MINUIT, FIRST of the DUTCH GOVERNORS
Peter Minuit was a large man, of middle age, whose hair was turning
gray, whose eyes were black and dull, and whose manners were quite
coarse.
The West India Company gave to this Governor absolute power over all the
Dutch lands in America. His power was equal to that of a king; much more
than some kings have had. To be sure, in matters of extreme importance
he was supposed to refer to the Company in Holland. But Holland was far
away, farther away than it is in these days of fast steamers and the
telegraph, and the Company had too many other matters to look after to
give much thought to New Netherland.
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