Then the Indians understood less
than ever, for the Dutch had never done anything for them except to
give them as little as they could for their valuable furs. The Indians
hated Kieft, and this act of his made their hatred more bitter. A
war-cloud was gathering. The Indians were well prepared for war, for
they had been supplied with guns, with bullets, and with powder by those
greedy Dutchmen, the smugglers, who thought more of their personal
gains than of the safety of the colonists.
[Illustration: Selling Arms to the Indians.]
Over on Staten Island about this time, an Indian stole several hogs
from a colonist. Kieft's soldiers found the tribe to which the Indian
belonged, and in revenge killed ten Indian warriors. After this the
war-cloud grew darker.
Kieft was anxious that there should be war. But there were many of the
colonists who did all in their power to prevent it. The men who wanted
peace were headed by that able sailor, Captain David Pietersen De Vries,
who had founded a colony on Staten Island. A council of twelve men was
formed to decide whether there should be peace or war. This council
declared that there should be no war. They then began to look into
public affairs, for they thought it all wrong that Kieft should have
the only voice in the management.
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