328 HISTORY OF BROOKLYN.

CHAPTER VI.

HISTORY OF BUSHWICK, 1660-1708.

The scattered agricultural inhabitants of the territory now comprised in the eastern district of the city of Brooklyn, seem to have made no attempt towards a regular settlement, or the organization of a town government, for a period of over twenty years from the date of its purchase from the natives, by the West India Company. In February, 1660, as will be seen from page 113, of our first volume, the troublous condition of the times led to the enforcement, by the government, of stringent precautionary measures for the protection and safety of the established towns upon the western end of Long island. “Outside residents, who dwell distant from each other” were directed also to “remove and concentrate themselves within the neighboring towns, and dwell in the same;” because says the order “we have war with the Indians, who have slain several of our Netherland people.” A village and blockhouse was accordingly erected by the Waal-boght residents during the month of March, 1660, on the high point of land, on the East river, near the foot of the present South Fourth street, reference to which may be found on pages 113,114,115, of our first volume.

Simultaneously, almost, with the issuance of the above order, the first steps were taken towards the establishment of a settlement in another and more remote portion of the territory. On the 16th of February, according to the record, “as fourteen Frenchmen, with a Dutchman, named Peter Janse Wit, their interpreter, have arrived here; and, as they do not understand the Dutch language, they have been with the director general and requested him to cause a town plot to be laid out at a proper place; whereupon his honor fixed upon the 19th instant, to visit the place and fix upon a site.”