laerswyck  ordering  out  the  Company's  servants,  calling
far  volunteers,  and  authorizing  the  formation  of  a  troop  of
motiDted  rangers.  The  half  dozen  soldiers  in  Fort  Amster-
dam ;  every  person  belonging  to  the  artillery ;  all  the
derks  in  the  public  offices ;  four  of  the  Director-general's
mrvants ;  three  of  the  hands  belonging  to  his  brewery,  and
five  or  six  new-comers,  were  put  under  requisition.  But
when  these  were  mustered,  they  numbered  only  thirty-six
ill  all.  Nothing  could  overcome  the  reluctance  of  the
burghers.  "  The  one  disheartened  the  other ;  the  more
vfarient  maintaining  that  they  were  obliged  to  defend  only
their  own  homes,  and  that  no  citizen  could  be  forced  to
jeopardize  his  life  in  fighting  barbarous  savages."  Dis-
oouraged  and  almost  deprived  of  hope  by  this  opposition,
the  Director-general  again  summoned  the  city  magistrates ;
he  informed  them  that  he  had  now  some  forty  men,  and
expected  between  twenty  and  thirty  Englishmen  from  the
adjoining  villages.  He,  therefore,  ordered  that  the  three
companies  of  the  city  militia  be  paraded  next  day  in
hit  presence,  armed  and  equipped,  in  order  that  one  last
effort  be  made  to  obtain  volunteers.  If  he  should  then
fiul  of  success,  he  announced  his  intention  to  make  a
draft

The  companies  paraded  before  the  fort  on  the  following
morning,  according  to  orders.  Stuyvesant  addressed  them
in  most  exciting  terms.  He  appealed  to  their  sense  both
of  honor  and  of  duty  ;  represented  to  them  how  ardently
they  would  look  for  aid,  if  they,  unfortunately,  were  placed
in  a  situation  similar  to  that  in  which  their  brethren  of
Esopus  now  found  themselves,  and  concluded  his  harangue
by  calling  on  all  such  as  would  accompany  him  either
far  pay,  or  as  volunteers,  to  step  forward  to  the  rescue.
