the Five Nations, among whom the Mohawks were the foremost, and preserved unbroken during his life. By following his policy peace was long maintained after his death.
The beauty and fertility of the Mohawk country early attracted his attention. A letter addressed by him in 1643 to the "Noble Pa-*troon" at Amsterdam exists, in which, after giving an account of his stewardship as manager of his uncle's interests, he writes that the year before he had visited the Mohawk country, where he found three French prisoners, one of them being the celebrated Father Jogues, "a very learned scholar, who was very cruelly treated, his finger and thumb being cut off." These prisoners were doomed to death, but Van Curler succeeded in effecting their release. Father Jogues, however, eager for the salvation of their souls, returned to them two years later, to suffer martyrdom at their hands. In this letter Van Curler writes:
"Within a half-day's journey from the Colonies lies
the most beautiful land on the Mohawk river that eye
ever saw, full a day's journey long." He says "it cannot
be reached by boat owing to the strength of the
stream and shallowness of the water, but can be reached
by wagons."
