Mangled victims, seeking safety in the thickets, were driven into the river, and parents, rushing to save their children, whom the soldiery had thrown into the stream, were driven into the waters and drowned before the eyes of their unrelenting murderers." [Illustration: KIEFT, FROM THE RAMPARTS, WATCHED THE BURNING WIGWAMS.] It has been estimated that fully one hundred perished in this ruthless butchery.

Historians state that Kieft, from the ramparts at Fort Amsterdam, watched the burning wigwams.

This treachery and wholesale murder roused the fiery hatred of the savages and kindled a war so fierce that Kieft was frightened by the fury of the tempest which his wickedness and folly had raised, and he humbly asked the people to choose a few men again to act as his counsellors.

The colonists, who had lost all confidence in the governor, chose eight citizens to relieve them from the fearful net of difficulties in which they were involved.
Almost the first these eight advisers did was to ask the states-general at home to recall Governor Kieft, which was promptly done, and while on his way to Europe with his ill-gotten gains, his vessel went down, and the governor perished.
Peter Stuyvesant, the brave soldier who had lost a leg in the West Indies, was sent as governor to New Amsterdam, and he arrived in May, 1647.

The stern, stubborn old soldier was received with great demonstrations of joy by the Hollanders.