I was not such a simple but that I could understand it would please Master Tienhoven right well if I made protest against going, for there was little love lost between us two, and, believing he would repeat to the Director in his own fashion whatsoever might be said by me, I held my peace, save in so far as to ask on what ship I would be expected to sail.
He told me that Master Stuyvesant would himself embark upon one of the vessels which had been sent out from Amsterdam, called the _De Waag_, and that as an officer of the Company, even though an humble one, I would be expected to journey on the same vessel.
To one who had not been given to spending his wages upon brave attire, and who owns little more than that in which he stands, it is not a lengthy task to make ready for a voyage, however long.
And here, by the way, let me say, lest any should think I was not prudent, that I had carefully saved the wages paid me by the West India Company, to the end that I might have sufficient of money to start in some business on my own account, when the day came--as I believed it would soon, yet without having much reason to do so--that my services would no longer be required in New Amsterdam.
And now to go back to the war against the Swedes: I left the storehouse in charge of Kryn Gildersleeve, and on Sunday morning bright and early was in church to hear the sermon which was to be preached, as a portion of the religious preparations for the driving out of the Swedes.
When the sermon was at an end, instead of looking around the fort to see the soldiers paraded before being sent on board the fleet, I quietly took boat for the ship _De Waag_, and was there an hour after noon, when Director Stuyvesant, attended by eight trumpeters, and a bodyguard of sixteen men, put off from the shore amid the booming of cannon, as if he had been a veritable king.
I know not whether the Director had really given orders to his secretary that I should be informed as to what was expected of me, but suppose such must have been the case, although no heed was given to so small an official as myself, from the time of setting sail until we were returned to New Amsterdam.
So far as Master Stuyvesant was concerned, I might as well not have been there, but this overlooking me did not cause my heart to burn, for I was well content to be forgotten entirely by the gentleman who ruled over our city with an iron hand.