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James Otis

Buildings of Stone

After the fort and the storehouse had been finished, the Dutch laborers were set about cutting out stone from the ledges of which I have spoken, to be used in the place of bricks. From this rock Master Minuit decided that a more secure warehouse for the company's goods should be made, and, also, a dozen or more of the men were set about building a mill to be worked by horse-power, so that it might be possible to grind the grain.

This horse-mill also was to be built of stone, with a large loft that would be used as a church.


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There had been no ministers brought over when we came in the Sea Mew;  but in place of them were two zeikentroosters, which is a Dutch word for "Consolers of the Sick;" but what they might be called in plain English I know not. It appeared to me that the zeikentroosters in Holland were much the same as deacons in England, though as to this I may be wrong.

At all events, there were two of them came in our ship, and, until the first minister arrived, they held regular meetings out of doors while the mill was being built, and afterward in the loft.