Verhulst, with his council, was responsible for the selection of Manhattan as a permanent place of settlement and for situating Fort Amsterdam. He was replaced as the company director of New Netherland by Peter Minuit in 1626. According to the writer Nathaniel Benchley, to legally safeguard the settlers' investments, possessions and farms on Manhattan island, Minuit negotiated the "purchase" of Manhattan from a band of Canarse from Brooklyn who occupied the bottom quarter of Manhattan, known then as the Manhattoes, for 60 guilders' worth of trade goods. Minuit conducted the transaction with the Canarse chief Seyseys, who was only too happy to accept valuable merchandise in exchange for an island that was actually mostly controlled by the Weckquaesgeeks.Benchley, Nathaniel. "The $24 Swindle: The Native Americans who sold Manhattan were bilked, all right, but they didn't mind – the land wasn't theirs anyway." American Heritage, Vol. 11, no. 1 (Dec. 1959).
Verhulst with his council was responsible for the selection of Manhattan as a permanent place of settlement and for situating Fort Amsterdam He was replaced as the company director of New Netherland by Peter Minuit in 1626 According to the writer Nathaniel Benchley to legally safeguard the settlers' investments possessions and farms on Manhattan island Minuit negotiated the "purchase" of Manhattan from a band of Canarse from Brooklyn who occupied the bottom quarter of Manhattan known then as the Manhattoes for 60 guilders' worth of trade goods Minuit conducted the transaction with the Canarse chief Seyseys who was only too happy to accept valuable merchandise in exchange for an island that was actually mostly controlled by the WeckquaesgeeksBenchley Nathaniel "The $24 Swindle The Native Americans who sold Manhattan were bilked all right but they didn't mind – the land wasn't theirs anyway" American Heritage Vol 11 no 1 (Dec 1959)