A purchase of land was immediately made from the Indians; and it was determined that all the land on the western side of the river, from the point called Cape Inlopen or Hinlopen,[5] up to the fall called Santickan, and all the country inland, as much as was ceded, should belong to the Swedish crown forever.  Posts were driven into the ground as landmarks, which were still seen in their places sixty years afterward.  A deed was drawn up for the land thus purchased.  This was written in Dutch, because no Swede was yet able to interpret the language of the heathen.  The Indians subscribed their hands and marks.  The writing was sent home to Sweden to be preserved in the royal archives.  Mans Kling was the surveyor.  He laid out the land and made a map of the whole river, with its tributaries, islands, and points, which is still to be found in the royal archives in Sweden.  Their clergyman was Reorus Torkillus of East Gothland.

The first abode of the newly arrived emigrants was at a place called by the Indians Hopokahacking.  There, in the year 1638, Peter Menuet built a fortress which he named Fort Christina, after the reigning queen of Sweden.[6] The place, situated upon the west side of the river, was probably chosen so as to be out of the way of the Hollanders, who claimed the eastern side,—­a measure of prudence, until the arrival of a greater force from Sweden.  The fort was built upon an eligible site, not far from the mouth of the creek, so as to secure them in the navigable water of the Maniquas, which was afterward called Christina Kihl, or creek.

Peter Menuet made a good beginning for the settlement of the Swedish colony in America.  He guarded his little fort for over three years, and the Hollanders neither attempted nor were able to overthrow it.  After some years of faithful service he died at Christina.  In his place followed Peter Hollendare, a native Swede, who did not remain at the head of its affairs more than a year and a half.  He returned home to Sweden, and was a major at Skkepsholm, in Stockholm, in the year 1655.

The second emigration took place under Lieutenant Colonel John Printz, who went out with the appointment of Governor of New Sweden.  He had a grant of four hundred six dollars for his traveling expenses, and one thousand two hundred dollars silver as his annual salary.  The Company was invested with the exclusive privilege of importing tobacco into Sweden, altho that article was even then regarded as unnecessary and injurious, altho indispensable since the establishment of the bad habit of its use.  Upon the same occasion was also sent out Magister John Campanius Holm, who was called by their excellencies the Royal Council and Admiral Claes Flemming, to become the government chaplain, and watch over the Swedish congregation.