Dimick B. Huntington, the famous Indian interpreter, on behalf of the advancing colony, was made to raise his right hand and swear by the sun that they would not drive the Indians from their lands, nor take away their rights. This being done the new settlers were permitted to advance. They crossed at the old ford of the river, and settled on the south side, at the spot now called the old fort field. Here they made a farm, ploughed, fenced and put in crops. The fort was about 300 feet long, by 150 feet wide. It was built of logs and outside the houses there was erected a stockade fourteen feet high, for protection from Indian depredations.