They were manned by resolute fellows, skilled at pulling an oar or handling a musket. These lurked about in nooks and bays, and behind those long promontories winch run out into the Tappan Sea, keeping a look-out, to give notice of the approach or movements of hostile ships. They roved about in pairs, sometimes at night, with muffled oars, gliding like spectres about frigates and guard ships riding at anchor; cutting off any boat that made for shore, and keeping the enemy in constant uneasiness. These mosquito cruisers generally kept aloof by day, so that their harboring places might not be disco vcied. but would pull quietly along, under shadow of the 6hore, at night, to take up their quarters at the Roost. Hither, at such time, would also repair the hard-riding lads of the hills, to hold secret councils of war with the "ocean chivalry," and in these nocturnal meetings, were concerted many of those daring forays, by land and water, that resounded throughout the border."

The chronicle here goes on to recount divers wonderful stories of the wars of the Roost, from which it would seem that this little warrior nest carried the terror of its arms into every sea from Spiting Devil Creek to St. Anthony's Nose ; that it even bearded the stout island of Manhattan, invading it at night, penetrating to its centre, and burning down the famous DeLancey house, the conflagration of which makes such a bbze in revolutionary history. Nay, more ; in their extravagant daring, these cocks of the Roost meditated a nocturnal descent upon New York itself, to swoop upon the British commanders, Howe and Clinton, by surprise, bear them off captive, and, perhaps, put a triumphant close to the war.