Most of its unimproved lands are covered with wood and timber: these lie principally on the east and west sides of the town. On the highlands grow chestnut, oak and hickory; on the lower grounds -- ash, birch, maple, elm, pine and hemlock, &c. It is also sufficiently watered by springs and brooks. New Rochelle furnishes an extensive list of minerals. Among the most important may be mentioned quartz, drusy, calcedony, agate, jasper, serpentine of almost every variety, and chromate of iron. Hydrate of magnesia and carbonate of magnesia, compact and crystalline, are also found here, according to Mr. Mather. rf There are several islands in the Sound attached to this town ; among others may be enumerated Goat, Maskett's, Hurtleberry, Hewlet's, Locust, Pea and Vaucluse Islands.

a Marshall's Life of Washington, vol. i:p. Ill b Heath's Mem. 113.

c Subsequently Governor-General of Canada. d See Geological Survey of N. Y. 1810.

THE TOWN

The township of North Castle is situated six miles North of White Plains, thirty-six from New York, and one hundred and twenty-nine from Albany -- bounded North by New Castle and Bedford, East by Poundridge, South-easterdly by the State of Connecticut and the town of Harrison, and West by Mount Pleasant. The tradition is that the town acquired its present name from an Indian palisaded fort or castle that once stood near the residence of Benjamin A. Birdsall a short distance south from the village of Armonk. By the Indians it was emphatically styled " Wampus's Land," while that portion of the town situated east of the Byram River was called by the first white settlers the "White Fields," -- a name derived from the white Balsam, (Gnaphalium Margaretaccum of Linnaeus.) The whole town (including New Castle) is frequently denominated in the colonial records, the " Liberty of North Castle." The present township was organized on the 7 th of March, 1788.°