"An Indian origin (says Judge Benson) is asserted for this name, and a tradition vouched as the authority." "It is said, that at a certain time, doubtless some years ago, the evil spirit set up a claim against the Indians, t6> Connecticut, as his peculiar domain ; but they being in possession, determined, of course, to try to hold it. By Connecticut, the premises in question, is to be understood, the original Connecticut prope?, the territory between the oblong-, our eastern boundary in that quarter, and the Sound." The surfi^ces of Conneclicul and Long Island, were then the reverse of what they are now. Long Island was covered with rocks, Connecticut was free from them.

& Heath's Mem. 67.

210 HISTORY OF THE

The Indians were fully sensible of what they had to dread from such an adversary, and accordingly betook tiiemselves to a course not unns;d on occasions of great ditficulty and danger, they referred the case to the squaws, the mothers of the tribes, wiio, it is said, recommended an offer to quit, on being allowed their betterments, a Novanglican law term, devised to signify the dwelling and other erections, and comprehending girdling the trees to disencumber the land of the wood, by a person entering without title, on land never before cultivated, known as new or wild land, (fcc." " No answer as was to be expected, was given to this offer, and the parties claiming to be entitled to the right of sovereign states, and there being no federal court to interpose between them, had recourse to the "alternate mean of discussion between princes, to arms." The parties foreseeing there would be war, were, as behooved them, prepared for it.