The pleasure grounds around the Macomb mansion, are tastily laid out in shrubberies and walks, while the beautiful waters of the " Miiscoota^^ add variety to the scenery.

In one of the rooms we noticed a beautiful painting, by Waldo, of Major Gen. Alexander Macomb. This family is descended from the MacCombie's of Ireland, an ancient and honorable stock who removed to that country from Scotland. The grandfather

» This name frequentlj' applies to the Haarlem River in the Albany and County Records.

COUxNTY OF WESTCHESTER. 447

of the General was John Macomb, who emigrated from Ireland to this country 1742, and held an official place under the Colonial government. He established himself in New York, where his son Alexander Macomb, fatherof Major Gen. Alexander, was educated. The father was a representative in the State Legislature, from the city of New York, in 1787-8, and during the late war with Great Britain he furnished five sons for the service of his country in the militia and regular army. He afterwards removed to Detroit, where he amassed a large fortune in the fur trade. Here he married Catharine Navarre, a lady of noble French extraction. Major General Alexander Macomb was born 3d April, 1782.

Leaving the Bridge, the approach to the village of Yonkers from the south possesses many points of interest. Along the edge of the valley are scattered beautiful knolls and high ranges of hills, either cultivated or covered with woods ; to the left, seated on a fine wooded hill, is a large stone mansion, erected by Augustus van Cortlandt, Esq., A. D. 1822, upon the site of a much older building, which was destroyed by fire A. D. 1822. The ascent to the house is through the romantic woods of Cortlandi's ridge. The road passes over a deep ravine, watered by a picturesque brook, and through high masses of frowning rock.