So extensive were these shell-heaps upon City Island, now forming part of the township of Pelham, that they gave to the surrounding waters the name of "the great bay of the island of shells." Similar heaps were found upon Berrian's Neck, in the township of Yonkers, and at the various village sites along the Hudson. The largest of these were upon Croton Point, where considerable areas are still covered with them to the depth of two or three feet.

This beautiful projection of land was called Senasqua, one of the softest of Indian names, and in the adjacent waters of Tappan and Haverstraw Bays great quantities of oysters are still found and are taken elsewhere for increased growth. Befor.e the country was settled by the whites and the forests were cleared away, a much greater percentage of the rain-fall evaporated I'rom the surface of the land and less flowed away in the streams. On this account, the water of the Hudson was much more salt than now, and more favorable to the oyster's development. To overlook and protect the important oyster-beds of this wide portion of the river, the fort upon Van Cortlandt's neck was erected. It is an interesting fact that where these shells have remained undisturbed they are nearly all found whole, showing that the Indians opened the oysters without breaking them. It was probably accomplished by exposure to the sun. None of them have been exposed to flre. A remarkable number and variety of stone implements have been found here, and here a place of burial has been recently discovered.