In the journals of Jasper Bankers New Peter Sluvter-a narrative of a visit to York in 1679-it is related (p. 135) that people •' can go over this creek at dead low water

upon rocks and reefs at the place called Spyt den duyvel " (the original name of Kingsbridge,,. The editor of this History has crossed there when fishing, finding the passage reasonably safe at - dead low water." At other times, when the tide was higher but not full, it was fordable although f****™***1* ment of risk being enlarged bj the rapiditj of the current.

HISTORY

WESTCHESTER

COUNTY

the first in fact, and that with his coming, about the year 1639, the annals of the civilized occupation of our couuty begin. The little colony of Walloons landed on Manhattan Island by the ship " New Netherland " in the spring of 1023 was, as we have seen, only one of several infant colonies planted on the same occasion and governed by a director of the Dutch West India Company, who had his headquarters in Delaware Bay. The first director, Cornelius Jacobsen May, was succeeded at the expiration of a year by William Verhulst, who in 1(520 was replaced by Peter Minuit. Previously to Minuit's appointment little effort had been made to give a formal character to the administration of the local affairs of New JSetherland, although the interests of the settlements were not neglected. In 1025 wheeled vehicles were introduced, and a large importation of domestic animals from Holland was made, including horses, cattle, swine, and sheep. Moreover, some new families and single people, mostly Walloons, were brought over. With the arrival of Peter Minuit, as director-general, on May 1, 1020, the concerns of the colony first came under a carefully ordered scheme of management. The settlements in New York Bay were now made the seat of government of New Motherland.