In this town are also tvvo //;J/a/i burying grounds. The principal one lies two miles north

a Trans. Aiucrc. .Vntirj, Soc. vol. ii. 3r,6. b ISovL'ily'a Ilist. Virfeiuu.

578 HISTORY OF THE COUNTY OF WESTCHESTER.

of the \illage, on Blackwell's hill. "Within the recollection of many persons still living, the graves Avere distinctly indicated by rude mounds of earth; but, alas ! the plough has long since removed these memorials of the ancient dead, and perhaps the mouldering rehcs themselves.

That remnant of a martial brow,

Those ribs that held the mighty heart, That strong arm -- ah ! 'tis strengthless now. -- Bryant.

And well might the poet add : --

Spare them ! each mouldering fragment spare,

Of God's own image -- let them rest, Till not a trace shall speak of where

The awful likeness was impressed!"

The second and last place of sepulture used by the Indians in this town, is now nearly covered by the barn and out buildings of Benjamin Fowler, Esq. The site was well chosen, on rising ground, at the entrance of the Sprain valley.

Besides the Tawasenthas, (or places of many dead,) numerous skeletons have been discovered in diflferent parts of the town, showing it to have been once numerously populated by the Indian tribes. One of these was recently disinterred in making some improvements on the Kings-Bridge road, nearly opposite the Van Cortlandt residence ; it proved to be on examination the full sized skeleton of an Indian, in a sitting posture, holding the remains of a small child between its knees. Others have been discovered Ipng near the surface of the ground on Berrian's Neck ; the back part of the skull of one of these was found perforated by a musket ball, which still remains in the cavity of the brain. ^ Of course this Indian perished by fire arms.