Tarleton; Wright, his orderly dragoon, alighted and took down a fence of Devaux's farm-yard for them to pass through ; around this farm the Indians were Ipng in ambuscade. Wright had scarce mounted his horse, when these officers -- for some trivial reason -- altered their intentions; and, spurring their horses, soon rode out of sight, and out of reach of the Indians.

In a few daj-s after, they had certain information of the ambuscade, which they so fortunately had escaped : in all probability they owed their lives to the Indians' expectation of surrounding and taking them prisoners "*

Bordering the road north-west of the Van Cortlandt's, is the old Hri'!- ley property, ov.-ncd by the late Major Joseph Delafield. The following account of the family, has kindly been furnished by a member of it: --

In 1S29 Major Delafield purchased a farm of 250 acres on the North River between Spuyten-Duyvcland the present village of Kiverdale, to Avhichhe gave the name of Fleldi^ton f rom a family scat in Great Britain. This name, until villages sprang up with local designations, -was generally used ; and -when, in 1S73, the locality separating from Yonkers souglit in town meeting its separate name, Fieldston fell short of being selected instead of Kings Bridge, but bj- a few votes.

Tlirou'-'h FIcld?ton eastcrlv from the river ran the southern boundary, in many

a SLnicoe's ilil. Jouvaal, p. SO.

THE TOWN OF YO-N'KERS. 635

ylnces Still standing, of the old Phillipse manor. Against its walls, near the river, ai)\v in a forest but said to have been cultivated lands a hundred years ago, reuiain the foundations of Nanny Piper's cottage, perhaps the widow of an old retiiucr or wood guard, by whose name a never dying spring, famous for the puritv of its waters, is still known.