Mashanscomacocke, "a much enclosed place," was the name of a tract in the vicinity of Flatlands, which was sold in 1664 by natives (pi. xxii). It included features that identify it as the Gerritsen Basin station. "Upland and marshes, anyway belonging thereto, as the Strawn [Strome] Beach or Beaches, as namely that running out more westerly, with the Island adjoining, and is at the same time by the ocean sea wholly inclosed, called hoopaninak and Shanscomacocke, and Macutteris." The situation of the tracts included in the sale are evidently in the vicinity of the Strome beach. Now, the beach at the Strome which is situated at the kill,

mill-dam, was an important feature of the

AND MONOGRAPHS

160 INDIAN PATHS locality. was particularly dedicated to It public use, and the Gravesend Neck road extended to (pi. xxin, xxiv). it On the upland above the beach was the Indian burying-ground, where D. B. Austin uncovered interments having the appearance of being regularly disposed, about 35 feet apart. At beach Hugh Gerritsen this established home, and all along the his margin of the pond from the beach the natives have left abundant evidence of their occupancy of the upland which rises quite abruptly above the high-tide level in the pond (pi. xxn). The pond had other points of access, notably a sandy beach at the promontory near Avenue T, so that the inclusion of the Strome beach, or beaches, in the conveyance of 1664, indicates that the sellers were describing its characteristic features. The name Shanscomacocke appears to be that which is intended to describe this enclosed pond area, and as such was probably the name of the village on its margin. The marshes "anyway belonging thereto" would have been the extensive tract of