It is a very spacious tract, embracing within its area the old townships of Newtown, Flushing, Jamaica,and part of Hempstead, and the modern industrial district of Long Island City. It is divided from Kings county by a boundary-line drawn between the heads of Mespaetches or Newtown creek and the source of Spring creek, the Hohosboco of the natives. The borough includes the entire tract which was occupied by the Rockaway chieftaincy extending from East river to Jamaica bay. Part of the Matinecock territory is also embraced within the northeastern

bounds of the borough, in the township of

AND MONOGRAPHS

BOROUGH OF QUEENS 173

traces occupancy at Flushing attest of the residence of the Matinecock. Within the Newtown district another subordinate chieftaincy, the Mispat, resided in the region around the extensive inlet of Newtown creek, known to the natives as Mespaetches. The name of the inlet according to Tooker ,

bears some reference to a bad water place or swampy locality, which well describes the character of the borders of the creek and of its branches. The native names of three Newtown creek have branches of been preserved. Canapaukah, which seems to indicate a shut-in water place, was later known as Dutch kills. This inlet extended in to the heart of Long Island City, its source being near the approach to the Queensboro bridge at Rapelye and Freeman avenues. Armbruster considers the name to indicate a bears' water place, and thinks that this was indication of Canarsee ownership. The southwest extension of the creek was known as Quandoequareous. Its tortuous course extends inland as far as Tohn-