believe that she runs for anchorage into the mouth of the Pocantico, and others that she hides near the pineshaded banks of the Hafenje, but no one has ever seen her at rest. She is always flying swiftly before a wind that mortals cannot feel. There is the memory of another craft, more substantial than the phantom shi]), and more successful in attaining a port than Rambout's boat, that made the passage of the river between Wolfert's Roost and

Spectres of the Tappan Zee 217 the Rockland shore in 1776. Its occupant was the dashing soldier and arrant lover, Aaron Burr. When the American forces were near White Plains Burr was seized with a desire to spend an evening with the fascinating widow Provost, -- Theodosia Provost, -- who then lived a dozen miles back towards the Ramapo Hills on the other side of the Hudson. Riding at full speed along Petticoat Lane, which is the old road between White Plains and Tarry town, attended by several of his devoted troopers, Bunreached the willow-shaded little bay near Sunnyside, w^hile the night was still 3'oung. A boat was waiting for him, and, leaving his escort, he embarked, horse and all, and was ferried as rapidly and as silentl}^ as possible to the Rockland shore, where he remounted. A ride of a dozen rough miles, at night, through a country picketed by the enemy, should be enough to try the mettle of an ordinary lover. But Aaron Burr was no ordinary lover, which is perhaps the reason why in his generation his enemies were seldom found among the gentler sex. History discreetly neglects to furnish the details of the courtship that we know ultimately resulted in the winning of Theodosia 's hand and heart. By daybreak horse and rider were back within the American lines and no one but the troopers, the ferryman, and the widow knew of that wild trip.