Making a bend like a flattened S, and crossing the Concourse, it turned around the northern side of the hill on which in the Revolution the Negro Fort was constructed, and, descending to the Mosholu parkway, it went through Mill brook close to its source in a little pond situated near Jerome avenue. Thence curving northeastward, as Van Cortlandt avenue now runs, it passed the site of the old Varian homestead, which is still standing at Rochambeau street (pi. xh), and then continued diagonally across the site of the present Williamsbridge reservoir, in a northeasterly direction, emerging therefrom at the point where the old Boston post-road used to meet the old Gun Hill road. It ran farther northeast to join the present Gun Hill road, on which line it turned, and followed it

AND MONOGRAPHS

INDIAN PATHS

eastward across Webster avenue and the New York and Harlem Railroad tracks, to the site of Williamsbridge, where it made a crossing over Bronx river at the place known as Cowangongh (120).

The selection of the crossing of the stream at this particular point was doubtless dictated by natural features. It may be noted that it is situated on a prominent tongue of land, diverting the course of the river some distance to the east. The ground north of the place selected for the crossing which now forms part of Woodlawn cemetery, is at a higher grade and would have made it inconvenient to pass in that direction. The river farther south is tortuous, and the banks appear to have been swampy. The position of the crossing was thus doubtless designed to take advantage of the best conditions for the convenience of the traveler.