The two, however, were separated by the broad marshes extending on the west side of Flushing creek. Across part of this boggy tract a narrow neck of dry land extends nearly two-thirds of the distance, over which Broadway now makes its way, uniting Jackson avenue with Flushing avenue. A canoe ferry over the creek was doubtless a necessary supplement to travel by this route, an effort which would have been warranted by the distance it saved, and the avoidance of a long tramp down to Jamaica to join the Rockaway path.

This shore-path route would also have provided a short-cut from the north shore of Long Island to the island of Manhattan, by a canoe trip across East river below Hell Gate.

Such long trails and tedious detours to avoid watercourses and marshes must have appeared very aggravating at times to those natives living on the shores facing

INDIAN NOTES

BOROUGH OF QUEENS

each other across the waters of East river. Hell Gate offered an obstruction to free passage which led to the tradition among the natives of the region to the effect that at some remote period it had been possible for their predecessors to cross the dangerous rapid by stepping from one exposed rock to another. A folk-story of much the same imaginative character is related by Robert Bolton, regarding the Stepping Stones rocks off Pelham neck. That legend recorded the pursuit by the natives of "Manetto," the Evil Spirit, through Westchester county to the Sound shore, where, escaping to City island, he stepped across to a safe retreat on Long Island by the use of the Stepping Stones, leaving the imprint of one foot which may still be seen upon a bowlder near Eastchester. He is said to have landed from his leap over the Sound in Flushing bay, on great rocks which were splintered by the impact.