4 OLD-FASHIONED GARDENING 



extremity of the island home of the Ma-na-ata tribe 

 of Indians — that island which lies at the mouth of 

 the great river explored by, and named for, Henry 

 Hudson. Tradition declares of Hudson's voyage in 

 1609 that some of his men, leaving the Half Moon 

 to go on a fishing expedition, visited what is now 

 Coney Island; and this was described as sandy but 

 covered with plum trees, over which the ever lux- 

 uriant grape vines clambered. Others, sent to explore 

 and make soundings before the Half Moon herself 

 should venture from her anchorage within the shelter 

 of the long bar of sand which we know now as Sandy 

 Hook, came back from their journey up through the 

 Narrows with accounts of a land covered with trees, 

 grass and flowers and delightfully sweet smelling. 

 This is supposed to have been Staten Island. And 

 still other visitors to what is now, presumably, the 

 Jersey shore, found the land clothed with large oaks. 

 Some of the natives who came out to visit the Half 

 Moon brought among their gifts dried currants; and 

 others traded vegetables and com for the trinkets 

 which natives seem always eager to procure. Later 

 on, returning slowly, by reason of head winds, down 

 the great river which he had succeeded in ascending 

 about one hundred and forty miles, the Captain sent 

 parties ashore at intervals, who returned with descrip- 

 tions of what they found: "good ground for corn and 



