20 The Story of The Bronx 



Blackwell's Island; and the first batch of prisoners, 150 in 

 number, was transferred to the island June 21, 1903. All 

 the work-house prisoners have since been transferred. A light- 

 house on Riker's Island helps to mark the navigation of the 

 East River. 



Between Throgg's Neck and Long Island are several rocky 

 islets visible at low tide, which are called the "Stepping- 

 stones"; on one of them is a light-house. 



City Island, comprising 230 acres, lies off Rodman's Neck 

 on the northerly side of Eastchester Bay, and is a long, narrow 

 strip only a few feet above the waters of the Sound. Hart 

 Island, of eighty-five acres, lies to the eastward of City Island. 

 In 1774, Oliver De Lancey of West Farms came into posses- 

 sion of it. It was then called "Spectacle" Island, or "Little 

 Minnefords. " Later, it passed into the possession of the 

 Haights and Rodmans, then into the hands of John Hunter, 

 and finally into the hands of the city of New York, which 

 maintains there a potter's field, a hospital for convalescents, 

 and a work-house under the Department of Charities. High 

 Island lies north of City Island, and in the vicinity of these 

 larger islands are several rocky islets called Rat Island, the 

 Chimney Sweeps, and the Blauzes. Bolton says that this 

 section was formerly the resort of immense numbers of wild 

 ducks, as many as one thousand being shot in six hours. 

 To-day, when there is bad weather in the Sound, many vessels 

 of all kinds seek refuge under the lee of the islands until the 

 weather improves and they can resume their interrupted 

 voyages. Goose Island is a small island lying in the mouth 

 of Eastchester Creek. Hunter and Twin islands will be con- 

 sidered under the chapter on Parks. 



The southern extremity of the Riverdale Ridge is called 

 Spuyten Duyvil Neck. The fourth proprietor was George 



