226 The Story of The Bronx 



Road to Spuyten Duyvil Creek, thence by way of Williams- 

 bridge to Eastchester, and thence by way of New Rochelle, 

 Stamford, and other towns along the Sound to New Haven. 

 The Connecticut River constituted a barrier between Say- 

 brooke and Old Lyme, so that the stages were obliged to go 

 by way of Hartford and Springfield. Of the first stages over 

 the Albany Road, mention has already been made. 



MacAdam had not yet revolutionized road-making, and 

 so even the best of these old roads were quagmires in wet 

 weather, and fetlock deep with dust in dry. Many of the 

 streams had to be forded or crossed by ferries, bridges coming 

 later with increase of travel. Notwithstanding the establish- 

 ment of the post-roads, and the later introduction of stage- 

 coaches, the favorite manner of travelling long distances was 

 either by horse or sloop, the latter especially suiting the leis- 

 urely traveller of that day. In the trip between New York 

 and Albany, the sloops came to anchor every night, and the 

 journey frequently lasted a week. The same is also true of 

 the trip to the east, the inlets and harbors on both sides 

 of the Sound furnishing safe and comfortable anchorages at 

 night; but it must be remembered that there were no light- 

 houses along these thoroughfares to guide the mariner at night. 



Stages were also run from the outlying villages to Morrisania 

 and Harlem; and later, in the nineteenth century, when the 

 steamboats began to run, these stages connected with the 

 boats plying to the city. A hand-bill of 1830 reads as follows: 



"New York, West Farms, and West Chester Stage. 

 Stephen Valentine Respectfully informs the inhabitants of 

 West Chester and West Farms that he has commenced run- 

 ning a line of post coaches to the above places, and hopes by 

 strict attention, together with good horses and safe Carriages, 

 to meet with a liberal support. 



