414 The Story of The Bronx 



Lying northeast of Throgg's Neck, and between it and City 

 Island, are several small rocky islands whose tops are bare at 

 low tide, and upon one of which the Federal Government 

 maintains a light-house. These islets are called the "Step- 

 ping-stones"; and the origin of the name is due to the 

 following Indian legend: 



The evil spirit set up a claim to the shores of Connecticut, 

 then in possession of the Indians, who determined to hold 

 their land, on the principle that "possession is nine points of 

 the law." But before doing so they laid the whole matter 

 before their squaws, as most wise men do in cases of great im- 

 portance, anticipating the dictum of the famous Captain 

 John Underhill, who says: "Let no man despise the advice and 

 counsel of his wife, though she be a woman.'" After fully con- 

 sidering the matter, the squaws advised their lords to compro- 

 mise the matter with his satanic majesty by vacating the 

 disputed premises upon receiving remuneration for their 

 betterments, a New England term that signifies, houses, cul- 

 tivated or cleared land, or land which has been prepared for 

 cultivation in the Indian fashion by girdling the trees. As a 

 matter of course, no answer was vouchsafed to this demand 

 of the Indians, and the two parties prepared for the final 

 arbitrament of war. 



The Indians knew they were no match for the arch-fiend, 

 but they thought that, by having a constant and fresh supply 

 of reinforcements, they would be able to keep up the contest 

 night and day, and thus tire him out. At his first advance, 

 the enemy swept everything before him, but the Indians 

 carried out their plan so successfully and harassed him so con- 

 tinually that he was finally baffled by their vigilance and per- 

 severance and was compelled to fall back. As he retreated 

 along the shore, always presenting a bold front to the advan- 



