72 HISTORY OF THE COUNTY OF WESTCH ESTER. 



When freezing tempests back to Greenland ride, 

 And day and night the equal hours divide; 

 True to the season, o'er our sea-beat shore, 

 The sailing Osprey high is seen to soar 

 With broad, unmoving wing; and, circling slow, 

 Marks each loose straggler in the deep below, 

 Sweeps down like lightning ! plunges with a roar ! 

 And bears his struggling victim to the shore. 



The long-housed fisherman beholds, with joy, 

 The well-known signal of his rough employ ; 

 And, as he bears his nets and oars along, 

 Thus hails the welcome season with a song: — 



THE FISHERMAN'S HYMN. 



The Osprey sails above the Sound ; 

 The geese are gone, the gulls are flying ; 

 The herring shoals swarm thick around ; 

 The nets are launched, the boats are plying. 

 Yo, ho, my hearts! let's seek the deep, 

 Raise high the song, and cheerly wish her, 

 Still as the bending net we sweep, 

 " God bless the fish hawk and the fisher." 



She brings us fish — she brings us Spring, 



Good times, fair weather, warmth, and plenty ; 



Fine store of shad, trout, herrings, ling, 



Sheeps-kcad and drum, and old wives' dainty. 



Yo, ho, my hearts ! let's seek the deep, 



Ply every oar, and cheerly wish her, 



Still as the bending net we sweep, 

 "God bless the fish hawk and the fisher." 



She rears her young on yonder tree ; 



She leaves her faithful mate to mind 'em ; 



Like us, for fish, she sails to sea, 



And, plunging, shows us where to find 'em. 



Yo, ho, my hearts ! let's seek the deep, 



Ply every oar, and cheerly wish her. 



While the slow-bending net we sweep, 

 "God bless the fish hawk and the fisher."* 



In May, 1755, a public ferry appears to have been established between 

 Ann Hooks Neck and Gravelly or Cedar Tree brook, on the north side 

 of the East river and Hempstead harbor, and Matagariesons Bay on the 



a Wil~<>n'~ Ornithology, New York Neva, Pennsylvania Gazette, Jane 18th, 1762 



sdaylaal we had a ^ real deal 01 thunder with some rain, which we in a d a large 



1 Ann Hook's Neck ia Westchester county, and an ox, ac »w and a calf, under it, were 

 and at New Rochelle, we hear, a house was much damaged. 



