628 HISTORY OF THE COUNTY OF WESTCHESTER. 



ing to run it alongside of the frigates. The crews, however, kept it off' 

 by means of spars j and a heavy fire of grape and cannister compelled 

 the gun-boats and their brave crews to seek shelter in the mouth of the 

 Saw Mill river. 



The year previous, General Heath had been requested by the person 

 in command of the fire ships, to be a spectator of the burning of these 

 vessels. 



On the 1 6th of August, 1776, General Heath, accompanied by General 

 Clinton and several other officers, took a proper position on the banks 

 of the Hudson. 



"The night," says Heath, himself, "was pretty dark; we soon found 

 that the gallies and fire vessels were silently moving up with the tide. 

 After some time, and almost immediately after the sentinels on board 

 the British ships, had passed the word 'all is well,' two of the fire vessels 

 flashed into a blaze.; the one close to the side of the Phoenix, the other 

 grappling one of the tenders. To appearance, the flames were against 

 the side of the Phoenix, and there was much confusion on board. A 

 number of cannon were discharged into the fire vessel, in order to sink 

 her. A number of seamen ascended and got out on the yard-arm, sup- 

 posed to clear away some grapplings. The fire vessel was alongside, as 

 was judged ten minutes — when the Phoenix either cut or slipt her cable, 

 let fall her fore-topsail, wore round and stood up the river, being immedi- 

 ately veiled from the spectators, by the darkness of the night. The Rose 

 and the other two tenders remained at their moorings." a 



Cannon balls are still dug out of the banks in great numbers. 



A little south, upon the east shore, lies the Fischer's rock, or Fisher's 

 Point The Groshon place was frequently visited during the war, by 

 prowling bands of " Cow-boys;" who not only levied exactions of stock 

 and money, but compelled its inmates to find other shelter out of doors, 

 while they filled the rooms with straw and quartered themselves thereon 

 for the night. A cow and horse belonging to the family, were concealed 

 for some time in one of the bed-rooms ; while the family silver was 

 stowed away between the wainscoat. 



Contiguous to the old village of Yonkers, and immediately south of 

 it, is situated on a commanding eminence, the hotel of the late De 

 Witt C. Kellinger, called the Mansion House. — 



This place was called by its aboriginal possessors, Nap pe-cka mak, a 

 name derived as before stated from its situation at the mouth of the 

 Neperah; or in other words, it was the Rapid water settlement. 1 



The Dutch afterwards conferred upon it the name of the Little Jonk- 

 ers Plantation. This word was sometimes pronounced Yonkers, which 



a Heath's Hem. 54. 



b The word at this date has become Xepperban (1979). 



