394 HISTORY OF THE COUNTY OF WESTCHESTER. 



southward along ye line which Mr, Lewis run and down to ye old purchase line, 

 and from said straddle northward by said line of Mr. Lewis to Titicus river and 

 bounded east by ye former purchase made of Tackora being a breadth about 

 three hundred and fifteen rodds. To have and to hold, &e., 7th of March, 1729. 

 Signed, sealed and delivered in presence of Josiah Gilbert, William Drink- 

 water. 



Tapporneck, his mark, 

 Moses, his mark, 

 Sam, his mark, 

 Ammon, his mark, 

 Wettham, his mark, 

 Pawquenong, his mark, 

 Crow,* his mark. 



From this time we hear no more of the aboriginal proprietors of 

 " Harahamis," or Asoquatah. Many interesting relics of the Indian race 

 have been found near the vicinity of Lake Peppeneghek or Cross Pond; 

 proving most conclusively that this portion of " Harahamis" was one of 

 their favorite camping and hunting grounds. Near the east side of the 

 lake, upon the land of the late Henry Keeler, there once existed a large 

 mound of stones, raised by the Indians over the remains of one of their 

 renowned sachems. Upon one of the highest points of the West Moun- 

 tain, bordering on Candatowa or Ridgefield, in the north-east corner of 

 the farm of Jeremiah Wood has been recently discovered a curious 

 Indian " shingaba-wassin " or " Tonage stone." It consists of a hard 

 stone fretted by the action of water into a shape resembling the trunk of 

 a human body well rounded, with something resembling legs, with back 

 and chest well defined, surmounted by an entablature, upon which there 

 once doubtless stood a rude head. The trunk is about twenty-two 

 inches high and twelve broad. There can be no doubt, as we have just 

 observed, that it was formed by the sheer force of attrition — such as is 

 ordinarily given by the upheaving and rolling force of waves on a lake 

 or ocean beach. To the superstitious natives, who are not prone to 

 reason from cause to effect, such productions appear indeed wonderful. 

 All that is past comprehension, or wonderful, is attributed by them to 

 the supernatural agency of spirits. The hunter or warrior, who is travel- 

 ing along the coast, and finds one of these self-sculptured stones, is not 

 sure that it is not a direct interposition of his God, or guardian Manito, 

 in his favor. He is habitually a believer in the most subtle forms of 

 mysterious power, which he acknowledges to be often delegated to the 

 native priests, or necromancers. He is not staggared by the most extra- 

 ordinary stretch of fancy, in the theory of the change or transformation 



a Ridgefield Rec. vol. II , pp. 70-71. 



