464 HISTORY OF THE COUNTY OF WESTCHESTER. 



best historians of New Netherlands, A.D., 1625." This people he de- 

 scribes " as dwelling along the coast from Norwalk to twenty-four miles 

 to the neighborhood of Hellegat." Adriaen van der Donck, in his map 

 of 1656, styles them Siwanoys. These Siwanoys constituted a tribe of 

 the mighty Mohegan, or " Enchanted Wolf " nation, originally called 

 Muhhekanew, or the Seven Tribes on the sea coast — otherwise called 

 Mohiggans by the English, and Mahicanders, or River Indians, by the 

 low Dutch, 6 and Mohicans by the English. 



The River Sachems, at this early period, paid tribute to Sassacus, grand 

 sachem of the Mohegans, whose broad territory extended from Narra- 

 gansett to Hudson River, and over all Long Island. In 1644, there was 

 an Indian Chief by the name of Mamaranack, living at Kitchawanc," 

 (Croton ) This individual may have been one of the grantors of these 

 lands to the Dutch West India Company, in 1640, when the latter pur- 

 chased a large tract of land comprising much of the present County of 

 Westchester. 



The site of the ancient Indian village in this town can still be traced 

 upon the projecting rocks, directly opposite Heathecote Hill and the 

 residence of the late Benjamin M. Brown, along Mamaroneck Bay. 

 This spot was well suited to the habits of the aborigines, who subsisted, 

 one-half of the year at least, upon the fish caught in these waters. It 

 must also be borne in mind, that all the Indian villages on the sea board 

 were noted for the manufacture of seawant, the materials for which were 

 found here in great abundance.^ 



The beautiful scenery of the bay, and adjoining necks, must have had 

 peculiar attractions for these roving nomads and hunters, as they appear 

 always to have selected such places for their summer residence. Early 

 Connecticut coins have been discovered on the site of these habitations. 

 The remains of several Indians were found a few years since, in' repair- 

 ing the road opposite the store now occupied by Britt & Son. Some of 

 the skeletons were nearly entire. They have been since interred in the 

 rear of Dr. Stanley's residence. Upon the Shubal Lyon property, north- 

 east of the village, is situated the Indian burying-ground. Remains of 

 extensive Indian works exist on the elevated ground north of Heathcote 

 Hill, and of the late Mr. Benjamin Brown's residence, called Nelson's 

 Hill. They consist of distinct long round ridges, with corresponding 

 depressions, and of four circular pits in the form of a square, having a 



a De Laet's New World, chap. viii. 



b N. Y. Hist. 80c. vol. i. 29(5-307. 



c O'eallahan's Hist. N. N. 302. 



d There were two kinds of seawant, wampum or Indian money, viz. :— wampum, (white,) 

 and suckaubock, (black.) The white was manufactured from the Meheaubock Periwinkle. 

 The black of the Quahaug. 



