THE TOWN OF NORTH CASTLE. 719 



Upon the edge of one of them is a remarkable split rock, which was, 

 in all probability, rent asunder ages ago, by some convulsion of nature. 

 The gap is commonly called Brimstone Alley. Hard by is a dismal cav- 

 ern, styled the Devil's Den. In the north-easterly corner of the town lies 

 the Dark Valley, a part of which falls within the limits of New Castle. 

 From the gloomy woods of this valley issues the northern branch of the 

 Bronx. a On the east side of the Dark Valley rises Whippoor-will Hill, 

 an appellation given to it on account of its being a haunt of that well- 

 known bird. 6 "The notes of this solitary bird, (observes Wilson, the or- 

 nithologist,) from the ideas which are naturally associated with them, 

 seem like the voice of an old friend, and are listened to by almost all 

 with great interest. At first they issue from some retired part of the 

 woods, the glen or the mountain ; in a few evenings, perhaps, we hear 

 them from the adjoining coppice, the garden fence, the road before the 

 door, and even from the roof of the dwelling house, long after the fami- 

 ly have retired to rest. Some of the more ignorant and superstitious con- 

 sider this near approach as forebodings of no good to the family — noth- 

 ing less than sickness, misfortune, or death, to some of its members. 

 These visits, however, so often occur without any bad consequences, that 

 this superstitious dread seems on the decline. He is now a regular ac- 

 quaintance. Every morning and evening his shrill and rapid repititions 

 are heard from the adjoining woods j and when two or more are calling 

 out at the same time, as is often the case in the pairing season, and at 

 no great distance from each other, the noise, mingling with the echoes 

 from the mountains, is really surprising." " These notes seem pretty 

 plainly to articulate the words which have been generally applied to 

 them — Whip-poor-will-. — the first and last syllable being uttered with 

 great emphasis, and the whole in about a second to each repetition ; but 

 when two or more males meet, their Whip-poor-will altercations become 

 much more rapid and incessant, as if each were straining to overpower 

 or silence the other." " Towards midnight they generally become silent ; 

 unless in clear moonlight, when they are heard, with little intermission, 

 till morning. If there be a creek near, with high precipitous, bushy 

 banks, they are sure to be found in such situations. During the day, 

 they sit in the most retired, solitary, and deep-shaded parts of the woods, 

 generally on high ground, where they repose in silence." " I shall not, 

 (continues Mr. Wilson,) in the manner of some, attempt to amuse the 

 readers with a repetition of the unintelligible names given to this bird 

 by the Indians, or the superstitious notions generally entertained of it 



a The eastern branch of the Bronx originates from the Rye ponds, and, running through 

 Kensico, unites with the northern in the southern part of this town. 

 b Caprimulgus Vociferous.— Wilson. 



