26 STATEN ISLAND INSTITUTE OF ARTS AND SCIENCES 
probably laid out. Surveys show that at least some of these lots 
were cut into halves, which may mean that “la ligne” on the map 
was the line cutting them in two, or possibly the area on one side 
was allotted to one village and the area on the other side to the 
other village. Marsh land at that time had a considerable value 
and to each lot in the town was usually assigned a suitable propor- 
tion of salt marsh. 
A considerable error in direction must have arisen in sketching 
in Crookes Point (called on the map “pointe de sable”) and the 
shore line, or else, and more likely, the marginal portions of the 
sketch were forced to fit the sheet of paper. 
The handwriting has been compared with a photograph of Cor- 
telyou’s signature and they do not appear distinctly different. 
Cortelyou may have made the sketch, but it is quite as likely it 
was done by a Frenchman, as Cortelyou’s maps on record are not 
in French. However, according to the Land Papers, Cortelyou 
executed a survey for Guyon in 1676. 
The map describes the character of the land with considerable 
care.* It is worthy of notice that while the creeks and marshes 
have changed very little in the 240 years since the map is believed 
to have been made, the woods have disappeared and the upland 
has been considerably altered by cultivation and improvements. 
#French terms describing the use of the land are as follows: bois, 
wood; foin sale, salt hay; foin doux, fresh hay; roseau, reed. 
