The New York herald., 1875-09-29
MES ana even in England This race course was known

long period subsequently. The Revolutionary contest
which caused much misery and distress throughout
the country generally seems TO havo made that portion
OF hong island known as the Hampstead Plains, which
within the control OF the British force scene Of
almost continued amusement They then had control
Of New York. Kings, Queens and about e-haf of Suf
folk counties There were two British regiments In
Brooklyn during The war, and several companies and
parts regiments posted in the different towns through
the Island, and the wagon train and blacksmith and
armory department of the British army were located
Brooklyn. These circumstances, together with the
large garrison In the city of New York. caused Long
Island 10 be much rcsored to by the officers and fash
ionabes of tho day for sporting The Royal Gazette Of
August 17sl printed in New York, contains the fol
lowing curious advertisement relating the sports and
amusements Of that day.
PRO Boyo puBIIco
Gentlemen that are fond of fox hunting requested
TO meet at Looseys Tavern on Ascot Heath, Friday
morning next, between the hours Of five and six
pack of hounds will DO there purposely for trial of
their abilities Brcakfastna and reshes until the
commence. At eleven O'clock will be for
elegant saddle, &C. value at least f2o for which
upward of twelve gentlemen will ride their own horses
AT twelve match will be rode by two gentlemen horse
for horse. AT one match for thirty guineas by two
gentlemen, who will ride their own horses Dinner
will be ready at two O'clock aher which, and suitable
regacments, racing and other diversions will be cal
custed to conclude the day with pleasure and harmony
BROOKLYN HALL, August q, ISL
From the first settlement of the country until about
the time when Cobbett, OF England, improved por-
ton OF the borders of Hampstead Plains of which he
subsequently wrote book it was universally believed
that this large tract of land could be cultivated
that if turned up by the plough porous that
the water would run through 1t at once and leave tho
vegetation on the surface to perish fom drought that
nothing would grow uron it except the grass,
which, in later years, seemed native of that region.
This belief continued, it seems even without an at
tempt to test its accuracy by experiment until Cob
belts timo, Aferward, when some of the adjacent
farmers In need OF land than they possessed
they gradually took in small portions which
lay nearest to their lands, and submitted them
to course Of cultivation. To their surprise it
not only answered for grass but for grain, and
would also support growth of trees if they only
introduced upon it, This discovery led to tho taking
In and enclosing of whole FARMS the people regarding
it as kind Of waste land in which had good
title as he who took possession and cultivated it
This opened the eyes of the good people of Hampstead
to the fact that their great plains which were before
esteemed Of value except graao few cattle on and
feed half wild turkeys, wcro truly valuable fhrms
and they subsequently took measures preserve their
common rights in what remained of the great
tract Those rights, it will be remembered, Mr.
Stewart found great trouble in securing even though
claim other than to put their COWS upon the plains
occasionally TO feed upon the uncultvaed grass which
they continued to produce. But, while tho pooplo
generally strong In their belief that these lands
were worthless, writer, long ago, in reference to
them said with more of the power to prophesy upon
him than he may have believed
And the time is probably not very far distant when
the traveller will ask with surprise what has become of
this extensive region OF barren land, which
long considered ono Of the wonders of the North Amer
can Continent and will scarcely believe that his eye is
traversing the extent when 1T is directed those
highly cultivated fields and beautiful grass meadows
which will occupy its site.
Hampstead Plains have been considered great nat
ural curiosity from the first discovery of Long Island
To look such great extent of land las could be
done until Garden City was built without observing
sensible elevation in any part to relieve the eye until
the horizon meets the level appears like looking
the In the summer the rarefaction of the air
so large surface exposed TO the SUMS hot rays
occasoned tho phenomenon Of "Hoomng," in
harbors the There has scarcely traveller of
any note visited this part of North America who does
not mention these plains and regard them worthy Of
description The Rev. A. Burnaby, who travelled
through the middle colonies in 1859, visited them in
July of that year. He describes them as between
twenty and thirty miles long and four five miles
broad, and says ''thoro
TREE
then growing upon them. And IL Is assorted that
here any" That thero should never
have been any upon this large tract of land until
Mr. Stewart placed them there may appear strange but
II is not a solitary instance of such want even upon
Long Island The shinnecock Hills, near southamp-
ton, have never had tree upon them from the first
discovery of the island to this day, although tho
rounding country is well wooded.
The old authority speaks elsewhere in his &C.
of his travels of the great interest manifested by
the inhabitants Of New York at that period now far
than century ago, In reference 10 these plains
He gays that strangers always carried to this
place great curiosity, and tho only of the kind
in North America" The last remark was believed to
be true the time It made; but II must be remem
bered that tho quotation Is made from work which
was published before the vast praires OF the West
known TO other than few adventurous Indian traders
The North American Gazetteer" London, 1776 after
mentioning these plains much in the same manner as
the traveller named says of the whole region
that at has neither stick stone upon IT," This
was literally truo; for the only stones found In tho
tract are coarse washed gravel having very much
the appearance il had been the bed of largo
lake a shallow bay jutting up from the ocean. So
entirely FREQ Of stone Is the country about the plains
for number OF miles that tho inhabitants
were for long time obliged to resort to
the ridge Of hills running through the centre OF
the island. and known as its "backbone," for their
building stone. Now, however, brick for buildings is
made from the clay pits which have been found the
plains and now the discoveries recorded above show,
there need be fear of drought tho plans in
Garden City on the miles of barrens beyond
II is proved that what was supposed TO bo the
great luck in striking spring for water heretofore,
need be trusted In again, for anywhere all along
the miles of plains they have only to so down to the
gravel line to find vast sheet Of pure water flowing
southwark, and that continually.
A MAJOR GENERALS POVERTY.