Jackson County sentinel. (Gainesboro, Tenn.) 1914-current, 1922-06-22


ines In Caves Around Spuyten Duy-
vii creek-Flrst Corners Found Them
Ready Formed by Nature-lt Was
e" There That Hendrek Hudson and
His Sailors Gave Battle to the In.
I, ~ dlans, II Is Said.
Manhattan Island is unique In hav-
lag at one end the densest populated
mot on earth, and at the other scarce
htteeh miles away, u spot of entranc-
btg wilderness, once the home Of pre-
historic cavemen. The tongue of land
at. the extreme upper end of Manhat-
. tan Island, formed by the Hudson river
Spuyten Duyvll creek, called by the
Indians "Shorapock," and hard by
where Columbia uniyerslty's new stad-
ium is to be built is as wild and pic
turesque as bit in the heart of the
Cstskills, says the New York World.
Between the rounded, wooded, dome
hks, rocky end of the island, facing
he mainland north, and another emil
nence to the SOUTH opposite 2l4th
- street, a little cove makes back Into
the fastness of Inwo0d hill from the
exbow Of Spuyten Duyvil creek, now
an anchorage for pleasure boats 1t Is
hidden dell, unsupported alike to
those who pass on the Hudson and the
creek for giant trees and thick shrub
berry hide 1t from the creek, and the
!. Poek-ribbed hill to the west conceals
n from the big river.
II was such secure hiding place as
the first savage vanguard of the In
clans, spying out the uninhabited land
= when they first came, perhaps 1000
Fears ago. maybe 10000, would have
picked out for retreat from imaginary
predecessors they were ever expecting
70 meet. II contained caves ready
formed for their occupancy, and per-
haps they were not so very far re-
moved from their cavemen ancestors
IN siberia, or Northern Europe, or the
South Sea Islands-or wherever they
came from.
perhaps an Ancient Race.
Anyway, the caves are there, and
have been explored, and have yielded
rslics, and some archaeologsts believe
that the first Indians who inhabited
them were Of an old race of a culture
somewhat different from that of the
indians whe were there In later years
when the white men came. The In
wood ravine was doubtless then. as it
Ia even now, an ideal place for an In
dian village. There Is the dry bed of
. tiny brooklet running down its cen
ter. High up along the west wall are
the fallen rocks which hide the caves.
Near by is a fine spring, and in the
forest are giant tulips, oaks, black
blYches, and In the tangled underwood
gYows the spicewood, or benzoin, used
BY the savages as tea.
IS. A. g. Swenson of No. 3l4 West
10th street Is one of the great mum
Der Of thoughtful ManhattaneSe who
have visited Inwood and delight In
studying the traces left by the prede
ssssors Of white men In this vicinity.
Amateur archaeolos.
qwenson's hobbies.
The mystic ravine at InWoOd, with
IL caves, has exerted its fascination
upcB Mr.. Swenson. to such nm extent
that he has collected some interesting
dats about It.
May Have Come From Yonkers.
."It Is difficult to obtain information
about our predecessors on this island"
said Mr.. Swenson "f'he first white
ssttlers who had the opportunity to
learn much about them left few de-
scriptions. The Indians In this neigh.
korhood seem to have had their head
quarters at YonkerS and came down
here for fishing and other expeditions
Many Of them no doubt, had pcrma-
nsnt settlements ON the island, not
ssly at the northern end. but ali me
wy down where there were springs
and wells. The island was rich in wa
tsr courses. East of Inwood Hill the
later Indians had tobacco fields. II Is
ifksly the Indians Of the southern end
- the island went 10 this more pro-
tseted Inwood section In winter.
1.-THE Manhattan Indians are re-
fsrred to IN the records az the Rech-
gsrawank. and their nelghborS north
81 Spuyten Duyvil creek--or Papirini-
msn, ar perhaps Paparnemin, as 1t
WIS callcd-were of the Weckquaskeck |
srhtrihp If the Mohican tribe. who
belonged To the Wappinger confeder-
ser. Their chief village in WestcheSter
ecurty was Ut nohhs Ferry. They had |
q fort clllcd Nipinichsen on Spuyten |
fTyvil hin. the exact site Of which |
has net been located. The lnwood |
BIN 50 tion on Manhattan. called |
sNrr kapcck. was an ideal location for
srillr q le'ug near the Hudson river
fr' creek With nnen water fer fish /
r. anl cl'Sn - the sporting fountain
lag 'a'lcl Cola spring The meadows
r".p-l Which he creek wound south
e"s st"Ernst6 nc first white -
''st.rs NE, aiInSt decided to settle
N~r n tsai - fhe BATTERY. On
''eF r. 80 fsrfnp-ly called Cace
~ - a'fa hundreds uF wear.
Ers .&1t w.5 Hgec tbs Intll~
ff.N ltta+lS sas 81, - -fta