Excerpt from Rides and Rambles on Staten Island One hundred thirty-three years ago the New York Post Boy, of November 10th, contained the following advertisement: "Publick Notice is hereby given to all, Gentlemen Travellers, that Martin Duckett has rented the noted ferry house on Statten Island, lately kept by John Watson, where he intends to keep the Best Entertainment for man and Horse, with three good boats constantly attending said ferry to and from New York and Statten Island, in company with Scotch Johnny of said city, Tavern Keeper; as also a commodious Stable with all kinds of Provinder for horses where all Gentlemen Travellers may be ensured of best entertainment for themselves and horse with the most carefull and expeditious passages across the Bay, by applying to said Scotch Johnny, near White Hall Ferry stairs, or said Duckett on Statten Island aforesaid; and in case a boat showd be wanted in any emergency there shall lie one in readiness on notice given to either of the Persons above mentioned." Thus early there were attraction on the pretty Island down the Bay, on the island that the Indians called ''Eghquahouse" or "Aquehonga Manacknong," and which the Dutch named Staaten Eylandt, the Island of the States, after they had bought it from the red men. The price paid could hardly be called an exorbitant one, but the Indian was not a grasping land owner, and the early Dutch no spendthrifts, so the consideration as finally agreed on was "Fonre hundred fathom of Wampum, 30 Match Boots, 8 Coates of Durens made up, 30 Shirts, 30 Kettles, 20 Gunnes, a Firken of Powder, 60 Barres Lead, 30 Axes, 30 Howes and 50 Knives." The Dutch purchasers were themselves not impressed with the munificence of the price, and labored under the suspicion that the noble Red might change his mind for some reason or other, as "Injun givers" sometimes did, and come and take the Island back again, so it was stipulated that the Indians should come into court every once in a while and put "his mark" on the bill of sale. But this transfer was final, and no trouble arose from previous mortgages involving other shirts, kettles, gunnes, match boots, etc. But this is ancient history, where there are recorded also shipwrecks on Robbins Reef of numerous ferry-boats with more or less loss of life, down to the days of Cornelius Van Der Bilt and his schooner "Dread," plying between the Island and New York, fare eighteen cents, down to tho early steamboats. About the Publisher Forgotten Books publishes hundreds of thousands of rare and classic books. Find more at www.forgottenbooks.com This book is a reproduction of an important historical work. Forgotten Books uses state-of-the-art technology to digitally reconstruct the work, preserving the original format whilst repairing imperfections present in the aged copy. In rare cases, an imperfection in the original, such as a blemish or missing page, may be replicated in our edition. We do, however, repair the vast majority of imperfections successfully; any imperfections that remain are intentionally left to preserve the state of such historical works.