It is so natural a line of travel, though it paralleled the Mechawanienck trail, that it can hardly fail to have been the successor of a native pathway extending westward from the beach to the stations at Gravesend (pi. xxv). With the Narrioch tract the natives also passed title to Mannahanning, or "land on an island," being the contiguous area of what is now known as Coney Island. It may be noted that this name was originally applied only to the western extremity, which in those early days was a separate island.

The remainder was further divided into two parts by a marshy area which was submerged at high tide. This extended east of Luna Park, where a small inlet set in from Coney Island creek on the line of Overton place. The eastern island was at first known as Gysbert's eylandt, and both were known as late as 1824 as Schryers hook.

The island was doubtless reached from the mainland by a path which led direct from the site of Gravesend village (105) by what became later the old Shell road.