"Although the Montaukett were among the first tribes to establish relations with the English in the seventeenth century, until now very little has been written about the evolution of their interaction with the settlers. John A. Strong, a noted authority on the Indians of New York State's Long Island, has written a concise history that focuses on the issues of land tenure in the relations between the English and the Montaukett.".

"This book covers the period from the Montaukett's earliest contacts to the 1917 decision by the New York Appellate Court declaring the tribe extinct to their current battle for the federal recognition necessary to reclaim portions of their land." "Strong also looks at related issues such as cultural assimilation, political and social tensions, and patterns of economic dependency among the Montaukett."--BOOK JACKET.