East River: Name applied to the body of water at New York, more properly a strait, connecting Long Island Sound with New York Bay; called a river no doubt from the river-like action of its tides; the name is used to distinguish it from North River, i.e., the Hudson. As the Dutch had the South and North Rivers to designate their territory limits, it was consistent that the stream east of their city of New Amsterdam should be indicated as Oost Rivier.

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