Captain Warren brought his prizes to New York and handed them over to
his father-in-law's firm,--advertised in the old papers as "Messieurs
Stephen de Lancey and Company,"--who acted as his agents in
practically all of what Janvier disrespectfully styles "his French and
Spanish swag"! Governor Clinton had exempted prizes from duty, so it
was all clear profit. With the proceeds of the excellent deals which
De Lancey made for him, he then proceeded to cut the swathe for which
he was by temperament and attributes so well fitted.

There never was an Irishman yet, nor a sailor either, who could not
spend money in the grand manner. Our Captain was no exception, be
certain! He figures superbly in the social accounts of the day; it is
safe to assert that he set the pace after a fashion, and fair Mistress
Susanna was a real leader of real Colonial dames! He appears to have
been a genuinely and deservedly popular fellow, our Peter Warren,
throwing his prize money about with a handsome lavishness, and
upholding the honour of the British navy as gallantly in American
society as ever he had in hostile waters abroad.

And now for that dream of a country home! Warren had lands on the
Mohawk River and elsewhere, but his heart had always yearned for the
tract of land in sylvan Greenwich. In that quiet little hamlet on the
green banks of the Hudson the birds sang and the leaves rustled, and
the blue water rested tired eyes. Peter at this time owned nearly
three hundred acres of ground there and now that he had money in
plenty, he lost no time in building a glorious dovecote for himself
and Mistress Susanna--a splendid house in full keeping with his usual
large way of doing things.

Stroll around the block that is squared by the present Charles, Perry,
Bleecker and Tenth streets some day, look at the brick and stone, the
shops and boarding-houses,--and try to dream yourself back into the
eighteenth century, when, in that very square of land, stood the
Captain's lovely country seat. In those days it was something
enormous, palatial, and indeed was always known as the Mansion or
Manse. This is, of course, the basis for the silly theory that
Greenwich got its name from the estate. Undoubtedly the Warren place
was the largest and most important one out there, and for a time to
"go out to visit at Greenwich," meant to go out to visit the Manse.
For years the Captain and the Captain's lady lived in this beautiful
and restful place with th