But gradually, the ocean's force of wind and tides broadened and deepened the opening, creating an island named Noepe. The Wampanoag were the first people of Noepe. At first, only a silver thread of water trickled in the track. Weary from his journey, Moshup dragged his foot heavily, leaving a deep track in the mud. One day, Moshup was making his way across the mainland to the headlands of the Aquinnah Cliffs. There, it is said, a benevolent being named Moshup roamed the land. The last great North American glacier began its retreat some 10,000 years ago, leaving behind the accumulation of boulders, sand, and clay that is now known as Martha's Vineyard.
