Footprints of the Red Men: Indian geographical names in the valley of Hudson's river, the valley of the Mohawk, and on the Delaware: their location and the probable meaning of some of them.Ruttenber, Edward Manning
History
Footprints of the Red Men: Indian geographical names in the valley of Hudson's river, the valley of the Mohawk, and on the Delaware: their location and the probable meaning of some of them.
Ruttenber, Edward Manning
Indians of North America -- New York (State); Names, Geographical -- New York (State); Names, Indian -- North America
Weputing, Weepitung, Webotuck, Weepatuck (N. Y. and Conn. Rec.), given
as the name of a "high mountain," in the Sackett Patent, was translated
by Dr. Trumbull, from Conn. Records: "_Weepatuck,_ 'Place of the narrow
pass,' or 'strait.'" (See Wassaic.)
Querapogatt, a boundmark of the Sackett Patent, is, apparently, a
compound of _Quenne,_ "long," _pog_ (paug), "pond," and _att_
locative--"Beginning at the (a) long pond." The name is met in
_Quine-baug,_ without locative suffix, signifying "Long Pond" simply.
She'kom'eko, preserved as the name of a small stream which rises near
Federal Square, Duchess County, and flows thence north to Roelof
Jansen's Kill, was primarily the name of an Indian village conspicuous
in the history of the labors of the Moravian missionaries. [FN-1] It was
located about two miles south of Pine Plains in the valley of the
stream. Dr. Trumbull translated: "_She'com'eko,_ modern _Chic'omi'co,_
from _-she, -che_ (from _mishe_ or _k'che_), 'great,' and _comaco,_
'house,' or 'enclosed place'--'the great lodge,', or 'the great
village.'" [FN-2] We have the testimony of Loskiel that the occupants
of the village were "Mahicander Indians."
* * * * *
[FN-1] The field of the labors of the Moravian missionaries extended
to Wechquadnach, Pachquadnach, Potatik, Westenhoek and Wehtak, on the
Housatenuc. _Wechquadnach_ (Wechquetank, Loskiel) was at the end of
what is now known as Indian Pond, lying partly in the town of North
East, Duchess County, and partly in Sharon, Conn. It was the Gnadensee,
or "Lake of Grace," of the missionaries. _Wequadn'ach_ means "At the
end of the mountain" between which and the lake the Indian village
stood. _Pachquadn'ach_ was on the opposite side of the pond; it means
"Clear bare mountain land." _Wehtak_ means "Wigwam place."
_Pishgachtigok_ (Pach-gat-gock, German notation), was about twenty
miles south of Shekomeko, at the junction of Ten Mile River and the
Housatonuc. It means, "Where the river divides," or branches. (See
Schaghticoke.) _Westenhoek,_ noted above, is explained in another
connection. _Housatonuc,_ in N. Y. Land Papers _Owassitanuc,_ stands
for _A-wass-adene-uc,_ Abn.; in Delaware, _Awossi,_ "Over, over there,
beyond," _-actenne,_ "hill or mountain," with locative _-uk,_ "place,"
"land"; literally, "A place beyond the hill." (Trumbull.) It is not
the name of either the hill or the river, to which it was extended,
but a verbal direction. An Indian village called Potatik by the
Moravian missionaries, was also on the Housatonuc, and is written in
one form, _Pateook._
[FN-2] A translation from the Delaware _Scha-gach-we-u,_ "straight,"
and _meek_ "fish"--an eel--eel place--has been widely quoted. The
translation by Dr. Trumbull is no doubt correct.
[Illustration: The Highlands West From Little Stony Brook]
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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