The republic. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1849-1853, 1850-07-19

1SDGAS NoAESsLATURE.-We give place with
pleasure TO the following note from DR.. Foster,
specting the derivation the name of the Susquc
hanna river. Our article last week was based upon
information obtained from Mr.. Rupp's history Of
Dauphin county, in which, however, the origin of
the name is only incidentally mentioned, without
pretending to critical knowledge in regard 70 it
"THE RIvIn SUsaUEHASSA.-The River Susquc-
hanna receives all the streams which run into Dau.
phin county. The Indians call - river su- os- qua.
-unk, or The Long Crooked River"
MEssRs. EDIroRs In your last paper, of July 3,
under the local heading, find article, of which
the above comprises the first two sentences. ! do
not know from what source you derived your in
formation as 10 the Indian name of the river Sus-
quchanna, nor exactly 10 what Indian dialect Su-
os-q,id na-unk belongs, but probably to some band
of the Algonquin rnccs. Judging from its termina-
ton in unk Your derivation am disposed TO think
erroneous one, a. do not find il consistent with
any Of the authorities within my reading. A His
tory Of the Wyoming Valley, published in 1929
processes, in an appendix, 20 give "thc signifca-
ton of several Indian names which are still re.
tanned at and near Wyoming" and the following
is extract:
"Hanna on Hannah, signifies a stream of water
Susqiiehanna-muddy, or riley river
"Lechar1, The forts or point Of intersection. The
Lchigh river is still pronounced Leehaio' by the
Germans.
"Leeharo- hanna. The meeting Of two streams.
Hence our name 'Lackaicdnna.
"T6pe hanna-Ader stream, or stream having
aldcrs growing along its bank. Hence the name
Tobeyhanna' ="
The foregoing, ] think conclusivcly establishes
one fact, namely, that the termination in hanna
means stream or river; while unk docs not, but
rather stump.
In the Letters on the Iroquois," or Six Nations,
in the transactions Of the New York Historical So.
ciety, find the following
1.-THE name Of the Susquehanna--in Cayuga, Ga
icheh no .na-nth in Seneca, GA tCd. no
and in Tuscarora, kau- nau- sch fduyd-is rem
dercd Great Island Rirtr lts Specification refers
TO the Indian custom Of regarding the whole CONT
ncnt l. leland, of which the susquehanna
one Of the principal streams"
have found, however, in my rcsearches that, in
regard 10 the name of any great and permanent
natural object, the different Indian dialccts--nO
matter how dissimilar the sound of the wOrds-al-
ways convey about the idea; and cannot help
thinking, that with them island and earth are al
most synon ymous, that the definition Of muddy or
riey, or earthly, given in the History Of yoming
j. very the correct one; especially ne IL IL de-
scriptivc Of the river in ts numerous freshets, and
Of the quc knees with which il becomes riley with
every storm. Still do not regard this derivation
as absolutely certain. -
In brakes Book Of Tndians- among the list Of
'.Susqtishdnnok ON the west shores Of Maryland, ,
in 1907" (and says) "that river pcrpctuates their
name"
must confess differ with Mr.. Drake, and think
il more likely he perpctuates by his record the too
common ignorance or carolcssncss Of carly white
travellers who, in this instance, in many others,
without knowing their true names, loosely bcstow
the names Of rivers on bands of Indians they find
residing their banks.
You're truly, T. +.
[Hdrri'bwg TeiesraPh.