Litchfield enquirer., 1853-08-11
MISCELLANY.
Indian Names.

of civilization invaded the shores of our
western continent; and then many years
passed away before it found firm rest
ing place upon the soil. But when it
had acquired a foothold-when it had
fol tilted and entrenched itself, as it were.
upon these shores, then it began rapidly
to extend it's dominion. 1t crossed the
Allegeanies lit quickened its speed. and
spread through the valleys Of the Miss
issippi, and penetrated far into the re-
cesses of the West, leveliog, destroy
iug and uprooting all. which barred its
path. The red men. the rightful owners
of the soil, could not Withstand its pow
err. They could not unite with it. and
they could not subdue it. They saw the
graves Of their sires laid open by the
plowshare of the stranger; they saw
their lands seized, their forests cut down,
and their villages displaced to make room
for houses and farms and with arms
strengthened by despair they strove
against the spoiler; but in vain ! Their
arrows and tomahawks were NO match
for the rifles and swords Of the white
man. They were massacred in their
wig warns. or driven from their homes
at the point of the bayonet. and the few
who now remain in far off pc, ton Of
our land are looking forward to tho GER
tain pc. iod when the inroads Of disease
and the devastations of war will complete
the work of ex,irpation which the sword
of the white man begun on the borders
of the eastern ocean. H... .
But it is gratifying to our nature to
know that while the Indian tribes OF
North America are gradually waning in
numbers, their memory will be perpetu.
ated in the proud names which they at
tached to the mountains, lakes and rivers
of their native soil, and which are scat>
tered here and there throughout the
country. as we sometimes find 10 pic.
neer clearing few noble old Trees left at
intervals. like solitary mourners, the sole
memorials Of the primeval wood. We
have already been guilty Of too much
injustice to the poor Indians. Let US
not. in addition, Danish from our geo.
graphical records the appropriate and
beautiful names by which they were
wont TO distinguish the lands and waters
of their own primitive dominion.
Indian names are inscribed on the es-
cutcheons of thirteen Of the States and
they compare favorsbIy with the names
of sny Of the other members of the con
federacy. Thus. Ohio. Alabama, Miss
issippi, Missouri and Tennessee, are far
more attractive than tie English com,
pounds Of New Hampshire g. Rhode Island.
New York, New Jersey and South Car
DINA and these old Indian names should
be cherished as much for their originality
as for their beauty. The substitution Of
English names has TOO often been charac-
teri2ed by lamentable want of TASTE
This was the case in changing the incom.
parablv beautiful name Of Horizon. ia
nous ia romance and history, for the un-
meaning appellaiion of Lake George
Red river, in Arkansas. was formerly
called Bogahoma; Rock riverin Illinois.
Was the Osenua; and the waters Of the
Mississippi at The Falls Of ST. Anthony,
seemed 10 sparkle more brightly. and
leap more exuberantly when they rejoic-
ed in The name of Owahmena. James
INer. in Virginia. was called by the ma
tives Pewhattan; 81. Mary's in Mary-
land. the Yoamaco; the St. Lawrence,
Cadarauqui; Jona.han's Greek. 10 Ohio,
was called the Moxhala; and Charles
river, in Massachusetts,, reioiced in the
name Of Quinobequin. Some Of the
English names which have been applied
to our streams might be advantageously
exchanged for the most jaw. breaking
names In the Indian vocabulary as. Cor
instance. the Eel, the Onion, the Fish.
the Calf Pasture, the Sleepy, the Mud
dy, the Small Pox, the Fever. the Tar
and the Cheat rivers. s" Hla +.
History tells ~ chat q few cOIonists
lsnded % the peninsula Of ShaaO1sst. and
finding . good spring Of water, settled
there, and called it Boston, The town
Of Dorchester Is the old Mataupan or
MAttapan Of the Indians. Springfield