The Portland daily press., 1872-12-06
Letter From DR.. True.
INDIAN PROPER NAMES.
OswEao, N. Y, Oct. 20, 1872

OSWEdO, N. L =, OcC. ~, 1917.
Hon. Geo. B. Barrows,
My Dear Sir:-I have been amusing N.Y.
self for several years, and of late when tired
Of everything else, in becoming acquainted
with the Algonkin dialects so as to decipher
the definition of Indian Geographical names.
1t is study in which one is liable to make
mistakes and therefore obliged to tell what
he knows with great caution. I have lately
been bordering over the old names Of Frye
burg.
1. Crockemago.-Th is the Oldest mama
OF the country about Fryeburg on record. It
seems to resolve itself into two words: auroc
-hoeing, and Kemago-an enclosed place. i.
e., The enclosed place aohere they planted
(corn.) We have think the same word in
Rockomeco Canton Point also spelled Roc
ameco, ROckamecook, Arrockaumecook. Mer-
ocomecook REV DR.. Coffin and Rockama-
gug. Arrockaumecook is probably nearest
the original for we have from Rases, Auocka-
began, hoe, (he0an merely referring to the
instrument) scratching or hoeing instru-
ment, the whole word signifying an enclosed
place where they planted corn. Komuk,
komako, Kamik, (Delaware,) Kamighe.
(Abnaki,) denotes limited. closed or an
propriated space" (Trumbull.) The only
question now is, did the Pequawkets cultivate
the lands in Fryeburg? Have you tradition or
history that touches this point? Philoloei-
cally I see no difficulty, and we might infer
that the Indians would make use of the en-
closed circuit of the Saco River in Fryebirg
for that purpose.
II. Pequawket, Pequaket, Pigwacket, Peg
gouakky, lVaudreuil A. D. 1721.) This word
has caused me much trouble, but / believe it
is SO clear that can safely venture upon its
analysis. Pohque, Pohquae, (Narraganset, !
Pauqui, (Abnaki,) Poo kooie, "open, clear
Hence such names as Paquiaug, Pvouaae.
Poquaig, Payquaoge, in Danbury and Athol.
Ms, meaning cleared land,o (Trumbull.
AUX, Ahki, HI, "tand or place." ct. isa To-
cative proposition, signifying at or in. Now
let us write it Pequa-auk-et, sat the clear
ed place" A definition which happily har-
monies with Crockemago, "Ihe hoeing
place"
III. Saco, properly Sauk-tuck. Sank. an
outlet or daschdrging place. Tuck, a stream
mored by tides or winds, and you have Sank
-tuck-et, at the tidal stream d;scharqinq
place. acknowledgements
~. Kearsarge, corrupted from Kouash,-
zines, and Ag,-place, literally, eThe Pines
Place." These are all the Indian proper
names in your vicinity of which have any
knowledge 1t may be worthy of note that
Raccoon, is from Aroughcun, or Arocoun, a
scratcher, according to Schee de We're. and
may have the same origin as the Abnaki word
Ior noe, for the Indians did but little more
than scratch when they hoed. Now you NAV
take these lucubrations for what thew are
worth-it has taken me twenty years to work
TINS out. Thinking that a man of your taste.
might not regard as valueless what / have
written, send it to you, and remain yours
truly, N. r. TRHr
lMr. Barrows informs us that DIR. Trues
Interpretation is confirmed by tradition The
early settlers of the Pequawket country dis
covered traces of the cultivation of corn by
the Indians.-ED.