The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1895-08-23
Indian Names
To the Editor of the Press:

In your issue of goth inst, under the
head Of Winthrop's Reception, the myth
regarding the naming of lakes Mariana
cook and Annabessacook is generously
adduced by your correspondent who real
" seems to believe that it could by any
possibility be the truth The Indians
at the time when our rivers and lakes
were named know-nothing of the English
language nothing of Mary, Annie, nor
of any other person, object or attribute
by its English name. seas
Their language was descriptive one,
and if the true Specification of these
lakes could be known, it is likely that
some natural characteristics would be
found to justify the name of either.
The termination cook in Indian words
has bean stated to imply swiftly running
water. In the Penobscot river above
the falls at Oldtown is, or used to be,
short stretch of rapids called The Cook.
Was Mr.. Cook ever drowned there, or
was it so named for the reason that the
water seemed to boil and that boiling
water will cook. What cookery must
have been going on all over New England
if every word terminating in COOK I'M
piled the act of cooking! was resting
several ears ago on the banks OF the
Penobsc OF and taking MONDAY smoke,
when an old Indian came along the road
on his way to Oldtown, few miles
away up the river. At my INVITATION
he sat down with me and filled his pine
from my supply. He was inclined to be
sociable, as good pipe often makes one
and during our chat l asked MIN 5he
meaning of the word Penobscot Dat
name dees liver was the reply. = les,
said |. '.but why did they give it that
name? We find river with nice banks,
all Dice about it, we call it Pleasant river
or lake full of turtles we call Turtle
lake; what was there about this river to
give it that name?'' "Oh-h, me see
UNI, and he picked up stone. Indian
man call does lock p'nobsee; COOK, water
lun quick P'nobseecook wafer Jun quick
o re- locks. y
l do not know that FatherV etromlsle
would sanction that Specification, but L
do know that an old Indian gave 1t to
me- Now neither Maranaceok nor An
nabessacook is composed OF swiftly run
ming water, but if not the head OF such
water, some attribute OF either may &C
count for the first syllables OF the name.
The Indians would be as likely to use
Greek as English in composing names,
and begging the syllable pest, as your
correspondent does, Annabessacook might
mean without the best-swift- water, lie.
most swift, and placid lake is the re-
suit
In the region of the Rangely lakes l
have heard more than once that the name
Mooselucomeguntic was the ejaculation
of the husband of the squaw Mooseluc
when knocked from his canoe by the
kicking of his gun. EMooseluc, my gun
kick he cried, and as the Indians pre-
ferred English to their own language, the
lake was named forevermore
The gsmbrel joint Of the moose is said
to be the lure Specification of the name,
and there is a crook in the lake which in
The eyes of an Indian would justify the
name.
One spelling is Of course as correct as
another in Indian words, which were
never written by their makers, but it is
nroner to follow the best authority as the
Maine Central does in the form Mariana
cook.
Mary or Annie ever cooked well or i'll in
Pondtown or anywhere else.