New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-12-19
THE SIGNS OF THE RED MAN.
OLD INDIAN NAMES IN AND AROUND
MANHATTAN SUGGEST OTHER DAYS.

THE sHrNNEcoCKs AND RocKAwAYs CALLED
PLACES BY THEIR OWN TRIBAL TITLES
AND FOUND IMITATORs IN THE DUTCH
AND ENGLISH
In spite OF Dutch and English occupa lions the
old Indian names OF places in and near New-forH
City numerous and Interesting. Indians named
their villages. rivers and bays with peculiar Mt
ness and In many parts their old descriptive titles
have survived the centuries. many somewhat dis-
torted. others almost In their original spelling
their significance having long since been lost sight
OF.
Manhattan" as is well known came from
"Mon-ah tun-u the name OF the tribe OF Indians
found settled Hell Gate" when the Dutch
voyagers care That name meant place Of Dan
ger" "Mon'auk" Point got It's name from the Ind
ian word "Monieukett" which meant Lookout
The MOntauketts lived there many generations
and were eventually conquered by the Pequots'
"Wainscott' comes from the old Indian worn
"Wayumscutt." Jamaica" was originally the
Mohican Antique" pronounced Jamique. or the
place OF the Beaver"
GLEN COVES OLD NAME
"Moscheto" (aow Glen Cove called from
the character OF the ground the word meaning
really drowned grass" This gradually cor
rupted into the unpopular Mosquito" and a radi-
cal change Of name was rendered necessary
Canarsie is another old tribal name as is also
Connecticut. or Long River" which empties into
tho Sound Just from the island. The Rock
away Indians gave their name to the bay and
shore where they once lived. The Merikoke tribe
Il perpetuated in the name OF The little town OF
Merrick the Porchaugs in Patchosue and the
Shnnecocks In the hills which bear their name.
few of the old Shinnecock tribe stili 1--we on Long
naiiy in 7cs oy the town Of somhampton FOR one
thousand years at yearly rent Of one ear OF Ind
Ian corn"
The shores o. Long Island have always Yielded
oysters. clans and other shenhsh In abundance
the shells being Of fneness and whiteness that
caused them TO be chosen by the Indians for their
Wampum or money. The island was I'm consequence
known amonr the Indians as "Seawanhacky" or
wampum. The making 81 ii was a great industry
with the Indians the island. Treaties writ
ten in their sign language in this shell work. and
the strips or belts exchanged by the contracting
parties
Sag farbor is partly from "sagabond' the Ind
Grows" Riverhead is translation Of the Indian
also Shelter Island whose indian name is mos' I'M
pronounce IN pie but which signined Island She,-
son River the Old Indian names suggest the many
divisions tribes Of the great Delaware nation.
Ifackensack means In the Indian language The
Low Land HobOken the place Where Tobacco
Grows"
OTHER JERSEY NAMES
Communpaw signned Roadway" II was from
this point the shore that the first trail extended
back over the marshland 20 the high bluff beyond.
Secaucus is he place Where tho Snake Hides"
Another Indian relic of this vicinity Weehawken.
the last syllable. according 10 the best authori-
ties. meaning END" the place being at the end Of
Passaic sieniAed "A Valley" "Cavan's Point"
on which many OF the great storage tanks Of
httle from the Indian spelling OF "Kewan" which
meant point Of land
the STATE there are plenty ~ lakes and rivers
speaking TO US OF the great tribes OF red who
lived and died there long before the white man
came In fact Manhattan IS the poorest of All his
section OF the country IN 'radiiionary Indian