The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1903-06-29
CURIOUS NAMES s.
OF MAINE ISLANDS
Many of Them Come From Physical
characteristics.

BANGOR, Me, June 28.-In no 9TH
er place in the world, perhaps, are so
many peculiar names attached to the
geographical locations and things as
along the rugged coast of Maine. The
islands along the coast have strange
names, nearly all of which can be cas-
lily traced, for they are appropriate
and graphically descriptive.
Rutherford's island was named for
the first minister who established a
parish in Bristol, and to whom the
town gave the island in payment of
arrears in salary. Heron island was
until recent years the home of vast
numbers of these birds, which came
annually and made their nests in the
tall pines and SpruceS along the shores.
Ram island was once the home Of a
fighting buck, which disputed the
right of anyone to land there. Fish
Hawk island was once the favorite
resting place of those keen eyed for
ayers of the sea.
Devils Limb, Devils Rock and Dew
IFS Elbow are SO named because of
evil characteristics or suggestive form
atiOnS. Hog island was Cnce inhab-
tied by many swine, which ran wild
and lived on mice and snakes, which
were then plentiful there Mouse island
was infested by countless numbers of
these little rodents-a wood species.
origin unknown; found on islands ly-'
Ing far off the coast. This species
of mice never enter human habita-
ton. Squirrel island was once the
summer home of a large colony of
gray squirrels, which annually, in June,
came down from the inland woods to
the seacoast, just as human beings
now Go. Red squirrels are found on
most of the islands, and are a great
bother to visitors, as they prefer to
hot 4ct w
than in trees.
Haddock island was so named be-
cause of great catches of haddock in
the surrounding waters. The Old Man
and the Old Woman were named by
fishermen who fancied that in these
two rocky islets they saw a resem-
blance to an aged couple in loving
companionship. Harpoon island is so
called from the fact that an ancient
harpoon was once unearthed on it's
shore. Killickstone island gets it's
name from the fact that its beach is
streWn with stones Of the right weight
and shape for @fshermen's anchors IS
Hungry island is a barren place, and
Gull island was athe nesting place Of
great fiocksg of beautiful seagulls. The.
.g+ufls weres2killed in thousands and
their eggs gathered for: food until the
United States government put stop
to lit. High island is very lofty Cow
island was formerly used as "a pastur-i
ing place, the cattle being carried to
and from the mainland i'm scows; Thief
island is so called because a. famous
rObber was captured there.
Various deriyatiens are given for the
name of Monhegan, but the coast peo-
pie are satisfied that it comes from the
observation of an Indian chief, who.
upon finding that some .earlys vOyagersc
who had landed upon the 1island had
left exclaimed: Man he -gone!" The
Bush island got its name from two
bushes that for many years were dis.
tinetly visible from the sea; Old Hump
from it's resemblance to a humpbaclk
whale; The Hypoerites from their de-
ceiVing lodges; Hatchet-island from a
stone ak found there; Fort island from
I a redoubt that was built there by white
settlers as a refuge from Indians;
Gangway island from a rocky forma-
ton upon its ashore resembling the
gangway of a ship.
The name Of Sequin island, off the
mouth of the Kennebec, is said to have
originated from an observation of
Mogg, chief of the Canibas tribe Of In
dams, who, discovering that the white
inhabitants were trying to escape by
secreting themselves in a cave, ex-
claimed: See go-ini"
Beaver island is named for a British
man-of-war that anchored behind it
and shelled the fort at Pemaquid. The
White islands are so named from their