USA > New York > Indian names in New-York : with a selection from other states, and some Onondaga names of plants, etc. > Part 3
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Pas-kon-gam-muc, Pleasant lakes. Applied to the whole group.
Wah-pole Sin-e-ga hu, the portage from Saranac lake to Rock river.
Ak-wis-sas-ne, Where the partridge drums. St. Regis. From the abundance of partridges, or the booming of ice with a sim- ilar sound.
Ken-tsi-a-ko-wa-ne, Big fish river. Salmon river.
Te-ka-swen-ka-ro-rens, Where they saw boards. Hogansburgh. Te-ka-no-ta-ron.we, Village on both sides of a river. Malone Sa-ko-ron-ta-keh-tas, Where small trees are carried on the shoulder. Moira.
O-sar-he-han, A difficult place which struggles make worse. Chateaugay.
FULTON COUNTY.
Sa-con-da-ga river, Drowned lands. A. Cusick gave me the meaning as swampy or cedar lands, equivalent to a cedar swamp.
Can-i-a-dut-ta creek, Stone standing out of the water. It is also rendered Ca-ya-dut-ta, and Ca-i-jut-ha.
Ken-ne-at-too, Stone lying flat in the water. Fonda's creek. Ken-ny-et-to, sometimes applied to Vlaie creek and Lake Sacon- daga, hardly differs.
Te-car-hu-har-lo-da, Visible over the creek. East Canada creek.
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INDIAN NAMES.
Was-sont-ha, Fall creek, near Johnstown.
Des-hont-ha, an early name for West Stony creek, may be the same as the last.
Ko-lan-e-ka, a name for Johnstown in 1750. A. Cusick inter- preted this, Where he filled his bowl, with food or drink, perhaps alluding to Sir William Johnson's hospitality. Morgan defined it simply Indian Superintendent.
GENESEE COUNTY.
Gen-e-see, often written Che-nus-si-o at one time, is the same as Gen-e-se-o, Beautiful valley, but the name should have been given to another county.
To-na-wan-da creek, Swift running water.
Check-a-nan-go, or Black creek, given me as Chuck-un-hah, was also interpreted Place of Penobscots, or perhaps some other eastern Indians.
Ja-goo-yeh, Place of hearing. Near Batavia, but also applied to Stafford.
De-o-on-go-na, Great hearing place, is another name for this, and Jo-a-ik, Raccoon, was once another.
Ge-ne-un-dah-sa-is-ka, Mosquito, is also given as a name of Batavia.
Te-ga-tain-asgh-gue, Double fort. Kirkland received this from the Senecas, as the name of some ruined earthworks near Ba- tavia, which he saw in the last century.
O-at-ka creek, The opening.
Canada, Alabama, Wyoming and Roanoke are introduced names.
Gas-wa-dah, By the cedar swamp. Alabama.
Te-car-da-na-duk, Place of many trenches. Oakfield.
Gau-dak, By the plains. Caryville.
Gweh-ta-a-ne-te-car-nun-do-deh, Red village. Attica. Da-o-sa-no-geh, Place without a name. Alexander.
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INDIAN NAMES.
Te-car-ese-ta-ne-ont. Place with a sign-board. Wyoming. Te-car-no-wun-na-da-ne-o. Many rapid's. Le Roy. O-a-geh. On the road. Pembroke. 1
O-so-ont-geh, Place of turkeys. Darien.
GREENE COUNTY.
Po-tick hills. The name is said to mean round.
Cox-sack-ie has been given as Crel-hoot, but has also been written Kux-a-kee, Cut banks.
Chough-tigh-ig-nick, the original name of Batavia creek.
Kis-ka-tam-e-na-kook. a stream in the Catskills in 1794, has been interpreted Place of shelled nuts. It is now Kis-ka-tom.
Wa-wan-tap e-kook, High and round hill, was near this.
Wa-chach-keek, Hilly land, was a plain near Catskill.
On-ti-o-ra, or Mountains of the sky, is mentioned by Lossing as a name of the Catskills, and is now applied to one peak. A. Cusick did not know of this name, but said it would mean Fery high mountain.
HAMILTON COUNTY.
Pi-se-co has been rendered Fish lake, which is more than doubtful. It is also said to have been called after an Indian named Pezeeko.
U-to-wan-na lake, near the head waters of the Racquette river. This was given to me at Oo-ta-wa-ne, or Big waves, perhaps alluding to a storm at some particular time.
Mo ha-gan pond is near Racquette lake.
Kag-ga-is, Ta-co-la go, Piwa-ket, and All-na-pook-na-pus are other small lakes.
Ju-to-west-hah, Hunting place, is the present Onondaga name for the whole wilderness, and to the names already given may be added that of Tysch-sa-ron-di-a, " Where the Iroquois hunted beaver, " though this is not a definition. It means Where they shoot ..
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INDIAN NAMES.
The following will be found in Hoffman, but some of them are occasional elsewhere, and all are not exactly located.
In-ca-pah-cho, Basswood lake; or the more euphonious name of linden trees may be used, from their abundance on Long lake.
To-war-loon-dah, Hill of storms. Mount Emmons.
No-do-ne-yo, Hill of the wind spirit.
Yow-hale, Dead ground, the name of a river.
Ti-o-ra-tie, Sky like, applied to a lake.
Ca-ho-ga-ron-ta, Torrent in the woods.
Twe-nun-gas-ko, Double voice, applied to an echoing glen. Nu-shi-o-na, the name of a valley.
Nes-singh and Tes-su-ya are names of ponds.
At-a-te-a, applied to a sluggish stream.
Tu-na-sa-sah, Place of pebbles.
HERKIMER COUNTY.
Teugh-tagh-ra-row, Muddy creek as given to me, was an early name of West Canada creek. Te a-ho-ge, or Te-u-ge-ga. At the forks, is another name, and on a patent of 1768 it is called Tioga brook. Much of its course is through sandy loam and clay, but it includes the noted Trenton falls.
Te-car-hu-har-lo-da, Visible over the creek, is the East Canada creek ; Ci-o-ha-na is another name for the same stream, meaning Large creek ; and Sa-go-ha-ra is still another, given me by the same authority as Where I washed.
Cat-ha-tach-ua creek would be She had a path, if written Cot- ha-tach-ua, as my interpreter conjectures.
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No-wa-da-ga creek, was defined for me Creek of mud turtles, and In-cha-nan-do, another name, as Fish under water. On an early map it is Can-o-we-da-ge creek.
Mo-hawk is an eastern name for Bear, of which more will be said.
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INDIAN NAMES.
Kou-a-ri was a name for Fort Herkimer about 1756, probably from O-qua-ri, A bear.
Ots-qua-go creek, Under a bridge.
Wa-i-ont-ha, now Little Lakes. A name much like this ap- pears in Montgomery county, on an early map.
Wa-co-ni-na, was interpreted for me as There used to be a bridge. Little Lakes, on the map of New York grants.
Tal-a-que-ga, Small bushes. Little Falls. Several local names appear here, of which Cusick gave me definitions.
As-to-ren-ga, On the stone. Hills at Little Falls. As-to-ro-gan or As-ten-ro-gen, Place of rocks, has also been interpreted Rock in the water, and Under the rock. In the last case it is applied to a rock at the foot of the falls, but generally it is a name for the whole place.
Da-ya-hoo-wa-quat, Carrying place, or more exactly Where the boat is lifted, applied to the river above the falls.
Hon-ne-da-ga lake, formerly Jock's lake.
Can.ach-a-ga-la, One sided kettle. A recent clearing between Moose and Woodhull lakes, and also a noted spring-hole.
Rax-e-cloth, referring to a boy, raxaa. A creek in Schuyler. Ka-hek-a-nun-da, Hill of berries, in the town of Mohawk ;. Ohio and Chepachet are introduced names.
Ne-ha-sa-ne Park, Crossing on a stick of timber,
JEFFERSON COUNTY.
Et-cat-ar-a-gar-en-re, Sandy creek, 1755, In 1687 it was written Cat-ar-gar-en-re, Cat-a-ga-ren, and Cad-rang-hi-e. A. Cusick gave me the meaning as Mud raised like a chimney, but slanting to one side. There were many prehistoric forts near its banks. Te-ka-da-o-ga-he is another name, perhaps but another form of those above, and meaning Sloping banks. This name might re- fer to the banks of the stream, or to the unequal slope of an earthwork, on the outside of which was a deep ditch.
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INDIAN NAMES.
Te-can-an-ou-ar-on-e-si, the south branch of this creek, where, according to Pouchot, the Iroquois said they came out of the ground. The definition given me was A long time ago this swamp was divided. It is every way probable that the Ononda- gas first lived in this county.
Out-en es-son-e-ta, an early name for a stream north of Sandy creek, and in the town of Henderson. It is on Pouchot's map, and A. Cusick says it means Where the Iroquois League began to form. This would probably make the first conception of union one originating among the Onondagas, and before their removal to their later territory. The interpretation is interesting as har- monizing with the tradition attached to a neighboring stream.
Ge-nen-to-ta, or Ga-nen-tou-ta, appears on several early maps as the Assumption river, apparently Stony creek. The same in- terpreter renders it Pines standing up.
The various names of Chaumont bay are somewhat perplex. ing. On early maps it appears as Ni-a-ou-re, Ni-a-wer-ne, with other forms, and at last as Ni-ver-nois bay. The last of these of course refers to the Duc de Nivernois, but the earlier French usage would seem to favor its being originally an Iroquois name. Ka-hen-gou-et-ta is another name, which A. Cusick defines as meaning Where they smoked tobacco.
At-en-ha-ra-kweh-ta-re, Place where the fence or wall fell down, is the French creek at Clayton. Wet-er-ingh-ra-guen-te-re, Fallen fort, is the same name, referring to an Oneida tradition of a fort which they destroyed there.
Ka-hu-ah-go, Great or wide river. Black river. Ni-ka-hi-on- ha-ko-wa, Big river, is the same. It also has the name of Pee- tee-wee-mow-gues-e-po.
Ga-hu-a-go-jet-wa-da-a-lote, Fort at the mouth of the great river, is the name of Sacket's Harbor, from the Jefferson barracks.
On-on-to-hen, A hill with the same river on cach side. Ox- bow, at a bend of the Oswegatchie.
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1786232
INDIAN NAMES.
KINGS COUNTY.
Ca-nar-sie, after an Indian tribe.
Me-rey-cha-wick, Sandy place. Brooklyn.
LEWIS COUNTY.
Os-we-gatch-ie, Black river.
Ta-ka-hun-di-an-do. Clearing an opening. Moose river.
Da-ween-net, Otter. Otter creek.
Ga ne-ga-to-do, Corn pounder, Deer river. It is also called Oie-ka-ront-ne, or Trout river.
Ne-ha-sa-ne, Crossing on a stick of timber. Beaver river. Os-ce-o-la is called after the celebrated Seminole chief.
LIVINGSTON COUNTY.
At first the Senecas lived mostly in Ontario county, but after the overthrow of the Eries they gradually began to occupy the Genesee valley, though they had no forts there until the eight- eenth century. As usual, the villages were moved from place to place, but often retained their names. The various journals of Sullivan's campaign, in 1779, preserve the names of Seneca towns in many forms, for some places had several titles at the same time.
Ga-ne-a-sos, Place of nanny berries. according to Morgan, is Conesus creek. This is a local name for Viburnum nudum. and I have also received the definition of Long strings of berries. Besides Kan-agh-sas, the village was termed Ad-jus-te, York- jough. and Yox-saw. in 1779, and was also called On-is-ta-de by Pouchot.
Ga-nus-ga-go, Among the milk-weeds. Canaseraga creek. Kanuskago was also an early name of a Seneca town at Dans- ville.
Can-a-se ra-ga, Among the slippery elms. Morgan here gives quite a different meaning from the one he assigns to. the same
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INDIAN NAMES.
name in Madison county, but a slight change of sound will often materially alter the sense.
Ko-ho-se-ra-ghe, an early Seneca village, seems the same, but it appeared elsewhere in 1687, as would be expected.
O-neh-da, Hemlocks, is Hemlock lake. In a journal of 1779, the name of "Konyouyhyough, Narrow gutt," seems applied to this lake.
O-ha-di, Trees burned, is Geneseo. The name of Gen-e-se-o, or Che-nus-si-o in an early form, Beautiful valley, also belongs to this place.
Gen-e-see, a Seneca village west of the river, was Little Beard's town. It was also called De-o-nun-da-gaa, Where the hill is near. In 1754 it was called Che-non-da-nah, and Che-nan-do-an-es twenty years later. It was the largest Genesee village of the Senecas, and seems identical with the Sin-non-do-wae-ne of 1720. Another form is Dyu-non-dah-ga-seh, interpreted Steep hill creek.
So-no-jo-wau-ga, Big kettle, was at Mount Morris, and was called after a noted Seneca warrior who made his home there.
This is Morgan's note. In Doty's History of Livingston the name is said to have come from a very large copper kettle. brought here by the first settlers for distilling purposes, and which called forth the admiration of the remaining Indians. The village was at first known as Allen's Hill.
De-o-de-sote, The spring. Livonia.
Gan-noun-a-ta, sometimes called by the name just given, was in Avon, two miles north of Livonia.
Ska-hase-ga-o, Once a long creek. Lima. Another form slight- ly differs from this.
Go-no-wau-ges, or Can-a-wau-gus, Fetid water, is a name for Avon Springs, referring to the sulphur springs, and thence given to the country around.
De-o-na-ga-no, Cold water. Caledonia. These springs were well known to the Iroquois.
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INDIAN NAMES.
Near the Caledonia springs calcareous tufa is so abundant as to be used in making fences, and a church in a neighboring vil- is built of travertine. The Rev. Mr. Kirkland took notice of this in 1788, speaking of "the magic spring so denominated by the Indians becaused its water was said to petrify almost every- thing that obstructed its current. A pagan tradition prevailed, of an evil spirit having resided here in former times, bellowing with a horrid noise, and ejecting balls of liquid fire. The spring emptied into the Genesee, and its fountain was about three miles north of Kanawageas." It may have been the "Negateca fontaine," appearing on a map of 1680, a possible derivative from Wahetkea, anything evil, though this may have applied to Avon as well.
Gan-ea-di-ya, Small clear lake. Caledonia big spring. Na-gan-oose, Clear running water, is the outlet of the spring. Ga-neh-da-ont-weh, Where hemlock was spilled. Moscow.
Co-sha-qua or Ke-sha-qua creek. This seems the same as the next, being a tributary of the Canaseraga.
Gaw-she-gweh-oh. A spear, and thence a rattlesnake. A vil- lage site near Williamsburgh. Casawavalatetah, Gaghchegwala- hale, Kasawasahya, etc., are some of the many forms given in Sullivan's campaign.
Hon-e-oye creek, Finger lying. The lake and town are in Ontario county, but the name may be noticed here, because that of the creek. The village gradually moved westward, and was known as On-agh-e, An-ya-ye, An-ja-gen, etc. It was named from a trivial incident, but the title was maintained.
Tus-ca-ro-ra, Shirt-wearers. An Indian village.
Nun-da, Hilly, or O-non-da-oh, Where many hills come to- gether.
Squa-kie Hill, near Mount Morris, after the Squatch-e-gas who lived there, supposed by some to be a remnant of the Kah-kwahs or Fries. In. Cusick's history their name is Squawkihows. The
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INDIAN NAMES.
place has other names, and one of these is Da-ya-it-ga-o, which Morgan interprets Where the river comes out of the hills. from the river's leaving its rocky banks and entering the broad and beautiful valley of the Genesee. Another writer interprets it differently, but with the same idea, Where the valley widens.
Hach-ni-age, a Seneca town of 1750. A. Cusick defined this as A man did bravely.
O-ha-gi, Crowding the banks. A Tuscarora village which may have been the next, as the Tuscaroras and Oreidas lived much. together, but it was on the west side of the river.
Dyu-hah-gaih, The stream devours it; i. e., the bank. Oneida village on the east side of the Genesee river in 1779.
De-o-wes-ta. a neck of land below Portageville.
Gah-ni-gah dot, The pestle stands there. A recent village near East Avon.
Young-haugh, open woods eleven miles west of Honeoye in 1779.
Besides the above, Pouchot gives Con-nect-si-o, which may be Geneseo, Kan-va-gen, and Ka-nons-ke-gon. The last has been interpreted for me as Empty house.
MADISON COUNTY.
Chu-de-nang, Where the sun shines out, according to Morgan. Chittenango creek .. Others, however. have defined it as Where the waters divide and run north, which is really without any true meaning. On a map of 1825 it is called Chit-e-ning, and in land treaties Chit-i-lin-go creek. A. Cusick thinks this means Marshy place, the stream passing for many miles through low lands be- fore it reaches the lake. After the Tuscaroras came into Mad- ison county it was sometimes called Tuscarora creek, from them. In 1767 Sir William Johnson said, "I met the Indians at the Tuscarora creek, in Oneida lake." The Indians now know it as O-wah-ge nah, or Perch creek.
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INDIAN NAMES.
Scan-i-a-do-ris, Long lake. A small lake in the eastern part of the county, near Oneida creek and mentioned in an early treaty. This seems the Skonyatales lake mentioned by D. Cusick, where the mammoth bear and water lion fought.
Sgan-a-te-es, a Tuscarora town of 1750, may have been on this lake. A frequent name with the same meaning.
Ov-ir-ka creek, the outlet of this lake, which had two branches.
O-hi-o-ke-a, Place of fruit. An early village mentioned by D. Cusick, west of Oneida creek. The earliest Oneida village seems to have been in that direction.
Can-a-se-ra-ga, Several strings of beads, with one string lying across. Canaseraga. Thus given by Morgan and Sevier, and recently approved, but it has been interpreted Big elkhorn. Kan-agh-se-ra-gy was the Tuscarora castle of 1756. On old maps the creek appears as Can-as-sa-de-ra-ga.
Ah-wa-gee, Perch lake. Cazenovia lake. Also rendered Ho- wah-ge-neh, Where the yellow perch swoim.
Kan-e-to-ta, Pine tree standing alone. Canastota. The On- ondagas, however, know the place as Kan-os-ta, the Frame of a house, from their admiration of the first one built there. A swamp north of the village was called still water by the Indians, and another definition of Canastota has been made from this, as though it were Kniste, A group of pines and stota. standing still.
The following statement occurs in the History of Madison county, by Mrs. L. M. Hammond. "Captain Perkins repaired one of the block houses, which stood on an eminence near where Dr. Jarvis now lives, built on an addition, and moved in Not far from Capt Perkins' house stood the cluster of pines, from which, it is said, Canastota derived its name."
Co-was-e-lon creek, Bushes hanging over the water.
Otselic creek has been translated a Capful, but doubtfully.
On-ei-da, People of the stone, from the Oneida Stone and their representative sign. Some render it the Standing stone. The
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INDIAN NAMES.
early homes of the nation were in this county, and here they hospitably received the Stockbridges and Tuscaroras. There were several of these emblematic stones.
Gan-o-a-lo-hale, Head on a pole. Oneida Castle. This fa- vorite name has been applied to Oneida lake, and varies much in spelling.
Te-thir-o-guen, an early name of Oneida lake will have far- ther attention. Goi-en-ho, another early name, has been de- fined for me as Crossing place, either alluding to the ford at Brewerton, or the crossing on the ice.
Champlain crossed at Brewerton in 1615, Fathes LeMoyne in 1654, and two others the following year, one of whom passed Oneida lake on the ice, on his return to Canada in the spring of 1656. Both were customary crossings according to the season of the year.
Ne-wa-gegh-koo, an old name of the bay at the south-east angle of Oneida lake. Interpreted for me as Where I ate heart- ily; a good name for a pleasure resort,
A-on-ta-gil-lon, Brook of the pointed rocks. Fish creek.
Can-a-das-se-o-a, an early village east of Canaseraga, and on a stream midway on the south side of Oneida lake. Cusick in- terpreted this as a Village spread out as though daubed on, some- what as butter is spread on bread.
Da-ude-no-sa-gwa-nose, Round house. Hamilton,
She-wa-is-la, Point made by bushes. Lenox, Ah-gote-sa-ga-nage, village of Stockbridges,
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Besides the above Zeisberger mentioned the Tuscarora villages of An-a-jot, Ti och-rung-we, and Gan-a-tis-go-a, the last of which may be rendered Large or long village; if it does not prove to be Can-a-das-se-o-a, as seems probable.
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MONROE COUNTY.
I-ron-de-quoit bay is variously spelled and interpreted. In Onondaga it is Che-o-ron-tak. Morgan gives it as Neo-da-on-da-
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INDIAN NAMES.
quat, A bay. Kan-i-a-ta-ron-to-quat, Opening into the lake, is quite literal. Spafford, in his gazetteer, perhaps mistook a name of Toronto for this, and made it Te-o-ron-to, Where the waves die. Early variations are many in number and Charlevoix called it the bay of the Tson-nont-houans, or Senecas. He described it as a beautiful place. In a journal of 1759 it appears as Ni denindequeat.
Ga-sko-sa-go, At the falls. Rochester. Ga-skon-chi-a-gon, was . a frequent early name for the Genesee, or Little Seneca river, in allusion to the falls, the same name being given to Oswego Falls. From this is derived Tsi-nont-chi-ou-ag-on, applied to the mouth of the river on early maps. Charlevoix described the lower part of the river in 1721, and regretted that he knew noth- ing of the falls until he had passed the place. "This river is called Cas-con-chi-a-gon, and is very narrow and shallow at its discharge into the lake. A little higher it is 240 feet in breadth, and it is affirmed that there is water to float the largest ships. Two leagues (French) from its mouth you are stopped by a fall, which seems to be about sixty feet high, and 240 feet broad; a musket shot above this you find a second of the same breadth, but not so high by a third ; and half a league higher still a third, which is full a hundred feet high, and 360 feet broad."
Je-don-da-go was a place somewhere on the lake east of Iron- dequoit bay.
Go-do-ke-na, Place of minnows. Salmon creek.
O-neh-chi-geh. Long ago. Sandy creek.
Sko-sa-is-to, Rebounding falls. Honeoye falls. While Mor- gan applies this name to Honeoye Falls, Mr. George H. Harris assigns essentially the same term, Sgo-sa-is-thah, Where the swell dashes against the precipice, to a rift on Irondequoit creek, above the dugway mills. It may very well belong to both places. I follow his division of syllables, as he is well versed in Seneca usages, but the Onondagas do not unite the th.
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INDIAN NAMES.
Gin-is-a-ga was an early name for Allen's creek. Allen was a noted and unscrupulous man who lived among the Senecas at and before the white settlement.
O-hu-de-a-ra, a Seneca name for Lake Ontario.
Gweh-ta-ane-te-car-nun-do-teh, Red village. Brockport. Ne-a-ga Wa-ag-wen-ne-yu, Footpath to Niagara, or Ontario trail.
Da-yo-de-hok-to, A bended stream, is the same as the early village of To-ti-ak-ton, or The-o-de-hac-to, in 1677, in the town of Mendon.
MONTGOMERY COUNTY.
Albert Cusick interpreted Ga-ro-ga creek as Creek on this side. At one time there were no Mohawk villages west of this.
Chuc-te-nun-da creek has been erroneously interpreted Twin sisters. Mr. Pearson defined it Stone houses, in allusion to the sheltering cliffs, but the meaning given to me was simply Stony.
Co-wil-li-ga creek, Willow creek.
Te-on-de-lo-ga, or I-con-de-ro-ga, Two streams coming together. Also Ti-on-on-do-ra-ge, and various other forms. Mohawk river at Schoharie creek and Fort Hunter. Also called Og-sa-da-ga.
Ju-ta-la-ga, Amsterdam creek.
Os-seu-nen-on, or O-ne-on-gon-re, early site of the eastern- most Mohawk castle.
Ogh-rac-kie, Auries' creek.
Co-daugh-ri-ty, Steep banks, or wall. A land-slide on Scho- harie creek, called Ca-da-re-die in 1779.
Ots-qua-ga creek. Under the bridge. Ots-que-ne, tributary to the last.
Ots-tun-go, another tributary.
Ta-ra-jor-hies, Hill of health. Site of an Indian village just east of Fort Plain, called also Ta-re-gi-o-ren, in 1726. after its chief, being the same name already given. At one time this was the Indian village of Canajoharie.
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43
INDIAN NAMES.
Twa-da-al-a-ha-la, Fort on a hill. Fort Plain.
Da-den-os-ca-ra creek, or Da-to-sca-re, Trees having excres- cences.
Kan-a-da-rauk creek, Broad.
Can-a-jo-ha-rie. Washing the basin, according to Morgan. The word, however, has reference to a kettle, and other definitions have been Kettle shaped hole in the rocks, Pot that washes itself, alluding to a large pot-hole in the Canajoharie creek. Like other Indian villages this town was removed from time to time, still retaining the name. Morgan located it at Fort Plain, but said that one would naturally have expected to have found this village on Canajoharie creek. It really was just west of this creek at one time, as local antiquarians have abundant proofs. In 1677 Can-a-jor-ha was a village on the north side of the Mo- hawk, enclosed with a single stockade.
Te-ko-ha-ra-wa. means a Valley, as interpreted for me, and is applied to a tributary of Canajoharie creek, and sometimes to the stream itself.
An-da-ra-gue was an early Mohawk village, and most of their towns had several names.
De-kan-a-ge, another early village, defined for me as Where I live, may be the next.
Te-non-at-che, Flowing through a mountain, which is David Cusick's interpretation. He assigns it to the Mohawk river, in giving an account of the settlement of the Five Nations.
Mo-hawk, or Ma-qua, A bear. This is not an Iroquois name, though borne by one of the nations. In 1676 this nation was mentioned as " Maugwa-wogs, or Mohawks, i. e. man-eaters." A later writer supposes it to be Muskrat river, but he also more properly derives it from moho, to eat, and makes it Cannibal river. The nation was certainly quite fond of human flesh. The French called them Ag-ni-ers, but their name was Can-ni-un-ga-es, I ossessors of the flint. They were the first to use guns, and
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INDIAN NAMES.
gathered flints on Lake Champlain to be used in striking fire. Their sign was the flint and steel, and they usually drew the lat- ter as the national totem.
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