252 ROYAL SOCIETY OF CANADA 



Minaqua-See Miramichi. 



Mine, Cap de- — French = mine cape. Given by Champlain map, 1612, to a 

 cape between Quaco and St. John, probably jNIcCoys Head, possibly Cape 

 Spencer. Another C. di Mivc appears, on Visscher, 1680, between St. John 

 and St. Croix, where Champlain mentions having found a mine of copper. 



Ministers Island. — For Rev. Samuel Andrews, a loyalist, prominent in connec- 

 tion with St. Andrews. Earlier Chamcook Island. 



Miramichi. — Origin unknown ; perhaps a greatly altered European word. Trac- 

 ing the word back, the r becomes an s, and Champlain and all other early 

 writers have MismmicM. A map of about 1600 in the Nuerenburg Museum 

 (Room LXVII.), has Machunnche. DeBry's map of 1596 (in his " Voyages ") 

 has the same, which may, however, be read Macliamice. So much is certain. 

 Again, on Homem's map of 155S, in exactly the proper position, is Micheomai, 

 and finally on N. Deslien's map of 1541 is Mercheymaij. Probably the Terre 

 de Michalman of the Desceliers' map of 1546 is the same. It occurs on these 

 maps with a series of names given by Cartier, hardly one of which is of 

 Indian origin, and it is therefore altogether probable that it was given by him 

 and is a greatly corrupted European word. It is possible, however, that it is 

 Indian, in which case a theory which at once arises is that it is from 

 Megvmaagee, i- e., Micmac-Land, a name now used by the INIicmacs for their 

 entire territory, and this would be confirmed by the form used by Des- 

 celiers. The objection is that Micmac seems not to be an aboriginal word ; 

 it is generally considered to l)e the French micmac = jugglery, applied by 

 the French to them about 1680, though it may be aboriginal and derived 

 from Meyumoouesou, their great magician. (See Journal American Folk-lore, 

 IX., 173.) Until furtlier data are available the origin of Miramichi must 

 remain in doubt. The name applied on all of the early maps not to the 

 river, but to a port or district. Denys, in 1672, was the first to apply it to 

 the river, and Moll, 1713, seems to be the first to use the present spelling. 

 Other facts about it in Trans. Koy. Soc. Canada, 1889, IL, 54, 55. 



In Micmac it is Lus-ta-goo'-cheechk = Little Restigouche, which is its 

 invariable name among them ; they say that Miramichi is not Indian. On 

 De Meulles, 1686, as R. RistigoucbiqUe ; Bellin, 1744, has Ristougouchi, 

 followed by many others. There is no evidence for Cooney's meaning, 

 "Happy Retreat." 



Called by Jumeau, 1685, and others J^. St. Croix (which see). 

 Lus-ta-goo-cheechk applies to the main S. W. branch ; the main N. W. 

 is El-mun-ok'-un (Flinne, which Rand gives = a beaver hole), or ]fee-nel-mee- 

 na-kun (alt. Chamberlain); this is probabably the Mirmenegan of LeClerq ; it 

 was shortened and corrupted by the French to Minaqua, and so appears on 

 many maps of the last century. On some the main S. W. branch is named 

 Cliacodi, but this is a mistake for Barnabys River (sec). The Little S.W. 

 branch is Too-a-doo¥, which Rand gives = a ditlicult, dangerous river; 

 descriptive. De Meulles has for it Mtotoo. 



De Meulles gives very fully the nomenclature of the branches of this 

 river, and his names are as follows : 



Modern Name. Modern Micmac. De Meulles, /usa. 



Lower N. Branch. Hap-poo-squok (Flinne). Apchkouan. 



N. Pole Branch. Kay-dun-nat-(iue-gak. Kednalleguec. 



Upper X. Branch. Ooalkemikik. 



Lake on " Wall-a-ta-ge-ok (Mclnnes). 



