44 ROYAL SOCIETY OF CANADA 



Place-nomenclature. 



Restigouche River. — The original plan of the river, of 1836, explains the 

 origin of some of the names of its branches. Thus, the present Boston 

 Brook is called Beaver Brook, and just at its mouth is a lumber camp 

 with the name New Boston, no doubt a facetious name for the place; 

 evidently Boston became extended to the stream and is now its 

 name. On Jardine's Brook, William Jardine had a timber license in 

 1837. The reason for the name Five-finger Brook is given on MacDon- 

 ald's map of his line of exploration from the Upsalquitch to the St. 

 John, for that line crossed four branches of the stream radiating from 

 near one another near its head, a feature shown on none of our ex- 

 istent maps. 



The Indian name of this river is, I believe, the same fundamentally 

 as that of the Aroostook, which see. 



Rev. Father Pacifique, of Mission Point, writes me that he thinks 

 it altogether probable the word Restigouche is derived from Elistegei, 

 meaning to resist, to revolt, to struggle, which suggests one of the 

 meanings commonly given, namely, " river of the long war." 



Rexton, Kent Co. — Formerly called Kingston. The genesis of the new name 

 is given in a letter from Dr. J. W. Doherty of that place, dated May 

 9, 1901. After relating the inconvenience of the former name, owing 

 to the many duplications in Canada, he says: — "In consequence, 1 

 started a petition among the residents of this place for signature with 

 a brief list of names appended to be voted upon, being careful that 

 no name so voted on should be a duplicate of any other name in 

 the Dominion. My choice of Rexton appeared to take the fancy of 

 those signing and, in consequence, no general meeting of the inhabit- 

 ants was thought necessary for the purpose of ratifying the change 

 of name, or the name so voted on. The petition was then sent to our 

 representative (O. J. LeBlanc), who presented it, with a strong recom- 

 mendation, to the Government (Postmaster General) and, in conse- 

 quence, the name of Kingston, Kent, was changed to Rexton, Kent." 

 The change went into effect May 1, 1901. Of course the Hex is the 

 Latin equivalent of Kings, making the name a Latin-English hybrid, 

 but, perhaps, none the worse for that. 



It is of interest to note that Kent County has been the scene of 

 more changing of names, and by official procedure, than any other 

 County of the Province, for, in addition to the above mentioned 

 change, Palmerston has been changed to St. Louis, Liverpool to Richi- 

 bucto, and the railroad station at first called Weldford was later 

 changed to Harcourt. 



Richibucto. — From the teacher of the Indian School at Big Cove, Miss Mary 

 Isaacs, herself a Micmac, from Restigouche, I have received the 

 following as the Indian names of places on Richibucto and vicinity: — 

 Richibucto, Llserboolctoolc; Molus River, Seegudeeascook; St. Nicholas 

 River, Helkiiowkon; Bass River, Boksnok; Big Cove, Melisickiiadee; In- 

 dian Island, Llnoo Mayneeyoo, which, however, seems to be merely the 

 translation of the English name into Indian. 



Of other local names on Richibucto, most are self explanatory, 

 being descriptive or for residents or owners. Piatt's Point, just below 



