SECTION II., 1911. [179] Trans. R. $. C. 
An Organization of the Scientific Investigation of the Indian Place- 
nomenclature of the Maritime Provinces of Canada. 
By Wiuuiam F. GANONG, M.A., Px.D. 
Read May 16, 1911. 
The aboriginal place-nomenclature of any country, rendered 
distinctive, as it usually is, by both music and mystery, will always 
possess a great charm for a large number of people. It thus offers an 
exceptional opportunity, of which local historians have only rarely taken 
full advantage, to tie history to geography and thereby give a more 
vivid interest to local archeology and annals. Its thorough study, 
however, is beset with many difficulties, for which reason the imagina- 
tion has great scope, and tends to warp, as in history generally, the 
facts to fit the fancy. Therefore, much error is current which, however 
agreeable, it is the duty of the historian to replace by truth, however 
unpleasing. The subject is one which, from all points of view, is worthy 
of scientific investigation; and this I propose to attempt to give it, so 
far as concerns the Maritime Provinces of Canada, in this article and 
some others to follow. The effort seems the more worth while for the 
reason that a beginning and organization once made may form a basis 
upon which others may build in the remaining parts of the Dominion. 
There are three stages in the progress of knowledge of this 
subject. 
I. THe CoNVENTIONAL STAGE.—In this the forms and interpreta- 
tions of Indian place-names given by authorities popularly considered the 
best are accepted without question, and if authorities differ, then there 
is general acceptance of the forms which are most pleasing to the 
imagination. But in fact even the explanations given by the best 
authorities commonly have much the same origin, viz., a selection of 
the most pleasing from among many possibilities. This is the stage 
of common local belief, popular guide books, tourist literature, news- 
paper lists of local place-names, and even of the general historical works. 
Il. THE INTERROGATIONAL STAGE.—In this the attempt is made 
to collect all of the available forms and interpretations of the words, and 
such other information as bears upon the subject; then any agreement 
exhibited by the data is accepted without further analysis as expressing 
the truth, or the probable truth. This is the stage of the most of the 
works devoted especially to Place-nomenclature, and is represented in 
Canada by Rouillard’s Noms Géographiques de la Province de Québec et 
