17 
but by several, descriptive of its several parts, as Baamtuguaitook, Chimsiticook, Ahguazedic, and 
others. 
PISCATAQUA.—This river, the boundary between Maine aud New Hampshire, was known to 
Champlain, in 1605, as Pescadouet, not very unlike the name as written by Levett, 1623, Pascatta- 
way, and to John Smith, in 1614, as Passataquack ; and in later days, as Pascataquack, and similar 
sounding forms, suggesting a combination, under English treatment, of parts of these two early 
names; and also the probability that, as in other instances, the different localities on the river 
were known by different distinctive words, according to their characteristics, thus leading strangers 
to apply sometimes one, and sometimes another, and again intermingling the two.' Kancamagus, 
(4. e. John Hawkins,) sachem of the Pennacooks, in writing to Governor Cranfield, in 1685, said 
that his grandfather had lived ‘at place called Malamaki (Merrimac) rever, other name chef 
Natukkog and Panukkog, that one rever great many names.” 
The first of these names being traced to pesketegove, well denotes the divided character of the 
sea-ward. portion of this stream, in which unite Spruce Creek, Back River connected with Great 
Bay, and the Piscasset or Lamprey River. The other name has been derived from pos or pas, great, 
attuck, deer, and auke, or ahki, place, with w euphonic, making Pas-attuck-wak, Big-Deer place; and 
probably denoting the territory on the interior portions of this stream. The same words enter into 
the composition of Pautuckaway. In regard to this word, applied to one of the inland ranges of 
mountains in New Hampshire, it is related that in colonial times, when the inhabitants in that dis- 
trict had become numerous enough to petition for an act of incorporation as a town, they sent by 
their agents a large deer, caught within its proposed limits, as a present to the governor, Benning 
Wentworth, who thereupon signified his wish that the new town should be called * Deerfield,” thus 
bearing a name indicative of the gift. Henceforth it took the place of Pautuckaway, of which it is 
a good representation. 
PRESUMPScoT.—This word shows how the tendencies of the carly settlers led them to make it 
conform to some better known English word. Here they adopted the idea of the word presumption. 
There are several modes of writing it, and Pesumpscot comes the nearest to the true form, which, 
divided into its parts, presents Pes,’ much, omp, trom wompi, clear, shallow, where the bottom can 
be seen, and cot, a locative. The meaning will be Many-Shallows-River, corresponding to the many 
rips found in its course, or, as the Indian “ sangman” (governor) at Oldtown explained it, Rough- 
places River 
Pumeustic.—The falls at the mouth of the “Wescustogo,” or Royal’s River, in Yarmouth. 
PomKoosTook.—Mud-stream-place, from the mud-flats just below. 
PuRPoopuc.—Spring Point on Cape Elizabeth ;* but was used to denote the neighboring ter- 
ritory. The meaning is not known. It has been thought to refer to a burying-place, from the Mic- 
mac Pulpooduck. 
QuoHnoG.—A bay, on the shores of which were and are found the round clam, denoted Poquau- 
hock, by R. Williams, and Pekwahak, by Rale. Both these words are in the plural form. See Hog 
Tsland. 
RosrEr.—A cape so designated from its wild rose-bushes on its rocky shores; from the French. 
SABINO, also SEBLENOA, the last two vowels coalescing as in oak, and often uniting in Strachey’s 
History, where these names are first found, as in reap, shoare. The true form would be Sebéno. It 
was the name of a province called by the Indians Sabino, so called of a Sagamo or chief commander 
under the grand Bassaba. He claimed to be ‘lord of the river Sachadehoe.”” The word appears 
to have a near connection with sebe, a river. The explanation by the Indians is, ** where a river 
makes into the land.” As a locality if would apply to Atkins’ Bay, and may be called The Bay of 
the River. The name has been given to a headland near the mouth of the Kennebec. The sachem 
may have derived it from the place. 
Saco.—This name, like Sakunk in the Delaware dialect, from the root sdk, outlet, and the 
locative o for oke, denotes the mouth of the river. The word by which this river was known to 
1 Belknap’s Hist. N. H., Farmer’s Ed., 509. 
2 Trumbull’s Ind. Geog. Names, pp. 10, 11. 
* Pesangwi, much, Beaucoup, Rate. 
‘Willis’ Hist. Portland, 06, 191. 
‘Strachey’s Hist. Trav., Cap. IX, 18; X, 26 
‘A 
