15 
the falls, “at the foot of a high mountain, against whose feet doth beat the sea,” was known to 
John Smith as Mecaddacut, which represents the sound of the name as he caught it.! 
MENAN, from menahan, island, by emphasis here, The Island, as being the largest, and on the 
maps “ Grand Menan.” In the Jesuit Relations it is called Menano, perhaps Menanoke. 
MENANA, from the same word, with a suflix thought to denote separation, as The Island, sepa- 
rated from Monhegan. Smith wrote it Monanis, suggesting a diminutive, Small Island. 
MERRICONEAG was originally applied to mark the “ carrying-place” on Harpswell Peninsula 
or Neck, where a short space in one part of this long and narrow tract separates the waters of 
Casco Bay from those on the east side of this neck. It was often used in early times by the Indi- 
ans, and is occasionally used by them at the present day. On the west side was a burial-place of 
the natives, which was discovered a few years ago in plowing, when several skeletons were ex- 
hamed, with wampum, copper ornaments, and axes of European make. An Indian company soon 
afterward passed across, and spoke of if as a well-known place for crossing, and knew of the burial- 
ground from long tradition. The word in full would be Merrucoonegan, from merru,® swift, quick, ¢ 
euphonic, and oonegan, portage. As the portage at Winnegance was considerably longer and very 
steep, this, by contrast, could be well called The Quick-Carrying-Place. 
MERRYMEETING BAy.—This name is said to haye had two origins; one from the meeting of 
the waters of five rivers; and the other from a meeting of surveyors and their enjoyment of the 
occasion on its shores. But it may have been named from any other similar gathering at the house 
of the first settler, Thomas Purchase, about 162528, or at any later time. 
MonunGan.'—There is a difficulty in translating the name of this island, called St. George 
by Captain George Popham in 1607. Comparing it with the definition of Michigan, given by School- 
craft, from a dialect of the language that reached to Maine, a clue may be found for its interpreta- 
tion. Monat and munnoh® mean island. Mona-hegan, changed by use to Monhegan, may perhaps 
mean “The Island of the Sea.” Its position, if not this explanation, well entitles it to this dis- 
tinction. 
Monsbeac.—lIn the interpretation of the inscription on the Dighton Rock, Chinkiwalk, at Mack- 
inaw, gave to Schooleraft moris, at the loon. The terminal sylable is for place, and the compound 
word may be rendered “ Loon Bay,” Moosebeck, or Moosabeck. ‘There are other places on the east- 
ern coast, in which the word moose occurs ; as “ Moose Cove,” “Moose Neck.” Perhaps this name is 
similarly formed, moose-nebe-ki, i. e., moosbeki, to indicate the place where the animals came to the 
water. As this name was written by Colonel Allan, 1777, Mispeckt, we have an aid for this form, 
which means Moose-water-place. But an Indianexplains it thus: Moosabekik, a wet place ; and as Rale, 
under mouiller, gives mousabégat, it is wet, and ne-moussebegh-esi, I am all wet, this must be taken as 
the more probable interpretation. But it requires an acquaintance with the locality to see its ap- 
plicability to this narrow strait more than to other places. Perhaps there is a peculiarity in the 
tidal flow which made it a proper appellation. . 
Mount Dresert.—The Indian name of this island, as given by the natives in Biard’s Relation, 
was Pemetiq. from pemé’te, sloping, and ki, land. It probably denoted a single locality, which the 
visitors understood as the designation of the whole territory. The vessel bearing him and his 
company made their first harbor at a place on the east side of the island, which they called St. 
Saviour, (Bar Harbor.) 
In 1605 Champlain gave.its several high elevations the name of “ Monts Deserts,” which well 
deseribes their barren appearance. They were doubtless seen by the earlier navigators, though 
not represented on their maps, unless under the general name of “les Montaignes,” or ** Montanas,” 
on this part of the coast. 
The earliest historical events on this island are those connected with Biard and his company 
of Jesuits in 1615, who were proposing to go to Kadesquit, (from kaht, miemae for eel, denoting eel- 
stream, now called Kenduskeag,) at Bangor, for the purpose of forming a religious settlement with a 
‘Third ser. Mass. Hl. Coll., VI, 117. 
*Potter’s Vocabulary. 
* Also, among twenty other forms, Menahiggin, Monahigan, (Smith.) ‘The first refers the word to menahan, island. 
'C. A. Potter on the language of the Pennacooks of New Hampshire, 
‘Eliot, Rev. 6, 14, ete. 
