90 SOBAPSQUA 



through the Rock," names which might well have 

 been retained, and perhaps would have been if our 

 pioneer ancestors had not so bitterly hated the 

 Indians and all that pertained to them. There was 

 cause enough for this hatred, but one wishes it had 

 not been carried so far when the poverty of our 

 ancestors' nomenclature is considered and the few 

 surviving names of Indian origin remind us how 

 easily we might have been spared the iteration 

 of commonplace and vulgar names that cling to 

 mountain, river, and lake. 



Sobapsqua and Kozoapsqua make the gateway 

 to the broader expanse of water stretching thence 

 to Canada. It is one through which many mem- 

 orable expeditions have passed unrecorded war 

 parties of Iroquois and Waubanakee, the brave 

 and devout Champlain on his voyage of discovery 

 with his Indian allies, the predatory bands of 

 French and Indians marching over the ice-bound 

 lake, the armies of France bearing her banners to 

 victory or trailing them homeward from defeat. 

 Here passed Rogers and his rangers to wreak 

 vengeance on those scourges of New England, the 

 Waubanakees of Saint Francis, and then Am- 

 herst's army passing from lesser conquests to the 

 final and crowning victory. A few years later the 

 little army of Americans went through these por- 

 tals to its disastrous campaign in Canada, and 

 the ensuing winter saw Warner and his rangers 



