ABORIGINAL PLACE NAMES OF NEW YORK 21 



name ever belonged to such a hill it might be from the Mohawk, 

 atearosera, a friend, and the Cayuga, aterotsera, is still nearer in 

 sound. Otschista, Hre, would do quite as well. • 



Kan-is-kek or Caniskek was bought in 1664. Ruttenber said 

 this was a tract in Coeymans, 10 miles below Albany. It seems 

 lower down, but is placed at Beeren island. The name may be 

 derived from Kschiecheek, clean. 



Kax-hax-ki, a place mentioned in Coeymans, suggests Coxsackie. 



Kox-hack-ung was bought in 1661, on the west side of the river, 

 between Van Bergen island and Neuten Hook [see Pearson]. It 

 was the name of a large tract, not restricted to one spot. This was 

 mostly south of Albany county, and also suggests Coxsackie. 



Ma-hi-can was one name of Beeren island, meaning wolf, but 

 referring to its Mahican owners, caljed Loups by the French. 



Mach-a-wa-meck or Beeren island. In 1664 it was said that 

 Caniskek was behind this and opposite Claverack. It has been 

 suggested that the name came from mashq, bear, and wamok, 

 enough; i. e. place of many bears. This agrees with its Dutch 

 name. 



Me-ka'-go, an Indian village 2 miles north of Coeymans, accord- 

 ing to Schoolcraft. It might be Mogkiyeu, it is large. 



Mo-en-em'-i-nes castle was on an island at the mouth of the 

 Mohawk in 1630, and belonged to the Mahicans. It may be derived 

 from Moninneam, he looks at it, as a lookout place, or one con- 

 spicuous. 



Mohegan-ittuck is one of Schoolcraft's names for the Hudson, 

 and the same Algonquin name is given by others with slight varia- 

 tions. It means simply Mohegan river, but those dwelling on it, 

 near Albany, are usually called Mahicans to distinguish them from 

 the same people in New England. Ma-ha-ke-negh-tuc is another 

 form of the river's name, meaning the same. In the Massachusetts 

 Historical Society Collection, volume 9, page loi, is a tradition re- 

 lated by this people in New England, with a very different meaning 

 for the name. They said that "Muhheakunnuk, according to 

 original signification, is great waters or sea, which are constantly 

 in motion, either ebbing or flowing." This was far in the west, 

 whence they came. "As they were coming from the west they 

 found many great waters, but none of them flowing and ebbing like 



