ABORIGINAL PLACE NAMES OF NEW YORK 85 



Ma-wig-nack has been defined place where two streams meet, 

 ■ but the derivation is not clear. In 1789 this was the name of the 

 lowlands at the junction of the Katskill and Katerskill. 



Na-pees-tock or Nip-pis-auke, small lake place, at a pond in the 

 west part of Cairo. 



Och-quich-tok, Ac-quit-ack or Acquickak, a small plain on the 

 west side of the Catskill, described as being nearly opposite Austin's 

 paper mill, and mentioned in 1789. It has been defined as stony or 

 rocky place. A better derivation would be from ahque, to leave off, 

 tuk, at the river, referring to a boundary. 



On-ti-o-ra, mountains of the sky, is Schoolcraft's name for the 

 Catskills in a paper read in 1844. It does not appear before that 

 time, and may have originated with him, being the only Iroquois 

 name in the county. A. Cusick defined it very high mountain, and 

 it is now applied to Onteora Park. 



Pach-qui-ack or Pachquayack, the third of the five plains, prob- 

 ably meant clear land or open country- 



Pa-sa-ma-coo-sick was a small fort. Pissaumatoonk is a matter 

 of business, and the full meaning may be place where business is 

 transacted. 



In 1675 land was sold on the north side of the creek called 

 Paskoecq, in Catskill. It was at the present site of Leeds, and was 

 also called Pascakook, Pastakook and Pistakook. 



Pe-o-quan-ack-qua or Pesquanachqua. was the southeast corner 

 of the Loveridge patent, or Maquaas Hook. Lockerman's tract 

 had the creek Canasenix (Saugerties) on the south, " east on the 

 river in the Great Imbocht where Loveridge leaves off, called by the 

 Indians Peoquanackqua." This may be from Peokonat, to throzv 

 dozvn, alluding to the laying down of burdens there, or possibly to 

 games of wrestling. 



Po-tam-is-kas-sick, a plain above the sandy plains. South Cairo. 

 This may be from pootoemoo, projecting, and quasick, stone. 



Po-tick was the fifth of the plains bought in 1678. The Mahican 

 village of Potick was west of Athens, and Potick hill and creek 

 are yet known. The root of the name may be petuhqui, it is round, 

 or pohki, it is clear. The former is preferable but it has been de- 

 fined waterfall. 



