150 NEW YORK STATE MUSEUM 



as leading to that nation. This must be understood of the upward 

 course. Downward it was the Oswego. 

 Clark said of Oneida lake : 



The Onondagas call it Se-ugh-ka, i. e., striped with blue and wdiite 

 lines, separating and coming together again. In order fully to com- 

 prehend this interpretation and signification, the person should 

 occupy some one of the high grounds of Manlius or Pompey, where 

 the whole extent of this lake may be distinctly seen some 10 or 12 

 miles distant. At particular times the surface presents white and 

 blue lines distinctly traceable from its head to its outlet. At such 

 times it is strikingly beautiful, and its Indian name peculiarly sig- 

 nificant. 



This is a good deal to be comprised in one small word, but it is 

 much like the name and definition given by A. Cusick: Se-ii-ka, 

 string divided in tivo (by islands) and uniting again. The name 

 is said to have been given by Hiawatha as he passed through the 

 lake. The following two are derived from this. 



Se-ii-ka, Kah'-wha-nah'-kee, the island in Seuka (Oneida) lake. 

 This is Frenchman's island according to A. Cusick, but might be 

 applied to the other. In the Onondaga dialect kahwhanoo is 

 island. 



Sc-ii-ka, Keh-hu'-wha-tah'-dea, the river flowing from Seuka 

 lake, i. e. Oneida river. This name differs from Clark's, but has the 

 same meaning and was given by A. Cusick. The last word means 

 river, with its curreftit. 



Skan-e-at'-e-les, long lake, is one form of this frequent name. 

 Morgan gives this as Ska-ne-o'-dice in Onondaga and Seneca, 

 Ska-ne-a'-dice in Cayuga, Skon-yat-e'-les in Tuscarora, Ska'-ne-o- 

 da'-lis in Oneida, and Ska'-ne-a'-da-lis in Mohawk, the last being 

 nearest the usual local pronunciation. The Moravians wrote it Sga- 

 niatarees in 1750, having a Cayuga guide. Clark gave the Onondaga 

 form as Skehneahties, or very long lake, and I received it as Skan- 

 eaties. It is Lac Scaniatores on the map of Charlevoix. Spafiford 

 made a note on this name: "Skaneateles, in the dialect of the Onon- 

 daga Indians, signifies long, and the lake has its name from them 

 . . . The inhabitants say I must write this Skaneateles, but why 

 they do not tell me." 



It will be observed, however, that the present name has the 

 Mohawk form. There is a groundless but persistent belief that this 



