ABORIGINAL PLACE NAMES OF NEW YORK I S3 



is nearer this form. Ptukhican is a round ball in Delaware, and is 

 sometimes applied to the black walnut. 



Pis-ca-wen creek was on Van Rensselaer's patent, and the name 

 may be from peskhommin, it thunders, or makes a great noise. 



Pon-o-kose hill, the principal hill opposite Albany, was so called 

 by an old Stockbridge Indian. It may be from penohkonau, to 

 throw down. 



Po-quam-pa-cak was mentioned by Ruttenber as a tributary of 

 the Hoosick. On Southier's map it is Pocampacak, and may be 

 from poggohham, to pound out grain., with locative. 



Pot-quas-sick was an early name for Lansingburg, according to 

 some, and might be defined round stones. Ruttenber applies *the 

 name to a woodland east of the river, and " near a small island com- 

 monly known as whale fishing island," supposed by him to be in 

 the town of Lansingburg. Early writers relate that a whale, 40 

 feet long, was stranded on an island near the mouth of the Mohawk 

 river, in the spring of 1646. Four others were stranded the same 

 season, 120 miles above New Amsterdam. The name of a whale is 

 from pootau, he blows strongly. The place name seems to be from 

 petuhqui, it is round, and quassik, stone. 



Psan-ti-coke is a large swamp in Nassau. It is from pisseag- 

 quane, miry, and the note of place. 



Quack-an-sidk was mentioned, with Hoosick, as being north of 

 Albany in 1664. It may be derived from quequan, it shakes, and 

 the locative. The next is very much like it. 



Que-quick was an early name of Hoosick Falls, on the Hoosick 

 patent. On Sauthier's map it appears as Quiqueck falls on the 

 Shackook, a branch of the Hoosick, but the former application is 

 well sustained by land papers. It may be derived from quequan, 

 it shakes or trembles, alluding to the falls ; or from quequeckum, 

 ducks, as a resort of waterfowl. 



Ra-nat-sha-gan-ha is D. Cusick's name for the Mahicans on the 

 east " bank of the river Skaunataty or Hudson." 



Sank-an-is-sick, a branch of the Tomhannock or Tomhenick. 

 The root of this may be in sonkin, to grozv up like a plant, but the 

 meaning is obscure. 



Sank-ho-ick or San Coick may be a variant of the last. Sinck- 

 haick was burned in 1754. Sintyck was mentioned in Burgoyne's 



