Note 20 — INTRODUCTION

The original form of this term is alsiga´ntαgwi·ak, for which the following three meanings, depending upon the translation of the first two syllables, have been assigned by different authorities. The Indians of St. Francis, the Aroosaguntacook themselves, suggest in explanation (1) “people of the river abounding in grass,” deriving the first part of the term from a´lsiàl, “river grasses,” and -gan, “abundance of,” and (2) “people of the river abounding in shells,” from als, “mollusk shell.” The related Penobscot generally render the name (3) “people of the empty house river,” taking alsigan to mean “empty house.” There seems to be on etymological grounds about equal reason for all the suggestions, so far as can be shown. Different writers, according to their extent of knowledge or opinion on the matter, have favored one or the other of these interpretations. For instance, Maurault (op. cit., pp. 272-273 and p. VII) inclines to interpretation (1). Prof. J. D. Prince (American Anthropologist, n. s. Vol. IV, p. 17 (1902)) favors the third, and quotes Gill (Notes sur les Vieux Manuscrits Abenakis, Montreal, 1866, p. 13) as showing the same opinion. The second interpretation receives favor from Joseph Laurent (Lola), “New Familiar Abenakis and English Dialogues,” Quebec, 1884, p. 206.