The Dutch historians are responsible for Wappingers, perhaps from their rendering of the sound of the original word, and per haps as expressing the fact that they were, in the Dutch lan guage, wapen or half-armed Indians.

Fourteen miles west of the Hudson and a few miles north of Poughkeepsie was ^uerapoquett^ from whence the boundary of the

Sackett tract ran north-east to a tree on the east side of

the Wesiack subsequently known as Ten Mile river. Of the Indian name, O'Callaghan says " Wissayck, rocky country," :

more correct expla nation is probably derived from wassa^ light, and ick, locality the light or bright waters. It was in this district that the from qussuk, a rock, and ick, a locality."

Moravians found their fields of labor in the villages of Shecomeco^

Wecbquadnach and Packgatgoch. The former name is preserved stream upon which the village stood, while the

in that of the

second is applied to the lake now called Indian pond.

A tract of meadow land "lying slanting to the Dancing Chamber," north of Wappinger's creek, had boundary a creek called Wynogkee.

for

'its

eastern

Schoolcraft defines Pough

signifying safe harbor, from apokeepsing ; but the In early documents the interpretation is open to question.

keepsie. as

name is variously

spelled.

In a deed to Arnot Veil, 1680,

covering the tract, the boundaries are described as

" beginning

at a creek called Pacaksing, by the river side ;" in a petition from

Wm. Caldwell the orthography Myndert Harmense,