Footprints of the Red Men: Indian Geographical Names
De Laet wrote in his "New World" (Leyden edition) : "This reach [Vischer's, covering Newburgh Bay] extends to another narrow pass, where, on the west side of the river, there is a point of land juts out covered with sand, opposite a bend in the river on which another nation of savages called the IVaoranccks, have their abode at a place called Esopus. A little beyond, on the west side of the river, where there is a creek, and the river becomes more shallow, the Waranawankongs reside. Here are several small islands." In his French and Latin edition, 1633-40, the reading is: "A little beyond where projects a sandy point and the river becomes narrower, there is a place called Esopus, v/here the Waoranekys have their abode. To them succeed, after a short interval, the IV aranazvancougys , on the opposite side of the river." Read together there would seem to be no doubt that the Waoranecks were seated on or around the cove or bay at Low Point and the estuary of Wappingers' Creek, and that the Waranatvankongs were seated at and around the cove or bay at Kingston Point, "Where a creek comes in and the river becomes more shallow." Of the meaning of the name Dr. A. S. Gatschet, of the Bureau of Ethnology, wrote me : "If the Warana-wan-ka lived on a bay or cove of Hudson's River, their name is certainly from Walina, which means ' hollowing, concave site,' and 'cove, bay,' in several eastern languages. A good parallel are the Wawenocks of S. W. Maine, now living at St. Francis, who call themselves Walinaki, or those living on a cove -- 'cove dwellers' -- in referring to their old home on the Atlantic coast near Portland. In the Micmac (N. S.) dialect Walini is ' bay, cove,' and even the large Bay of Fundy is called so.