In August, 1663, they asked the Dutch authorities at New Amsterdam, through Oratamy, sachem of the Hackinsacks, "For a small piece of ordnance to use in their fort against the Sinuakas and protect their corn." (Col. Hist. N. Y., xiii, 290.) In the blanket deed which the tribe gave in 1758, to their territory in New Jersey they were styled "Minsis, Monseys, or Minnisinks." Minsis and Mousey s are convertible terms of which the late Dr. D. G. Brinton wrote : "From investigation among living Delawares, Minsi, properly Minsiii, formerly Min-assin-iu, means 'People of the stony coun-

* "Minnessinck ofte t' Landt Van Bacham," apparently received some of its letters from the engraver of the map. Ofte -- Dutch and Old Saxon, az> -- English of -- was probably used in the sense of identity or equivalency. Bacham-- Dutch, bak; Old High-German, Bahhoham -- describes "An extended upper part, as of a mountain or ridge." In application to a tribe, "Ridge-landers," "Highlanders," or "Mountaineers." On the Hudson the tribe was generally known as Higlilanders. The double n and the double s, in many of the forms, show that e was pronounced short, or i.

222 INDIAN GEOGRAPHICAL NAMES.

try,' or brieHy, 'Mountaineers.' It is the synthesis of Minthiu, 'To be scattered,' and Aclisin, 'Stone.' according to the best native authority." Apparently from Alin-assin we have Van der Donck's Minn-cssin; with locative -k, -ck, -g, -gh, Minn-essin-ks, "People of the stony country," back-landers or highlanders. Interpretations of less merit have been made. One that is widely quoted is from Old Algonquian and Chippeway Minnis, "Island," and -ink, locative; but there is no evidence that Minnis was in the dialect spoken here ; on the contrary the record name of Great Minnisink Island, which is supposed to have been referred to, was Menag'nock, by the German notation Mcnach'hen-ak.