beach; from mékw(a), “red;' ámk, "beach;" -es, diminutive ending, “small, little," and 'k, -ûk, locative case suffix, "at, on."
Schoodic or Skudik, "at the clearings," is a topographic term given to the Schoodie or Grand lake, on headwaters of St Croix river; also to the St Croix river itself, and to the town of Calais, built on its lower course. That these clearings were effected by burning down the timber appears from the term itself; for skwút, skút means fire, and the name really means at the fire." Another Skúdik lake lies in the southeastern corner of Piscataquis county, Maine.
St. Croix river, in Indian Skúdik síp, “the river of clearings;" from the
clearings on its shores or on the Skúdik lake, where the river takes its
origin. For a long distance it forms the frontier between Maine
(Washington county) and New Brunswick. The French name, "Holy
Cross," came from a cross erected by early French explorers.
St Francis river, in Canada, Ontario province, upon which Indians
cognate to the Penobscots of Maine are living, is called by them
Lesigantuk, a contraction of Ulastigán-tuk. The same name is given
to their village and to the natives themselves.
St Geo.ge and St George river, emptying into the northeast end of
Passamaquoddy bay, are just as well known by their Indian name,
Megigadéwik, “many eels having;" from mégi, many; gat or kat,
eel; -wi, adjectival ending; -k, locative case suflix.
St John river, running near the western border of New Brunswick and its large tributary, the Aroostook, are both called in Penobscot and in Passamaquoddy, Ulastúk, "good river," meaning river of easy navigation, without cascades, falls, or rapids; from úla, wúli, good ; -tuk, tida. river and waters driven in waves.
