When the island in 1625 was purchased from the Manants by the agents of the Dutch West India Company, the transaction is spoken of in a letter addressed to their high mightinesses, the Lords States General of the United Netherlands, as follows: “Our people have bought the island Manhattes from the Wilden (wild men) for the value of sixty guilders [about twenty-four dollars].”—Holland documents, in the office of the Secretary of State, Albany, N. Y. vol. i. p. 155.
[439] Historische Verhael door Nicolaes à Wassenaer. Amsterdam. 1621-1632. deel vi. fol. 144.
[440] Nieuwe Wereldt. boeck. iii. cap. ix. Novus Orbis. lib. iii. cap. ix.
[441] Korte historial ende journals. Door David Pietersz. de Vries. Hoorn, 1655. pp. 146, 151.
[442] New York Colonial MSS. xxxv.
Samuel de Champlain, the French explorer, describing in 1632 the coast of America in the vicinity of St. John’s River, New Brunswick, writes: “I was at four islands near the river St. John.... Farther west there are other islands, one of which extends six leagues, which is called by the savages, Menane.” Opposite this word, Champlain writes on the marginal space, “L’isle de Manthane,” adding a t and an h to the second syllable of the words.—Les voyages de la Nouvelle France occidentale, dicte Canada, faits par le Sr. de Champlain, Sanctongeois. Paris, 1632. chap. ii. p. 58.
[443] In different historical works and documents the following modes of spelling the word appear: Manatans, Manates, Manate, Manath, Manathans, Manathe, Manathes, Manatte, Manetto, Menates, Minates, Manhates, Manhatas, Manna-hatta, Manhattes, Manahattes, Manahatta, Mahates, Manahatas, Manahatans, Manahata, Manhatens, Manhathans, Manhatoes, Manhatoos, Manhatos, Manhattans, Manhatten, Manhattoes, Manhattons, Manhattos, Manhuttons, Manahactas, Manchatas, Manades, Manadoes, Manados, Menade, Monhatous, Munhaddon, and Manhattan.—Vide General index to documents relating to the colonial history of the State of New York.
[444] “Anormé, ée, & anormal, adj. Ces mots ne sont plus en usage. Borel dit qu’ils signifient qui est contre la régle commune, & qu’ énorme vient de ces mots.... Énorme, adj. m & f. Prodigieux, éxcessif. Immanis, immensus.”—Dictionnaire Trevoux.
“Par extension de la signification morale à la signification physique, extraordinaire par sa grosseur ou par sa grandeur. Un énorme bloc de granit.... Rem. Quand énorme signifie excessif en grandeur ou en grosseur, il se met avant ou après son substantif.”—Dictionnaire de la langue Française. Littré.
[445] “Berge (bèr-j’). s. f. 1°. Bord relevé, escarpé, d’une rivière, d’un fossé, d’un chemin. 2°. Terme de marine. Certains rochers élevés à pic sur l’eau....