We may presume the language prevalent here to have been the Algonquin, since the inhabitants, when first visited by Europeans, were either the Micmac or Abenaqui, both tribes of that great family.
Still further eastward, flowing from Lake Temisconata into the River St. John, we find the Madawaska, in a country where the language was either the Abenaqui, or a dialect of the Huron, said to be spoken by the Melicite Indians of the St. John. Aska does not occur again in this part of North America, as far as I call ascertain; but on looking southward it does so, and under similar circumstances, viz. associated with water.
Tabasca, or Tobasco (for it is written both ways), a country on the borders of Yucatan, described by the conquerors as difficult to march through, on account of numerous pools of water and extensive swamps. Clavigero says the present name was given by the Spaniards; but I know of no Spanish word at all resembling it, therefore presume they must have adopted the native appellation. The language was, and perhaps is, the Maya.
Tarasca; name of a people inhabiting the country of Mechouacan, celebrated for its numerous fountains of fine water. Language appears to have been Mexican. (See Clavigero, vol. i. p. 10., edit. 4to., Cullen's Trans.; and Dr. Prichard's Phys. Hist., &c., vol. v. p. 340.)
The mention of Tarasca reminds one of Tarascon, also written Tarasca. Two instances occur in the country of Celtic Gaul; both on rivers: the one on the Rhone, the other on the Arriège.
Having for the present finished with America, one is naturally led to inquire whether asca occurs in other parts of the world, in like manner associated with water. Before doing so, however, I would observe that Thompson, in his Essay on Etymologies, &c., p. 10., remarks that "The Gothic termination sk, the origin of our ish, the Saxon isk, signifying assimilated, identified, is used in all dialects, to the very shores of China," &c. He instances "Tobolsk" and "Uvalsk." If, then, it be true that ā and āb are primitive sounds denoting water in many languages, may we not here have a combination of ā and sk?
But to proceed. Malte Brun mentions a city in Arabia called "Asca," one of the places sacked by the expedition under Elius Gallus (Précis de la Géographie, &c., vol. i. p. 179.). Generally speaking, Arabia is not abounding in waters; but that very circumstance renders celebrated, more or less, every locality where they do abound and are pure. The city, therefore, might have been notable for its walls and fountains of pure water.
Aska is the name of a river in Japan, remarkable for its great depth, and for frequently changing its course (Golownin, vol. iii. p. 149.).
In north-eastern Asia we find a river called after the Tongouse, Tongousca. Query, Tungouse-asca? and, following up Thompson's examples before mentioned, we may name Yakutsk, Irkutsk, Ochotsk, Kamtchatka, &c., all intimately connected with water. Then there is Kandalask, a gulf of the White Sea; Tchesk, another; Kaniska-Zemblia, an island, &c. In Spain, Huesca is on the river Barbato. The two Gradiskas in Hungary, &c. are the one on the Sâve, the other on the Lisonzo.
Zaleski (Pereslav) is seated on a lake; but Malte-Brun says the name means "au-delà des bois." This may or may not be the case. The sound is here, and in connexion with water. Pultusk is nearly surrounded by water, the Narew. Askersan, in Sweden, stands on a lake. Gascon,