The origin of generic terms has been much studied. The origin of specific names has been studied but little and the present notes relate chiefly to this class. Specific names may be said to have two distinct origins, first, those of formal origin where the name has been given pro forma and published in a book or map relating to the region by its discoverer, or by the earliest explorers. This covers the case for a small body of names. Second, there is a very large body of names which appear to have arisen without such formal origin, and to have, as it were, grown up by common consent in the usage of the people of the region.
That which it seems profitable to discuss here, and now, is the principles which should be adopted and followed in the selection of the names which are to go upon the map; principles which will enable one to discriminate when usage is divided, between that which should be adopted and that which should be rejected. To make this clear, a few instances of the peculiar questions which arise may be cited, and then some of the guiding principles stated which it might be possible to adopt and to follow.
The river which flows along the western edge of New York City is locally known as the North River. Shall this be called the North River, or Hudson River, or Hudson's River? And if this geographic name is printed in the text of a book, will you print river with a capital letter or a small letter? It must be borne in mind that this question is asked not for the purpose of immediate or categorical answer, but for the purpose of eliciting thought and discussion upon the principles which should control the answer.
In 1793 Vancouver entered and mapped Port Townsend, which he formally named Port Townshend. At the present time the city situated upon that harbor, as well as the harbor itself, is universally known as Port Townsend, the "h" in the original being omitted. This is a clear and specific case, where the name formally applied by the original explorer is now modified in its orthography by usage. What form of the name shall be adopted? The former or original name or the present modified name? And if the original name is to be adopted, shall we proceed similarly in all cases and go back to the original form?
In the case of names which have undergone transformations through ignorance or through usage, shall an attempt be made to restore the original orthography? Take the case in Missouri of the stream called Bois Brule, or burnt wood, and which has become in the usage of the residents in that part of the world Bob Ruly, and is so spelled in the local publications, and so pronounced in the local usage.
When Champlain sailed along the heel of Cape Cod and discovered the extensive shoals which vex the navigation in those waters, he put upon his chart the statement mal barre, and a number of later maps applied this name to the southernmost point of the heel of Cape Cod as Malabar, and so it stood for 100 years or more as Malabar and may even be found upon some current publications. In the Coast Survey publications it is uniformly called Monomoy.
Again on the north shore of Martha's Vineyard is a place formerly known by the Indian word Kiphiggon. On the modern maps this place is called Cape Higgon. Shall we in this case adopt the practice of the purists and restore the earlier form? In this same locality are four small harbors, called by the sailors Holes; namely Holmes' Hole, Wood's Hole, Robinson's Hole, and Quick's Hole. In current usage, except among seamen, Holmes' Hole has disappeared and been replaced by Vineyard Haven. Wood's hole has been converted into Wood's Holl, though still pronounced hole; while Robinson and Quick still remain holes. In this case shall we attempt to be consistent, or in other words to be uniform?
In the vicinity of New Haven there is a hill occupied many years ago by Coast Survey parties, and called in their records Rabbit Rock. Surveying parties last year in searching for this station inquired diligently in the vicinity and failed to find any information respecting it for some time. The place, however, is well known to all the people for many miles around as Peter's Rock, and this name appears on the county atlas of New Haven, published in 1856. I suppose the name Rabbit Rock has found earlier publication on Coast Survey charts or in its reports, though I have not verified this supposition. But assuming that it has been so published, shall we now call that hill Rabbit Rock or Peter's Rock?
Allegany County, New York, is spelled Allegany. A post office in Sierra County, California, is spelled Alleghany; the city of Allegheny near Pittsburg, Pennsylvania, is spelled Allegheny. Shall these names be allowed to stand unchanged, or should an attempt be made to reduce them all to one form?
In the last century, the place we now know as Sitka was known to the English as Norfolk Sound, to the French as Tchinkitane Bay, and to the Russians as New Archangel. The earliest of these names being Norfolk Sound. Is there any doubt in this case as to the advisability of retaining the name Sitka?