The nearest approach to the name of Quinté, held by any Frenchman known, was that of Prince de Conti. This person was a particular friend of Cavalier de la Salle, to whom was ceded the Seignory of Cataraqui. “Chevalier de Tonti, went with him, proposing to share his fortunes,” in western explorations. Now La Salle, named one of the islands near Cataraqui, (Amherst,) after this officer, and even yet may be found living, persons who call that island, “Isle Tanta.” Well, it might reasonably be supposed that La Salle would wish to do honor to his friend the Prince de Conti, and therefore named the bay after him. From Conti, it might gradually change to Canta, or Quinté. Now, however probable this may seem, it cannot be regarded as the origin of the name.
Again, it has been supposed to be derived from the Latin Quintanus, or Quinta,—the fifth place,—having reference to five bays, namely, the Lower Bay, Picton Bay, Hay Bay, the Reach, and Upper Bay; or, as some aver, it refers to five Indian stations, formerly existing in the vicinity of the bay. But, however much may be advanced in support of the plausibility of these theories, we think a more certain origin is perfectly intelligible.
The word Quinté, as at present spelled and pronounced, when rightly done, is undoubtedly a French one, being one of the few remaining memorials of French possession; but its origin can be distinctly traced to an Indian source.
We have seen elsewhere that the country lying north of Lake Ontario was called the “Country of the Northern Iroquois.” To the south of the lake was the Iroquois country proper. Among the several nations which composed the Iroquois Confederation, was the Seneques, or commonly called Seneca. Wentworth Greenhalgh in the “London Documents,” writing of a journey in May, 1677, from Albany to the Indians, westward, says “the Seneques have four towns, viz: Canagora, Tiotohalton, Canoenada,” (how like Canada), “and Keint-he—which contained about 24 houses, and was well furnished with corn.” In connection with this we find a statement made in the documentary History of New York, that some of the tribes belonging to the Iroquois proper, separated from them, and removed to the north of the lake. Now the Indian term, “Keint-he,” be it remembered, was written by an English explorer, and of course was spelled in accordance with the pronunciations of the Indians. Every one knows that the letters of the alphabet have a different sound in the French language. If therefore, a French writer were to write the English term Keint-he, it is not unlikely he would spell it Kanta or Kente. Examining the old French maps, made by some of the early travelers through Canada, but bearing date subsequent to 1677, we find marked with distinctness, an Indian village, sometimes in one place, sometimes another, by the name of Kente. This may be seen on quite a number of different maps, which we have examined in various libraries in Canada, and in the Imperial Library in Paris. It is not always spelled Kente, sometimes it is Kante, and upon one it is Kenti, and upon a map in the Imperial Library, Paris, it is Kento. This Indian village has its location upon most of the maps, at the eastern extremity of Hay Bay; but upon a few it is placed at the south shore of the peninsula of Prince Edward; upon one map it is put at South Bay; while in another Wappoose island, is called Isle de Quinté. Hence it is inferred, that a branch of the Seneca tribe separated from the main body, and removed to the north of the lake, and settled probably first at South Bay, and afterward, or at certain seasons visited at Hay Bay, to which, in time they gave their name—that of Kente, according to the pronunciation of the French. It was an easy matter to convert Kente into Quinté. In other words, we find that K and Qu are used indifferently among early writers of New France; for instance, Quebec is spelled by early writers, Kebec. The origin of the word Quinté seems to be in this way perfectly clear.
The Indian village of Kente was situated at the eastern extremity of Hay Bay, and it seems plain that this was regarded as the head of the bay by the French, and the waters leading to the village, was designated the Bay Kente, or the Bay to the Kentes. The waters above the entrance to Hay Bay were looked upon rather as the mouth of the River Trent; and as quite another bay, to which was given a different name. This was a water way from Lake Ontario to Lake Huron. Travelers passing along would at times receive imperfect ideas respecting the names of the several bays and lakes. Again, the early French explorers, and the Jesuits, in their maps would frequently give the names, derived from the Indians, in Latin, while later French travelers gave the names in French. The consequence was that several different names were at times bestowed upon the waters stretching between Lakes Huron and Ontario.
One of the old French maps, and perhaps, it may have been prepared before the Kentes had settled upon its shores, gives to the bay the name “Bayedes Couis,” while several islands between the south shore of Lake Ontario, and the north, are called “au des Couis,” as if indicating a line of travel. There is one larger island, called Les Couis.
The waters west of the Long Reach are, in several maps which have been examined, named Lac St. Lion, and Lionel. But whether this name was limited to the uppers waters of the bay, or applied to the Trent, with Rice Lake, is doubtful, inasmuch as the maps represent the River Trent as being very wide and seemingly navigable up to almost the river’s source. Again, the name of Quinto and Quintio are found upon a few maps, and are applied to Rice Lake. A map in the Imperial library, dated 1777, gives to Rice Lake, Quinto, and close by is the village of Tonnaonto; and the Bay Quinté proper, is called Lake Tento. Another map names it Kentsio. There is also a map which gives to Simcoe Lake, the name of Œntarion Lake, instead of Lake Taronto. From these varieties of names, we discover an indistinct connection between the words Kente and Toronto. Their origin and meaning it is impossible to trace. Perhaps they were names used only for a short time. It is worthy of remark, that upon an ancient map examined in the Imperial library, we find Lake Erie called Lac. Conty.
The word Quinté is in one or two places spelled Quintee, and also Quintie. The most common mode of pronunciation was that used by the loyalists. They spelled it generally Canty, or Kenty. Such they heard it called by the French and Indians when they came here; and, unacquainted with the French mode of spelling, they naturally rendered it according to the English idea; and we have found it in letters written, by the first settlers, mostly always spelled “Canty,” or “Cante,” and occasionally “Canta.” The last of these approaches the nearest to the correct way of pronouncing the name; and it is a cause for regret that some years ago there arose the belief that it ought to be called “Quinty.” We would request the inhabitants of the bay, to return to the old fashioned, and correct pronunciation.
The settlement upon the bay was sometimes identified with Cataraqui; being known by the refugees, as well as by those who stayed in the States, only by that name. Indeed, it may be said that all of Upper Canada was, for a few years, designated by that name; the settlements at Detroit and upon the Niagara, contiguous to the fort, being regarded as merely military stations. For many years the name Canada, was limited to the lower Provinces. After a few years the settlement along the bay came to be generally called, both by the settlers, and those who knew them abroad as that of the Bay “Canty.” The writer has in his possession a letter dated from one of the townships upon the bay, in which reference is made to Canada as a place quite distant and distinct from the British settlements.
Mr. Ferguson, in a letter dated at Sidney, 23rd July, 1791, to a person at Kingston, says, “I’ll send you a memorandum of what you’ll want from Canada,” and he further speaks about taking an Indian to Canada. By this we learn that the new townships were regarded as quite apart from Canada.