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447

June 3 / 34

Dear Mrs. Eckstorm,

It is most good of you to look up & send me all the material on those names. For the last days I have let Maine alone.

Being in Providence yesterday I ran out a few miles & straightened out 4 troublesome names. These visits always give light, if only by eliminating possibilities that have got hold of one, vocabulary will-o-the-wisps.

Re [underlined] Nagwamkeag, a nearer base than the depint [?] word, though back of it, is Micmac nemamkaadvo to leap (up). You may be right about the islands at that, but the Indian's up & down of the hands [?], equally your description, walks away with me.

I would give anything but (just now) money to see the [4 or 5 superscribed] places we have been playing at. Must get a look at Aubery, two or three hours at him would mean a good deal; & the Portland bus is cheap, & my niece would put me up. By the way, my memory is that F. O'Brien was once in a boat somewhere with Newell Lyon, & was the one who started some of the fancy meanings that are so lapped up by our fellow Whites. One was the Smile of the Great Spirit for Winnipasaukes. Being a poet. If he was the one it wouldn't hurt these mss. anyway. Newell stood his putting