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[This is page 1, the initial page of W. B. Cabot's letter of November 6, 1934. Page 2, the concluding page, is found in Part 3 of this collection, and titled ms158_b1f017_003.01.pdf .]

447,

Nov. 6 / 34

Dear Mrs. Eckstorm,

I have your letter of the 4th, the midnight one.

About Nepunket, I am not sure I ever looked up the location, the main thing was that the form was used in that general neighborhood. My reference is M.H.S., Map Coll. of N.E. 1.A.1. fac simile of map in Mather's Magnalia, Sellers' map. 1765

Pynchon refers to Nippuncit, as Indian, 1648. I assume that he came from our Mass. Neponset, now Stoughton. I suppose one having so many wet nipons down here may have rather walked away with me, & Kennebunk river fits pretty well. Perhaps something will turn up.

About the Connecticut lot, you know of course it has been taken as long river [two underlined]. Of course -ticut is river, but I never was quite comfortable with Connect-, Connegh-, as meaning simply long. Then I came upon Stiles' map, apparently Indian, with translations; Connecticut was down as long crooked river. Later I came on the spelling Quonencktacut, & I find quonen- for long nowhere in the dicts.