Page:Journal of American Folklore vol. 12.djvu/485
Report " for 1899 is by General John S. Clark on "A Study of the word Toronto" (pp. 190–198). The author holds that "Toronto is an abbreviated compound word, somewhat disfigured, but based on kaniatare, 'lake,' and iokaronte, 'a gap, breach, or opening'"—it always having been "the name of Toronto Bay considered simply as a bay" (p. 191). According to General Clark, Caniaderi guarunte ("the mouth or door of the country," i. e. Canada), an Iroquois name of Lake Champlain; Kania-toronto-gouat, an Iroquois name of Irondequoit Bay (near Rochester, N. Y.), and the Toronto-like names of Toronto Bay and Lake Simcoe, have all a common origin. Considerable evidence in favor of the author's view is presented, but he has hardly made out his case.
Wyandot. To the Ontario "Archæological Report" for 1899 (Toronto, 1900), Mr. W. E. Connelley contributes (pp. 92–123) an article on "The Wyandots." The topics treated of are: Migration legends, clan system, government, proper names, myths of the origin of the Delawares, and of wampum (wampum-bird). According to the author: "Both the myths and the traditions of the Wyandots say they were created in the region between James Bay and the coast of Labrador. All their traditions describe their ancient home as north of the mouth of the River St. Lawrence" (p. 93). Mr. Connelley is, however, a little venturesome in fixing their primitive home in the Ungava district, nor can one quite agree with some other ethnological pronouncements which he makes. His Iroquoian synonymy, too, does not altogether agree with the best authorities. But his paper is, nevertheless, an interesting and valuable one. The idea that Toronto, the present name of the capital of Ontario, "is only the modern pronunciation of the Wyandots of their word [Tōhroohn′-tōh'nk] for 'plenty,' and the modern pronunciation of their ancient name for their beloved settlement" (p. 95) must not be taken too seriously. In his "Clan System of the Wyandots" Mr. Connelley touches on a subject previously discussed by Major Powell in his "Wyandot Government." The list of 12 clans of the Wyandots,—Big Turtle, Little Turtle, Mud Turtle, Wolf, Bear, Beaver, Deer, Porcupine, Striped Turtle, Highland Turtle (Prairie Turtle), Snake, and Hawk,—differing somewhat from previous lists, is given according to Mr. Splitlog and George Wright, Wyandots. Explanations of the various clan-names are given, with other items of information concerning them. The Mud Turtle, Beaver, Striped Turtle, Prairie Turtle, and Hawk clans are said now to be extinct. The Mediator or umpire-chief was elected from the Wolf tribe. According to the author "all the proper names of the Wyandots were clan-names," the child belonging to its clan first, then to its parents. A list of 68 proper names (with etymologies and explanations, where possible) is