Notes and Queries, Number 27, May 4, 1850

Notes and Queries, Number 27, May 4, 1850

The Project Gutenberg EBook of Notes & Queries, No. 27. Saturday, May 4,
1850, by Various This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.net
Title: Notes & Queries, No. 27. Saturday, May 4, 1850 A Medium Of Inter-Communication For Literary Men, Artists, Antiquaries, Genealogists, Etc.
Author: Various
Release Date: October 11, 2004 [EBook #13712]
Language: English
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NOTES AND QUERIES:
A MEDIUM OF INTER-COMMUNICATION FOR LITERARY MEN, ARTISTS, ANTIQUARIES, GENEALOGISTS, ETC.
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"When found, make a note of."--CAPTAIN CUTTLE.
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No. 27.] SATURDAY, MAY 4, 1850 [Price Threepence. Stamped Edition 4d.
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CONTENTS
NOTES:-- The Mosquito Country. 425 Notes on Bacon and Jeremy Taylor. 427 Duke of Monmouth's Correspondence. 427 Poem by Parnell, by Peter Cunningham. 427 Early English and Early German Literature, by S. Hickson. 428 Folk Lore:--Charm for the Toothache--The Evil Eye--Charms--Roasted Mouse. 429 The Anglo-Saxon Word "Unl?d," by S.W. Singer. 430 Dr. Cosin's MSS.--Index to Baker's MSS., by J.E.B. Mayor. 433 Arabic Numerals. 433 Roman Numerals. 434 Error in Hallam's History of Literature. 434 Notes from Cunningham's Handbook for London. 434 Anecdote of Charles I. 437
QUERIES:-- The Maudelyne Grace, by E.F. Rimbault, LL.D. 437 "Esquire" and "Gentleman". 437 Five Queries (Lines by Suckling, &c.) 439 Queries proposed, No. I., by Belton Corney. 439 Minor Queries:--Elizabeth and Isabel--Howard Earl of Surrey--Bulls called "William"--Bawn--Mutual--Versicle and Response--Yeoman--Pusan--Iklynton Collar--Lord Karinthen--Christian Captives--Ancient Churchyard Customs--"Rotten Row" and "Stockwell Street". 439
REPLIES:-- Early Statistics. 441 Byron's Lara. 443 Replies to Minor Queries:--Dr. Whichcot and Lord Shaftesbury--Black Doll--Journal of Sir W. Beeston--Shrew--Trunk Breeches--Queen's Messengers--Dissenting Ministers--Ballad of the Wars in France--Monody on Death of Sir J. Moore. 444
Iron Rails round St. Paul's. 446
MISCELLANEOUS:-- Notes on Books, Sales, Catalogues, &c. 446 Books and Odd Volumes Wanted. 446 Notices to Correspondents. 446 Advertisements. 447
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THE MOSQUITO COUNTRY.--ORIGIN OF THE NAME.--EARLY CONNECTION OF THE MOSQUITO INDIANS WITH THE ENGLISH.
The subject of the Mosquito country has lately acquired a general interest. I am anxious to insert the following "Notes and Queries" in your useful periodical, hoping thus to elicit additional information, or to assist other inquirers.
1. As to the origin of the name. I believe it to be probably derived from an native name of a tribe of Indians in that part of America. The Spanish Central Americans speak of Moscos. Juarros, A Spanish Central American author, in his _History of Guatemala_, names the Moscos among other Indians inhabiting the north-eastern corner of that tract of country now called _Mosquito_: and in the "Mosquito Correspondence" laid before Parliament in 1848, the inhabitants of Mosquito are called Moscos in the Spanish state-papers.
How and when would Mosco have become _Mosquito_? Was it a Spanish elongation of the name, or an English corruption? In the former case, it would probably have been another name of the people: in the latter, probably a name given to the part of the coast near which the Moscos lived.
The form _Mosquito_, or _Moskito_, or _Muskito_, (as the word is variously spelt in our old books), is doubtless as old as the earliest English intercourse with the Indians of the Mosquito coast; and that may be as far back as about 1630: it is certainly as far back as 1650.
If the name came from the synonymous insect, would it have been given by the Spaniards or the English? Mosquito is the Spanish diminutive name of a fly: but what we call a mosquito, the Spaniards in Central America call by another name, sanchujo. The Spaniards had very little connexion at any time with the Mosquito Indians; and as mosquitoes are not more abundant on their parts of the coast than on other parts, or in the interior, where the Spaniards settled, there would have been no reason for their giving the name on account of insects. Nor, indeed, would the English, who went to the coast from Jamaica, or other West India Islands, where mosquitoes are quite as abundant, have had any such reason either. At Bluefields where the writer has resided, which was one of the first places on the Mosquito coast frequented by English, and which derives its name from an old English buccaneer, there are no mosquitoes at all. At Grey Town, at the mouth of the river San Juan, there are plenty; but not more than in Jamaica, or in the towns of the interior state of Nicaragua. However names are not always given so as to be