gero, vol. i. p. 10., edit. 4to., Cullen's _Trans._; and
Dr. Prichard's _Phys. Hist._, &c., vol. v. p. 340.)

The mention of Tarasca reminds one of Tarascon, also written Tarasca. Two
instances occur in the country of Celtic Gaul; both on rivers: the one on
the Rhone, the other on the Arriege.

Having for the present finished with America, one is naturally led to
inquire whether _asca_ occurs in other parts of the world, in like manner
associated with water. Before doing so, however, I would observe that
Thompson, in his _Essay on Etymologies_, &c., p. 10., remarks that "The
Gothic termination _sk_, the origin of our _ish_, the Saxon _isk_,
signifying _assimilated_, _identified_, is used in all dialects, to the
very shores of China," &c. He instances "Tobolsk" and "Uvalsk." If, then,
it be true that _[=a]_ and _[=a]b_ are primitive sounds denoting water in
many languages, may we not here have a combination of _[=a]_ and _sk_?

But to proceed. Malte Brun mentions a city in Arabia called "Asca," one of
the places sacked by the expedition under Elius Gallus (_Precis de la
Geographie_, &c., vol. i. p. 179.). Generally speaking, Arabia is not
abounding in waters; but that very circumstance renders celebrated, more or
less, every locality where they do abound and are pure. The city,
therefore, might have been notable for its walls and fountains of pure
water.

Aska is the name of a river in Japan, remarkable for its great depth, and
for frequently changing its course (Golownin, vol. iii. p. 149.).

In north-eastern Asia we find a river called after the Tongouse,
_Tongousca_. Query, Tungouse-asca? and, following up Thompson's examples
before mentioned, we may name Yakutsk, Irkutsk, Ochotsk, Kamtchatka, &c.,
all intimately connected with water. Then there is Kandalask, a gulf of the
White Sea; Tchesk, another; Kaniska-Zemblia, an island, &c. In Spain,
Huesca is on the river Barbato. The two Gradiskas in Hungary, &c. are the
one on the Save, the other on the Lisonzo.

Zaleski (Pereslav) is seated on a lake; but Malte-Brun says the name means
"au-dela des bois." This may or may not be the case. The sound is here, and
in connexion with water. Pultusk is nearly surrounded by water, the Narew.
Askersan, in Sweden, stands on a lake. Gascon, {490} says Rafinesque, means
"beyond the sea" (_American Nations_, &c., No. 2. p. 41.).

Madagascar. Curious the similarity between this name of an island and the
American names Madagaska an