[stlnative]

(Tappahannock) In 1608, this area was first visited by Captain John Smith. The area was inhabited by Native Americans and when Captain Smith attepted to land here he was fiercely driven back to his ship. It was a Native American village and so he gave both the river and the village Native American names. The river became the Rappahannock, which meant "rise and fall" of water, and the village became Tappahannock, which means "town on the rise and fall of water". In the mid 1600's, a trading post was established by Jacob Hobbs. For a few years the area was known as Hobb's His Hole and later as New Plymouth. Eventually, the original name was returned in 1705. On and around the water still remain thirteen homes and buildings from these early days of Tappahannock, including 3 of the school buildings.

[Calpernia]

You know what? I think you nailed it there. The chatter wasn't speaking of Tappahannock per say. It is a metaphor. What ever they were referring to, Tappahannock was used as a reference to rise and fall of water.

I still think this is how rural was misinterpreted too. This is just my opinion based solely on what I've been learning from the Arabic language.