To distinguish from those who had suffered the penalty of "ento" or exile to a remote island who were called "shimanagashi" ("exiled to the island"), drainage laborers were referred to as "shimaokuri" ("sent to the island") (because the banishment to Sadoga-shima had already been abolished in 1700).
当地の佐渡では遠島の刑を受けた流人（「島流し」）と区別するため（佐渡への遠島は元禄13年(1700年)に廃止されている）、水替人足は「島送り」と呼ばれた。