EARLY SETTLEMENT OF THE BRITISH ISLES BY CELTS. 315 
“contains the root in a reduplicated form, and the Thamesis or 
Thames is the broad Jsis.” Whether the interpretation which Taylor 
gives of Jsis be correct or not, or whether we may find in that word 
the root eas a cascade, an eas, or a sios downwards, there can be 
little doubt that Isis is a Gaelic word. It is better to regard Ziamh, 
the first syllable in Zamesis, as meaning quiet or silent, or as the 
root Z'abh, water, which occurs in Tay and Tagus, 
The rivers Anne, in Devonshire, and Ehen, in Cumberland, come 
from amhainn, the Gaelic word for river. Esk, in Yorkshire, and 
Eskle, in Hereford, faithfully reproduce wisge, the Gaelic word for 
water. Devon is a contraction of da, two, and amhainn, an, river, and 
therefore means two rivers. The FLxe in Devonshire, the Ouse in 
Yorkshire, the Ouse in Norfolk, and the Axe in Somersetshire, are 
derived from the same root wisge, water. Leven, in Yorkshire, is 
compounded of liath, hoary or grey, and amhatnn or an, a river, and 
means the grey river. Don, in the same county, is a compound of 
dubb, black, and an, i.e., the black river, or it may simply be from 
domhainn, deep. Don is the name of a river in Aberdeenshire, and 
Doon, in Ayrshire, is the same as Don. Vee, in Cheshire, is com- 
pounded of da, two, and abh, water, Daabh, Deva, Dee, and means the 
two waters. Aire, in Yorkshire, the river on which Leeds is situated, 
is compounded of a, water, and reidh, smooth, 1.e., the smooth water. 
It is the same as the river Ayr in Ayrshire, the river Aray in 
Argyleshire, and the river Arra in Tipperary. 
Tyne, in Northumberland, and also in Haddington, is from teth, 
warm, and an, a river, the warm river. 
Aldie, in Suffolk, is from allt, a stream, and dubh, black or dark, 
the black stream. 
Lee, in Cheshire, is from liath, hoary. 
Leen, in Nottingham, is from liath, hoary, and an, the hoary river. 
Stour is the name of six different rivers, and comes from stwrr, 
rough, uneven. 
Cover, in Yorkshire, is the Gaelic word cobhair, froth, and means 
the frothy river. 
Avon, which is the Gaelic word amhainn, occurs in many parts of 
England. 
Severn is from seimh, smooth or calm, and burn, water. 
The names of English streams and rivers which have now been 
adduced, may suffice to show, because they are undoubtedly Gaelic 
