178 SMITHSONIAN MISCELLANEOUS COLLECTIONS VOL. 59 



legends to their captives or read them into the utterances of the latter 

 we may well suppose a like contribution of words or a transformation 

 beyond any retracing. 



10 (p. 118). James Wallace in &quot;A description of the Isles of Orkney,&quot; 1693 

 (John Small, editor, 1886), p. 5, writes, &quot;In this firth about two miles 

 from Caithness lies Stroma a little isle&quot; and a note probably by Mal 

 colm Laing adds, &quot; i. e., Straum Island from the furious streams that 

 pass by it.&quot; The name Straumey occurs also at divers points around 

 the coast of Iceland according to the late Mr. Steingrimur Stefansson, an 

 Icelander. Cf. Debes (L. J.) : Faroe and Faeroa Referata. (Description 

 of the islands and inhabitants of Faroe.) Translated by J. S., &quot; Osteroe 

 and Stromoe are as it were bound together by a ground, over which runs a 

 very rapid stream .... From this stream it is that Stromoe is so 

 called.&quot; 



