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 "A description of the Isles of Orkney," 1693 

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

 from Caithness lies Stroma a little isle " and a note probably by Mal- 

 colm Laing adds, " i. e. } Straum Island from the furious streams that 

 pass by it." 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., " 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." 



