FOOTNOTES:

1.France.TheAlise.Germany.Elza, 10th cent., now theElz.Ilsaant., now theIlse.TheAlass. Falls into the Gulf of Riga.Greece.Ilissusant., still retains its name.Asia Minor.Halysant., now the Kizil-Irmak.2.With the ending en.Germany.Elison, 3rd cent., now the Lise.Belgium.Alisna, 7th cent., not identified.Greece.EllisonorHelissonant.3.With the ending es.Germany.Alzissa, 9th cent., now theAlz.Ilzisa, 11th cent., now theIlz.

The rootsalFörstemann takes to be Celtic, and to mean salt water. No doubt saltness is a characteristic which would naturally give a name to a river. So it does in the case of the "Salt River" in the U.S., and of the Salza in the Salzkammergut. But I canhardly think that all the many rivers called theSaaleare salt, and I am inclined to go deeper for the meaning. The Sansc. hassal, to move, whencesalan, water. The first meaning then seems to be water—applied to the sea asthewater—and then to salt as derived from the sea. So that when the Gr.άλς, the Old Norsesalt, and the Gael.sal, all mean both salt, and also the sea, the latter may be the original sense. From the above root,sal, to move, the Lat. forms bothsalireandsaltare, as from the same root comesalandsalt. I take the rootsalthen in river-names to mean, at least in some cases, water. In one or two instances the sense of saltness comes before us as a known quality, and in such case I have taken the names elsewhere. But failing the proper proof, which would be that of tasting, I must leave the others where they stand.

1.Germany.Sala, 1st cent. Five rivers called theSaale.Salia, 8th cent. TheSeille.France.TheSellé. Two rivers.Russia.TheSal. Joins the Don.Spain.Saloant., now theXalon.2.With the ending en = Sansc. salan, water?Ireland.TheSlaanand theSlaney.France.TheSelune. Dep. Manche.

It is possible that the rootals,ils, found in the name of several rivers, as theAlz,Elz,Ilse, may be a transposition of the above, just as Gr.άλς= Lat.sal. But upon the whole I have thought another derivation better, and have included them in a preceding group.

From the Sansc.varorvars, to bedew, moisten, whencevar, water,varsas, rain, Gr.ἐρση, dew, Gael. and Ir.uaran, fresh water, I get the following, dividing them into the two forms,varandvars.

The form var.1.England.TheVer. Herts.France.Viriaant. TheVire.Germany.TheWerrein Thuringia.2.With the ending en.Germany.Warinna, 8th cent. TheWern.TheWarn(au). Mecklenburg-Schwerin.Naples.Varano,[28]a lagoon on the Adriatic shore.The form vars.1.England.TheWorse. Shropshire.France.TheOurce. Joins the Seine.Germany.TheWers. Joins theEms.Italy.Arsiaant.—here?Varese. Lake in Lombardy.Persia.Arosisant., now the Tab—here?Armenia.Araxes[29]ant., now theAras—here?2.With the ending en.Germany.Ursena, 8th cent., now theOertze.Asia Minor.Orsinusant., now the Hagisik—here?3.With the ending el.Germany.Ursela, 8th cent. TheUrsel.Hörsel. Joins the Werre.

In the above Sansc.var, to moisten, to water, is contained, as I take it, the root of the Finnicwirta, a river, the only appellative I can find for the following.

1.Germany.Wert(aha), 10th cent., now theWert(ach).Poland.TheWarta. Joins the Oder.Denmark.TheVarde. Prov. Jütland.India.TheWurdah. Joins the Godavery.2.With the ending en.France.TheVerdon. Dep. Var.3.With the ending er.Ireland.TheVartrey. Wicklow.France.TheVardre.Europ. Turkey.TheVardar, ant. Axius.

The following names have been generally supposed to be derived from Welshcleddorcleddeu, sword, and to be applied metaphorically to a river. But I think it will be seen from the Sansc.klid, to water, whenceklaidan, flux, Gr.κλύδων, fluctus, unda, Ang.-Sax.glade, a river, brook, that the meaning of water lies at the very bottom of the word. Perhaps, however, as the senses of a running stream and of a sharp point often run parallel to each other, there may be in this case a relationship between them.

1.Scotland.TheClyde. (Clota, Ptolemy.)Wales.TheCloyd, theClwyd, and theCleddeu.Ireland.TheGlyde.Greece.Cladeusant.—here?Umbria.Clit(umnus)[30]ant.—here?2.With the ending en.Germany.TheKlodn(itz). Pruss. Silesia.3.With the ending er.Greece.TheClitorain Arcadia, on which stood the ancient Clitorium.Asia Min.Cludrosant., in Caria.

There are two Sanscrit roots from which the wordag,ang,ing, in river-names might be deduced. One is the verbagoraj, to move, whenceanjas, movement, (or the verbacoranc, to traverse), and the other is the verbagorang, to contract, whence Latinanguis, snake,anguilla, eel, Eng.angle, &c. The sense then might be either the ordinary one of motion, the root-meaning of most river names, or it might be the special sense of tortuousness. But as the only appellative I can find is the wordanger, a river, in the Tcheremissian dialect of the Finnic (Bonaparte polyglott), I think it safer to follow the most common sense, though the othermay not improbably intermix. The derivation of Mone, from Welsheog, salmon, I do not think of.

1.With the ending en.Germany.Ankin(aha), 8th cent., now theEckn(ach).France.TheIngon. Dep. Somme.2.With the ending er.England.TheAnker. Leicestershire.Germany.Ackara, 10th cent. TheAgger.Agara, 8th cent. TheEger.TheAngerap(ap, water), Prussia.Siberia.TheAngera.Italy.Acarisant. TheAgri.Servia?Angrus(Herodotus).India.TheAghor—here?3.With the ending el.Germany.TheAngel, three rivers (Baden, Westphalia, and Bohemia).Russia.TheIngul. Joins the Bug.4.With the ending st.Germany.Agasta,[31]8th cent., now theAiss.

From the Sansc.pî, to drink, also to give to drink, to water, Gr.πιω,πινω, we may get a formpinin river-names.

1.Germany.ThePeenin Prussia.Holstein.ThePinau. Joins the Elbe.Hungary.ThePina. Joins the Pripet.ThePinka—here?[32]Russia.ThePiana. Joins the Volga.ThePine(ga). Joins the Dwina.India.TheBinoa. Joins the Beas.Greece.Peneusant. Two rivers—here?2.With the ending en.Siberia.ThePenjina.3.With the ending er.India.ThePennar. Madras.4.With the ending es.Russia.ThePenza. Joins the Sura.

From the above Sansc.piwe may also derive the formpid. The only appellative I find, (if it can be called one), is the Ang.-Sax.pidele, a thin stream, given by Kemble in the glossary to theCod. Dip.; and hence the namePiddle, of several small streams. The only name I find in the simple form, and that uncertain, is thePindusof Greece. Then there is a formpeder, which seems to be from a definite word, and not from the simple suffixer.

1.England.ThePedder. Somerset.Greece.Pydarasant. Thrace.India.ThePindar—here?2.With the ending en.Scotland.ThePitren(ick), a small stream in Lanarkshire.3.With the ending el.England.ThePetterilin Cumberland.4.With the ending et.England.Pêdrede(Cod. Dip.) Now theParret.

Also from the Sansc. rootpi, to drink, to water, we get the formbiborpip, as found in Lat.bibo, and in Sansc.pipâsas, toper. Here also in the simple form I only find one name—theBeuvein France, Dep. Gironde. In the formbiberthere are many names, particularly in Germany. Graff (Sprachschatz), seems to refer the word tobiber, beaver, but Förstemann, with more reason, as I think, suggests a lost word for water or river.

1.England.ThePever. Cheshire.Scotland.ThePeffer. Ross-shire.France.TheBièvre. Joins the Seine.Germany.Biber(aha), 7th cent. TheBever, theBibra, thePebr(ach), and theBiber(bach).2.With the ending en.Germany.Biveran, 8th cent., now theBever.France.TheBeuvron. Dep. Nièvre.

Perhaps also from the rootpiwe may derive the Ir.buinn, river,bual,biol, water. From the former Mr. Charnock derives the name of the Boyne, a derivation which I think suitable, even if we take the ancient form Buvinda, (Zeuss, Gramm. Celt.,) which might be more properly Buvinna, as Gironde for Garonne in France. For the Bunaha in Germany, the Old Norsebuna, scaturire, might also be suggested.

Ireland.TheBoyne.Germany.Bun(aha), 9th cent., now theBaun(ach).

From the Ir.biol,buol, I derive the following, keeping out the rivers of the Slavonic districts, which may be referred to the Slav.biala, white.

1.England.TheBeela. Westmoreland.Ireland.TheBoyle, of which, according to O'Brien, the Irish form isBuil.France.TheBol(bec). Dep. Seine-Inf.Germany.Boll(aha)ant. Not identified.Asia Minor.Billæusant., now the Filyas.2.With the ending er.Germany.TheBuhler. Wirtemberg.Russia.TheBuller.3.With the ending et.Germany.TheBullot. Baden.Russia.ThePolota. Joins the Dwina.

A very obscure root in river-names isgogorcock. The only appellatives I find are in the Celtic, viz., Gael.caochan, a small stream, Arm.goagen, wave; unless we think also of the wordjokk,jöggi, which in the Finnic dialects signifies a river; and in that case the most probable root would be the Sansc.yug, to gush forth. To the river Coquet, in Northumberland, something of a sacred character seems to have been ascribed; an altar having been discovered bearing the inscription "Deo Cocidi," and supposed to have been dedicated to the genius of that river. Again, we are reminded of the Cocytus inGreece, a tributary of the river Acheron, invested with so many mysterious terrors as supposed to be under the dominion of the King of Hades. Possibly, however, it might only be the similarity, or identity, of the names which transferred to the one something of the superstitious reverence paid to the other. At all events, I can find nothing in the etymology to bear out such a meaning.

1.England.Cocbrôc(Cod. Dip.) This would seem to have probably been a small stream called Cock, to which, as in many other cases, the Saxons added the word brook.2.Germany.Cochin(aha), 8th cent., now theKocher.[33]3.With the ending er.England.TheCocker. Cumberland.TheCoker. Lancashire.India.TheKohary—here?4.With the ending el.Transylvania.TheKokel, two rivers.England.Cockley-beck.[34]Cumberland.Germany.Chuchilibach, now Kuchelbach.5.With the ending et.England.TheCoquet. Northumberland.Greece.Cocytusant., now the Vuvo.6.In a compound form.England.TheCuckmare, Sussex, with the wordmar, p.61.

From the Sansc.mid, to soften, to melt, (perhaps formed on the rootmi, p.59), come Sansc.miditas, fluid, Lat.madidus, wet. Herein seems a sufficient root for river-names, but there is another which is apt to intermix, Sansc.math, to move, whence, I take it, and not from the former is Old Norsemôda, a river. I separate a formmedormid, in which the sense ofmedius, and also that ofmitis, is in some cases clearly brought out; and another,muthormuot, which, though from the same root, as I take it, asmôda, a river, (math, to move), has more evidently the sense of speed.

1.Germany.Mota, 8th cent., now theMedeorMehe.2.With the ending er.England.TheMadder. Wiltshire.Germany.Matra, 8th cent., now theModer.Italy.Metaurusant., theMetauro—here?3.With the ending ern.France.Matrŏna[35]ant., now the Marne.Italy.Matrinusant. in Picenum.4.With the ending el.Germany.TheMadel.

The only appellative for a river which I find derived from its sound is the Sanscritnadi, Hind.nuddy, fromnad, sonare. Whether the following names should come in here may be uncertain; I can find no links between them and the Sanscrit; perhaps the rootnid, p.54, may be suitable.

1.France.Nodaant., now the Noain.2.With the ending er.England.TheNodder. (Noddre,Cod. Dip.)Hungary.TheNeutra. Joins the Danube.3.With the ending es.Venetia.Natisoant., now theNatisone.

The only words I can find at all bearing upon the following river-names are the Serv.jezor, Bohem. and Illyr.jezero, lake, wherein may probably lie a wordjez, signifying water. But respecting its etymology I am entirely in the dark.

1.Germany.Jaz(aha), 8th cent., now theJoss.Jez(awa), 11th cent., a brook near Lobenstein.TheJetza. Joins the Elbe.TheJess(ava). Joins the Danube.2.With the ending er.Russia.TheJisdra. Joins the Oka.3.Compounded with main, river.Russia.TheJesmen. Gov. Tchnerigov.

Another word, of which the belongings are not clearly to be traced, is the Armoricanhoul,houlen, unda, to which we may put the following.

1.England.TheHull. Joins the Humber.Finland.TheUllea. Gulf of Bothnia.Spain.TheUllain Galicia.2.Compounded with ster, river.Germany.Ulstra, 9th cent., now theUlster.

In the Irish and Obs. Gael.dothar, water, Welshdiod, drink,diota, to tipple—withwhich we may perhaps also connect the Lapp.dadno, river, Albanianδέτ, sea, and Rhæt.dutg, torrent, we may find the root of the following.

1.Germany.TheDuyte. Joins the Hase.TheDude, a small stream in Prussia.2.With the ending en.England.TheDuddon. Lake district.3.With the ending er.Ireland.TheDodder.4.Compounded with mal.[36]Germany.Duthmala, 8th cent., now theDommel.

From the Welshwyl, Ang.-Sax.wyllan, Eng.well, to flow or gush, (Sansc.vail, to move?), we got the following.

1.England.TheWilly. Wiltshire.Denmark.TheVeile, in Jutland.Norway.TheVilla.Russia.TheVel. Joins the Vaga.TheVilia. Joins the Niemen.TheViliu, (Siberia). Joins the Lena.2.With the ending en.England.TheWelland, (properly Wellan?)Russia.TheVilna. Gov. Minsk.Italy.TheVelino. Joins the Nera.3.With the ending er.India.TheVellaur, Madras—here?4.With the ending s.Germany.TheVils, two rivers in Bavaria.TheWelse. Joins the Oder.Spain.TheVelez. Prov. Malaga.

A word which appears to have the meaning of water or river, but respecting the etymology of which I am quite ignorant, isasoporasp. That it has the above meaning I infer only from finding it as the second part of the word in the ancient river-names Cho(aspes), Hyd(aspes), and Zari(aspis). In an independent form it occurs in the following. Lhuyd, (in the appendix to Baxter's glossary), referring to Hespin as the name of sundry small streams in Wales, derives it fromhespin, a sheep that yields no milk, because these streams are almost dry in summer. This derivation is unquestionably false so far as this, that the two words are merely derived from the same origin, viz., Welshhesporhysp, dry, barren. But whetherthis word has anything to do with the following names is doubtful; it seems at any rate unsuitable for the large rivers, such as the Hydaspes, (the Jhylum of the Punjaub). From the derivation of Mone, who finds in Isper, as in Wipper, p.64, a wordper, mountain, I entirely dissent.

1.France.TheAspe. Basses—Pyrenees.Germany.Hesapaant., now theHesper.Greece.Asopusant. Two rivers.2.With the ending er.Germany.Ispera, 10th cent. TheIsper.

FOOTNOTES:[1]Ilchester (=Ivel-chester) situated on this river, is called in Ptolemy Ischalis, from which we may presume that the river was called the Ischal, a word which would be a synonyme of Ivel.[2]It seems rather probable that the endingesin these names is not a mere suffix. TheApsarus, ancient name of the Tchoruk in Armenia, and theIpsalain Europ. Turkey, by superadding the endingserandel, go to show this. We might perhaps presume a Sansc. wordabhas, oraphas, with the meaning of river.[3]This ending is not explained. Zeuss, comparing the endingserandst, suggests a comparative and superlative, which is not probable. In the present, as in some other cases, I take it to be only a phonetic form ofss, and make Ambastus properly Ambassus. But in some other cases, as that of the Nestus, which compares with Sansc.nisitas, fluid, it seems to be formative.[4]This looks like a mistake for Acasse.[5]So that thereisa river in Monmouth, and another in Macedon.[6]"Hysa nunc fluvii nomen est, qui antiquitus Hysara dicebatur." (Folcuin. Gest. Abb. Lobiens.) This seems not improbably to refer to the Oise.[7]If, as Pott suggests, the Vedra of Ptolemy = Eng.water, the Wetter would naturally come in here also. But some German writers, as Roth and Weigand, connect it with Germ.wetter, Eng.weather, in the sense, according to the first-named, of the river which is affected by rain.[8]This ending may either be formed by the addition of a phoneticnto the endinger; or it may be from a wordren, channel, river, hereafter noticed.[9]The ScotchEttrickand the Germ.EitrachI take to be synonymous, though the ending in one case is German, and in the other probably Gaelic. (See p.25)[10]Hence perhaps Anitabha (abha, water), the Sansc. name of a river, not identified, in India.[11]Tacitus gives this name to the Avon—in mistake, as the Editor of Smith's Ancient Geography suggests. Butantonandavonseem to have been synonymous words for a river.[12]Hence the name of Dover, anc. Dubris, according to Richard of Cirencester, from the small stream which there falls into the sea.[13]Where is this river, cited by Zeuss, (Gramm. Celt.)?[14]Hence probably the name of Zurich, ant. Turicum.[15]Perhaps formed fromezby a phoneticn.[16]I do not in this case make any account of the spelling; the name is just the same as our Lee, and the idea oflys, a lily, is no doubt only suggested by the similarity of sound.[17]Manual of Comparative Philology.[18]Niebuhr derives this name from a Sabine word signifying sulphur, which is largely contained in its waters. Mr. Charnock suggests the Phœn.naharo, a river.[19]Niemen may perhaps = Nieven—mforv, as in Amon for Avon, p.26.[20]Perhaps to be found in Sansc.nistas, wet, fluid. Here we get something of a clue to Eng. "nasty," the original meaning of which has no doubt been nothing but water "in the wrong place."[21]"One of the sacred rivers of India, a river mentioned in the Veda, and famous in the epic poems as the river of Ayodhyâ, one of the earliest capitals of India, the modern Oude."—Max Müller, Science of Language.[22]I place this here on the authority of Max Müller, who, pointing out that the initialhin Persian corresponds with a Sanscrits, thinks that the river Sarayu may have given the name to the river Arius or Heri, and to the country of Herat.[23]This name seems formed at thrice—first Sarit—then ov, (perhapsavriver)—lastly, the Slavish affixka.[24]See note p.29.[25]In the more special sense of lake, which, it will be observed, is frequent in this group, is the Suio-Lapp.pluewe.[26]The wordaspcomes before us in some other river-names, but respecting its etymology I am quite in the dark. From the way in which it occurs in the above, in the Zari(aspis), and in the Hyd(aspes), it seems rather likely to have the meaning of water or river.[27]AlsoAllisonandEllison, which may be either patronymic forms inson; or formed with the ending inen, like the above river-names. For the names of rivers, and the ancient names of men, in many points run parallel to each other.[28]Following strictly the above Celt. worduaran, this might be "Fresh-water Bay."[29]The Araxes of Herodotus, observes the Editor of Smith's Ancient Geography, "cannot be identified with any single river: the name was probably an appellative for a river, and was applied, like our Avon, to several streams, which Herodotus supposed to be identical." Araxes I take to be a Græcism, and the Mod. name Aras to show the proper form.[30]Containing the Latinamnis, river, or only a euphonic form of Clitunnus? See Garumna, p.13.[31]I think that in this, as probably in some other cases,stis only a phonetic form ofss, and that the Mod. nameAisspoints truly to the ancient form asAgass, see note, p.29.[32]I should without hesitation have taken thePinka, as well as the RussianPinega, to be from this root, with the Slavonic affixgaorka. But the English riverPenkin Staffordshire introduces an element of doubt. It may, however, also be from this root, with the endingickcommon in the rivers of Scotland. See p.25.[33]This river seems also to have been called ancientlyChochara.[34]Here also, as in the case of the German Chuchilibach, and the Cocbrôc before noted, the ending beck (= brook), seems to have been added to the original name. Chuchilibach appears as the name of a place, but I apprehend that the word implies a stream of the same name.[35]I think that these quantities, so far as they are derived from the Latin poets, should be accepted with some reserve. Unless more self-denying than most of their craft, I fear that they would hardly let a Gallic river stand in the way of a lively dactyl.[36]I do not know any other instance of this ending in river-names, but I take it to be, likemanormain, an extension ofmay, and to signify water or river.

[1]Ilchester (=Ivel-chester) situated on this river, is called in Ptolemy Ischalis, from which we may presume that the river was called the Ischal, a word which would be a synonyme of Ivel.

[2]It seems rather probable that the endingesin these names is not a mere suffix. TheApsarus, ancient name of the Tchoruk in Armenia, and theIpsalain Europ. Turkey, by superadding the endingserandel, go to show this. We might perhaps presume a Sansc. wordabhas, oraphas, with the meaning of river.

[3]This ending is not explained. Zeuss, comparing the endingserandst, suggests a comparative and superlative, which is not probable. In the present, as in some other cases, I take it to be only a phonetic form ofss, and make Ambastus properly Ambassus. But in some other cases, as that of the Nestus, which compares with Sansc.nisitas, fluid, it seems to be formative.

[4]This looks like a mistake for Acasse.

[5]So that thereisa river in Monmouth, and another in Macedon.

[6]"Hysa nunc fluvii nomen est, qui antiquitus Hysara dicebatur." (Folcuin. Gest. Abb. Lobiens.) This seems not improbably to refer to the Oise.

[7]If, as Pott suggests, the Vedra of Ptolemy = Eng.water, the Wetter would naturally come in here also. But some German writers, as Roth and Weigand, connect it with Germ.wetter, Eng.weather, in the sense, according to the first-named, of the river which is affected by rain.

[8]This ending may either be formed by the addition of a phoneticnto the endinger; or it may be from a wordren, channel, river, hereafter noticed.

[9]The ScotchEttrickand the Germ.EitrachI take to be synonymous, though the ending in one case is German, and in the other probably Gaelic. (See p.25)

[10]Hence perhaps Anitabha (abha, water), the Sansc. name of a river, not identified, in India.

[11]Tacitus gives this name to the Avon—in mistake, as the Editor of Smith's Ancient Geography suggests. Butantonandavonseem to have been synonymous words for a river.

[12]Hence the name of Dover, anc. Dubris, according to Richard of Cirencester, from the small stream which there falls into the sea.

[13]Where is this river, cited by Zeuss, (Gramm. Celt.)?

[14]Hence probably the name of Zurich, ant. Turicum.

[15]Perhaps formed fromezby a phoneticn.

[16]I do not in this case make any account of the spelling; the name is just the same as our Lee, and the idea oflys, a lily, is no doubt only suggested by the similarity of sound.

[17]Manual of Comparative Philology.

[18]Niebuhr derives this name from a Sabine word signifying sulphur, which is largely contained in its waters. Mr. Charnock suggests the Phœn.naharo, a river.

[19]Niemen may perhaps = Nieven—mforv, as in Amon for Avon, p.26.

[20]Perhaps to be found in Sansc.nistas, wet, fluid. Here we get something of a clue to Eng. "nasty," the original meaning of which has no doubt been nothing but water "in the wrong place."

[21]"One of the sacred rivers of India, a river mentioned in the Veda, and famous in the epic poems as the river of Ayodhyâ, one of the earliest capitals of India, the modern Oude."—Max Müller, Science of Language.

[22]I place this here on the authority of Max Müller, who, pointing out that the initialhin Persian corresponds with a Sanscrits, thinks that the river Sarayu may have given the name to the river Arius or Heri, and to the country of Herat.

[23]This name seems formed at thrice—first Sarit—then ov, (perhapsavriver)—lastly, the Slavish affixka.

[24]See note p.29.

[25]In the more special sense of lake, which, it will be observed, is frequent in this group, is the Suio-Lapp.pluewe.

[26]The wordaspcomes before us in some other river-names, but respecting its etymology I am quite in the dark. From the way in which it occurs in the above, in the Zari(aspis), and in the Hyd(aspes), it seems rather likely to have the meaning of water or river.

[27]AlsoAllisonandEllison, which may be either patronymic forms inson; or formed with the ending inen, like the above river-names. For the names of rivers, and the ancient names of men, in many points run parallel to each other.

[28]Following strictly the above Celt. worduaran, this might be "Fresh-water Bay."

[29]The Araxes of Herodotus, observes the Editor of Smith's Ancient Geography, "cannot be identified with any single river: the name was probably an appellative for a river, and was applied, like our Avon, to several streams, which Herodotus supposed to be identical." Araxes I take to be a Græcism, and the Mod. name Aras to show the proper form.

[30]Containing the Latinamnis, river, or only a euphonic form of Clitunnus? See Garumna, p.13.

[31]I think that in this, as probably in some other cases,stis only a phonetic form ofss, and that the Mod. nameAisspoints truly to the ancient form asAgass, see note, p.29.

[32]I should without hesitation have taken thePinka, as well as the RussianPinega, to be from this root, with the Slavonic affixgaorka. But the English riverPenkin Staffordshire introduces an element of doubt. It may, however, also be from this root, with the endingickcommon in the rivers of Scotland. See p.25.

[33]This river seems also to have been called ancientlyChochara.

[34]Here also, as in the case of the German Chuchilibach, and the Cocbrôc before noted, the ending beck (= brook), seems to have been added to the original name. Chuchilibach appears as the name of a place, but I apprehend that the word implies a stream of the same name.

[35]I think that these quantities, so far as they are derived from the Latin poets, should be accepted with some reserve. Unless more self-denying than most of their craft, I fear that they would hardly let a Gallic river stand in the way of a lively dactyl.

[36]I do not know any other instance of this ending in river-names, but I take it to be, likemanormain, an extension ofmay, and to signify water or river.

In the preceding chapter I have included the words from which I have not been able to extract any other sense than that of water. As I have before mentioned, it is probable that in some instances there may be fine shades of difference which would remove them out of that category, but whenever I have thought to have got upon the trace of another meaning, something has in each case turned up to disappoint the conditions.

In the present chapter, which comprehends the words which describe a river as that which runs rapidly, that which flows gently, that which spreads widely, there may still in some cases be something of an appellativesense, because there may be a general word to denote a rapid, a smooth, or a spreading stream.

Among the rivers noted for their rapidity is the Rhone. This is the characteristic remarked by all the Latin poets—

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