[77] Fjörðr, plur. Firðir.
[78] Út-ver in Icel. is an outlying place for fishing, etc.; hardly corresponding with the continental “udver.”
[79] See Journal, chap. 5.
[80] Surtr, i.e., the Black, an Eddic name of a fire-giant.
[81] Englishmen would call them “old men.”
[82] Henderson (i. 127) translates “Höfdabrecka” by “Breakneck.” Hálsavegr is from “háls,” Scotticè “halse.”
[83] Á (fem.) at the end of a word means a water, as Temsá = Thames River: so the German Don-au is the Iceland Dóná, the Danube. The root may be traced through the Sanskrit Ap, the Persian
, and the Latin Aqua to almost all families of European speech. Uncomposed, the Icelandic “Vatn” means water or lake.
[84] In old vellums spelt invariably Vatz, Vaz, or Vazt, and Vass is the modern pronunciation. Only in two instances not dating earlier than the twelfth century, we find Vatr, with the r common to all Teutonic peoples, and showing its connection with Wasser and Water (Cleasby).