HISTORY OF MARINE ARCHITECTURE

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impressed the Britons, as to the prowess of his soldiers, superior as they werein discipline and in arms. This circumstance is manifest from the words ofthe emperor himself*.

During

* At barbari, consjlio Romanorum cognito, prcemisso equitatu et essedariis, quo plerumque genercin prceliis uti consuerunt, reliquis copiis subsecuti nostros navibus egredi prohibebant. Erat, ob hascaussas, summa difficultas quod naves propter magnitudinem nisi in alto constitui non poterant. Mili-tibus autem, ignotis locis, impeditis manibus, magno et gravi armorum onere oppressis, simul et denavibus desiliendum, et in fluctibus consistendum, et cum hostibus erat pugnandum, quum illi autex ariio apt paullulum in aquam progress)’, omnibus membris expediti, notissimis locis, audacter telaconjiccrqnt, et equos insuefactos incitarent. Quibus rebus nostri perterriti, atque hujus omnino generispugnae imperiti, non omnes eadem alacritatc ac studio, quo in pedestribus uti praeliis consueverant,utebantur.

Quod ubi Caesar animadvertit, naves Tongas, quarum et species erat barbaris inusitatior, et motus adusum expeditior, paullum removeri ab onerariis navibus, et remis incitari, ut ad latus apertum hostium*ponstitui, atque inde fundis, sagittis, tormentis, hostes propelli, ac submoveri jussit: quae res magnousui nostris fuit. Nam et navium figura, et remorum motu et inusitato genere tormentorum permotibarbari constiterunt, ac paullum modo pedem retulerunt. Atque nostris militibus cunctantibus, maximepropter altitudinem maris, qui x legionis aquilam ferebat, contestatus dcos ut ea res legioni felicitereveniret: Desilite, inquit, conmiilitones, nisi vultis aquila.ni hostibus p roller e. Ego eerie nieiunBeipublici? atque imperatori efficium pr&stitere. Hoc quum magna voce dixisset ex navi se pro.jecit, atque in hostes aquilam ferre coepit. Turn nostri cohortati inter se, ne tantum dedecus admit-teretur, universi ex navi desiluerunt: hos item ex proximis primis navibus quum conspexissent, subse-cuti, hostibus appropinquarunt. '

The barbarians (meaning the inhabitants of Britain) as soon as they became assured of the intentionof the Romans, having sent off their cavalry, and their chariots, on which, in general engagements,they placed their chief confidence ; made every possible disposition to prevent the disembarkation ofthe invaders, by opposing them with their infantry, judiciously considering, that such part of theirarmy only could act with effect in so peculiar a situation. A very considerable degree of diffi-culty arose to the Romans on this occasion. The ships, or gallies, on account of their great draughtof water, were prevented from approaching the shore so near as was consistent with the safety of thesoldiers, and the latter had difficulties almost innumerable to encounter. They were, in the first in-stance, strangers to the coast, and to the country. They were grievously incommoded with the weightof their arms, and had at one, and the same time to contend as well with the waves, as with their foes,after having, with a degree of gallantry bordering on rashness, fearlessly leaped from the gunwale oftheir vessels, into the surge.

The Britons, on the other hand, had no such impediments to encounter. They could either remainfirm in their position, on dry land, advance a short distance into the water when opportunity offered,or being perfectly masters of the ground, and its nature, could throw their javelins,- or other missileweapons, covered in great measure from the attacks of the Romans, who on their part had no such de-fence, and particularly exposed to the desultory attacks of the British horse. The Romans astonished,and in some degree dismayed, by these multiplied obstacles, as well as being totally unpractised in'contests

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