Page:Essays ethnological and linguistic.djvu/56

44 was by no means the worst of his countrymen narrates his treatment of the Gauls as if it were the usual and proper course to be pursued with regard to the conquered, though to our minds it appears intolerably revolting. Against the Britons he chose to wage war on the ground as he says of their having sent aid to the Gauls in their resistance to him, though they were a kindred people and in so doing only fulfilled a duty which every people in such a case would be bound to attempt. Here then arises directly the question of the state of civilization in which they were found by him as he has himself enabled us to trace it.

Relying on this statement as correct and not a mere pretext, we may first observe that the fact of the Britons having sent assistance to their friends in Gaul is a proof of their having been under a settled government to admit of it, which government must have had considerable resources at their command to prepare vessels in which to despatch those succours. Neither of these circumstances is compatible with a condition of extreme barbarism.

When Cæsar had determinated further on invading Britain it was not as with a contemptible enemy that he prepared for the combat. He set forth with two legions, and we may presume the usual quota of cavalry and auxiliaries attached to each legion in a fleet of about one hundred vessels. The ordinary force of a legion was about 6000 men, so that we may suppose his army to have consisted of at least 13,000 effective troops. When he arrived off the coast of Britain he found the cliffs covered with armed men, acting with a precision and a discipline which afforded another proof of their being under a well organized government. It is his own account of the encounter alone that we have from which to judge of its character, and from that we learn that the Britons not only fought with determined bravery, but also showed a knowledge of a mode of warfare to which the Romans he says were totally unaccustomed (omnino imperiti). This was the use of war chariots and of that use he gives further a very extraordinary account.

After he had made good his landing and advanced a few miles into the country, Cæsar goes on to say that he sent the 7th legion out to forage, when part being employed in cutting down the corn and part in carrying it into the camp, they were suddenly attacked by the Britons and as he acknowledges overpowered and with great difficulty able to sustain the fight. For he adds as the harvest was gathered in every where else and one field only left, the enemy suspecting our men would come thither to forage, had hid