Page:The geography of Strabo (1854) Volume 1.djvu/311

 B. iv. c. v. 2. BRITAIN. 297 convergency of the river towards the mountain from a strictly parallel position, there being an inclination of either toward the other at the extremities next the ocean. 2. There are four passages commonly used from the con- tinent to the island, namely, from the mouths of the rivers Rhine, Seine, Loire, and Garonne ; but to such as set sail from the parts about the Khine, the passage is not exactly from its mouths, but from the Morini, 1 who border on the Menapii, 2 among whom also is situated Itium, 3 which divus Caesar used as his_jiaYal station when about to pass over to the island : he set sail by night, and arrived the next day about the fourth hour, 4 having completed a passage of 320 stadia, and he found the corn in the _figlds. The greatest portion of the island is level and woody, although many tracts are hilly. It produces corn, cattle, gol_d, silver, andJLron, which things are brought Whence, and also skins, and slaves, and dogs sagacious in hunting ; the Kelts use these, as well as their' native dogs, for the purposes of war. The men are taller than the Kelts, with hair less yellow ; they are slighter inlEeir persons^ As an instance oT their height, we ourselves saw at Rome sqme_youths who were taller than the tallest there v by as much as half_ji_foot, but their legs were bowed, and in other respects they were not jjv^mmetrical in con- formation. Their manners are in^part like those of the Kelts, though in partjnore^smiple and barbarous ; insomuch that some of them, though possessing plenty of milk, have not skill enough to make cheese, and are totally unacquainted with horticulture and other matters of husbandry. There are sej^ral_states amongst them. In their wars they make use of chariots for the most part, as do some of the Kelts. Forests are their cities ; for having enclosed an ample space 1 The coasts occupied by the Morini extended from la Canche to the Yser. 2 The Menapii occupied Brabant. 3 General opinion places the port Itius at Wissant, near Cape Grisnez ; Professor Airy, however, is of opinion that the portus Itius of Caesar is the estuary of the Somme. Proceedings of the Society of Antiquaries of London, 1852, vol. ii. No. 30, p. 198. 4 Caesar passed twice into Britain : the first time he started about mid- night, and arrived at the fourth hour of the day ; the second time he started at the commencement of the night, and did not arrive until the following day at noon, the wind having failed about midnight.