Before He Undertook This Expedition, Which, Even To Caesar, Appeared
Formidable, He Resolved To Learn All He Could Respecting Britain.
For this
purpose, he collected the merchants who traded thither from all parts of
Gaul; but they could afford him no satisfactory information.
They had
visited only the opposite coast of Britain; of the other parts of the
country, of its extent, its inhabitants, &c., they were utterly ignorant.
Under these circumstances, therefore, he sent one of his officers in a
galley, who, after being absent five days, during which however he had not
ventured to land, returned to Caesar, and acquainted him with the little he
had observed.
Caesar resolved to invade Britain immediately: for this purpose, he ordered
eighty transports to take on board two legions; and the cavalry to be
embarked in eighteen more, at a port a few miles off. The enterprize was
attended with considerable difficulty, from the opposition of the Britons,
and the large ships of the Romans not being able to approach very near the
land. It was however successful, and the Britons sued for and obtained
peace.
This they were soon induced to break, in consequence of Caesar's fleet
being greatly injured by a storm; and the violence of the wind raising the
tide very high, the Roman sailors, unaccustomed to any tides except the
very trifling ones of the Mediterranean, were still more alarmed and
dispirited. The Britons, after attacking one of the legions, ventured on a
still bolder enterprize, for they endeavoured to force the Roman camp:
Enter page number
PreviousNext
Page 301 of 1007
Words from 82812 to 83068
of 273188
