1830.] a Tale of Che Ancient Britons. 281 



crushed out in his breast the kindlier feelings of the man, as things 

 beneath contempt. Manlius joined him at this instant, and after one or 

 two indifferent remarks, directed his attention towards the army of the 

 Silures, which, as the morning vapours drew up, was distinctly visible 

 at the further end of Carrick-Sawthy, backed by a ridge of the Black 

 Mountains, accessible only to those acquainted with their secret passes, 

 and, beyond that ridge, by the forest, in whose labyrinthine recesses the 

 sacrifices of the preceding night had been performed. 



The plain, in which the battle was to be fought, formed a sandy 

 amphitheatre, about three miles in circumference, divided into equal 

 sections by the Towy, over which a rustic bridge was thrown, dotted 

 with masses of granite the same as on Dartmoor are styled Tors and 

 bordered on every side by hills, of which the Black Mountains formed 

 by far the loftiest and most precipitous chain. At the foot of these hills, 

 the soil of the plain lost its dry arid character, constituting a series of 

 small daisied meadows, watered by branches of the Towy, and sloping 

 gently towards the base of the hills, especially towards that of the 

 Black Mountains, where stood a little village of the Silures, in whose 

 immediate vicinity the British troops were now stationed, 



Sergius no sooner beheld the enemy thus advantageously posted, than 

 he dismissed Manlius with orders to his different praefects to bring up 

 their cohorts and arrange them in order of battle, while he himself rode 

 forward to reconnoitre more closely the position of the Silures. To his 

 no little surprise, he found the barbarians drawn up in a compact, not to 

 say a scientific manner. In front was posted a strong body of cavalry, 

 armed with copper-headed spears and shields, each squadron of which 

 was divided by an almost countless host of infantry, whose defensive 

 armour consisted of a weighty broad-sword, and leather shield studded 

 with brass nails ; and the two wings were composed of chariots pro- 

 vided with scythes fixed to the axle-trees, and manned by veteran leaders 

 of the different tribes. Nothing, in short, could be more complete than 

 the general disposition of the Britons ; and Sergius, who beheld them 

 with the practised eye of a soldier, rode back to his encampment with 

 involuntary admiration of their tactics. 



The Roman army had by this time formed on the middle of the plain, 

 in order of battle ; and a more gallant body of men, more efficient in 

 equipment, more disciplined and more inured to victory, never fought 

 under the banners of the empire. The Daciari stationed himself at their 

 head, full in front of the legion, which was supported on either side by 

 some picked Illyrian cohorts ; and as he rode, sword in hand, along the 

 line, with his noble war-horse bounding under him, as if he " snuffed 

 the battle afar off," his martial air, his glittering armour, which blazed like 

 a sheet of fire in the sunshine, and, above all, his proud smile of con- 

 fidence, woke corresponding energy in the hearts of his soldiers, which 

 was heightened to enthusiasm when the gallant warrior, after pointing 

 to the enemy with outstretched sword, and bidding the trumpet sound 

 to the charge, spurred his horse towards them, and bade his legion 

 follow. 



Just at this crisis, Manlius, who was stationed on foot in the rear, 

 turning with a smile towards a prsefect who stood next him, whispered, 

 " We shall have hotter work than I had foreseen, for the Druids are 

 posting themselves in front. Hark to their shouts ! They come they 

 come !" 



MM. New Series.' VOL. X. No. 57. 2 N 



