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tation of these inscriptions, which have baffled the efforts of 

 so marly learned men. 



The author read to the Academy his translation of the 

 sixth and seventh tables, (those written in the Roman cha- 

 racter), which he selected as containing matter of great inte- 

 rest to the inhabitants of these countries, being a record of 

 the discovery of the use of the magnetic needle in naviga- 

 tion, and of the British Islands, by the ancient Etruscans. 



The following is an abstract of the facts recorded in these 

 very ancient documents, according to Sir William Betham's. 

 translation of them : 



The sixth table commences with an invitation to the 

 people, to go " to divide and farm the western lands,'' and to 

 proceed to the west, " where are three islands'" of rich and 

 productive soil, with cattle and sheep in abundance, and 

 large black deer, productive of mines, with fine streams and 

 every advantage for residence. It then proceeds to state, 

 that the ships which were fitted out to convey settlers had 

 been provided with stored food and abundant provisions for 

 the voyage, with good water in skins to be served out daily ; 

 that the skill and seamanship of the commanders and the 

 men guaranteed their safety ; and that the people might ven- 

 ture to go, with the most perfect confidence, over the 'for 

 ages untracked ^wilderness of the sea.' Then is depicted the 

 wretched system of coasting navigation, which confined the 

 trader to the shores, amidst shoals, rocks, surfs, and other 

 imminent dangers, all which had been overcome and avoided 

 by the discovery of the little pointer, (the PIAC LU), by 

 which they were enabled to cross from coast to coast in * the 

 same certain and established track;' and the high seas, which 

 the mariner formerly contemplated with the greatest appre- 

 hension when out of sight of land, might be crossed with 

 certainty, avoiding all dangers in deep water. " It was be- 

 come trade's plain, a tioble space, an easy space, a shortened 

 space, tracked space, man's own space, the means of trade's 



