. Discovery of Fossil Bones in France, 269 



Monsieur Delpon has, perhaps, been led by the circular dis- 

 position of the stones to suppose the Druidical origin ; but the 

 Druids were not very likely to possess rhinoceroses. 



Quercy is now named Departement du Lot ; Cahors, on the 

 banks of that river, was the capital of the Cadurci, Uxellodu- 

 num, so called from being high and lofty^, is a few miles east 

 of Cahors, by the river Sel6f , which runs into the Lot. There 

 is every probability and evidence that these bones are of Ro- 

 man origin. 



** Julius Caesar was informed what resolution the people of 

 Usseldon (Uxellodunum) had taken ; wherefore, ordering Q. 

 Calenus to follow after him by moderate marches, he went 

 before with all the cavalry to Caninius ; on his arrival, he 

 found Usseldon so well invested, that the enemy could not 

 escape. Caesar was informed that they had plenty of corn, 

 and was, therefore, resolved to cut off their supply of water. 

 There was a river that divided the plain below, which almost 

 surrounded the craggy hill upon which Usseldon was built, on 

 every side. The stream ran so low that it could not be drained ; 

 but the descent to the river was so steep, that the besieged 

 could not approach it without being wounded by the Romans ; 

 Caesar, therefore, guarded the place easiest of approach, with 

 archers, slingers, and engines. Close under the walls, for 300 

 feet, where the river did not run, there was a plentiful spring. 

 Here, with great labour, Caesar began to cast up a mount, but 

 many of his men were wounded. A mount was raised sixty 

 feet high, and a tower of ten stories was constructed as high as 

 the top of the spring, not to the top of the walls, for that was 

 impossible. Engines were planted to play upon the access to 

 the fountain ; and now the cattle and several men perished 

 with thirst. The enemy filled barrels with grease, pitch, and 

 bits of wood, and rolled them blazing upon the battery, fight- 

 ing furiously at the same moment. The works took fire 

 wherever the barrels were stopped. The Romans exposed 

 themselves to the flames, and the showers of darts ; Caesar 



* Camden's Britannia, vol. i., p. 5. 



t Bowen's ancient map. Sanson inclined to think that Uxellodunum 

 was Cahors itself; but Bladen denies that. See his ** Address to the 

 Reader," p. 9. 



OCT.— DEC 1828. U 



