102 



NOTES AND QUERIES. 



[2nd s. NO 110., Feb. 6. '58. 



Ictis of Diodorus are probably variations of the 

 name Vectis, by which the Roman writers desig- 

 nated the Isle of Wight. The south-western 

 promontory of Britain reappears in Ptolemy 

 under the form of Bolerium (ii. 3. § 3.). 



In another passage Diodorus speaks of the Tin 

 Islands as being in the ocean beyond Iberia; 

 Le distinguishes them from Britain, whence he 

 states that tin was imported into Gaul, and car- 

 ried on horseback by merchants to Massilia and to 

 the Roman colony of Narbo. He also says that 

 tin was found in many parts of Iberia (v. 38.) 



Whatever, in early times, may have been the 

 trade of the Phoenicians and Carthaginians with 

 Cornwall through the Straights of Gibraltar, it 

 seems certain that in later times the tin used by 

 the Greeks and Romans generally reached the 

 Mediterranean across Gaul. The author of the 

 Aristotelic Treatise de Mirah. Auscult., 50., de- 

 scribes the Celtic tin as being more easily melted 

 than lead (o Koo-criTepos 6 KeAriKSs}. This must 

 mean tin brought over Gaul, and imported into 

 Greece from a Gallic port ; as we speak of Dutch 

 toys, which, though exported from Holland, are 

 manufactured in Southern Germany ; and of 

 Leghorn bonnets, which, though shipped at Leg- 

 horn, are made in the interior of Tuscany. Posi- 

 donlus likewise states that tin was brought from 

 the Britannic islands to Massilia (fragm.48.) It 

 may be remarked that, according to the report of 

 CfEsar, the British tin was worked in the inland 

 districts, and iron near the coast, but the quanti- 

 ties were small ; the copper used in Britain was 

 imported (B. G., v. 12.) 



Pliny describes the Cassiterides as a group of 

 several islands, lying opposite Celtiberia, to which 

 the Greeks gave this name from their production 

 of tin. He adds that six other islands, called 

 the islands of the Gods, or the Happy Islands, lay 

 off the promontory of the Arrotribaj (or Artabri) ; 

 the position which Strabo assigns to the Tin Is- 

 lands (JSl. H., iv. 36.) Dionysius Periegetes (v. 

 561-4.) speaks of the Western Islands, where tin 

 is produced, as situated near the Sacred Promon- 

 tory, the extreme point of Europe, and as in- 

 habited by the wealthy Iberians. The ten tin 

 islands to the west of Spain, mentioned by Strabo, 

 are also recorded by Ptolemy, Geogr., ii. 6. § 76. 



In the Ora Maritima of Avienus, there is a de- 

 scription of certain places on the western coast of 

 Spain, near the bay of Tartessus ; among which 

 Mount Cassius is enumerated, from which the 

 Greeks derived the name Kaa-airepos (v. 259.). This 

 is a rude and childish etymological mythus, not 

 much superior to that which derived Britain from 

 Brutus the Trojan, son of Ascanius. 



Avienus likewise makes mention of a bay in the 

 same region, called the CEstrymnian Bay, in which 

 are the CEstrymnian Islands, abounding in tin and 

 lead. At two days' sail from these islands is the 



Sacred Island, inhabited by the Hibernians ; near 

 to which is the island of the Albiones. He adds 

 that the Tartessians were in the habit of visiting 

 the CEstrymnian Islands for purposes of trade. 

 The Carthaginians, moreover, both of the mother 

 country and the colonies, passed the Pillars of 

 Hercules, and navigated these seas : Himilco, the 

 Carthaginian, stated from personal experience 

 that the voyage occupied at least four months 

 (v. 80—119.) (Compare Heeren, ib. ii. 1. p. 176.) 



The statement of Pliny is that tin was fabled 

 to be imported from some islands in the Atlantic 

 sea ; but that it was known in his time to be pro- 

 duced in Lusitania and Gallsecia : the ore being a 

 dark-coloured sand, found on the surface of the 

 earth, and recognised by its weight. He adds 

 that lead is not found in Gallaecia, though it 

 abounds in the neighbouring country of Cantabria. 

 (N. H., xxxiv. 47.) Diodorus likewise states 

 that tin occurred in many parts of Iberia ; and 

 that it was not found on the surface, but was 

 mined and melted like silver and gold (v. 38.). 

 Other reports also connect tin with Iberia ; thus 

 Dionysius Periegetes says that the western islands, 

 where tin was produced, were inhabited by Ibe- 

 rians; and Avienus places his Mount Cassius 

 near Tartessus, in Spain. Posidonius (i/>.) like- 

 wise speaks of tin being worked in the country 

 of the barbarians beyond Lusitania. It should 

 be observed that tin ores are stated to be still 

 found in Galicia, and it is possible that sup- 

 plies of this metal may have been obtained from 

 the western parts of the Iberian peninsula in 

 antiquity. We have distinct evidence that the 

 Carthaginians and Romans procured tin from 

 Britain ; and the Tin Islands Avere probably a 

 vague and inaccurate expression for Cornwall ; 

 but the ships of Tarshish mentioned by Ezekiel 

 may perhaps have only sailed as far as the western 

 coast of Iberia. 



Hyginus relates that Midas, king of Phrygia, 

 celebrated in mythology for his power of turning 

 what he touched into gold, was the discoverer of 

 tin and lead. " Midas rex, Cybeles filius, Phryx, 

 plumbum album et nigrum primus invenit," Jab. 

 274. On the other hand, Pliny, in his list of 

 mythical inventors and discoverers, includes a 

 certain Midacritus, of whom he professes to know 

 that he first brouc^ht tin from the Cassiterid Is- 

 land. " Plumbum ex Cassiteride insula primus 

 apportavit Midacritus," N. H., vii. 57., (i. e. 

 plumbum album). 



Dionysius of Syracuse, among various financial 

 frauds, is reported to have issued a tin instead of 

 a silver coin, which passed at 4 Attic drachmas 

 instead of 1, (Aristot. (Econ., ii. 21.; Pollux, ix. 

 79.) ; whence it may be inferred that the value of 

 tin compared with that of silver was at this time 

 as 4 to 1. 



Lord Macaulay describes the primitive state of 



