37® STUDIES OF NATURE. 



rear afforded them an opportunity of recovering 

 from their confufion. We prefently perceived thé 

 Britons in full march to attack us. The youthful 

 band which I commanded was inftantly in motion* 

 and advanced toward the Britons, unconcerned 

 whether we were fupported by the reft of the Gallic 

 force or not. When we got within bow-fliot, 

 we faw that the enemy formed only one fingle co- 

 lumn, long, broad, and clofely embattled, advan- 

 cing flowly upon us, while their barks were forcing 

 their way up the river, to get upon our rear. I 

 was daggered, I confefs, at fight of that multitude 

 of half- naked barbarians, painted with red and 

 blue, marching along in profound filence, and 

 with the moft perfeA order. But when all at once 

 there iûbed, from their noifelefs phalanx, clouds of 

 darts, of arrows, of pebbles, and leaden balls, 

 which brought down many of us, piercing fome: 

 through and through, my furviving companions 

 betook themfelves to flight. I myfelf was going 

 to forget that it was my duty to fet them an ex- 

 ample of refolution, when I beheld Cephas by ray 

 fide ; he was followed by the whole army. " Let 

 *' us invoke Hercules^* cried he, '^ and advance 

 ** to the charge." The prefence of my friend re- 

 animated all my courage. I refumed my flation, and 

 we made the attack with our pikes levelled. The 

 firfb enemy whom I encountered, was a native of 

 the Hebrides, a man of a gigantic ftature. The 



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