34 
Another peculiarity can be seen to this day by anyone at 
Stonehenge in the large trilithon impost, namely, that the under 
surfaces of the imposts which rested on the uprights are most 
smoothly cut, and slightly bevelled so as to throw the principal 
weight of the mass of the impost on its outside edge, thus 
excluding rain, &c. And this very contrivance was employed 
by the Egyptians in the Pyramids, and it is certain that the 
Pheenicians had free intercourse with Egypt. 
Finally, the Phoenicians had founded Cadiz, their Gadir, in the 
1lth Century, B.c., more than two centuries before the date 
which, from astronomical considerations, I assign for the building 
of Stonehenge. We know that they sailed along the shores of 
Spain and Gaul, and to the Baltic, and though they preferred 
coasting as a rule, the straight cut across from Cherbourg to 
Poole or Christchurch in fine weather would not be a long or 
dangerous voyage ; and as they certainly did trade with Britain, and 
it must have been hazardous for British coracles to sail across the 
open sea laden with tin, we may conclude that Pheenician ships 
crossed the Channel. We know aiso that the Phoenicians made 
more or less homes for themselves wherever they landed. And 
it is probable that they did so at Poole or Christchurch, also 
that they would build them a Temple where they found it 
convenient to stay. And they probably found the stones of 
which Stonehenge is built lying there or very near to the site, 
and so they built their Temple of those stones. 
THE PLACE WHERE THE STONES WERE FOUND. 
Many people suppose that all these stones were brought from 
the Grey Wethers Valley. I think this is an idea that may be 
rejected altogether. All the country abounds with Sarsens. I 
have seen them being broken up in fields between Burdrope and 
Swindon. They are found everywhere in that part of Wilts, 
and, I doubt not, the Phoenicians found a fine deposit of large 
ones close to the site of Stonehenge. 
ee 
