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information would connect them, not with the sea, but with the 

 mountain fastnesses beyond Stainmore. Nor would it be likely 

 that a fleet would accompany him for any purpose, till he had 

 gained a better acquaintance with the country. 



Hence it would seem as though Agricola did not go by the 

 coast. That there was a coast road, at any rate in later times, we 

 cannot deny ; but we must not, therefore, necessarily assume that 

 Agricola made it, any more than the presence of a road through 

 the Tebay valley proves that he made that. 



Granted that there is so strong a case against the probability of 

 a coast road, we shall have to try to ascertain whether so strong a 

 case can be made out in favour of an inland route. Of course, 

 the arguments used against the coast road, themselves tell strongly, 

 if indirectly, in favour of an inland route. Still, we want other 

 and more direct proof 



We have seen that during his sixth campaign, "fearing, in a 

 country not yet explored, the dangers of a surprise, Agricola 

 ordered his ships to sail across the gulf, and gain some knowledge 

 of these new regions." When we consider that the circumstances 

 attending the second and the sixth campaigns were almost identical, 

 it seems strange that such information should only be given during 

 the recital of the operations of the sixth campaign, supposing him 

 to have had ships during the second campaign. It would almost 

 seem to point clearly to the fact that he did not in his second 

 campaign go by a country "not yet explored," but that he went by 

 a country already explored, or, at any rate, so tolerably well known 

 as to need no great amount of preliminary reconnoitring. 



If this be correct, which is this country ? It is quite certain 

 that during the time of Cartismandua, the part of the Brigantine 

 territory to the east of the Pennines, at least, would be well known 

 to the Romans ; additional means of becoming further acquainted 

 with the same district being gained by Cerealis and his friend and 

 co-leader Agricola, for we are told that "he subdued and overcame 

 a considerable portion of the Brigantes." 



It seems only natural that, as his intention was to add to the 

 empire, he would do this in the most systematic manner, and this by 



