288 ON THE ICTIS OF DIODORUS SICULUS. 
to Cesar’s expedition into Britain. But we will 
now speak of the tin produced there. Those who 
dwell near the promontory of Britain, called 
Belerium, are remarkably hospitable ; and, from 
their intercourse with foreign merchants, civilized 
in their mode of life. These prepare the tin, 
skilfully working the ground which produces it, 
and which, though rocky, has fissures containing 
earth ; and having worked out what these fissures 
supply, they wash and purify it, and when they 
have cast it into regular blocks, they carry it to a 
certain island, situated opposite to Britain, and 
called Ictis. For at the ebbings of the tide, the 
intervening space being left dry, they convey to 
it in wagons large quantities of tin. Now a 
remarkable circumstance happens with regard to 
the neighbouring islands, which lie between Eu- 
rope and Britain: for at high water, the inter- 
mediate space being filled up, they appear islands ; 
but at low water, the sea retiring, and leaving a 
large extent of dry ground, they are seen to be 
peninsulas. Hence the merchants buy the tin 
from the natives, and carry it over into Gaul; 
and at length, travelling through Gaul on foot 
about a thirty days’ journey, they bring their 
burdens on horses'‘to the mouth of the river 
Rhone.” 
