THE WILLOW. 309 



factured into hats. The boats used by the early Britons 

 were constructed of Willow-rods, covered with hides ; 

 they were called coracles : and it is curious that very 

 similar vessels, called by the Irish currack, are in partial 

 use to this day. "Coracles thus made," says Southey, 

 " and differing only in the material with which they are 

 coated, and carrying only a single person, are still used 

 upon the Severn, and in most of the Welsh rivers. They 

 are so small and light, that when the fisherman lands he 

 takes his boat out of the water, and bears it home upon 

 his back." Boats of this description were in common 

 use on the Euphrates in the time of Herodotus, B.C. 444. 

 He says that the Armenians, who carried on a traffic with 

 Babylon, built their boats of Willow, 1 covering the out- 

 sides with skins, making them circular like a shield, 

 without distinguishing the prow from the stern. Having 

 placed their merchandise, principally Palm-wine, on board, 

 they cover it with straw, and float down the stream. 

 The crew consists of two men, who guide the vessel 

 by oars. Each boat contains, besides goods and rowers, 

 a living ass, or, if the vessel be a large one, several. On 

 their arrival at Babylon they dispose of their merchan- 

 dise, take their vessels to pieces, sell the Willow-ribs and 

 straw, and having laden their asses with the skins, return 

 home by land, the current not allowing them to sail up 

 the stream. On some of the rivers of India boats of a 

 precisely similar form are used at the present time, some 

 of them large enough to transport heavy artillery. The 

 only difference appears to be that Bamboo is now used to 

 form the ribs instead of Willow. 



Pliny, quoting a more ancient author, says that the 

 Britons used to make voyages to an island called Mictis, 

 distant six days' sail, in vessels of the same construction 

 as those described above, and to return with cargoes of tin. 

 Julius Cresar relates, in his History of the Civil War, that 



1 In Greek Irerj, our withy. 



