BOOK IV. XVI. 102-104 



ago, its exploration was carried by the arnied forces 

 of Rome to a point not beyond the neighbourhood 

 of the Caledonian Forest." Agrippa beHeves the 

 length of the island to be 800 niiles and its breadth 

 300, and the breadth of Ireland the same but its 

 length 200 miles less. Ireland Hes beyond Britain, ireiand. 

 the shortest crossing being from the district ^" of the 

 Silures, a distance of 30 miles. Of the remaining 

 islands it is said that none has a circumference of 

 more than 125 miles. There are the 40 Orkneys 

 separated by narrow channels from each other, the 

 7 Slietlands, the 30 Hebrides, and between Ireland 

 and Britain the Islands of Anglesea, Man, Rackhn, 

 White-horn, Dalkey and Bardsey ; south of Britain 

 are Sian and Ushant, and opposite, scattered about 

 in the direction of the German Sea, are the Glass 

 Islands,*^ which the Greeks in more modern times have 

 callcd the Electrides, from the Greek word for amber, 

 which is produced there. The most remote of all 

 those recorded is Thule,'* in which as we have y/'"'«- 

 pointed out there are no nights at midsummer when ^^- '^^* 

 the sun is passing through the sign of the Crab, and 

 on the othcr hand no days at midwinter ; indeed 

 some writers think this is the case for periods of six 

 months at a tinie wilhout a break. The historian 

 Timaeus says there is an island named Mictis * 

 lying inward six days' sail from Britain where tin 

 is found, and to which the Britons cross in boats 

 of osier covered with stitched hides. Some writers 

 speak of otlier islands as well, the Scandiae, Dumna, 

 Bergos,/ and Berrice,? the largest of all, from which 

 the crossing to Thule starts. One day's sail from 

 Thule is the frozen ocean,called by some the Cronian 

 Sea. 



199 



