226 THE DOVER ROAD 



attacked them with such fierceness that another battle 

 was fought, resulting in a decisive victory for the 

 Romans, who pursued the vanquished and cut them 

 down for miles. The Britons were now thoroughly 

 disheartened, and retreated towards London along 

 their track-way, followed by Caesar. Desultory fighting 

 occurred on the way, and one ineffectual stand was 

 made at some unidentified place, conjectured to have 

 been at Key Coll Hill, near Newington. But, thence- 

 forward, the accounts left by C?esar and by early 

 British writers grow confused. Whether the victorious 

 general, in pursuit of Cassivelaunus, crossed the 

 Thames at London, or whether " Co way Stakes," near 

 Weybridge, mark the scene, will never be known. 

 But when he had penetrated into Hertfordshire, 

 and had humbled the British king to the point of 

 asking for peace, Caisar found it was time to return to 

 Gaul. Exacting hostages, he commenced his retreat. 

 Harassed by flying bands of natives, who cut off 

 stragglers and placed obstacles in his line of march, he 

 reached Deal in September, sailing thence on the 

 26th of that month. Thus ended Caesar's second and 

 last invasion of Britain. He had been six weeks in the 

 island ; had marched a hundred miles into its dense 

 forests, and had humbled the native princes. But 

 winter was approaching, and it was dangerous to delay. 

 He returned to the Continent, a victor, with hostages, 

 prisoners, and promises of tribute ; but he left many of 

 his expedition, dead, behind him. And it is significant 

 of how hazardous these invasions were, that not until 

 another ninety-six years had passed did another 

 Roman so much as land on these shores. 



The camp which Caesar constructed along Barham 

 Downs is still to be seen. On this wild and worthless 

 tract of land which has never known cultivation, the 

 marks of the spade will exist for many centuries if 

 left undisturbed by new-comers. And although many 

 historic gatherings have taken place here, no entrench- 

 ments have been made since the defeat of the Britons 



