O'Reilly — Milesian Colonization relative to Gold-mining. 39 



incidents are then mentioned: — "The family of Breogan, of which 

 that of Milesius, king of Galicia, his grandson, fonned the most con- 

 siderate branch, was become numerous. A drought of several years, 

 followed by a want of grain and of all kinds of provision having 

 caused a famine, ruined and compelled them to seek a remedy for so 

 pressing an evil. All the chiefs of the tribes assembled at Braganza 

 to deliberate on what should be done. The result of the conference 

 was to abandon their settlement in Spain and seek for one in some 

 other country, particularly as Caicer, the Druid, a famous prophet 

 among them, had foretold long before that their descendants should, be 

 possessed of the most westerly island in Europe." But as it was of 

 importance to learn where that island lay before they should bring the 

 whole of the colony thither, the assembly entrusted the discovery of it 

 to Iky, otherwise Ith, son of Breogan, and uncle of Milesius, a 

 man of prudence and consummate experience. Ith, having 

 accepted the commission, equipped a vessel, and taking 150 soldiers 

 on board, besides rowers and sailors, he set out with Lugath, 

 his son, to make the discovery to which he had been appointed. On 

 his arrival in the north of the island he oif ered sacrifices to JS^eptune 

 and inquii'ed from the inhabitants what was the name of the country, 

 and other particulars. 



It is quite true that in this narrative there is no mention whatever 

 of mining or metals, nor indeed of the occupations or mode of living of 

 these adventiu'ers, and yet they must have followed some calling or 

 occupation which would have ensui'ed them a means of living and 

 travelling. Judging, however, from the extent of theii" wanderings, 

 by the fact of these being mainly by sea, and lastly that they reached 

 the north-western point of Spain, the circumstances are taken as 

 pointing to their having been a body or tribe of adventui'ers, such as 

 then existed, ready for war and capable of rendering service in 

 maritime expeditions, either for commerce or for the pii'acies, so 

 characteristic of the seafariag life of the period, and acquainted with 

 the research and metalliu'gy of the precious metals. It would be easy 

 to parallel their wanderings, from what is known of the travels of 

 gi'oups of mining explorers at the present time in search of gold or 

 other profitable ore. 



The determining reason assigned for their emigration fi'om Spain is 

 the extraordinary di'ought and consequent famine that then afiicted 

 that country. The occiuTence of this great and prolonged di'ought in 

 Spain is mentioned by several Spanish historians, and the following is a 

 t ranslation of an extract relative thereto, taken from an old Spanish. 



