O'Reilly — Milesian Colonization relative to Gold-mining. 55 



The edition of 1884 says of it: — "The history of Oporto dates 

 from an early period. Before the Roman invasion, under the name of 

 Gaia or Catjo, it was a town with a good trade." 



The Edinhurgh Encyclopedia (1830), says: — "To the westward, 

 along the declivity of the hill, are a nnmher of detached houses forming 

 the market town of Gay a, a place remarkable both for its situation and 

 name. Here in former times, a place called Cale, of which the ancients 

 speak, is said to have stood, but Oporto being afterwards built, or 

 being more convenient for ships, from the greater depth of the water 

 along the bank, it was called Portus Cale, or the harboiir of Gale, 

 whence was derived Portucal, and at last Portugal; Portus Cale was at 

 length called Porto (the harbour), which name the town of Oporto 

 afterwards received." 



It may be remarked that the word " Cale'" in French is thus 

 explained in Littre and Beauj can's "Diet, de la langue francaise'' 

 (1883): — " Cale. — Fond ou partie la plus basse de 1' interieur d'un 

 nairve (' se cacher a fond de cale'). La partie inclinee d'un port 

 pour le chargement d'un bateau. Plan incline vers la mer servant 

 a construer ou k reparer des batements. Cale de construction!. " 



In Littre, 1st edition (1863), gives as an example: " Rene 

 escorte d'un detachement de soldats de marine, debarque k la cale du 

 port" (Chateaubriand iVfl^c/i ii., 202). Anciennement Crique, abri, 

 entre deux points de terre ou de rocher. 



In O'Reilly's Dictionary (Irish- English, 1877) is given : 



Gala, 

 Galad 



s.m. a port, harbour, haven, ferry, inde Calais. 



It would seem, therefore, that Cale as applied to Oporto anciently 

 implied the existence there of a Celtic harbour, at the time of the 

 arrival of the Phoenicians, and that the terms '■'■ porto" and '■'■ caW'' 

 were practically synonymous for harbour. The term " Cale " would to 

 some extent imply that vessels were in the habit of being built there, 

 that is, that it was a port of construction, having supplies of timber 

 and iron, &c., necessary for that purpose. 



As regards the name " Gaia'''' or " Cayo,'' it may be of interest to 

 cite the etymology of the word " quai^' (French) given by Littre in his 

 dictionary: — " Bas-latin, caium= ' quai' dans une charte de Philippe 

 Auguste ; espagnol, cayos = ' ecueils ' ; portug., caes = ' quai ' ; hol- 

 landais, ]caai\ glose d'Isodore, X-«? = ' cancelli,' 'barreaux'; du celtique 

 Kimry, ]cae = '' hau,' ' barriere ' ; bas-breton, kae= ' haie et quay.' Les 

 diverses significationis, caium, cayos, and la glose d'Isodore se tiennent 

 par un fil de significations, que I'on suit sans peine." 



