[33] The Veneti lived in the extreme north-west corner of France, and have left behind the name of the town Vannes, facing the Bay of Biscay, and opposite Belle Isle. The Greeks and Romans having learned their seamanship on the practically tideless waters of the Mediterranean must have been appalled by the ebb and flow of the Northern Seas. Cæsar was ignorant of the moon’s relation to tides until taught by bitter experience. He was taught only by the damage done to his ships in Britain. (“De Bello Gallico,” iv. 29). The Veneti, however, understood all these things, for Cæsar remarks, “quod et naves habent Veneti plurimas, quibus in Britanniam navigare consuerunt, et scientia atque usu nauticarum rerum reliquos antecedunt.” Further on he refers to the Bay of Biscay as the great, boisterous, open sea, “in magno impetu maris atque aperto.” (“De Bello Gallico,” book iii. chap. 8). It is to Pytheas (referred to previously) that Plutarch gives the credit of having detected the influence of the moon on tides. The reader wishing to pursue the subject is referred to “Cæsar’s Conquest of Gaul,” by T. Rice Holmes. London, 1899. [34] Tacitus’ “Annals,” ii. 23 and 6. “Mille naves sufficere visæ properatæque, aliæ breves, angusta puppi proraque et lato utero, quo facilius fluctus tolerarent, quædam planæ carinis ut sine noxa siderent: plures adpositis utrimque gubernaculis, converso ut repente remigio hinc vel illinc adpellerent: multæ pontibus stratæ, super quas tormenta veherentur ... velis habiles, citæ remis augebantur alacritate militum in speciem ac terrorem” (ii. 6). Mr. Henry Furneaux in his edition of the “Annals” (Oxford 1896), commenting on “pontibus,” thinks these formed a partial deck across the midships which would have the appearance of a bridge when viewed from bow or stern. [35] Roman ships were sometimes built in 60 days, while there is a record of 220 having been built in 45 days. [36] Du Chaillu points out the interesting fact that it was not until after the Danes and Norwegians had succeeded in planting themselves in this country that the inhabitants of our land exhibited that love of the sea and ships which has been our greatest national characteristic for so many centuries. Certainly when the Romans invaded Britain our forefathers had no fleet with which to oppose them. [37] Tacitus, “De situ, moribus et populis Germaniæ libellus,” chap. 44: “Suionum hinc civitates, ipsæ in Oceano, præter viros armaque classibus valent. Forma navium eo differt quod utrinque prora paratam semper appulsui frontem agit: nec velis ministrantur, nec remos in ordinem lateribus adjungunt: solutum, ut in quibusdam fluminum, et mutabile, ut res poscit, hinc vel illinc remigium.” [38] “Norges Oldtid,” by Gabriel Gustafson. Kristiania, 1906. [39] “Notes on Shipbuilding and Nautical Terms of Old in the North,” by Eiríkr Magnússon. A paper read before the Viking Club for Northern Research. London, 1906.