furrounding him, or taking advantage of their knowlege of the
country, or his inferiority of numbers *. His three divifions lay
fo near, as to enable them to aflift each other in cafe of an attack.
K The Caledonians naturally diredted their force againft the weakeft
of the three armies, the ninth legion, which probably had not
fully recovered the lofs it fuftained in the bloody attack by Boa-
dicia -)•.. The camp alfo was weak, being no more than a common
one, fuch as the Romans flung up on their march. . It has no appearance
of ever having been ftative; and it is probable that as
jfoon as Agricola had, by an expeditious march, relieved this part
of his army out of a difficulty they were fairly involved in, he
deferted the place; and never hazarded his troops again amidil
the narrows of this hoftile country. Weapons, and other inftru-
ments, have been difcovered on the fpot, in the courfe of the forming
the roads through this pafs. A brazen fpur, iron bands, a
fort of iron hammer, and a mod curious fmall iron battle-axe, or
rather pick-axe, have been met with : which are evidences of a con-
flidt on this fpot.
»The camp, notwithftanding it could not boafl: of any great
ftrength, is beautifully defigned. The four entrances are entire,
guarded by curtains within and without; but there are no veftiges
of the pratorium, which confirms my fufpicion that the attack
|yas begun before all the ufual works were completed. On the
■ * Ne fuperante n um ero et p e r itia lo co rum circ um ire tu r, d iv ifo , e t ip fe in tres
J>artes exercitu in ceffit. Vita AgricoU.
i t Taeiti A n n a lia . lib . X I V . c , ¡2.
o north