23.
These matters being arranged, finding the weather favorable for his voyage, he
set sail about the third watch, and ordered the horse to march forward to the
further port, and there embark and follow him. As this was performed rather
tardily by them, he himself reached Britain with the
first squadron of ships, about the fourth hour of the day, and there saw the
forces of the enemy drawn up in arms on all the hills. The nature of the place
was this: the sea was confined by mountains so close to it that a dart could be
thrown from their summit upon the shore. Considering this by no means a fit
place for disembarking, he remained at anchor till the ninth hour, for the other
ships to arrive there. Having in the mean time assembled the lieutenants and
military tribunes, he told them both what he had learned from Volusenus, and what he wished to be done; and enjoined them (as the
principle of military matters, and especially as maritime affairs, which have a
precipitate and uncertain action, required) that all things should be performed
by them at a nod and at the instant. Having dismissed them, meeting both with
wind and tide favorable at the same time, the signal being given and the anchor
weighed, he advanced about seven miles from that place, and stationed his fleet
over against an open and level shore.
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