ear was more to obtain some knowledge of the island from
personal observation than with any view to permanent conquest at
present. He accordingly took with him only two legions, with which he
sailed from the port Itius (probably Witsand, between Calais and
Boulogne), and effected a landing somewhere near the South Foreland,
after a severe struggle with the natives. Several of the British tribes
hereupon sent offers of submission to Caesar; but, in consequence of the
loss of a great part of the Roman fleet a few days afterward, they took
up arms again. Being, however, defeated, they again sent offers of
submission to Caesar, who simply demanded double the number of hostages
he had originally required, as he was anxious to return to Gaul before
the autumnal equinox.

The news of these victories over the Germans and far-distant Britons was
received at Rome with the greatest enthusiasm. The Senate voted a public
thanksgiving of twenty days, notwithstanding the opposition of Cato, who
declared that Caesar ought to be delivered up to the Usipetes and
Tenchtheri, to atone for his treachery in seizing the sacred persons of
embassadors.

_Fifth Campaign_, B.C. 54.--The greater part of Caesar's fifth campaign
was occupied with his second invasion of Britain. He sailed from the
port Itius with an army of five legions, and landed, without opposition,
at the same place as in the former year. The British states had
intrusted the supreme command to Cassivellaunus, a chief whose
territories were divided from the maritime states by the River Tamesis
(Thames). The Britons bravely opposed the progress of the invaders, but
were defeated in a series of engagements. Caesar crossed the Thames above
London, probably in the neighborhood of Kingston, took the town of
Cassivellaunus, and conquered great part of the counties of Essex and
Middlesex. In consequence of these disasters, Cassivellaunus sued for
peace; and after demanding hostages, and settling the tribute which
Britain should pay yearly to the Roman people, Caesar returned to Gaul
toward the latter part of the summer. He gained no more by his second
invasion of Britain than by his first. He had penetrated, it is true,
farther into the country, but had left no garrisons or military
establishments behind him, and the people obeyed the Romans as little
afterward as they had done before.

In consequence of the great scarcity of corn in Gaul, Caesar was obliged
to divide his forces, and