rope towards the west, I am not
able to speak certainly. For I neither believe that a certain river is
called Eridanus by the barbarians, which flows into a northern sea, and
from which there is a report that the amber is wont to come, nor have I
known (any) islands, being Cassiterides ([Greek: kassiteridas eousas]),
from which the tin is wont to come to us. For, on the one hand, the
very name Eridanus proves that it is Hellenic and not Barbaric, but
formed by some poet; and on the other, I am not able, though paying
much attention to this matter, to hear of any one that has been an
eye-witness that a sea exists upon that side of Europe. But doubtless
both the tin and the amber are wont to come from the extreme part of
Europe."

[Greek: Kassiteros], according to Damm, is so called because it is more
ready to melt than other metals, i. e. [Greek: kausiteros], from [Greek:
kaio], to burn; this derivation agrees with that given by MR. CROSSLEY of
tin, "from the Celtic tin, to melt readily;" and it receives some support
from Hesiod (_D. G._ 861.), where he speaks of the earth burning and
melting as tin or as iron, which is the hardest of metals.

But I own I doubt this derivation. First, {594} because it is quite clear
to my mind that Herodotus had no idea that it had a Greek derivation. He
assigns the Greek origin of the word Eridanus as a reason for disbelieving
the statement as to it; and had he known that Cassiteros had a like origin,
it cannot be doubted that he would have assigned the same reason as to it
likewise. Instead of which he resorts to the fact that he could not obtain
any authentic account of any sea on that side of Europe, as a proof that
the Cassiterides did not exist. In truth, his assertion as to the Greek
origin of the one, coupled with the reason that is added, seems almost, if
not quite, equivalent to a denial that the other had a Greek origin.
Secondly, it is in the highest degree improbable that these islands should
have received their name from the Greeks, as it is contrary to all
experience that a country should be named by persons ignorant of its
existence. The names of places are either given to them by those who
discover them, or the names by which they are called by their inhabitants
are adopted by others.

At the time Caesar invaded this island, there was a people whom he calls
Cassi (_Caes. de B. G._, lib. v. 21.), of whose prince Camden says, "f