[260] Beckmann (loc. cit.), like Michaelis, is surprised at the Midianites possessing tin in the days of Moses. These were the views of the last century. I have suggested (Athenæum, Nov. 24, 1880) that the old Nile-dwellers extended through Midian to El-Hejáz and El-Yemen, where they worked the mines which became known to the Hebrews.
[261] In 1866 De Rougemont made Phœnicia supply bronze to Europe, the copper being brought from Cyprus. Besides the Mediterranean, we find a Uralian and a Danubian branch of the industry. Before 1877 France had supplied 650 bronze Swords and daggers, Sweden 480, and Switzerland 86.
[262] Alias the Œstrymnides. Borlase was of opinion that the group formed one block, with several headlands, of which ‘Scilly’ was the highest, outermost, and most conspicuous. He conjectures the original name to be Syllé, Sulla, or Sulleh, a flat rock dedicated to the sun; hence the Lat. Siliræ, Silures, and Sigdeles; the Engl. Sylley, Scilley, and lately Scilly; the Fr. Sorlingues; and the Span. Sorlingas. The Keltic name of the chief feature was Inis Caer.
[263] Archæology and Prehistoric Annals of Scotland, Part II. ‘The Archaic or Bronze Period.’ Daniel Wilson.
[264] Pliny represents the Cassiterides as fronting Celtiberia. He considers it a ‘fabulous story’ that the Greeks fetched ‘white lead’ from the islands of the Adriatic.
[265] Prehistoric Times, by Sir John Lubbock, 4th edit. (London: Williams and Norgate, 1878.)
[266] The identification is not settled; some propose the Isle of Thanet.
[267] Beckmann, sub voce ‘Tin.’
[268] According to Messrs. Wibel, Fellemberg, and Damour, who investigated even 10/1000 parts, the average proportions were ⅒ tin to 9 copper; and ¼ tin for hard metal, as chisels, &c. M. E. Chauntre, Age de Bronze. 3 vols. (Paris: Baudry.)
[269] The late General Uchatius, who ‘trusted in princes,’ and whose tragical death was greatly lamented by his friends, always declared that he had rediscovered (not discovered) the hardening of copper and bronze; and that he hoped to arrive at other secrets. His career was cut short before he learned to make the metal and the alloy resilient.