Complete
ignorance of such near neighbors was undesirable and inconvenient; and
Caesar wished to look at them with his own eyes. The fleet which had been
used in the war with the Veneti was sent round into the channel. He
directed Caius Volusenus, an officer whom he could trust, to take a galley
and make a survey of the opposite coast, and he himself followed to
Boulogne, where his vessels were waiting for him. The gathering of the
flotilla and its object had been reported to Britain, and envoys from
various tribes were waiting there with offers of hostages and humble
protestations. Caesar received them graciously, and sent back with them a
Gaul, named Commius, whom he had made chief of the Atrebates, to tell the
people that he was coming over as a friend, and that they had nothing to
fear.
Volusenus returned after five days' absence, having been unable to gather
anything of importance. The ships which had come in were able only to take
across two legions, probably at less than their full complement--or at
most ten thousand men; but for Caesar's present purpose these were
sufficient. Leaving Sabinus and Cotta in charge of the rest of the army,
he sailed on a calm evening, and was off Dover in the morning. The cliffs
were lined with painted warriors, and hung so close over the water that if
he attempted to land there stones and lances could reach the boats from
the edge of the precipice.
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