(Vol. iv., p. 412.)
With reference to my Note, ascribing a Celtic origin to this symbol, I
have just met with somewhat of a curious coincidence, to say the least
of it. In Richardson's _Travels in the Sahara, &c._, vol. i. p. 420.,
speaking of the camel, he says:
"The camels have all public and private marks, the former for
their country, the latter for their owner; and, strange enough,
the public mark of the Ghadames camel is the English broad R."
&c. [Arrow, he should have said.]
Now, the Celtic [Symbol: Arrow pointing up] (as before mentioned) is
typical of superior holiness, &c. &c.; and it is singular that a city of
Marabouts (saints or holy men, such as the Ghadamsee are described to
be) should have adopted this symbol as their public (or government)
mark. The population of Ghadames is a strange medley of Arabs,
Touaricks, negroes, half-breeds of all kinds, &c., and whence their
claim to superior sanctity does not appear.
That Celtic tribes once sojourned in Northern Africa is attested by
Druidical remains in Morocco and elsewhere. Mr. Richardson mentions the
frequent occurrence of pyramidal stones in the Sahara, incidentally,
without specifying whether they are rocks _in sitû_, or supposed to be
the work of man's hand. The language of Ghadames is one of the Berber
dialects; and according to Mr. Urquhart (_Pillars of Hercules_, vol. i.
p. 383.), these, or some of them, are said to contain so much of the
Celtic element, that Highlanders from the garrison of Gibraltar, and the
natives about Tangier, can mutually understand each other.
The above, however, are mere speculations; and I would suggest that,
previous to further research as to the origin of the broad arrow, it
would be as well to ascertain how long it has been used as "the King's
mark." I should incline to believe that the earliest mark upon
government stores was the royal cipher--ER (with a crown above) perhaps.
On old guns of Henry VIII. and Elizabeth, we find the rose and crown,
but no broad arrow; more frequently Elizabeth's bear her cipher. A few
articles I have seen of William III. are stamped with [Symbol: WR, no
space between letters] (with a crown above): no broad arrow. Nor do I
remember having ever seen it upon anything older than George III. This,
however, is a question which may interest some gentleman of the Ordnance
Department, and induce him to make research where success is most likely
to reward his trouble, viz. in the Tower, in the Royal Arsenal at
Woolwich, or amongst the ancient records in the Ordnance Office; for I
presume there be such.
P. C. S. S. (Vol. iv., p. 371.) says that "he always understood" the
broad arrow represented the "Pheon" in the arms of the Sydney family;
but, as he quotes no authority, we are at liberty to doubt the adoption
and perpetuation of a bearing appertaining to any particular
master-general of ordnance as a "king's mark," howsoever illustrious or
distinguished he might be.