Hanno, an able general, was to command the force which was to be left in southern Gaul to keep open the communications between the Pyrenees and the Alps, while the youngest brother, Mago, a youth of about the same age as Malchus, was to accompany him to Italy. Hannibal's wife and a child which had been born in the preceding spring, were sent by ship to Carthage.
In the early spring the march commenced, the army following the coast line until it reached the mouth of the Ebro. The mountainous and broken country lying between this river and the Pyrenees, and now known as Catalonia, was inhabited by fierce tribes unconquered as yet by Roman or Carthaginian. Its conquest presented enormous difficulties. There was no coherence6 between its people; but each valley and mountain was a stronghold to be defended desperately7 until the last. The inhabitants, accustomed to the mountains, were hardy8, active, and, vigourous, ready to oppose a desperate resistance so long as resistance was possible, and then to flee across their hills at a speed which defied the fleetest of their pursuers.
Every man was a soldier, and at the first alarm the inhabitants of the villages abandoned their houses, buried their grain, and having driven away their cattle into almost inaccessible9 recesses10 among the hills, returned to oppose the invaders11. The conquest of such a people was one of the most difficult of undertakings12, as the French generals of Napoleon afterwards discovered, to their cost. The cruelty of the mountaineers was equal to their courage, and the lapse13 of two thousand years changed them but little, for in their long struggle against the French they massacred every detachment whom they could surprise among the hills, murdered the wounded who fell into their hands, and poisoned wells and grain.
The army which Hannibal had brought to the foot of this country through which he had to pass, amounted to 102,000 men, of which 12,000 were cavalry14 and 90,000 infantry. This force passed the Ebro in three bodies of equal strength. The natives opposed a desperate resistance, but the three columns pressed forward on parallel lines. The towns were besieged15 and captured, and after two months of desperate fighting Catalonia was subdued16, but its conquest cost Hannibal twenty-one thousand men, a fifth of his whole army. Hanno was for the time left here with ten thousand infantry and a thousand cavalry. He was to suppress any fresh rising, to hold the large towns, to form magazines for the army, and to keep open the passes of the Pyrenees. He fixed17 his headquarters at Burgos. His operations were facilitated by the fact that along the line of the sea coast were a number of Phoenician colonies who were natural allies of the Carthaginians, and aided them in every way in their power. Before advancing through the passes of the Pyrenees Hannibal still further reduced the strength of his force by weeding out all those who had in the conflict among the mountains shown themselves wanting in personal strength or in military qualities. Giving these leave to return home he advanced at the head of fifty thousand picked infantry and nine thousand cavalry.
The company under Malchus had rendered good service during the campaign of Catalonia. It had accompanied the column marching by the seashore; with this were the elephants, the treasure, and the heavy baggage of the army. It had throughout been in advance of the column, feeling the way, protecting it from ambushes19, and dispersing20 any small bodies of tribesmen who might have placed themselves on heights, whence with arrows and slings21 they could harass22 the column on its march. The company had lost comparatively few men in the campaign, for it had taken no part in the various sieges. Its duties, however, were severe in the extreme. The men were ever on the watch, scouting23 the country round, while the army was engaged in siege operations, sometimes ascending24 mountains whence they could command views over the interior or pursuing bands of tribesmen to their refuges among the hills.
Severely25 as Malchus had trained himself in every exercise, he found it at first difficult to support the fatigues27 of such a life; but every day his muscles hardened, and by the end of the campaign he was able to keep on foot as long as the hardest of his men.
One day he had followed a party of the tribesmen far up among the mountains. The enemy had scattered29, and the Arabs in their hot pursuit had also broken up into small parties. Malchus kept his eye upon the man who appeared to be the chief of the enemy's party, and pressing hotly upon him brought him to bay on the face of a steep and rugged30 gorge31. Only one of the Numidians was at hand, a man named Nessus, who was greatly attached to his young leader, and always kept close to him in his expeditions. The savage32, a bulky and heavy man, finding he could no longer keep ahead of his fleet footed pursuers, took his post at a narrow point in the path where but one could oppose him; and there, with his heavy sword drawn33, he awaited the attack. Malchus advanced to meet him, sword in hand, when an arrow from Nessus whizzed past him and struck the chief in the throat, and his body fell heavily down the rocks.
“That is not fair,” Malchus said angrily. “I would fain have fought him hand to hand.”
The Arab bowed his head.
“My lord,” he said, “the combat would not have been even; the man had the upper ground, and you would have fought at a grievous disadvantage. Why should you risk your life in a fight with the swords, when my arrow has answered all purposes? What should I have said if I had gone back without you? What satisfaction would it have been to me to avenge34 your fall? What would they have said to me when I told them that I looked on idly while you engaged in such a struggle? Valour is valour, and we all know that my lord is the bravest among us; but the life of the cousin of our general is too valuable to be risked for nought35 when we are embarked36 upon a great enterprise.”
“Look, Nessus! what is there?” Malchus exclaimed, his attention attracted by a dark object which was crossing the narrow path some distance ahead and ascending the steep side of the gorge. “It is a bear, let us follow him; his flesh will form a welcome change for the company tonight.”
The bear, who had been prowling in the bottom of the ravine, had been disturbed by the fall of the body of the savage near him, and started hastily to return to its abode37, which lay high up on the face of the cliff. Malchus and his companion hurried forward to the spot where it had crossed the path. The way was plain enough; there were scratches on the rock, and the bushes growing in the crevices39 were beaten down. The path had evidently been frequently used by the animal.
“Look out, my lord!” Nessus exclaimed as Malchus hurried along. “These bears of the Pyrenees are savage brutes40. See that he does not take you unawares.”
The rocks were exceedingly steep; and Malchus, with his bow in his hand and the arrow fitted and ready to draw, climbed on, keeping his eyes on every clump41 of bush lest the bear should be lurking42 there. At last he paused. They had reached a spot now but a short distance from the top. The cliff here fell almost perpendicularly43 down, and along its face was a narrow ledge45 scarcely a foot wide. Along this it was evident the bear had passed.
“I should think we must be near his den28 now, Nessus. I trust this ledge widens out before it gets there. It would be an awkward place for a conflict, for a stroke of his paw would send one over the edge.”
“I shall be close behind you, my lord,” said Nessus, whose blood was now up with the chase. “Should you fail to stop him, drop on one knee that I may shoot over you.”
For some fifty yards the ledge continued unbroken. Malchus moved along cautiously, with his arrow in the string and his shield shifted round his shoulder, in readiness for instant action. Suddenly, upon turning a sharp corner of the cliff, he saw it widened ten feet ahead into a sort of platform lying in the angle of the cliff, which beyond it again jutted47 out. On this platform was a bear, which with an angry growl48 at once advanced towards him. Malchus discharged his arrow; it struck the bear full on the chest, and penetrated49 deeply. With a stroke of his paw the animal broke the shaft50 asunder51 and rushed forward. Malchus threw forward the point of his spear, and with his shield on his arm awaited the onset52. He struck the bear fairly on the chest, but, as before, it snapped the shaft with its paw, and rising to its feet advanced.
“Kneel, my lord!” Nessus exclaimed.
Malchus dropped on one knee, bracing53 himself as firmly as he could against the rock, and, with his shield above his head and his sword in his hand, awaited the attack of the enraged54 animal. He heard the twang of the bow behind him; then he felt a mighty55 blow, which beat down his shield and descended56 with terrible force upon his helmet, throwing him forward on to his face. Then there was a heavy blow on his back; and it was well for him that he had on backpiece as well as breastplate, or the flesh would have been torn from his shoulder to his loins. As the blow fell there was an angry roar. For a moment he felt crushed by a weight which fell upon him. This was suddenly removed, and he heard a crash far below as the bear, pierced to the heart by the Arab's spear, fell over the precipice57. Nessus hastened to raise him.
“My lord is not hurt, I hope?”
“In no way, Nessus, thanks to you; but my head swims and my arm is well nigh broken with that blow. Who would have thought a beast like that could have struck so hard? See, he has dented58 in my helmet and has bent59 my shield! Now, before we go back and search for the body, let us see what its den is like.”
“Do you take my spear, my lord; your own is broken, and your bow has gone over the precipice. It may be that there is another bear here. Where one is, the other is seldom far off.”
They advanced on to the platform, and saw in the corner of the angle a cave entering some distance into the hill. As they approached the entrance a deep growl was heard within.
“We had best leave it alone, my lord,” Nessus said as they both recoiled60 a step at the entrance. “This is doubtless the female, and these are larger and fiercer than the males.”
“I agree with you, Nessus,” Malchus said. “Were we on other ground I should say let us attack it, but I have had enough of fighting bears on the edge of a precipice. There is as much meat as we can carry ready for us below. Besides, the hour is late and the men will be getting uneasy. Moreover, we are but half armed; and we cannot get at her without crawling through that hole, which is scarce three feet high. Altogether, we had best leave her alone.”
While they were speaking the bear began to roar angrily, the deeper notes being mingled61 with a chorus of snarls62 and whinings which showed that there was a young family with her.
“Do you go first, Nessus,” Malchus said. “The rear is the post of honour here, though I fancy the beast does not mean to come out.”
Nessus without a word took the lead, and advanced across the platform towards the corner.
As he was in the act of turning it he sprang suddenly back, while an arrow flew past, grazing the corner of the rock.
“There are a score of natives on the path!” he exclaimed. “We are in a trap.”
Malchus looked round in dismay. It was evident that some of the natives must have seen the fall of their leader and watched them pursue the bear, and had now closed in behind them to cut off their retreat. The situation was a most unpleasant one. The ledge extended no further than the platform; below, the precipice fell away sheer down a hundred feet; above, it rose as high. The narrow path was occupied with numerous foes63. In the den behind them was the angry bear.
For a moment the two men looked at each other in consternation65.
“We are fairly caught, Nessus,” Malchus said. “There is one thing, they can no more attack us than we can attack them. Only one can come round this corner at a time, and we can shoot or spear them as they do so. We are tolerably safe from attack, but they can starve us out.”
“They can shoot over from the other side of the ravine,” Nessus said; “their arrows will carry from the opposite brow easily enough.”
“Then,” Malchus said firmly, “we must dispose of the bear; we must have the cave. We shall be safe there from their arrows, while, lying at the entrance, we could shoot any that should venture past the corner. First, though, I will blow my horn. Some of our men may be within hearing.”
Malchus pulled forth66 the horn which he carried. It was useless, being completely flattened67 with the blow that the bear had struck him.
“That hope is gone, Nessus,” he said. “Now let us get the bear to come out as soon as possible, and finish with her. Do you stand at the corner with your arrow ready, in case the natives should try to surprise us, and be ready to aid me when she rushes out.”
Malchus went to the mouth of the den, struck his spear against the side, and threw in some pieces of stone; but, although the growling68 was deep and continuous, the bear showed no signs of an intention of coming out.
The Arab was an old hunter, and he now asked Malchus to take his place with the bow while he drove the bear out. He first took off his bernous, cut off several strips from the bottom, knotted them together, and then twisted the strip into a rope. Growing out from a crevice38 in the rock, some three feet above the top of the cave, was a young tree; and round this, close to the root, Nessus fastened one end of his rope, the other he formed into a slip-knot and let the noose69 fall in front of the cave, keeping it open with two twigs70 placed across it. Then he gathered some brushwood and placed it at the entrance, put a bunch of dried twigs and dead leaves among it, and, striking a light with his flint and steel on some dried fungus71, placed this in the middle of the sticks and blew upon it. In a minute a flame leaped up. “Now, my lord,” he said, “be ready with your sword and spear. The beast will be out in a minute; she cannot stand the smoke.”
Malchus ran to the corner and looked round. The natives were at a distance along the ledge, evidently with no intention of attacking a foe64 of whom they felt sure. A taunting72 shout was raised and an arrow flew towards him, but he instantly withdrew his head and ran back to the platform.
A minute later there was a fierce growl and the bear rushed out. The brushwood was scattered as, checked suddenly in its rush by the noose, the animal rose on its hind46 legs. In an instant the spear of Nessus was plunged73 deeply into it on one side, while Malchus buried his sword to the hilt in its body under the fore18 shoulder of the other. Stabbed to the heart, the beast fell prostrate74. Nessus repeated his blow, but the animal was dead. Five young bears rushed out after their mother, growling and snapping; but as these were only about a quarter grown they were easily despatched.
“There is a supply of food for a long time,” Malchus said cheerfully; “and as there is a drip of water coming down in this angle we shall be able to quench75 our thirst. Ah! we are just in time.”
As he spoke76 an arrow struck the rock close to them and dropped at their feet. Others came in rapid succession; and, looking at the brow of the opposite side of the ravine, they saw a number of natives.
“Pull the bear's body across the mouth of the cave,” Malchus said, “it will prevent the arrows which strike the rock in front from glancing in. The little bears will do for food at present.”
They were soon in the cave, which opened beyond the entrance and extended some distance into the mountain; it was seven or eight feet wide and lofty enough to stand upright in. Nessus lay down behind the bear, with his bow and arrow so as to command the angle of the rock. Malchus seated himself further in the cave, sheltered by the entrance from the arrows which from time to time glanced in at the mouth. Only once did Nessus have to shoot. The natives on the ledge, informed by their comrades on the opposite side of the gorge that their foes had sought refuge in the cave, ventured to advance; but the moment the first turned the corner he fell over the precipice, transfixed by an arrow from the bow of Nessus, and the rest hastily retreated.
“Hand me your flint and steel, Nessus, and a piece of fungus. I may as well have a look round the cave.”
A light was soon procured77, and Malchus found that the cave extended some fifty feet back, narrowing gradually to the end. It had evidently been used for a long time by wild animals. The floor was completely covered with dry bones of various sizes.
As soon as he saw that this was the case Malchus tore off a strip of his linen78 shirt, and rolling it into a ball set it on fire. On this he piled up small bones, which caught readily, and he soon had a bright and almost smokeless fire. He now took the place of Nessus. The latter skinned and cut up one of the small bears, and soon had some steaks broiling79 over the fire. By this time it was getting dusk without.
When the meat was cooked Nessus satisfied his hunger and then sallied out from the cave and took his post as sentry80 with his spear close to the angle of the rock, as by this time the natives on the opposite side, being no longer able to see in the gathering81 darkness, had ceased to shoot. Malchus ate his food at his leisure, and then joined his companion.
“We must get out of here somehow, Nessus. Our company will search for us tomorrow; but they might search for a week without finding us here; and, as the army is advancing, they could not spare more than a day; so, if we are to get away, it must be by our own exertions82.”
“I am ready to fight my way along this ledge, my lord, if such is your wish. They cannot see us to fire at, and as only one man can stand abreast83, their numbers would be of no avail to them.”
“Not on the ledge, Nessus; but they would hardly defend that. No doubt they are grouped at the further end, and we should have to fight against overwhelming numbers. No, that is not to be thought of. The only way of escape I can think of would be to let ourselves down the precipice; but our bernouses would not make a rope long enough.”
“They would not reach a third of the distance,” Nessus replied, shaking his head. “They have been worn some time, and the cloth is no longer strong. It would need a broad strip to support us.”
“That is so, Nessus, but we have materials for making the rope long enough, nevertheless.”
“I do not understand you, my lord. Our other garments would be of but little use.”
“Of no use at all, Nessus, and I was not thinking of them; but we have the skins of the bears—the hide of the old bear at least is thick and tough—and a narrow strip would bear our weight.”
“Of course,” Nessus said. “How stupid of me not to think of it, for in the desert we make all our rope of twisted slips of hide. If you will stand sentry here, my lord, I will set about it at once.”
Malchus took the spear, and Nessus at once set to work to skin the bear, and when that was done he cut long strips from the hide, and having fastened them together, twisted them into a rope.
The bernouses—which when on the march were rolled up and worn over one shoulder like a scarf, as the German and Italian soldiers carry their blankets in modern times—were also cut up and twisted, and in three hours Nessus had a rope which he assured Malchus was long enough to reach to the bottom of the precipice and sufficiently84 strong to bear their weight.
One end was fastened to the trunk of the young tree, and the rope was then thrown over the edge of the platform. One of the young bear's skins was fastened round and round it at the point where it crossed the edge of the rocky platform, to prevent it from being cut when the weight was put upon it, and they then prepared for their descent.
“Do you go first,” Malchus said. “As soon as I feel that the rope is loose, I will follow you.”
The Arab swung himself off the edge, and in a very short time Malchus felt the rope slacken. He followed at once. The first twenty feet the descent was absolutely perpendicular44, but after that the rock inclined outward in a steep but pretty regular slope. Malchus was no longer hanging by the rope; but throwing the principal portion of his weight still upon it, and placing his feet on the inequalities of the rock, he made his way down without difficulty. Presently he stood by Nessus at the foot of the slope.
“We had better make up the ravine. There will be numbers of them at its mouth. We can see the glow of their fires from here.”
“But we may not be able to find a way up,” Nessus said; “the sides seem to get steeper and steeper, and we may find ourselves caught in a trap at the end of this gorge. At any rate we will try that way first. I wish the moon was up; it is as black as a wolf's mouth here, and the bottom of the gorge is all covered with boulders85. If we stumble, and our arms strike a stone, it will be heard by the natives on the opposite heights.”
They now set forward, feeling their way with the greatest care; but in the dense87 darkness the task of making their way among the boulders was difficult in the extreme. They had proceeded but a short distance when a loud yell rose from the height above them. It was repeated again and again, and was answered by shouts from the opposite side and from the mouth of the ravine.
“By Astarte!” Malchus exclaimed, “they have found out that we have escaped already.”
It was so. One of the natives had crept forward along the path, hoping to find the sentry asleep, or to steal up noiselessly and stab him. When he got to the angle of the rock he could see no form before him, nor hear the slightest sound. Creeping forward he found the platform deserted88. He listened attentively89 at the entrance to the cave, and the keen ear of the savage would have detected had any been slumbering90 there; but all was still.
He rose to his feet with the intention of creeping into the cave, when his head struck against something. He put up his hand and felt the rope, and saw how the fugitives91 had escaped. He at once gave the alarm to his comrades. In a minute or two a score of men with blazing brands came running along the path. On seeing the rope, they entered the cave, and found that their prey92 had really escaped.
Malchus and his companion had not moved after the alarm was given.
“We had better be going, my lord,” the Arab said as he saw the men with torches retracing93 their steps along the brow. “They will soon be after us.”
“I think not, Nessus. Their chance of finding us among these boulders in the dark would be small, and they would offer such good marks to our arrows that they would hardly enter upon it. No, I think they will wait till daybreak, planting a strong force at the mouth of the ravine, and along both sides of the end, wherever an ascent94 could be made. Hark, the men on the heights there are calling to others along the brow.”
“Very well, my lord,” Nessus said, seating himself on a rock, “then we will sell our lives as dearly as possible.”
“I hope it has not come to that, Nessus. There is a chance of safety for us yet. The only place they are not likely to look for us is the cave, and as we have climbed down from above with the rope, there will be no difficulty in ascending.”
Nessus gave an exclamation95, which expressed at once admiration96 of his leader's idea and gratification at the thought of escape. They began without delay to retrace97 their steps, and after some trouble again found the rope.
Nessus mounted first; his bare feet enabled him to grip any inequality of the surface of the rock. Whenever he came to a ledge which afforded him standing98 room he shook the rope, and waited until Malchus joined him.
At last they stood together at the foot of the perpendicular rock at the top. The lightly armed Arab found no difficulty whatever in climbing the rope; but it was harder work for Malchus, encumbered99 with the weight of his armour100. The numerous knots, however, helped him, and when he was within a few feet of the top, Nessus seized the rope and hauled it up by sheer strength until Malchus was level with the top. Then he gave him his hand, and assisted him to gain his feet. They entered the cave and made their way to the further end, and there threw themselves down. They had not long been there when they saw a flash of light at the mouth of the cave and heard voices.
Malchus seized his spear and would have leaped to his feet, but Nessus pressed his hand on his shoulder.
“They are come for the she bear,” he said. “It is not likely they will enter.”
Lying hidden in the darkness the fugitives watched the natives roll the bear over, tie its legs together, and put a stout101 pole through them. Then four men lifted the pole on their shoulders and started.
Another holding a brand entered the cave. The two fugitives held their breath, and Nessus sat with an arrow in the string ready to shoot. The brand, however, gave but a feeble light, and the native, picking up the bodies of three of the young bears, which lay close to the entrance, threw them over his shoulder, and crawled back out of the cave again. As they heard his departing footsteps the fugitives drew a long breath of relief.
Nessus rose and made his way cautiously out of the cave. He returned in a minute.
“They have taken the rope with them,” he said, “and it is well, for when they have searched the valley tomorrow, were it hanging there, it might occur to them that we have made our way up. Now that it is gone they can never suspect that we have returned here.”
“There is no chance of our being disturbed again tonight, Nessus. We can sleep as securely as if were in our camp.”
So saying, Malchus chose a comfortable place, and was soon asleep.
Nessus, however, did not lie down, but sat watching with unwearied eyes the entrance to the cave. As soon as day had fairly broken, a chorus of loud shouts and yells far down the ravine told that the search had begun. For hours it continued. Every bush and boulder86 in the bottom was searched by the natives.
Again and again they went up and down the gorge, convinced that the fugitives must be hidden somewhere; for, as Nessus had anticipated, the cliffs at the upper end were so precipitous that an escape there was impossible, and the natives had kept so close a watch all night along the slopes at the lower end, and at the mouth, that they felt sure that their prey could not have escaped them unseen. And yet at last they were forced to come to the conclusion that in some inexplicable102 way this must have been the case, for how else could they have escaped? The thought that they had reascended by the rope before it was removed, and that they were hidden in the cave at the time the bodies of the bear and its cubs103 were carried away, never occurred to them.
All day they wandered about in the bottom of the ravine, searching every possible place, and sometimes removing boulders with great labour, where these were piled together in such a manner that any one could be hidden beneath them.
At nightfall they feasted upon the body of the bear first killed, which had been found where it had fallen in the ravine. The body of one of the young bears which lay far up the cave, had escaped their search, and a portion of this furnished a meal to the two prisoners, who were, however, obliged to eat it raw, being afraid to light a fire, lest the smoke, however slight, should be observed coming out at the entrance.
The next morning, so far as they could see, the place was deserted by the natives. Lying far back in the cave they could see that the men on the opposite side of the ravine had retired104; but as it was quite possible that the natives, feeling still convinced that the fugitives must be hidden somewhere, had set a watch at some spot commanding a view of the whole ravine, they did not venture to show themselves at the entrance.
After making another meal of the bear, they sallied out, when it again became dark, and made their way along the path. When they neared the end they saw a party of the enemy sitting round a great fire at the mouth of the ravine below them. They retired a short distance, and sat down patiently until at last the fire burned low, and the natives, leaving two of the party on watch, lay down to sleep. Then Malchus and his companion rose to their feet, and made their way along the path. When they were nearly abreast of the fire, Malchus happened to tread upon a loose stone, which went bouncing down the side of the hill.
The scouts105 gave a shout, which called their companions to their feet, and started up the hillside towards the spot where the stone had fallen.
Nessus discharged an arrow, which struck full on the chest of the leader of the party, and then followed Malchus along the hillside.
A shout of rage broke from the natives as their comrade fell; but without pausing they pushed on. Malchus did not hurry. Silence now was of more importance than speed. He strode along, then, with a rapid but careful step, Nessus following closely behind him. The shouts of the savages106 soon showed that they were at fault. Malchus listened attentively as he went. Whenever the babel of tongues ceased for a moment he stopped perfectly107 still, and only ventured on when they were renewed.
At last they had placed a long gap between them and their pursuers, and came out on a level shoulder of the hill. They continued their way until they found themselves at the edge of the forest. It was so dark under the trees that they could no longer advance, and Malchus therefore determined108 to wait till the dawn should enable them to continue their journey. Whether they were in a clump of trees or in the forest, which covered a large portion of the mountain side, they were unable to tell; nor, as not a single star could be seen, had they any indication of the direction which they should take. Retiring then for some little distance among the trees, they lay down and were soon asleep.
When the first dawn of day appeared they were on their way again, and soon found that the trees under which they had slept formed part of the forest. Through occasional openings, formed by trees which had fallen from age or tempest, they obtained a view of the surrounding country, and were enabled to form an idea where lay the camp which they had left two days before.
They had not proceeded far when they heard in the distance behind them the shouting of men and the barking of dogs, and knew that the enemy were upon their track. They ran now at the top of their speed, convinced, however, that the natives, who would have to follow the track, could not travel as fast as they did. Suddenly Malchus stopped.
“Listen!” he said. They paused, and far down the hillside heard the distant sound of a horn. “Those must be our men,” Malchus exclaimed, “they are searching for us still; Hannibal must have allowed them to stay behind when the army proceeded on its way.”
In another half hour the horn sounded close at hand and they were speedily among a body of Malchus' own followers109, who received them with shouts of delight. The men were utterly110 worn out, for they had searched continuously day and night from the time they had missed their leader, sometimes high up among the hills, sometimes among the lower valleys. The party which he met comprised but a fourth of the band, for they had divided into four parties, the better to range the country.
They were now ascending the hills again at a distance of two miles apart, and messengers were at once sent off to the other bodies to inform them that Malchus had returned. Malchus quickly recounted to his men the story of what had befallen them, and then bade them lie down to rest while he and Nessus kept watch.
The natives who had been in pursuit did not make their appearance, having doubtless heard the horn which told of the approach of a body of the Carthaginians. In two hours the whole of the band were collected, and after a few hours' halt, to enable the men to recover from their long fatigue26 and sleeplessness111, Malchus put himself at their head and they marched away to join the main body of their army, which they overtook two days later.
Malchus was received with great delight by his father and Hannibal, who had given him up for lost. Nessus had over and over again recounted all the details of their adventure to his comrades, and the quickness of Malchus at hitting upon the stratagem112 of returning to the cave, and so escaping from a position where escape seemed well nigh impossible, won for him an even higher place than before in the admiration of his followers.
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tranquillity
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| n. 平静, 安静 | |
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lessen
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| vt.减少，减轻；缩小 | |
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infantry
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| n.[总称]步兵(部队) | |
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garrisons
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| 守备部队，卫戍部队( garrison的名词复数 ) | |
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garrison
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| n.卫戍部队；驻地，卫戍区；vt.派(兵)驻防 | |
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coherence
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| n.紧凑；连贯；一致性 | |
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desperately
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| adv.极度渴望地，绝望地，孤注一掷地 | |
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hardy
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| adj.勇敢的，果断的，吃苦的；耐寒的 | |
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inaccessible
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| adj.达不到的，难接近的 | |
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recesses
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| n.壁凹( recess的名词复数 )；（工作或业务活动的）中止或暂停期间；学校的课间休息；某物内部的凹形空间v.把某物放在墙壁的凹处( recess的第三人称单数 )；将（墙）做成凹形，在（墙）上做壁龛；休息，休会，休庭 | |
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invaders
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| 入侵者，侵略者，侵入物( invader的名词复数 ) | |
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undertakings
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| 企业( undertaking的名词复数 )； 保证； 殡仪业； 任务 | |
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13
lapse
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| n.过失，流逝，失效，抛弃信仰，间隔；vi.堕落，停止，失效，流逝；vt.使失效 | |
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cavalry
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| n.骑兵；轻装甲部队 | |
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besieged
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| 包围，围困，围攻( besiege的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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subdued
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| adj. 屈服的，柔和的，减弱的 动词subdue的过去式和过去分词 | |
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fixed
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| adj.固定的，不变的，准备好的；(计算机)固定的 | |
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18
fore
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| adv.在前面；adj.先前的；在前部的；n.前部 | |
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ambushes
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| n.埋伏( ambush的名词复数 )；伏击；埋伏着的人；设埋伏点v.埋伏( ambush的第三人称单数 )；埋伏着 | |
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dispersing
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| adj. 分散的 动词disperse的现在分词形式 | |
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slings
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| 抛( sling的第三人称单数 )； 吊挂； 遣送； 押往 | |
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22
harass
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| vt.使烦恼，折磨，骚扰 | |
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23
scouting
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| 守候活动，童子军的活动 | |
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24
ascending
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| adj.上升的，向上的 | |
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severely
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| adv.严格地；严厉地；非常恶劣地 | |
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fatigue
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| n.疲劳，劳累 | |
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fatigues
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| n.疲劳( fatigue的名词复数 )；杂役；厌倦；（士兵穿的）工作服 | |
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den
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| n.兽穴；秘密地方；安静的小房间，私室 | |
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scattered
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| adj.分散的，稀疏的；散步的；疏疏落落的 | |
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rugged
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| adj.高低不平的，粗糙的，粗壮的，强健的 | |
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gorge
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| n.咽喉，胃，暴食，山峡；v.塞饱，狼吞虎咽地吃 | |
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savage
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| adj.野蛮的；凶恶的，残暴的；n.未开化的人 | |
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drawn
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| v.拖，拉，拔出；adj.憔悴的，紧张的 | |
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34
avenge
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| v.为...复仇，为...报仇 | |
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35
nought
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| n.／adj.无，零 | |
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36
embarked
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| 乘船( embark的过去式和过去分词 )； 装载； 从事 | |
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37
abode
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| n.住处，住所 | |
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38
crevice
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| n.(岩石、墙等)裂缝；缺口 | |
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39
crevices
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| n.（尤指岩石的）裂缝，缺口( crevice的名词复数 ) | |
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brutes
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| 兽( brute的名词复数 )； 畜生； 残酷无情的人； 兽性 | |
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41
clump
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| n.树丛，草丛；vi.用沉重的脚步行走 | |
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42
lurking
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| 潜在 | |
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43
perpendicularly
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| adv. 垂直地, 笔直地, 纵向地 | |
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perpendicular
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| adj.垂直的，直立的；n.垂直线，垂直的位置 | |
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ledge
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| n.壁架，架状突出物；岩架，岩礁 | |
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hind
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| adj.后面的，后部的 | |
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47
jutted
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| v.（使）突出( jut的过去式和过去分词 )；伸出；（从…）突出；高出 | |
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48
growl
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| v.（狗等）嗥叫，（炮等）轰鸣；n.嗥叫，轰鸣 | |
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49
penetrated
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| adj. 击穿的，鞭辟入里的 动词penetrate的过去式和过去分词形式 | |
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50
shaft
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| n.(工具的)柄，杆状物 | |
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51
asunder
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| adj.分离的，化为碎片 | |
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52
onset
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| n.进攻，袭击，开始，突然开始 | |
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53
bracing
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| adj.令人振奋的 | |
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54
enraged
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| 使暴怒( enrage的过去式和过去分词 )； 歜； 激愤 | |
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mighty
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| adj.强有力的；巨大的 | |
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56
descended
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| a.为...后裔的，出身于...的 | |
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57
precipice
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| n.悬崖，危急的处境 | |
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58
dented
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| v.使产生凹痕( dent的过去式和过去分词 )；损害；伤害；挫伤（信心、名誉等） | |
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bent
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| n.爱好，癖好；adj.弯的；决心的，一心的 | |
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60
recoiled
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| v.畏缩( recoil的过去式和过去分词 )；退缩；报应；返回 | |
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61
mingled
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| 混合，混入( mingle的过去式和过去分词 )； 混进，与…交往[联系] | |
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62
snarls
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| n.（动物的）龇牙低吼( snarl的名词复数 )；愤怒叫嚷（声）；咆哮（声）；疼痛叫声v.（指狗）吠，嗥叫， （人）咆哮( snarl的第三人称单数 )；咆哮着说，厉声地说 | |
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63
foes
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| 敌人，仇敌( foe的名词复数 ) | |
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64
foe
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| n.敌人，仇敌 | |
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65
consternation
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| n.大为吃惊，惊骇 | |
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66
forth
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| adv.向前；向外，往外 | |
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67
flattened
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| [医]（水）平扁的，弄平的 | |
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68
growling
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| n.吠声, 咆哮声 v.怒吠, 咆哮, 吼 | |
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69
noose
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| n.绳套，绞索（刑）；v.用套索捉；使落入圈套；处以绞刑 | |
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70
twigs
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| 细枝，嫩枝( twig的名词复数 ) | |
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71
fungus
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| n.真菌，真菌类植物 | |
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72
taunting
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| 嘲讽( taunt的现在分词 )； 嘲弄； 辱骂； 奚落 | |
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73
plunged
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| v.颠簸( plunge的过去式和过去分词 )；暴跌；骤降；突降 | |
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74
prostrate
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| v.拜倒，平卧，衰竭；adj.拜倒的，平卧的，衰竭的 | |
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75
quench
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| vt.熄灭，扑灭；压制 | |
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76
spoke
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| n.（车轮的）辐条；轮辐；破坏某人的计划；阻挠某人的行动 v.讲，谈（speak的过去式）；说；演说；从某种观点来说 | |
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77
procured
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| v.（努力）取得， （设法）获得( procure的过去式和过去分词 )；拉皮条 | |
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78
linen
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| n.亚麻布，亚麻线，亚麻制品；adj.亚麻布制的，亚麻的 | |
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79
broiling
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| adj.酷热的，炽热的，似烧的v.（用火）烤（焙、炙等）( broil的现在分词 )；使卷入争吵；使混乱；被烤（或炙） | |
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80
sentry
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| n.哨兵，警卫 | |
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81
gathering
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| n.集会，聚会，聚集 | |
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82
exertions
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| n.努力( exertion的名词复数 )；费力；（能力、权力等的）运用；行使 | |
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83
abreast
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| adv.并排地；跟上(时代)的步伐，与…并进地 | |
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84
sufficiently
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| adv.足够地，充分地 | |
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85
boulders
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| n.卵石( boulder的名词复数 )；巨砾；（受水或天气侵蚀而成的）巨石；漂砾 | |
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86
boulder
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| n.巨砾；卵石，圆石 | |
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87
dense
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| a.密集的，稠密的，浓密的；密度大的 | |
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88
deserted
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| adj.荒芜的，荒废的，无人的，被遗弃的 | |
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89
attentively
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| adv.聚精会神地；周到地；谛；凝神 | |
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90
slumbering
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| 微睡，睡眠（slumber的现在分词形式） | |
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91
fugitives
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| n.亡命者，逃命者( fugitive的名词复数 ) | |
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92
prey
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| n.被掠食者，牺牲者，掠食；v.捕食，掠夺，折磨 | |
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93
retracing
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| v.折回( retrace的现在分词 )；回忆；回顾；追溯 | |
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94
ascent
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| n.(声望或地位)提高；上升，升高；登高 | |
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95
exclamation
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| n.感叹号，惊呼，惊叹词 | |
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96
admiration
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| n.钦佩，赞美，羡慕 | |
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97
retrace
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| v.折回；追溯，探源 | |
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98
standing
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| n.持续，地位；adj.永久的，不动的，直立的，不流动的 | |
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99
encumbered
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| v.妨碍，阻碍，拖累( encumber的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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100
armour
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| （=armor）n.盔甲；装甲部队 | |
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102
inexplicable
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| adj.无法解释的，难理解的 | |
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103
cubs
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| n.幼小的兽，不懂规矩的年轻人( cub的名词复数 ) | |
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104
retired
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| adj.隐退的，退休的，退役的 | |
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105
scouts
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| 侦察员[机，舰]( scout的名词复数 )； 童子军； 搜索； 童子军成员 | |
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106
savages
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| 未开化的人，野蛮人( savage的名词复数 ) | |
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107
perfectly
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| adv.完美地，无可非议地，彻底地 | |
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108
determined
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| adj.坚定的；有决心的 | |
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109
followers
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| 追随者( follower的名词复数 )； 用户； 契据的附面； 从动件 | |
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110
utterly
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| adv.完全地，绝对地 | |
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111
sleeplessness
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| n.失眠，警觉 | |
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112
stratagem
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| n.诡计，计谋 | |
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