had a great number, because of their commerce. He
likewise built, with great diligence, a prodigious number of boats, little
vessels, and rafts. On his arrival, he found the Gauls encamped on the
opposite bank, and prepared to dispute the passage. There was no
possibility of his attacking them in front. He therefore ordered a
considerable detachment of his forces, under the command of Hanno, the son
of Bomilcar, to pass the river higher up; and in order to conceal his
march, and the design he had in view, from the enemy, he obliged them to
set out in the night. All things succeeded as he had planned; and they
passed the river(738) the next day without the least opposition.

They passed the rest of the day in refreshing themselves, and in the night
they advanced silently towards the enemy. In the morning, when the signals
agreed upon had been given, Hannibal prepared to attempt the passage. Part
of his horses, completely harnessed, were put into boats, that their
riders might, on landing, immediately charge the enemy. The rest of the
horses swam over on both sides of the boats, from which one single man
held the bridles of three or four. The infantry crossed the river, either
on rafts, or in small boats, and in a kind of gondolas, which were only
the trunks of trees, which they themselves had made hollow. The great
boats were drawn up in a line at the top of the channel, in order to break
the force of the waves, and facilitate the passage to the rest of the
small fleet. When the Gauls saw it advancing on the river, they, according
to their custom, uttered dreadful cries and howlings; and clashing their
bucklers over their heads, one against the other, let fly a shower of
darts. But they were prodigiously astonished, when they heard a great
noise behind them, perceived their tents on fire, and saw themselves
attacked both in front and rear. They now had no way left to save
themselves but by flight, and accordingly retreated to their respective
villages. After this, the rest of the troops crossed the river quietly,
and without any opposition.

The elephants alone occasioned a great deal of trouble. They were wafted
over the next day in the following manner. From the bank of the river was
thrown a raft, two hundred feet in length, and fifty in breadth; this was
fixed strongly to the banks by large ropes, and quite covered over with
earth; so that the elephants, deceived by its appearance, thought
themselves upon firm groun