tood he pierced with his lance the eyes of the leading elephant, and
stabbed the Indian on its back, and he wounded many and killed numbers
of the storming party. His officers and men fought with the greatest
spirit; the driver of the second elephant was killed and the infantry
were driven back.

Perdiccas led new troops to the attack, wishing to take the fortress at
all costs. By word and deed, Ptolemy urged on his men, who fought with
marvellous endurance. The dreadful battle waged the whole day; many were
killed and wounded; evening came on and nothing was decided. Perdiccas
ordered a retreat and returned to his camp.

In the middle of the night he again started with his army, hoping that
Ptolemy would stay in the fort with his troops, and that, after a trying
march of some miles up-stream, he (Perdiccas) would be able to cross the
river more easily. At daybreak he found himself opposite one of the many
islands of the Nile; it was large enough for the camp of a great army.
In spite of the difficulties of crossing, he decided to encamp his army
there. The water reached up to the soldiers' knees, and it was with the
greatest difficulty that they kept their footing against the force
of the current. In order to break this current, Perdiccas ordered the
elephants into the river to stand up-stream to the left of the fording
party; he ordered the horsemen to stand at the other end to help those
across that were driven down by the current. Some had, with great
difficulty, managed to get across; others were still in the stream when
it was noticed that the water was becoming deeper; the heavily armed men
sank, and the elephants and horses stood deeper and deeper in the water.
A fearful panic seized the army. They called out that the enemy had
closed in the canals up-stream, and that the gods had destined bad
weather in the upper provinces, on account of which the river was
swollen. Those who understood saw that the bed of the river had become
deepened by the crossing of so great a cavalcade. It was impossible for
the remainder to cross or for those on the island to return. They were
completely cut off and were at the mercy of the enemy, who were already
seen approaching. There was nothing left but to order them to get back
as well as they could; lucky indeed were those who could swim, and had
sufficient strength to bring them across the broad expanse of water.

[Illustration: 044.jpg CROCODILES BASKING IN THE SUN]

Many sav