hrough the wind. Oh! they were well aimed, those arrows
for I had not taught the Ethiopians archery in vain.

How many went down before them? The gods of Egypt know alone. I do not.
All I know is that the long slope of sand which had been crowded with
standing men, was now thick with fallen men, many of whom lay as though
they were asleep. For what mail could resist the iron-pointed shafts
driven by the strong bows of the Ethiopians?

And this was but a beginning, for, flight after flight, those arrows
sped till the air grew dark with them. Soon there were no more to shoot
at on the slope, for these were down, and the order went to lift the
bows and draw upon the camp, and especially upon the parks of baggage
beasts. Presently these were down also, or rushing maddened to and fro.

At last the Eastern generals saw and understood. Orders were shouted
and in a mad confusion the scores of thousands who were unharmed, rushed
back towards the banks of Nile where our shafts could not reach them.
Here they formed up in their companies and took counsel. It was soon
ended, for all the vast mass of them, preceded by a cloud of archers,
began to advance upon the hill.

Now I passed a command to the Ethiopians, of whom so far not one
had fallen, to lie low and wait. On came the glittering multitude of
Easterns, gay with purple and gold, their mail and swords shining in the
risen sun. On they came by squadron and by company, more than the eye
could number. They reached the sand slope thick with their own dead and
wounded and paused a little because they could see no man, since the
black bodies of the Ethiopians were hid behind the black stones and the
black bows did not catch the light.

Then from a gorgeous group that I guessed hid the person of the Great
King surrounded by his regiment of guards, ten thousand of them who were
called Immortals, messengers sprang forth screaming the order to charge.
The host began to climb the slippery sand slope but still I held my hand
till their endless lines were within fifty paces of us and their arrows
rattled harmlessly against our stones. Then I caused the banner of the
Grasshopper that had been lowered, to be lifted thrice, and at the third
lifting once more thirty thousand arrows rushed forth to kill.

They went down, they went down in lines and heaps, riddled through and
through. But still others came on for they fought under the eye of the
Great King, and to fly meant death with sham