l saw that there was no time to be lost. The next morning, at
daybreak, the whole of his cavalry were posted to the south to cover the
movements of the army and to check the Roman advance. The infantry were
then set in motion up the bank of the river and Hannibal, with a small
party, remained behind to watch the passage of the elephants, which had
not yet been brought across.

The elephants had not been trained to take to the water, and the
operation was an extremely difficult one. Very strong and massive rafts
were joined together until they extended two hundred feet into the
river, being kept in their place by cables fastened to trees on the bank
above them. At the end of this floating pier was placed another raft
of immense size, capable of carrying four elephants at a time. A thick
covering of earth was laid over the whole, and on this turf was placed.
The elephants were then led forward.

So solid was the construction that they advanced upon it without
hesitation. When four had taken their place on the great raft at the
end, the fastenings which secured it to the rest of the structure were
cut, and a large number of boats and barges filled with rowers began to
tow the raft across the river. The elephants were seized with terror at
finding themselves afoot, but seeing no way of escape remained trembling
in the centre of the raft until they reached the other side. When it was
safely across, the raft and towing boats returned, and the operation was
repeated until all the elephants were over.

Some of the animals, however, were so terrified that they flung
themselves from the rafts into the river and made their way to shore,
keeping their probosces above the surface of the water. The Indians who
directed them were, however, all swept away and drowned. As soon as the
elephants were all across Hannibal called in his cavalry, and with them
and the elephants followed the army.

The Romans did not arrive at the spot until three days after the
Carthaginians had left. Scipio was greatly astonished when he found that
Hannibal had marched north, as he believed that the Alps were impassable
for an army, and had reckoned that Hannibal would certainly march down
the river and follow the seashore. Finding that the Carthaginians had
left he marched his army down to his ships again, re-embarked them, and
sailed for Genoa, intending to oppose Hannibal as he issued from the
defiles of the Alps, in the event of his succeeding in maki