then moved forward. When
it reached the gorge a shout was heard above and a shower of rocks fell
from the crags, crushing many of the Romans. Their commander at once
recalled the soldiers, and these then began to climb the hillside,
wherever the ground permitted their doing so. After much labour they
reached the crag from which they had been assailed, but found it
deserted.

All day the Romans searched the woods, but without success. The
natives were sent forward in strong parties. Most of these returned
unsuccessful, but two of them were suddenly attacked by the
Carthaginians, and many were slaughtered.

For four days the Romans pursued their search in the forest, but never
once did they obtain a glimpse of the Carthaginians save when, on
several occasions, the latter appeared suddenly in places inaccessible
from below and hurled down rocks and stones upon them. The Sards had
been attacked several times, and were so disheartened by the losses
inflicted upon them that they now refused to stir into the woods unless
accompanied by the Romans.

At the end of the fourth day, feeling it hopeless any longer to pursue
the fugitive band over these forest covered mountains, the Roman
commander ordered the column to move back towards its starting place. He
had lost between forty and fifty of his men and upwards of a hundred of
the Sards had been killed. Just as he reached the edge of the forest he
was overtaken by one of the natives.

"I have been a prisoner in the hands of the Carthaginians," the man
said, "and their leader released me upon my taking an oath to deliver a
message to the general." The man was at once brought before the officer.

"The leader of the escaped slaves bids me tell you," he said, "that had
you ten times as many men with you it would be vain for you to attempt
to capture them. You searched, in these four days, but a few square
miles of the forest, and, although he was never half a mile away from
you, you did not succeed in capturing him. There are hundreds of square
miles, and, did he choose to elude you, twenty thousand men might search
in vain. He bids me say that he could hold out for years and harry all
the villages of the plains; but he and his men do not care for living
the life of a mountain tribe, and he is ready to discuss terms of
surrender with you, and will meet you outside the forest here with two
men with him if you on your part will be here with the same number at
noon tomorrow. He t