rned to manoeuvre their vessels so well, both on ordinary occasions
and in a battle, that they could now oppose to the skilled eastern
navigators ships as well fitted out and commanded by captains as
experienced as those of Egypt or Asia.

There had been a general movement among all these peoples at the very
time when Ramses was repelling the attack of the Libyans; "the isles had
quivered, and had vomited forth their people at once."*

* This campaign is mentioned in the inscription of Medinet-
Habu. We find some information about the war in the _Great
Harris Papyrus_, also in the inscription of Medinet-Habu
which describes the campaign of the year V., and in other
shorter texts of the same temple.

They were subjected to one of those irresistible impulses such as had
driven the Shepherds into Egypt; or again, in later times, had carried
away the Cimmerians and the Scyths to the pillage of Asia Minor: "no
country could hold out against their arms, neither Khati, nor Qodi, nor
Carchemish, nor Arvad, nor Alasia, without being brought to nothing."
The ancient kingdoms of Sapalulu and Khatusaru, already tottering,
crumbled to pieces under the shock, and were broken up into their
primitive elements. The barbarians, unable to carry the towns by
assault, and too impatient to resort to a lengthened siege, spread
over the valley of the Orontes, burning and devastating the country
everywhere. Having reached the frontiers of the empire, in the country
of the Amorites, they came to a halt, and constructing an entrenched
camp, installed within it their women and the booty they had acquired.
Some of their predatory bands, having ravaged the Bekaa, ended by
attacking the subjects of the Pharaoh himself, and their chiefs dreamed
of an invasion of Egypt. Ramses, informed of their design by the
despatches of his officers and vassals, resolved to prevent its
accomplishment. He summoned his troops together, both indigenous
and mercenary, in his own person looked after their armament and
commissariat, and in the VIIIth year of his reign crossed the frontier
near Zalu. He advanced by forced marches to meet the enemy, whom
he encountered somewhere in Southern Syria, on the borders of the
Shephelah,* and after a stubbornly contested campaign obtained the
victory. He carried off from the field, in addition to the treasures of
the confederate tribes, some of the chariots which had been used for the
transport of their