y reason of the carnage which the royal urous carried into
their ranks." The victorious soldiery were dispersed over the fields,
gathering together the gilded and silvered chariots of the Syrian
chiefs, collecting the scattered weapons and the hands of the slain, and
securing the prisoners; then rallying about the king, they greeted him
with acclamations and filed past to deliver up the spoil. He reproached
them for having allowed themselves to be drawn away from the heat of
pursuit. "Had you carried Megiddo, it would have been a favour granted
to me by Ra my father this day; for all the kings of the country being
shut up within it, it would have been as the taking of a thousand towns
to have seized Megiddo." The Egyptians had made little progress in the
art of besieging a stronghold since the times of the XIIth dynasty. When
scaling failed, they had no other resource than a blockade, and even the
most stubborn of the Pharaohs would naturally shrink from the tedium of
such an undertaking. Thutmosis, however, was not inclined to lose the
opportunity of closing the campaign by a decisive blow, and began the
investment of the town according to the prescribed modes.

[Illustration: 378.jpg AN EGYPTIAN ENCAMPMENT BEFORE A BESIEGED TOWN]

Drawn by Boudier, from a photograph by Beato.

His men were placed under canvas, and working under the protection of
immense shields, supported on posts, they made a ditch around the walls,
strengthening it with a palisade. The king constructed also on the east
side a fort which he called "Manakhpirri-holds-the-Asiatics." Famine
soon told on the demoralised citizens, and their surrender brought about
the submission of the entire country. Most of the countries situated
between the Jordan and the sea--Shunem, Cana, Kinnereth, Hazor, Bedippa,
Laish, Merom, and Acre--besides the cities of the Hauran--Hamath,
Magato, Ashtaroth, Ono-repha, and even Damascus itself--recognised the
suzerainty of Egypt, and their lords came in to the camp to do homage.*

* The names of these towns are inscribed on the lists of
Karnak published by Mariette.

The Syrian losses did not amount to more than 83 killed and 400
prisoners, showing how easily they had been routed; but they had
abandoned considerable supplies, all of which had fallen into the hands
of the victors. Some 724 chariots, 2041 mares, 200 suits of armour, 602
bows, the tent of the Prince of Qodshu with its poles of cypress inlaid
wi