instantly adopted the measure of ordering his men to dismount
and their horses to be taken into the wood, where they were fastened to
the trees.

When dismounted, the men without loss of time, advanced on foot towards
the line of elephants, and commenced a brisk discharge of arrows;
whilst, on the other side, those who were stationed in the castles, and
the rest of the king's army, shot volleys in return with great
activity; but their arrows did not make the same impression as those of
the Tartars, whose bows were drawn with a stronger arm. So incessant
were the discharges of the latter, and all their weapons (according to
the instructions of their commander) being directed against the
elephants, these were soon covered with arrows, and, suddenly giving
way, fell back upon their own people in the rear, who were thereby
thrown into confusion. It soon became impossible for their drivers to
manage them, either by force or address. Smarting under the pain of
their wounds, and terrified by the shouting of the assailants, they
were no longer governable, but without guidance or control ran about in
all directions, until at length, impelled by rage and fear, they rushed
into a part of the wood not occupied by the Tartars. The consequence of
this was, that from the closeness of the branches of large trees, they
broke, with loud crashes, the battlements or castles that were upon
their backs, and involved in the destruction those who sat upon them.

Upon seeing the rout of the elephants the Tartars acquired fresh
courage, and filing off by detachments, with perfect order and
regularity, they remounted their horses, and joined their several
divisions, when a sanguinary and dreadful combat was renewed. On the
part of the king's troops there was no want of valor, and he himself
went amongst the ranks entreating them to stand firm, and not to be
alarmed by the accident that had befallen the elephants. But the
Tartars by their consummate skill in archery, were too powerful for
them, and galled them the more exceedingly, from their not being
provided with such armor as was worn by the former.

The arrows having been expended on both sides, the men grasped their
swords and iron maces, and violently encountered each other. Then in an
instant were to be seen many horrible wounds, limbs dismembered, and