were
very celebrated in ancient times, and which are often alluded to in
the sacred scriptures. They cut down these trees, and brought the
stems of them to the shore, where they sharpened them at one end and
drove them into the sand, in order to protect the sides of their
embankment. Others brought stones from the ruins and tumbled them
into the sea in the direction where the pier was to be built. It was
some time before the work made such progress as to attract much
attention from Tyre. At length, however, when the people of the city
saw it gradually increasing in size and advancing toward them, they
concluded that they must engage in earnest in the work of arresting
its progress.

They accordingly constructed engines on the walls to throw heavy darts
and stones over the water to the men upon the pier. They sent secretly
to the tribes that inhabited the valleys and ravines among the
mountains, to attack the parties at work there, and they landed forces
from the city at some distance from the pier, and then marched along
the shore, and attempted to drive away the men that were engaged in
carrying stones from the ruins. They also fitted up and manned some
galleys of large size, and brought them up near to the pier itself,
and attacked the men who were at work upon it with stones, darts,
arrows, and missiles of every description.

But all was of no avail. The work, though impeded, still went on.
Alexander built large screens of wood upon the pier, covering them
with hides, which protected his soldiers from the weapons of the
enemy, so that they could carry on their operations safely behind
them. By these means the work advanced for some distance further. As
it advanced, various structures were erected upon it, especially along
the sides and at the end toward the city. These structures consisted
of great engines for driving piles, and machines for throwing stones
and darts, and towers carried up to a great height, to enable the men
to throw stones and heavy weapons down upon the galleys which might
attempt to approach them.

At length the Tyrians determined on attempting to destroy all these
wooden works by means of what is called in modern times a _fire ship_.
They took a large galley, and filled it with combustibles of every
kind. They loaded it first with light dry wood, and they poured pitch,
and tar, and oil over all this wood to make it burn with fiercer
flames. They saturated the sails and the cordage in the sa