drops of rain still falling.

When the Roman army was thoroughly broken up and scattered, the
Carthaginians gave up the further prosecution of the contest. They
were too wet, cold, and exhausted themselves to feel any ardor in the
pursuit of their enemies. Vast numbers of the Romans, however,
attempted to recross the river, and were swept down and destroyed by
the merciless flood, whose force they had not strength enough
remaining to withstand. Other portions of the troops lay hid in
lurking-places to which they had retreated, until night came on, and
then they made rafts on which they contrived to float themselves back
across the stream. Hannibal's troops were too wet, and cold, and
exhausted to go out again into the storm, and so they were unmolested
in these attempts. Notwithstanding this, however, great numbers of
them were carried down the stream and lost.

It was now December, too late for Hannibal to attempt to advance much
further that season, and yet the way before him was open to the
Apennines, by the defeat of Sempronius, for neither he nor Scipio
could now hope to make another stand against him till they should
receive new re-enforcements from Rome. During the winter months
Hannibal had various battles and adventures, sometimes with portions
and detachments of the Roman army, and sometimes with the native
tribes. He was sometimes in great difficulty for want of food for his
army, until at length he bribed the governor of a castle, where a
Roman granary was kept, to deliver it up to him, and after that he was
well supplied.

The natives of the country were, however, not at all well disposed
toward him, and in the course of the winter they attempted to impede
his operations, and to harass his army by every means in their power.
Finding his situation uncomfortable, he moved on toward the south, and
at length determined that, inclement as the season was, he would cross
the Apennines.

By looking at the map of Italy, it will be seen that the great valley
of the Po extends across the whole north of Italy. The valley of the
Arno and of the Umbro lies south of it, separated from it by a part of
the Apennine chain. This southern valley was Etruria. Hannibal decided
to attempt to pass over the mountains into Etruria. He thought he
should find there a warmer climate, and inhabitants more well-disposed
toward him, besides being so much nearer Rome.

But, though Hannibal conquered the Alps, the Apennines conquere