d him.
A very violent storm arose just as he reached the most exposed place
among the mountains. It was intensely cold, and the wind blew the hail
and snow directly into the faces of the troops, so that it was
impossible for them to proceed. They halted and turned their backs to
the storm, but the wind increased more and more, and was attended with
terrific thunder and lightning, which filled the soldiers with alarm,
as they were at such an altitude as to be themselves enveloped in the
clouds from which the peals and flashes were emitted. Unwilling to
retreat, Hannibal ordered the army to encamp on the spot, in the best
shelter they could find. They attempted, accordingly, to pitch their
tents, but it was impossible to secure them. The wind increased to a
hurricane. The tent poles were unmanageable, and the canvas was
carried away from its fastenings, and sometimes split or blown into
rags by its flapping in the wind. The poor elephants, that is, all
that were left of them from previous battles and exposures, sunk down
under this intense cold and died. One only remained alive.

Hannibal ordered a retreat, and the army went back into the valley of
the Po. But Hannibal was ill at ease here. The natives of the country
were very weary of his presence. His army consumed their food, ravaged
their country, and destroyed all their peace and happiness. Hannibal
suspected them of a design to poison him or assassinate him in some
other way. He was continually watching and taking precautions against
these attempts. He had a great many different dresses made to be used
as disguises, and false hair of different colors and fashion, so that
he could alter his appearance at pleasure. This was to prevent any spy
or assassin who might come into his camp from identifying him by any
description of his dress and appearance. Still, notwithstanding these
precautions, he was ill at ease, and at the very earliest practicable
period in the spring he made a new attempt to cross the mountains, and
was now successful.

On descending the southern declivities of the Apennines he learned
that a new Roman army, under a new consul, was advancing toward him
from the south. He was eager to meet this force, and was preparing to
press forward at once by the nearest way. He found, however, that this
would lead him across the lower part of the valley of the Arno, which
was here very broad, and, though usually passable, was now overflowed
in consequence of th