mbled upon the pier, the picture was
one of intense and unmingled suffering. The poor exiles stood
bewildered with terror and grief, about to part with all that they
ever held dear--their parents, their brothers and sisters, and their
native land--to go they knew not whither, under the care of
iron-hearted soldiers, who seemed to know no feelings of tenderness or
compassion for their woes. Their disconsolate mothers wept and groaned
aloud, clasping the loved ones who were about to be torn forever from
them in their arms, in a delirium of maternal affection and
irrepressible grief; their brothers and sisters, and their youthful
friends stood by, some almost frantic with emotions which they did not
attempt to suppress, others mute and motionless in their sorrow,
shedding bitter tears of anguish, or gazing wildly on the scene with
looks of despair; while the fathers, whose stern duty it was to pass
through this scene unmoved, walked to and fro restlessly, in deep but
silent distress, spoke in broken and incoherent words to one another,
and finally aided, by a mixture of persuasion and gentle force, in
drawing the children away from their mothers' arms, and getting them
on board the vessels which were to convey them away. The vessels made
sail, and passed off slowly from the shore. The mothers watched them
till they could no longer be seen, and then returned, disconsolate and
wretched, to their homes; and then the grief and agitation of this
parting scene was succeeded by the anxious suspense which now
pervaded the whole city to learn what new dangers and indignities
they were to suffer from the approaching Roman army, which they knew
must now be well on its way.

The Roman army landed at Utica. Utica was a large city to the north of
Carthage, not far from it, and upon the same bay. When the people of
Utica found that another serious collision was to take place between
Rome and Carthage, they had foreseen what would probably be the end of
the contest, and they had decided that, in order to save themselves
from the ruin which was plainly impending over the sister city, they
must abandon her to her fate, and make common cause with Rome. They
had, accordingly, sent deputies to the Roman senate, offering to
surrender Utica to their power. The Romans had accepted the
submission, and had made this city, in consequence, the port of
debarkation for their army.

As soon as the news arrived at Carthage that the Roman army had lande