roop. He built an
immensely large raft, floated it up to the shore, fastened it there
securely, and covered it with earth, turf, and bushes, so as to make
it resemble a projection of the land. He then caused a second raft to
be constructed of the same size, and this he brought up to the outer
edge of the other, fastened it there by a temporary connection, and
covered and concealed it as he had done the first. The first of these
rafts extended two hundred feet from the shore, and was fifty feet
broad. The other, that is, the outer one, was only a little smaller.
The soldiers then contrived to allure and drive the elephants over
these rafts to the outer one, the animals imagining that they had not
left the land. The two rafts were then disconnected from each other,
and the outer one began to move with its bulky passengers over the
water, towed by a number of boats which had previously been attached
to its outer edge.

As soon as the elephants perceived the motion, they were alarmed, and
began immediately to look anxiously this way and that, and to crowd
toward the edges of the raft which was conveying them away. They found
themselves hemmed in by water on every side, and were terrified and
thrown into confusion. Some were crowded off into the river, and were
drifted down till they landed below. The rest soon became calm, and
allowed themselves to be quietly ferried across the stream, when they
found that all hope of escape and resistance were equally vain.

[Illustration: THE ELEPHANTS CROSSING THE RHONE.]

In the mean time, while these events were occurring, the troop of
three hundred, which Scipio had sent up the river to see what tidings
he could learn of the Carthaginians, were slowly making their way
toward the point where Hannibal was crossing; and it happened that
Hannibal had sent down a troop of _five_ hundred, when he first
reached the river, to see if they could learn any tidings of the
Romans. Neither of the armies had any idea how near they were to
the other. The two detachments met suddenly and unexpectedly on the
way. They were sent to explore, and not to fight; but as they were
nearly equally matched, each was ambitious of the glory of capturing
the others and carrying them prisoners to their camp. They fought a
long and bloody battle. A great number were killed, and in about the
same proportion on either side. The Romans say _they_ conquered. We do
not know what the Carthaginians said, but as both part