standing sideways drew them to the ear, just as the English archers
did at Crecy, and therefore shot their arrows a vastly greater
distance than did their opponents, who were accustomed to draw their
bows only to the breast.

Scores of the Rebu fell at the first discharge, and as the storm of
arrows continued, they, finding themselves powerless to damage the
Egyptians at that distance, retired halfway up the side of the slope.
Now from behind the lines of the Egyptian archers a column of men
advanced a hundred abreast, each carrying a great fagot. Their object
was evident: they were about to prepare a wide causeway across the
marsh by which the chariots could pass. Again the Rebu advanced to the
edge of the swamp and poured in their showers of arrows; but the
Egyptians, covering themselves with the bundles of fagots they
carried, suffered but little harm, while the Rebu were mown down by
the arrows of the Egyptian archers shooting calmly and steadily beyond
the range of their missiles.

As soon as the front rank of the Egyptian column reached the edge of
the swampy ground the men of the front line laid down their fagots in
a close row and then retired in the intervals between their comrades
behind them. Each rank as it arrived at the edge did the same. Many
fell beneath the arrows of the Rebu, but the operation went on
steadily, the fagots being laid down two deep as the ground became
more marshy, and the Rebu saw, with a feeling approaching dismay, the
gradual but steady advance of a causeway two hundred yards wide across
the swamp.

The king himself and his bravest captains, alighting from their
chariots, went down among the footmen and urged them to stand firm,
pointing out that every yard the causeway advanced their arrows
inflicted more fatal damage among the men who were forming it. Their
entreaties, however, were vain; the ground facing the causeway was
already thickly incumbered with dead, and the hail of the Egyptian
arrows was so fast and deadly that even the bravest shrank from
withstanding it. At last even their leaders ceased to urge them, and
the king gave the order for all to fall back beyond the range of the
Egyptian arrows.

Some changes were made in the formation of the troops, and the best
and most disciplined bands were placed facing the causeway so as to
receive the charge of the Egyptian chariots. The two front lines were
of spearmen, while on the higher ground behind them were placed
arche