front of the line, and, standing in the bows of his flag-ship, offered a
sacrifice to Ea, the god of the Ocean. Having made a solemn libation, he
threw into the water a gold model of a ship, a golden fish, and an
image of the god himself, likewise in gold; this ceremony performed, he
returned to the port of Bab-Salimeti with his guard, while the bulk
of his forces continued their voyage eastward. The passage took place
without mishap, but they could not disembark on the shore of the
gulf itself, which was unapproachable by reason of the deposits of
semi-liquid mud which girdled it; they therefore put into the mouth
of the Ulai, and ascended the river till they reached a spot where the
slimy reed-beds gave place to firm ground, which permitted them to draw
their ships to land.*

* Billerbeck recognises in the narrative of Sennacherib the
indication of two attempts at debarcation, of which the
second only can have been successful; I can distinguish only
one crossing.

The inhabitants assembled hastily at sight of the enemy, and the news,
spreading through the neighbouring tribes, brought together for their
defence a confused crowd of archers, chariots, and horsemen. The
Assyrians, leaping into the stream and climbing up the bank, easily
overpowered these undisciplined troops.

[Illustration: 052.jpg A SKIRMISH IN THE MARSHES]

Drawn by Faucher-Gudin, from Layard.

They captured at the first onset Nagitu, Nagitu-Dibina, Khilmu, Pillatu,
and Khupapanu; and raiding the Kalda, forced them on board the
fleet with their gods, their families, their flocks, and household
possessions, and beat a hurried retreat with their booty.
Merodach-baladan himself and his children once more escaped their
clutches, but the State he had tried to create was annihilated, and
his power utterly crushed. Sennacherib received his generals with great
demonstrations of joy at Bab-Salimeti, and carried the spoil in triumph
to Nineveh. Khalludush, exasperated by the affront put upon him,
instantly retaliated by invading Karduniash, where he pushed forward
as far as Sippara, pillaging and destroying the inhabitants without
opposition. The Babylonians who had accompanied Merodach-baladan into
exile, returned in the train of the Elamites, and, secretly stealing
back to their homes, stirred up a general revolt: Assur-nadin-shumu,
taken prisoner by his own subjects, was put in chains and despatched to
Susa, his throne being b