assing through the narrow passage into the harbour the fleet sailed up
to the end of the bay, and were soon alongside the spacious quays which
had been erected. A large quantity of shipping already lay there, for
the trade of Carthagena with the mother city and with the ports of
Spain, Africa, and the East already rivaled that of Carthage. A group of
officers were gathered on the quay as Hamilcar's ship, which was
leading the fleet, neared it, and Hamilcar exclaimed, "There is Hannibal
himself!"

As the ship moored alongside the quay Hannibal came on board and warmly
embraced his cousin, and then bestowed a cordial greeting upon Malchus.

"Why, cousin Malchus," he said, "though it is but a year since I was in
Carthage, I should scarce have known you, so much have you grown. I see
you have entered the cavalry. That is well. You cannot begin too early
to accustom yourself to war."

Then turning, he went among the young men of the guard, to all of whom
he was personally known, greeting them with a cordiality and kindness
which greatly gratified them. Malchus gazed at him with admiration.
Fortunately an accurate description of Hannibal has come down to us. He
was one who, even at first sight, won all hearts by his lofty and noble
expression, by the kindness and sincerity which his face expressed. The
Carthaginians, as a race, were short, but Hannibal was very tall, and
his great width of shoulders testified to his immense strength.

The beauty of the Carthaginian race was proverbial, but even among
them he was remarkable. His head was well placed on his shoulders; his
carriage was upright and commanding; his forehead lofty; his eye, though
soft and gentle at ordinary times, was said to be terrible in time of
battle. His head was bare. His hair, of a golden brown, was worn long,
and encircled by a golden band. His nose was long and straight, forming,
with the forehead, a perfect profile. The expression of the mouth was
kind but firm. His beard was short. The whole contour of the face was
noble in the extreme.

In battle he wore a helmet of bronze closely fitting the head, behind
which projected a curved metal plate covering his neck. A band of gold
surrounded the helmet; in front were five laurel leaves in steel; at the
temples two leaves of the lotus of the same metal. On the crest, rising
from an ornament enriched with pearls, was a large plume of feathers,
sometimes red and sometimes white. A tuft of white horsehair f