with heads lowered, and tails aloft, they scattered over the plain in
all directions, some bristling with spears which had been hurled into
their bodies. But all, or nearly all, were slaughtered at last, and
soon the fires were hissing and sputtering with huge red quarters.
Then, as we devoured the blue cattle, we who engirdled the hill united
around our fires in one grand war-dance, and the chant of the King's
war-song was more terrible than the thunder of heaven, and, indeed, if
those upon the hill, awaiting their fate in the morning, did not die of
fear, it must have been that they had no room left for any more fear.
And away over the plain a dull red glow hung above the ashes of the
burnt town, whence would the night wind ever and again sweep up a
whirling shower of sparks.

Not much did we sleep, for we passed the night in dancing and feasting.
Then in the grey of dawn we stormed the mountain, surrounded as it was
on every side. We had to ascend with some care, yet so eager were our
young men that several lost their lives through being crowded over the
edge of a cliff rather than pause to allow passage to their fellows.
They had tasted blood. All were eager to begin killing again.

A long, low wall lay right across our march. Over this they poured
before the word could be given to restrain them, and yells of surprise
and pain went up from those who did. For on the other side the ground
was staked with spear-heads and spikes of iron, and upon these writhed
the bodies of the too eager soldiers. So close together were these
spikes that if a man succeeded in freeing himself from one, he was
immediately impaled upon another. Moreover, in the struggling and
confusion each thrust his fellow down, and thus unknowingly impaled him.
Numbers died in this way.

The ascent at this point was steep and rough. Above and in front rose a
great cliff, which had to be surmounted by a long gully piercing its
face and winding round by a gradual ascent beyond our view. We could
see the tracks of cattle, fresh and plentiful, leading up this, and if
cattle had been driven by it, why then, indeed, it was a broad and open
road for the soldiers of the King.

With shouts of rage, which spoke ill for those above when we should
reach them, the warriors wrenched up the blades and spikes, and having
thus opened a passage, poured onward and upward. We soon gained the
entrance to the gully, and now we could hear the sound of voices ab