or channels from
the Euphrates, by means of which a great portion of its water would be
drawn off, and hoped in this way to render the natural course of the
river fordable.

When all was prepared, Cyrus determined to wait for the arrival of a
certain festival, during which the whole population were wont to engage
in drinking and revelling, and then silently in the dead of night to
turn the water of the river and make his attack. It fell out as he hoped
and wished. The festival was held with even greater pomp and splendor
than usual; for Belshazzar, with the natural insolence of youth, to
mark his contempt of the besieging army, abandoned himself wholly to the
delights of the season, and himself entertained a thousand lords in his
palace. Elsewhere the rest of the population was occupied in feasting
and dancing. Drunken riot and mad excitement held possession of the
town; the siege was forgotten; ordinary precautions were neglected.
Following the example of their king, the Babylonians gave themselves
up for the night to orgies in which religious frenzy and drunken excess
formed a strange and revolting medley.

Meanwhile, outside the city, in silence and darkness, the Persians
watched at the two points where the Euphrates entered and left the
walls. Anxiously they noted the gradual sinking of the water in the
river-bed; still more anxiously they watched to see if those within
the walls would observe the suspicious circumstance and sound an alarm
through the town. Should such an alarm be given, all their labors would
be lost. If, when they entered the river-bed, they found the river-walls
manned and the river-gates fast-locked, they would be indeed "caught in
a trap." Enfiladed on both sides by an enemy whom they could neither
see nor reach, they would be overwhelmed and destroyed by his missiles
before they could succeed in making their escape. But, as they watched,
no sounds of alarm reached them--only a confused noise of revel and
riot, which showed that the unhappy townsmen were quite unconscious of
the approach of danger.

At last shadowy forms began to emerge from the obscurity of the deep
river-bed, and on the landing-places opposite the river-gates scattered
clusters of men grew into solid columns--the undefended gateways were
seized--a war-shout was raised--the alarm was taken and spread--and
swift runners started off to "show the King of Babylon that his city was
taken at one end." In the darkness and confusi