embering well what
has often fallen out to themselves, that when the main body of their
army has been quite defeated and broken, when their enemies imagining
the victory obtained, have let themselves loose into an irregular
pursuit, a few of them that lay for a reserve, waiting a fit
opportunity, have fallen on them in their chase, and when straggling in
disorder and apprehensive of no danger, but counting the day their own,
have turned the whole action, and wresting out of their hands a victory
that seemed certain and undoubted, while the vanquished have suddenly
become victorious.

It is hard to tell whether they are more dexterous in laying or avoiding
ambushes. They sometimes seem to fly when it is far from their thoughts;
and when they intend to give ground, they do it so that it is very hard
to find out their design. If they see they are ill posted, or are like
to be overpowered by numbers, they then either march off in the night
with great silence, or by some stratagem delude their enemies: if they
retire in the daytime, they do it in such order, that it is no less
dangerous to fall upon them in a retreat than in a march. They fortify
their camps with a deep and large trench, and throw up the earth that is
dug out of it for a wall; nor do they employ only their slaves in this,
but the whole army works at it, except those that are then upon the
guard; so that when so many hands are at work, a great line and a strong
fortification is finished in so short a time that it is scarce credible.
Their armour is very strong for defence, and yet is not so heavy as to
make them uneasy in their marches; they can even swim with it. All that
are trained up to war, practise swimming. Both horse and foot make great
use of arrows, and are very expert. They have no swords, but fight with
a pole-axe that is both sharp and heavy, by which they thrust or strike
down an enemy. They are very good at finding out warlike machines, and
disguise them so well, that the enemy does not perceive them till he
feels the use of them; so that he cannot prepare such a defence as would
render them useless; the chief consideration had in the making them, is
that they may be easily carried and managed.

If they agree to a truce, they observe it so religiously that no
provocations will make them break it. They never lay their enemies'
country waste, nor burn their corn, and even in their marches they take
all possible care that neither horse nor foot m