21.35
The
next day, as the savages attacked with less vigour, the column closed up, and
the pass was surmounted, not without loss, more, however, of baggage
animals than of men. From that time the natives made their appearance in
smaller numbers and behaved more like banditti than regular soldiers; they
attacked either front or rear just as the ground gave them opportunity, or as
the advance or halt of the column presented a chance of surprise. The
elephants caused considerable delay, owing to the difficulty of getting them
through narrow or precipitous places; on the other hand, they rendered that
part of the column safe from attack where they were, for the natives were
unaccustomed to the sight of them and had a great dread of going too near
them. Nine days from their commencing the ascent they arrived at the
highest point of the Alps, after traversing a region mostly without roads and
frequently losing their way either through the treachery of their guides or
through their own mistakes in trying to find the way for themselves. For two
days they remained in camp on the summit, whilst the troops enjoyed a
respite from fatigue and fighting. Some of the baggage animals which had
fallen amongst the rocks and had afterwards followed the track of the
column came into camp. To add to the misfortunes of the worn-out troops,
there was a heavy fall of snow -the Pleiads were near their setting -and this
new experience created considerable alarm. In the early morning of the third
day the army recommenced its heavy march over ground everywhere deep in
snow. Hannibal saw in all faces an expression of listlessness and
despondency. He rode on in front to a height from which there was a wide
and extensive view, and halting his men, he pointed out to them the land of
Italy and the rich valley of the Po lying at the foot of the Alps. "You are
now," he said, "crossing the barriers not only of Italy, but of Rome itself.
Henceforth all will be smooth and easy for you; in one or, at the most, two
battles, you will be masters of the capital and stronghold of Italy." Then the
army resumed its advance with no annoyance from the enemy beyond
occasional attempts at plunder. The remainder of the march, however, was
attended with much greater difficulty than they had experienced in the
ascent, for the distance to the plains on the Italian side is shorter, and
therefore the descent is necessarily steeper. Almost the whole of the way
was precipitous, narrow, and slippery, so that they were unable to keep their
footing, and if they slipped they could not recover themselves; they kept
falling over each other, and the baggage animals rolled over on their drivers.
