: 
202) 
watedthan the contiguous parts of the 
plain. When this is seen from the west- 
ward, ils projection gives it the appear 
ance of an elevation; and the Same effect’ 
is prdduced to the observer on ehe banks 
of, thesiver below. it, 
We are told in the Commentaries that 
on. his.arvival inthe plain of Lerida, and! 
joining his forces under C)Pabius, Cx- 
sav offered kattle to the troops under Pe- | 
tyeius and Afyanius'whe were posted on 
the eminence 1 have just described: But! 
thechemy declining to cone down to 
the plain, he withdrew and fortified a’ 
camp about G00" paces fionr their posi- 
tion. The level pround between tis 
eminence and the town of Lerida, Casat’ 
says; was about S00 paces, a distance 
eorresponding very accurately with 
that’ of 500' yards, which I estimated 
on the spot. In the midst of this level 
ground was. a gentle swelling (tuniu/us’ 
paullo editior ), which Cesar wished to’ 
occupy; by. which: step, he would cut. 
ofthe commanieation between the ene- 
my and the town, Tt has been already 
observed; thatthe round prowontory on 
the edge! of the plam would, to-an ol- 
server on the west side, particularly if 
wiewed: from: an elevatiun,, present the’ 
appearance-of an eminence. Cesar, 
might therefore naturally term it a’ tus 
mulus, alvhough it is in fact, level with, 
the rest-of the-piain. ' 
Tmattempting to seize this post, an ac’ 
tion commenced with the enerny, who, 
observing his motions and’ being nearer’ 
to the) spot, took posséssion of it belive 
Casar’s men got'to the spot. A lone 
contest with various success took place, 
which ended in that: party of the enemy 
being forced to’ retire under’ tlie walls of 
Bervida, whither they were followed by 
ebar’s troops, whu mounted by ‘a part, 
of the hill which ran out toa considerable 
Jength, but was narrow on the ridge, and 
the sides wereso abrupt, that neitlier in- 
fantry nor ‘cavalry could be brought up, 
to cover their Qanks. 
« This projecting and sloping ridge was 
most probably that part of the hilt of 
Lerida already desccibed as running 
out ke a spur ‘br couuterfort into the 
plain on the West side. _ Upon’ this spot 
therefore, a very obstinate contest hap- 
pened, which‘ended in bath parties with- 
drawing within their works; the enemy 
vet a little elated because they had been’ 
#ble to withstand all Cesar’s assauits, 
whilst his troops considered it Httic less 
their a victory to have majutained for: 
five bours together a close engagement 
> yh a gt “| a fa om 
Account of recent Travels tr Spain. 
x s 
Bie» 
[Oett, 
, wah th. 
with the enemy, who had the advantage” 
of the ground, and evén to have driven” 
thein within the cover of the town, i 
During these transactions at Lerida,. 
the Segre was so swelled by the melting, 
of the snows in the mountains, that the 
two bridges thrown over it by Fabius, 
were cArvied away, and all communica- 
tion with the eastern side of the river 
was cut off. Casar’s army was thus re=. 
duced to the greatest distress ; forth, the. 
space of thuty miles up the rivers Cinca, 
io 
antl! Sere fiom their conilax, neither o 
them could be passed; and the enemy 
had’ drawn together in Lerida all fe. 
corn aud other necessaries to be found 
in the environs. Casar attempted ta_ 
repzi' his temporary bridges over the Se- 
give, still swoln apd forious: but the ene- 
hides. In this way hé was enabled’to” 
rescue his Gallic friends, and to, procures 
considérable supphes for his army... 
But as it was tod. inconvenient to sub=* 
sist an army. by, such precarious, meansy 
Cesar resolved’ on a most extraordinary? 
measure; no less than to divert a part 
of the waters of the Segre, by cuttin 
trenches to the depth of thirty feet, into” 
which they might flow, and so produce, 
at least a temporary diminution of the , 
stream, which might allow him either,to . 
receive supplies with facility, or at once 
to remove his. army to the eastern side, 
of the river, where he should be at lie. 
berty to follow such operatiovs agamst 
the enemy as might be advisable. This, 
measure had been so: far carried on, that 
the waters of the Segre were lowered, 
enough to allow not only the cavalry but, 
even the infantry to pass in certain pla-, 
ces; when at the same time, one of the 
bridges was repaired, and a ford was; 
discovered ; and Czsar Jearned, that Pe-; 
treius and Afranius beginning now to, 
fear that they should in their turn be.cut, _ 
offfrom supplies, meditated an escapes 
from Lerida; in order to carry the war 
into the southern parts of Spam, where, 
they hoped “to find many mp ae 
ns 
7. A tI 
