450 TRAVELS TO DISCOVER 



Afterwards came the old Ras on his mule, with feveral of 

 his friends fwimming both with and without their horfes 

 on each lide of him, in a manner truly wonderful. He feem- 

 ed to have loft his accuftomed calmnefs, and appeared a good 

 deal agitated ; forbade, upon pain of death, any one to fol- 

 low him directly, or to fwim over, as their cuftom is, hold- 

 ing their mules by the tail. As foon as thefe were fafely 

 afhore, the king's houfehold and black troops, and I with 

 them, advanced cautioufly into the river, and fwam happily 

 over, in a deep ftream of reddifh-coioured water, which ran 

 without violence almoft upon a level, 



Each horfeman had a mule in his hand, which fwam 

 after him, or by his fide, with his coat of mail and head- 

 piece tied upon it. My horfe was a very ftrong one, and in 

 good condition, and a fervant took charge of my mule and 

 coat of mail, fo that, being unembarraffed, I had the hap- 

 pinefs to get fafe and foon over, and up the path to the right 

 without great difficulty, fo had molt others of the cavalry 

 who fwam along with us ; but the ground now began to be 

 broken on both fides of the paffage, and it was almoft as dif- 

 ficult to get in, as it was to fcramble up the bank after- 

 wards, 



Quis cladem illius ?io&is, quis funcra fando, 



Tc/npcret a lacbrymis,- — i 



VlRG. 



It is impoiTible to defcribe the ccnfufion that followed; 

 night was hard upon us, and, though it increafed our lofs, it 

 in great meafure concealed it ; a thoufand men had not yet 

 paiied, though on mules and horfes; many mired in the 



muddy 



