of the Ulaî, and ascended the river till they reached a spot where the
slimy reed-beds gave place to firm ground, which permitted them to draw
their ships to land.*

* Billerbeck recognises in the narrative of Sennacherib the
indication of two attempts at debarcation, of which the
second only can have been successful; I can distinguish only
one crossing.

The inhabitants assembled hastily at sight of the enemy, and the news,
spreading through the neighbouring tribes, brought together for their
defence a confused crowd of archers, chariots, and horsemen. The
Assyrians, leaping into the stream and climbing up the bank, easily
overpowered these undisciplined troops.

[Illustration: 052.jpg A SKIRMISH IN THE MARSHES]

Drawn by Faucher-Gudin, from Layard.

They captured at the first onset Nagîtu, Nagîtu-Dibîna, Khilmu, Pillatu,
and Khupapânu; and raiding the Kaldâ, forced them on board the
fleet with their gods, their families, their flocks, and household
possessions, and beat a hurried retreat with their booty.
Merodach-baladan himself and his children once more escaped their
clutches, but the State he had tried to create was annihilated, and
his power utterly crushed. Sennacherib received his generals with great
demonstrations of joy at Bab-Salimeti, and carried the spoil in triumph
to Nineveh. Khalludush, exasperated by the affront put upon him,
instantly retaliated by invading Karduniash, where he pushed forward
as far as Sippara, pillaging and destroying the inhabitants without