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BATTLEFIELD OF ISSUS 455
standstill by the tradition, and left wondering how
the simple tale arose, and yet are conscious of being
pleased with it ; for it gives colour and interest to
the road, and is in keeping with similar artless stories
belonging to this old land.
At Jonah's Pillars I was at the southern end of the
Plain of Issus. And there I saw that my quest of
the battlefield was no small labour, and that he who
would thresh this matter out could do so neither in
one day nor in two. The mountains retired more
from the sea, the plain opencvd out a little and went
northward for many miles. I had to confess as I
stood looking hence up the shore that the battlefield
was still to be found, and that I was disinclined to
search for it longer. But of this I felt sure : wherever
the site, it lay not more than six miles beyond Jonah's
Pillars. That would give the Macedonians a march
from Beilan exceeding twenty-five miles ; and on top
of it would be the distance they had already covered
immediately before countermarching.
Great marchers
they might be, but they bore the heavy armour and
weapons of the phalanx, and each man his loot, and
some provision of food and drink as well. As they
plodded slowly northward past the site of Jonah's
Pillars during the early forenoon of the day of battle,
I warrant them weary men and good for little farther
without rest and refreshment.
I returned to Alexandretta when the day was
growing late, and in the low light of sunset the
south - going wall of Amanus appeared as a foreshortened
succession of violet spurs and precipices.
Before them lay the Mediterranean, ocean-blue and
still as a pool, showing an idle sail or two far out.
On its seaward point of plain across the bay the town
stood as a line of white buildings and low roofs, with
a hint of date-palms here and there against the sky.
In the brooding repose of the scene was something
which recalled the past, and at the same time
prompted the mind to speculations upon events to
come—as though mountains and sea were holdmg