Alexander : a history of the origin and growth of the art of war from ...

330 THE MOLE.mole was designed to be two hundred feet wide, and was builtby driving piles into the bottom, and filling in witli stones,earth and wood. Work was begun at once. Laborers wereprocured from every part of the neighboring country. Thepiles were cedars brought from Mount Libanus, and thesewere easily driven into the swampy soil ; the stones came fromthe old town on the coast, abandoned by its citizens, and nowdemolished and used against them. The rushes from theswampy land made excellent binding. To prevent the edgesofthe mole from washing away by the attrition of the waves,whole trees, leaves and all, were cast into the sea to still thewater which the southwest wind usually kept in heavy motion.A city and a forest were exhausted to build this wonderfulmole.Alexander oversaw every part of the work, and constantlyencouraged the Macedonians and other workmen who laboredat it day and night, with cheering words and substantial presents.The work progressed rapidly ; but as they approachedthe deeper water near the city and within reach of missiles,it not only became difficult, but hazardous. The Tyriansmounted engines on the walls, and employed allmanner ofexpedients to break up the work. They attacked the workmenon the mole with vessels of war at alltimes and places.They sent expert divers to undermine it. Their devices werebeyond telling clever and unexpected. Diodorus details manyof them, for which we have no space.They were bound toshow their old skill to these impertinent Macedonian upstarts.Alexander was soon forced to build two towers on the end ofthe mole to keep the Tyrians at a distance.These he mannedwith soldiers and engines, and covered the front with skinsto keep them from being set on fire by missiles from the walls.He made movable breastworks of wicker-work and skins, anderected palisades and mantelets for the workmen so as to