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

THE TYRIAN FIRE-SHIP. 331protect them from such assaults. Under cover of these thework made worthy progress.The Tyriaus saw that they must destroy these towers.From an old horse -transport provided with two masts anda wide deck, with room to carry a bulky burden, they constructeda fire-ship and loaded it with a quantity of bitumen,dry t\vigs, and other inflammable material.From the yardarmsor booms, which stood out like antennae, they hung- cauldronsfilledwith sulphur, naphtha, chemical oils and similarsubstances. They towed this fire-ship between two triremes,one blustering day when the wind set well inland, towardsthe end of the mole, and leaving the men who were putaboard to kindle the fires to swim back to the city as best theymight, retired to a safe distance for hurling missiles to keepoff the Macedonians from quenching the flames. The headwayit acquired carried the fire-ship towards the mole in afew minutes. The poop was ballasted so as to throw thebows out of water and allow itto run up on the mole whereit could be anchored firmly in place. The towers, breastworksand engines of war caught fire ;the yard-arm caiddronsemptied their inflammables ; the wind lent its aid ; despitemanful fighting of the flames, all were destroyed. For thenorthwest wind was very fresh and the missiles from the soldierson the Tyrian vessels and from the garrison on the townwalls, made it all but impossible for the Macedonians to workat extinguishing the flames, which were blown directly in theirfaces. Boats from the city also brought out many Tyrianswho, landing on the wind side ofthe conflagration, aided inpulling down the breastworks and burning up the engines ofwar. Not only were the towers lost, but the end of the molewas cracked and weakened so as later to be washed away bythe waves. The work of months and multitudes had beendestroyed in a short hour.