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

406 SUCCESS OF MANCEUVRE.silence by the unusual excitement and the great exertion.HeFrom where he stood led a path to Ariobarzanes' camp.must avoid this road, for along it lay not only certain detection,but failure of his plan, for he would strike the enemyfrom a direction enabling him to escape.It was now morning. From the point he had reached, withhis usual foresight, a part of the detaclunent under Amyntas,Philotas, CcBuus, was sent forward, along the northern foothills,to the Araxes, with instructions to bridge the river.As this was a swift torrent with high and rocky banks, tobridge it rapidly argues no small engineering abilities atAlexander's command. The bridge was constructed frommaterials taken from adjoining villages demolished for thepurpose. The king with the rest of his jjarty waited againtillnight should cover his march, and then set forth, marchingwith rapidity, but circumspection. The exertion calledfor was extraordinary, but cheerfully borne. He reached thevicinity of the rear of the barbaiians before daylight of thissecond night. His vanguard soon ran upon their outpostsin the passes, and by very clever devices he successively surprisedand captured two and dispersed a third. He reachedthe rear of the main camp unperceived. For the pickets hadnot only been cut off ; they had been so demoralized thatthey had fled into the mountains rather than towards thecamp.Ariobarzanes' camp was as usual long and narrow, andAlexander first reached a position near the left flank of it.The weather had as stated been stormy. Ariobarzanes' outpostshad observed by day Craterus' detachment still in place,and had counted its watchfires by night. The Persians keptquietly to their camp, satisfied that the bold conqueror hadat last met his match. They were expecting nothing lessthan attack, when suddenly the blare of many trumpets roused