Near them were a body of Garamantes, wrapped in the long bernous which then as now was the garb of the children of the desert.  Tall, swarthy figures these, lissome and agile, with every muscle standing out clear through the brown skin.  Strange as must have been the scene to them, there was no wonder expressed in the keen glances which they shot around them from underneath their dark eyebrows.  Silent and taciturn, scarce a word was to be heard among them as they stood awaiting the orders to embark; they were there unwillingly, and their hearts were far away in the distant desert, but none the less would they be willing to fight when the time came.  Terrible foes these would be in a night attack, with their stealthy tiger-like tread, their gleaming, vengeful eyes, and their cruel mouths.

Very different were the band of Ethiopians from the distant Soudan, with their cloaks of lion skin, and the gaudy feathers fastened in a fillet round their heads.  Their black faces were alive with merriment and wonder —­ everything was new and extraordinary to them.  The sea, the ships, the mighty city, the gathered crowd, all excited their astonishment, and their white teeth glistened as they chatted incessantly with a very babel of laughter and noise.

Not less light hearted were the chosen band of young nobles grouped by the general’s ship.  Their horses were held in ranks behind them for the last time by their slaves, for in future they would have to attend to them themselves, and as they gathered in groups they laughed and jested over the last scandal in Carthage, the play which had been produced the night before at the theatre, or the horse race which was to be run on the following day.  As to the desperate work on which they were to be engaged —­ for it was whispered that Hannibal had in preparation some mighty enterprise —­ it troubled them not at all, nor the thought that many of them might never look on Carthage again.  In their hearts perhaps some of them, like Malchus, were thinking sadly of the partings they had just gone through with those they loved, but no signs of such thoughts were apparent in their faces or conversation.

Presently a blast of trumpets sounded, and the babel of voices was hushed as if by magic.  The soldiers fell into military order, and stood motionless.  Then Hamilcar walked along the quays inspecting carefully each group, asking questions of the captains of the ships as to their store of provisions and water, receiving from the officers charged with that duty the lists of the war machines and stores which were stored away in the hulls; and, having assured himself that everything was in order, he gave the signal to his trumpeter, who again blew a long and piercing blast.

The work of embarkation at once commenced.  The infantry were soon on board, but the operation of shipping the horses of the cavalry took longer.  Half of these were stored away in the hold of the general’s ship, the rest in another vessel.  When the troops were all on board the soldiers who had kept back the crowd were withdrawn, and the Carthaginians thronged down on to the quay.  A small space was still kept clear on the wharf by whose side the admiral’s ship was lying, and here was gathered a throng of the aristocracy of the city to see the last of their sons and relatives of the guard.