Chapter 9

Having harangued his men to this effect and put fresh heart into them all, he briefed his centurions as follows: they Mere to interrupt their other tasks and turn their attention to digging wells, continuing without any cessation all through the night. Whereupon, the business being once undertaken with unanimous enthusiasm for the task, in the course of that one night a great quantity of sweet water was discovered. Tims the laborious machinations and supreme efforts of the Alexandrians were countered by a few hours’ work. In the course of the following day the Thirty-Seventh legion, part of the surrendered remnants of Pompeius’ troops, after being embarked by Domitius Calvinus with corn, arms, weapons and artillery, made the coast of Africa a little beyond Alexandria. An East wind, which blew continuously for many days, prevented this Meet from gaining harbour; but the ground throughout all that area gives excellent hold for anchors. And as they were weather-bound for a long time, and hard put to it for lack of water, they informed Caesar by means of a fast boat.