P. Scipio was at the same time placed in a position quite as alarming hut fraught with much greater danger by the appearance of a new enenlY. This v.ras young Masinissa. at that time an any of the Carthag-inians, but afterwards raisrd to fame and power by his friendship with Rome. He first sought to check Scipio's advance with a body of Numidian horse, and he kept up incessant attacks upon him day and night. He not only cu t off an who had wandered too far from camp in search of wood and fodder, hut he actuaUy rode up to the camp and charged into the middle of the outposts and pickets, creating alarm and confuc;ion everywhere. In the night he frequently upset the camp by making a sudden rush at the gates and the stockade; there was no place and no time at \vhich the Romans were free from anxiety and fear, and they were compelled to keep within their lines, unahtc to ohtain an'ything they \vanted. It was fast hecoming a reg-uPaT siege and would evidently become a still closer one if T ndebilis, who was reported to be approaching with 7500 Suessetanians, should join the Carthaginians. Cautious and prudent general though he was, Scipio was compelled by his position to take the hazardous step of making a night march to oppose T ndebilis' advance and to fight him wherever he met him. Leaving a smal1 force to guard the camp and placin Tiherius Fonteius in commann, he started at midnight and encountered the enemy. They {oug-ht in order of march rather than of hattle; the Romans, however, had the advantage, in spite of its being an irre ular hattle. 15 But the Numidian horse, whom Scipio thought he han eludrd) swept round hoth flanks and created the £!reatest alarm. A fresh action had now begun against the Numidians when a third enemy appeared; the Carthaginian generals had come up and were attacking the rear. The Romans had to face a battle on both flanks and on their rear, and could not make up their minds against what enemy to make their main attack or in what direction to close their line and charge. 'Vhilst their commander was fighting and encouraging his men and exposing himself in the hottest of the turmoil he was run through by a la ce in his left side. The massed body of the enemy who had charged the closed ranks round their general, as soon as they saw Scipio falling lifeless from his horse were wild with joy and ra.n in all directions shouting that the Roman commander had fal1en. The news spread over the whole field, and the enemy at once regarded th selves as unquestionably victorious, while the Romans equally felt themselves vanquished. \\ .ith the loss of the general there began at once a flight from the field. It was not difficult to break through the N umidians and other lightarmed troops, but it was almost ilnpossible to make one's escape amidst such numbers of cavalry and of foot soldiers who rivalled horses in speed. Almost more \\'ere killed in flight than in battle, and not a man would have survived had not the day been rapidly drawing to a close so that night put an end to the carnage.