But the worst of the ascent was now over, and the army reached the summit of the Alps, after a march of nine days. The soldiers, who had come from the warm and sunny climates of Africa and Spain, were unused to snow and frost, and they grumbled at every discomfort. Hannibal soon roused them to a braver spirit. Calling them together he bade them look at the valley beneath. ‘That valley,’ he said, ‘is Italy. It leads us to our allies, the Gauls, and yonder is the way to Rome.’ After resting for ten days, the army began the descent, and although no hostile tribes added to the difficulties, the downward way proved even more dangerous than the ascent. Snow had completely covered the path, and the soldiers unawares stepped off it, to be hurled down the precipice into the chasm below. At one spot it is said that the road was broken away by an avalanche, and in front of the army yawned a hideous gulf. But even such a disaster proved powerless to daunt Hannibal. Encouraged by their general, the men were soon at work bridging the chasm. Before a day had passed the cavalry and baggage were sent across in safety. But it took three days to make a bridge strong enough and wide enough to bear the elephants. At length, all obstacles were overcome, and Hannibal led his army into Northern Italy. But in the terrible journey across the Alps he had lost three thousand men. CHAPTER LIX THE BATTLE OF TREBIA After the hardships they had endured while crossing the Alps Hannibal and his army were forced to rest. But in a short time Hannibal was ready to lead his men along the left bank of the river Po, having sent a corps of cavalry forward to reconnoitre. Scipio, you remember, had determined to await Hannibal in the valley of the Po, and he was now also marching along the left bank of the river. As he crossed the Ticinus, a tributary of the Po, he suddenly found himself face to face with the cavalry of the enemy. A fierce struggle at once took place, but before long the Roman soldiers turned and fled, in spite of all the Consul could do to rally them. He himself showed the greatest courage, fighting in the forefront of the battle and so being wounded. Had it not been for the bravery of his young son, he would indeed have been captured or killed. Seeing that his father was wounded and surrounded by the enemy, the lad, who was only sixteen years of age, dashed into their midst. He was followed by his men, who were ashamed to linger behind their young leader. His daring attack scattered the foe, and the Consul was carried off the field in safety. This lad of sixteen was the Scipio who afterwards became known as Scipio Africanus, the conqueror of Hannibal. The battle at the Ticinus was in reality only a skirmish. But Scipio was warned by this defeat to be cautious, and he determined to withdraw across the Po. There he would await his colleague Sempronius, who had been recalled from Sicily, when it became known that Hannibal meant to invade Italy.